Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(56)

“A third act? What story would that be?”

“How the sheriff’s department came in here last night to toss the whole place. And how Herb and I spent all night cleaning up when they left. We can also explore what evidence caused Mike to bring you down to the sheriff’s office to interrogate you. I know your mother can get me a copy of the autopsy report. She already offered to do it.”

“She did?”

“You betcha! She was in here this morning before seven and so was Andrea. Everyone’s pulling for you, Hannah. And they’ll be pulling for you even more when I tell them what a . . . a witch Doctor Bev was to you on the Petersons’ porch. It won’t hurt your defense if it comes to that. The sheriff’s department tossed the Peterson house, too. And they didn’t find any substance that you could have added to the cupcakes to cause Doctor Bev’s death.”

“That’s good to know.”

“Yes, it is. Just forget about the business here. Michelle and I are taking care of it, and Marge and Dad are happy to help. Actually, I think it helps Dad a lot to interact with all these people. We’ll take care of things here, so you concentrate on proving your innocence.”

“I just hope I can do that. It might be easier to prove the killer’s guilt than my innocence.”

“That could be true, but you know you can do it. The lady who hates spiders, but captures them in a napkin to take them outside and set them free couldn’t possibly kill anyone, even a waste of oxygen like Doctor Bev.”

Hannah laughed at Lisa’s description of Doctor Bev. “Are you going to use that line tomorrow?”

“I think so. It’s a real grabber. As a matter of fact, that’ll probably be my last line in tomorrow’s story.”

“You’re a drama queen, Lisa. Just go for it! If I have the stomach later, I’ll even listen to one of your performances. And if I manage to prove my innocence while you’re doing all that, we’ll use the money to go on vacation to someplace where it’s warm next winter.”

Hannah had just tasted one of Marge’s new Chocolate-Covered Peanut Cookies when Jack came back into the kitchen.

“You tried one?” he asked, noticing that a cookie was gone from the six dozen on the baker’s rack.

“I did and they’re wonderful. Tell Marge I said so, will you?”

“I will. She’ll like that.” Jack stood there for a moment and then he took a deep breath. “Do you have a minute, Hannah? I need your help.”

“Sure, Jack. What is it?”

“I need to . . .” Jack stopped and looked confused. Then he cleared his throat and began again. “I need to pro . . . pro-something. I always forget that word!”

“Say it in a different way,” Hannah suggested. It was a tactic she’d learned from Lisa. “What does the word mean, Jack?”

“It means to get married. To . . . propose! That’s it! I need to propose, Hannah.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, crossing to the coffee pot to pour two mugs, one for each of them. She gestured toward the stools around the stainless steel work island and said, “Come over here and sit. Have a little coffee and tell me all about it.”

Jack smiled as he sat down. “You are good, Hannah. That’s why I want to ask you to help. I can’t ask Marge and I can’t ask Lisa. And Herb’s too busy or he’d do it. That boy loves me.”

“I know he does. So do Lisa and Marge.”

“Yes, they do. But I can’t ask them to help me. They’re in . . . in something. In the middle of it, you know?”

“Involved.”

“Yes. That’s the word. They’re involved. It has to be a secret until I get it right. Then I’ll ask Marge and then I’ll tell Lisa. That’s the way it should be.”

“All right.”

“You won’t tell, will you?”

“No, Jack. I won’t tell.”

“I knew you wouldn’t. Marge is good, Hannah. And I love her. Did you know that she gave her house to the kids when they got married?”

“Yes, I knew. It was an incredibly generous wedding gift.”

“Well, now she doesn’t have a house, but I do. And I want my house to be her house. I want us to have it together. That’s the way it’s supposed to be between a man and a woman. So I want to pro . . . you know . . . ask her.”

“You want to propose to Marge.”

“Yes. But every time I try to work it out, I can’t find the right words. It has to be right, Hannah. She deserves that.”

“Of course she does. Did you want me to help you find the right words?”

“Yes! That’s exactly what I want. And then, once I know what the words are, I want you to help me re . . . re . . . rehash isn’t right. It’s a different word. It means to do like actors do.”

“Rehearse?”

“That’s it! You’re so smart, Hannah. I want you to help me rehearse so I can propose to Marge. Will you? Please?”

“Of course I will. When do you want to start?”

“Right now? They said I could take a break. Is right now good for you?”

“It’s perfect,” Hannah said, even though she had more cookies to bake. Helping Jack rehearse his proposal to Marge was a lot more important than mixing up cookie dough.