Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(65)

“He hauled you in for questioning again?”

“No, of course not.” Hannah took a moment to choose her next words. She didn’t want to get Mike in trouble for coming to see her. “I talked to him today. He’s on my side, Norman.”

“Are you sure?” Norman didn’t look convinced. “Remember, Hannah. He’s a cop first, and a friend second.”

“I haven’t forgotten that.”

“Good. I’m sure Howie told you to be careful.”

“Oh, he did. And I am being careful. Actually, I might not have to be careful for too much longer, not if my dream is true.”

Norman didn’t say anything and for a long moment, there was no sound except for the swoosh of the tires on the asphalt roadway and the hum of the powerful engine. “What dream is that?” Norman finally asked.

Hannah knew exactly what he was thinking. Norman was wondering whether she’d slipped over the edge of sanity from the stress.

“I’m not crazy, Norman,” she reassured him. “It’s true that I’m under a lot of stress knowing that I’m the prime suspect, and that’s probably why I had such a dreadful nightmare last night. But part of the dream came from my memory of diving down to the car in the pond. I won’t go into details. It’s not important and it was standard nightmare fare. But there was a thermos on the passenger seat in my dream, and it got knocked to the floorboards. I’ve been trying to remember, and I think there really was a thermos in Doctor Bev’s car. And since the only time I ever saw the inside of her car was when it was underwater, the memory had to come from that.”

“Okay,” Norman said, still sounding a bit dubious.

“If there is a thermos on the floorboards and the cap is on tight, the contents might prove my innocence.”

“Poison in the thermos and not in your cupcakes?” Norman asked, catching on immediately.

“Yes, but not a traditional poison. Doc Knight ran more tests and he identified the cause of death. It was an overdose of a powerful prescription tranquilizer.”

“That puts a different spin on it,” Norman said. And then, even though he tried not to show any emotion, he shivered slightly. “Tell me she was dead when she went into the water.”

“Doc Knight said she was. Mike told me.”

“Okay.” Norman looked very relieved. “I know dead is dead, and nothing will change that, but the idea of Bev drowning really bothered me.”

“Me, too,” Hannah said.

They were silent then, each thinking their own thoughts. Norman may have been reliving the good times with Doctor Bev. She knew there must have been some, or they wouldn’t have gotten engaged the first time. Perhaps it was rather na?ve of her, but she still believed that there was some good in everyone.

Moishe crawled between the bucket seats and settled in her lap. He began to purr and the sound was comforting. Hannah closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she saw that they were approaching Eden Lake and she lowered her window. She loved the damp green smell of the lake with the teeming life beneath its surface.

Life on the shore was equally rich and plentiful. Small animals scurried beneath the trees, insects flitted and buzzed in an effort to claim the air, and birds called from the tall trees that lined both sides of the road, their branches almost meeting overhead.

The lacy green tunnel widened as they approached the hospital. Norman turned into the curving access road that led to the parking lot, and Hannah drew a deep, steadying breath. She reached down to pet Moishe, not entirely to reassure him, but also to reassure herself.

Norman parked in a spot very close to the door, shut off the engine, and turned to her. He reached out and touched her face, caressing her cheek. “Ready?” he asked.

Hannah hesitated for one brief moment, wondering how such a small gesture on Norman’s part could be so comforting, and then she smiled. “Ready,” she said.

The nurse at the reception desk was a welcome surprise. It was Jenny, and Hannah gave her a big smile. “Hi, Jenny,” she said. “Meet Norman Rhodes. He’s the town dentist.”

“Hello, Norman.” Jenny turned to him. “Do you have a card? I need to make an appointment for a cleaning.”

Norman produced the card and Jenny tucked it away in the pocket on her uniform. “I don’t have any classes tonight, so I’m filling in for the receptionist while she’s on break.”

“Do you live here?” Hannah teased.

“I ought to. It would certainly save time since I’m almost always here. As a matter of fact, I’m working the night shift tonight.”

“Didn’t Mother say she was taking you home after I saw you at The Cookie Jar?”

“That was the plan, but Doc Knight called and needed me for the night shift. When we left you, your mother took me to my place so that I could change to a fresh uniform and then we stopped at her house so that she could change into her dress clothes.”

“She must have plans for tonight,” Hannah speculated.

“Oh, she does. When Doc Knight finishes up, they’re going out to the Lake Eden Inn for dinner.” Jenny came out from behind the desk to pet Moishe. “This must be Moishe. Your mother told me all about him.”

“Did she tell you all about him?”

“Shredded stockings and all.” Jenny did a deep knee bend so that she was on Moishe’s level. “You’re a handsome fellow, aren’t you, Moishe?”