Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(69)

Hannah’s 2nd Note: If you’d like to make Caramel Monkey Bread, use only ? cup of white sugar. Mix it with the cinnamon the way you’d do if it was the full amount of white sugar. At the very end when you melt the butter with the leftover cinnamon and sugar mixture, add ? cup of brown sugar to the bowl before you put it in the microwave. Pour that hot mixture over the top of your Bundt pan before baking and it will form a luscious caramel topping when you unmold your Monkey Bread.

Hannah’s 3rd Note: I don’t know why this is called “Monkey Bread”. Norman thinks it has something to do with the old story about the monkey that couldn’t get his hand out of the hole in the tree because he wouldn’t let go of the nut he was holding in his fist. Mike thinks it’s because monkeys eat with their hands and you can pull this bread apart and eat it with your hands. Mother says it’s because monkeys are social animals and you can put this bread in the center of the table and everyone can sit around it and eat. Tracey says it’s because it’s a cute name. Bethie doesn’t care. She just wants to eat it.

Chapter Twenty-Three


“Hi, Barbara,” Hannah greeted her.

“Look, Hannah.” Barbara smiled widely. “My dentist gave me a nice present today. Now I don’t look like a bag lady.”

“I’m glad you’re pleased,” Norman said, coming over to kiss Barbara on the cheek. “How does that bridge feel?”

“Good.” Barbara turned to Hannah. “Did you bring your cat to see me? Doc said you would.”

“Moishe’s right here.” Hannah lifted him up in her arms to show Barbara.

“You’re such a beautiful, big boy!” Barbara said, patting the bed. “Come up here and say hello to Aunt Babs.”

Moishe didn’t wait for a second invitation. He leaped out of Hannah’s arms and joined Barbara on the bed.

“So handsome,” Barbara said, stroking his back and then scratching him behind the ears. “Do you like that?”

Moishe purred so loudly that Hannah was almost afraid he’d choke. His tongue flicked out to give Barbara a raspy kiss and he rubbed his head against her arm. Hannah was surprised and pleased by his behavior. It usually took Moishe a while to warm up to someone new, but this time no bribery with kitty treats was required. It was perfectly clear that he was wildly taken with Aunt Babs.

“He likes you, Barbara,” Norman said.

“I know. I think it’s because he recognizes me. Moishe and I are old friends, you know.”

“You are?” Hannah asked, frowning slightly. Barbara had never visited her condo and she hoped this wasn’t another delusion on Barbara’s part.

“Don’t you remember, Hannah? You brought Moishe down to your coffee shop when that film crew was in town. I was one of the extras in the movie.”

“That’s right,” Hannah said, even though she didn’t remember. It was true that she’d taken Moishe to The Cookie Jar while Ross and his movie crew were in town. He’d used all the shops on Main Street for background, and he’d paid every business owner for the privilege. He’d rented Hannah’s business for his exclusive use and since almost everyone in town played some part in the movie, Hannah had done business as usual. The only difference was that for the length of time the movie was filming, The Cookie Jar was classified as a private club and she was allowed to bring Moishe to work with her.

“I was in the coffee shop one day with the other extras in my scene, and Lisa tethered Moishe to our table,” Barbara explained. “That’s how I met him.”

“Of course,” Hannah said, even though she didn’t remember that particular day. Barbara’s explanation was perfectly reasonable.

“I remember that,” Norman said, smiling at Barbara. “I was at the next table with Mike. Weren’t you the extra with the red umbrella in the rainy afternoon scene?”

“That’s right.”

Barbara looked delighted that he’d remembered, and Hannah was delighted, too. Barbara’s delusions had fled for today, at least. But as her Great-Grandma Elsa used to say, it was time to open a can of worms to see what crawled out. “Mother was telling us that she brought you a bowling trophy?”

“That’s right. It was my dad’s bowling trophy. He was in a league down at Ali’s father’s bowling alley. I still remember the shirts. They were aqua blue and they had Lake Eden Volunteer Fire Department embroidered on the back. I was in bed, but I heard them laughing when he came home that night. And the next morning my mother showed me that they’d spelled Donnelly wrong on the trophy.”

Norman got up to look at the trophy that was sitting on Barbara’s nightstand. “You’re right,” he said. “It says ‘Patrick Donnelly.’ And ‘Donnelly’ has three N’s. Was Patrick your father’s name?”

Barbara shook her head as if to say it wasn’t, but then she said, “Patrick was my dad’s name.”

“What else did Mother bring you?” Hannah asked. Except for the inappropriate head shake, Barbara was batting a thousand tonight.

“A purse. It’s over there on the chair. It’s one of my favorites. Nettie Grant gave it to me for Christmas one year.”

Hannah gave a deep sigh of relief. They’d gotten through the ten minutes Doc Knight had allotted to their visit and Barbara had been perfectly rational the whole time. “I’m leaving this for you, Barbara,” she said, placing the bakery box on Barbara’s bedside table. “It’s Monkey Bread.”