Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(71)

“Yes, in the den. They’ll go up and down the staircase at least six times. Then they’ll tear straight through here and hit the other staircase to go up to the bedrooms. Unless you’d like something cold to drink, we could leave now while they’re occupied.”

Hannah glanced at her watch. “Let’s leave now and get something to drink at the Inn. I need to talk to Sally anyway.”

“Are you planning to get some background information about Doctor Bev and Roger?”

“Yes. It’s the scattergun approach. I want to find out all I can about Doctor Bev’s daily life while she was staying there. It might not have anything to do with her murder, but you never know what might come to light if you can manage to ask the right questions.”

The daylight was beginning to fade as they walked out to Norman’s car. The air was filled with the rich perfume of the lilac bushes that grew close to the house, and a few lazy bumblebees droned among the purple, pink, and white blossoms. As night approached, the temperature was beginning to drop a bit, heat lightning flashed against the darkening sky, and the mosquitoes hadn’t found her yet. It was the perfect start to a summer evening in Minnesota.

Norman opened her car door and she slid into the passenger seat. “Why don’t they bite you?” she asked in her best non-sequitur fashion.

“I don’t know. They never have.”

Hannah smiled. Norman had known exactly what she was asking. “How about your mother?”

“They bite her.”

“Your father?”

“They bit him, too. It’s just me. When I was a kid I used to think I was adopted because I was the only one in the family they didn’t bother. Then, when I got older, I realized how silly that was.”

“That’s good.”

“Maybe not. That was when I began to believe that I was from another planet.”

Hannah laughed. She’d walked right into that one.

Norman started the car and they drove off. “Do you want the air on?” he asked her.

“No, let’s roll down the windows. I love the night air and as long as we’re moving, the mosquitoes won’t be able to draw a bead on me.”

Hannah leaned back and let the night air caress her face as Norman turned on the road that ran around Eden Lake. If she were rich, she wouldn’t want an expensive sports car like Doctor Bev. She’d want a luxury sedan and a driver. That way she could lean back and relax as an expert drove her along scenic routes that led only to places she wanted to go. “If I ever get rich, I want a car and a driver,” she said, voicing her thoughts aloud.

“You don’t have to get rich for that. I’ve got a car and I drive. And you’ve got me.”

“Yes,” Hannah said, smiling softly into the darkness. She had Norman and life was good.



“Hey, you two!” a voice called out from the bar as Sally led Hannah and Norman into the dining room.

“Roger,” Sally told them, giving a little wave in Roger’s direction. “He’s been drinking here since mid-afternoon. Poor guy. He’s really upset and he keeps talking about what a great woman she was. I bit my tongue so many times it got sore, so I excused myself and left him with Dick. Every time he said how much he missed her, I wanted to tell him how lucky he . . .” Sally stopped and made a face. “Sorry, Norman.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about, Sally. It’s the pure unvarnished truth. Roger’s much better off without her. I know I am.”

“Norman! Come over here and have a drink!” Roger called out.

“Be right there,” Norman replied, and then he turned to Hannah. “You want to talk to Sally, don’t you?”

“Well, yes, but . . .”

“Go ahead,” Norman interrupted any objection she might make. “Your mother and Doc Knight aren’t here yet, and I wanted to talk to Roger anyway.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, catching on at last. Norman wanted to pump Roger for information and he thought it would be easier done as a guy-to-guy thing.

“How about coming back to my office?” Sally asked. “Dot’s the hostess tonight and I’ll tell her to buzz me when your mother and Doc Knight come in.”

“That’s fine with me,” Hannah agreed. She loved to go to Sally’s office with its picture window overlooking the kitchen.

Once they’d stopped at the hostess station to give Dot instructions, and Hannah had asked about her husband and baby, Jamie, Sally led her down the hallway to her office.

“Sit here,” she said, gesturing to the chair opposite her desk. “I want to show you my new dessert. It’s called Snappy Turtle Pie and I’m putting it on the menu for the first time tonight.”

Hannah watched as Sally picked up the phone and dialed a number. Then she turned toward the window and saw a woman in the kitchen pick up the phone.

“Hi, Mary,” Sally greeted the woman. “Could you please find out if anyone’s ordered the Snappy Turtle Pie yet?”

Hannah watched as Mary made her way to a man in a chef’s toque. A moment later, she was back on the phone again.

“Excellent,” Sally said. “And you’re on the second pie?” She listened for a moment and then she spoke again. “Ask him if he’ll prepare a piece for you to bring in here. And I could use two mugs of black coffee, too. Thank you, Mary.”