Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(78)

“What kind of trouble? She’s not worse, is she?”

“Not physically. This is very silly, but Jenny’s talked to her, Doc’s talked to her, and I’ve talked to her. We just can’t make her understand that you’re not bringing Moishe back tonight. She insists you said you were.”

“Uh-oh!” Hannah sighed deeply as she thought back to her parting words. “Barbara asked me if I’d bring Moishe back and I said I would. I had no idea she wanted me to bring him back after dinner tonight.”

“That’s what we all told her, but she said you promised. And she claims she can’t go to sleep until you get here with Moishe. She’s very agitated, dear. Doc says he can give her an injection that will put her to sleep, but he hates to do that when she’s doing so much better in every other way.”

“Tell Doc Knight to hold off. I’ll be there in . . .” Hannah glanced at the clock. “Less than twenty minutes. Better warn her though. Moishe’s tired from playing with Cuddles while we were at dinner and he’ll probably just fall asleep on her bed.”

“I think that’s what she wants, dear. She’s hoping that Moishe can stay overnight. We can rig up a litter box in Barbara’s bathroom. That’s no problem. And I can take the rest of Jenny’s shift and sleep on her cot in the room.”

Hannah made a quick decision. “No, Mother. I’ll take Jenny’s cot and stay with Barbara and Moishe.”
GUAC AD HOC

Hannah’s 1st Note: This is Howie Levine’s guacamole recipe. He’s Lake Eden’s most popular lawyer.

2 ounces cream cheese

4 ripe avocados (I used Haas avocados)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best)

1 clove garlic, finely minced (you can squeeze it in a

garlic press if you have one)

cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 Italian (or plum) tomato, peeled, seeded, and

chopped

4 green onions, peeled and thinly sliced (you can use

up to 2 inches of the green stem)

? teaspoon salt

10 grinds of freshly ground pepper (or teaspoon)

? cup sour cream to spread on top

Bacon bits to sprinkle on top of the sour cream

Tortilla chips as dippers

Howie’s Note: I use chopped oregano because Florence doesn’t always carry cilantro at the Lake Eden Red Owl. This guacamole is equally good with either one.

Heat the cream cheese in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl for 15 seconds on HIGH, or until it’s spreadable.

Peel and seed the avocados. Put them in the bowl with the cream cheese and mix everything up with a fork. Mix just slightly short of smooth. You want the mixture to have a few lumps of avocado.

Add the lemon juice and mix it in. It’ll keep your Guac Ad Hoc from browning.

Add the minced garlic, chopped oregano leaves, tomato, sliced green onion, salt, and pepper. Mix everything together.

Put your Guac Ad Hoc in a pretty bowl, and cover it with the sour cream. Sprinkle on the bacon bits. If you’re NOT going to serve it immediately, spread on the sour cream, but don’t use the bacon bits. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until time to serve. Then sprinkle on the bacon bits. (My bacon bits got a little tough when I added them to the bowl and refrigerated it. They were best when I sprinkled them on at the last moment.)

Hannah’s 2nd Note: Mike and Norman like this best if I serve it with sliced, pickled Jalapenos on top. Mother won’t touch it that way.

Yield: This amount of Guac Ad Hoc serves 4 unless you’re making it for a Super Bowl game. Then you’d better double the recipe.

Chapter Twenty-Six


“Thank you for coming, Hannah,” Barbara said, reaching out for Hannah’s hand once Moishe was settled comfortably on her bed. “You don’t know how much this means to me.” She turned to Jenny. “You can leave now, Jenny. You must be tired. Delores said you worked two shifts today.”

“I can stay if you need me,” Jenny offered.

“No, but thank you,” Hannah said. “You should go home and sleep in your own bed. I’ll stay here with Barbara and Moishe.”

“A moment, Hannah?” Jenny asked, gesturing toward the hallway outside Barbara’s door.

“I’ll be right back, Barbara,” Hannah said, getting up from the chair to follow Jenny out.

“That’s all right. I’ve got my nice big Moishe to protect me.” Barbara stroked Moishe’s fur and he purred. “Take your time, Hannah. I’ll be fine with Moishe here.”

Jenny led Hannah a few steps down the hallway before she spoke. “It’s amazing how calm she is now,” Jenny said in a hushed voice. “We were all terribly worried about her. Doc Knight took her blood pressure and it was through the roof. Then, the moment we told her that you were on your way with Moishe, she calmed right down. I took her vitals right before you came and everything was perfectly normal.”

“Has she mentioned her brother or the white monster again?”

“No, and Doc Knight took her down to radiology when he got back here from dinner. The swelling’s almost gone. We’re all hoping that’s why she hasn’t mentioned her brother or the white monster again.”

“Me, too. Are there any instructions for me? Anything I should or shouldn’t do?”