Red Velvet Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #16)(91)

Hannah acted by pure instinct. She grabbed the bottle of window washing fluid and when he was close enough, she sprayed it directly into his eyes.

Roger bellowed and Hannah watched in disbelief as he reached up to rub his eyes. He staggered on the track and lost his balance, reaching out to brace himself against the dome, but the panes were slick with rain and he lost his balance. He screamed as he toppled from the track and his voice faded into the distance as he fell three stories into the parking lot.

Hannah didn’t look. She couldn’t. She just huddled in the bottom of the cage and trembled as Mike and three deputies came through the door and rushed to the open window.

“Hannah!” Mike yelled. “Bring the cage here.”

“I . . . I . . . okay,” Hannah managed to say, pushing the lever.

“Shut it off,” Mike instructed, and Hannah wondered how he knew that she might very well have kept going. “Give me your hand.”

Hannah reached out and Mike grabbed her hands to help her out of the cage. She might have lost her balance and collapsed to the floor in shock if he hadn’t gathered her into his arms and held her.

“Good job, Hannah,” he said. “We got his confession on tape.”

“You mean . . . you were here all along?” Hannah managed to ask, beginning to gather her wits about her.

“Yes, but we had you covered. The minute he tried to get in the cage with you, we would have grabbed him.”

Hannah drew back and slapped him hard. “I was terrified that you wouldn’t make it here in time. Don’t ever do anything like that to me again!”

“What are you talking about? You were perfectly safe.”

“But I didn’t know that!” Hannah began to tremble with anger and then she started to cry. “You’re awful! And I hate you!”

Mike gathered her back into his arms and held her. “No, you don’t. You were just scared. And if there were some way we could have let you know we were there, we would have.”

“Is he . . . dead?” Hannah asked, feeling slightly appeased.

“The boys are down there now, but it looks bad from up here. He landed in the parking lot with nothing to break his fall.”

“Then I . . . I killed him?”

“Not you. Circumstances killed him and it’s what he deserves. He almost murdered the best secretary we ever had at the sheriff’s station. We all love Barbara. And even worse, he was about to kill the woman I love. I do love you, Hannah. You know that, don’t you? I know I don’t always act like it, but I do.”

Just then the stairwell door burst open and Lonnie ran in. “He’s dead,” he announced. “His head hit the parking lot like a ripe . . .” He glanced at Hannah and stopped speaking. “Never mind.”

“Good,” Mike said. “That’ll save the taxpayers the expense of a trial.”

“Andrea and Norman are down in the penthouse. Is it okay if they come up?”

“Sure. They can take Hannah home. We’ve got work to do here.” Mike gave Hannah another hug and then released her. And when Lonnie left he said very quietly, “I’m glad we talked this afternoon, Hannah. I went to see Warren and I was already on my way back to you when Barbara and Andrea called.”

“You were?” Hannah was confused. “What took you so long?”

“It wasn’t very long. I got the call from Barbara and I’d just hung up when Andrea called. It took me another ten minutes to get here, but that’s all.”

Hannah stared at him in shock. “Really? It seemed like much longer than that!”

Mike hugged her again. “Have you heard that time flies when you’re having fun?”

“Yes,” Hannah said.

“Well, I guess it must be just the opposite when you’re not having fun.”

Chapter Thirty


One week had passed since Hannah’s harrowing experience in the window washing safety cage and she was smiling as she arrived at the Lake Eden Inn with Norman.

“I think it’s nice that your mother always gives these congratulatory dinners for you,” he said as they made their way to the dining room.

“I do, too. I wonder if she’d invite us to a consolation dinner if I didn’t catch the killer.” Norman gave her a shocked look and she laughed. “Just kidding. Come on. Let’s see if we’re the first ones here.”

As they approached the table they saw that there were four early arrivals sitting at the table. “Too late to switch Mother’s place cards,” Hannah said under her breath. “I’ll bet I’m the bologna again.”

“The what?”

“The bologna in a Norman and Mike sandwich. Mother always seats me between the two of you. Sometimes I feel like roast beef, or peanut butter, or even tuna salad. Tonight I feel like bologna.”

Norman was laughing as he greeted Michelle and Lonnie. Seated opposite them were Lisa and Herb, and Hannah went over to greet them. “Hi, guys,” she said. “Where’s your Cupcake Security blazer, Herb?”

“I’m off tonight, but I’ve got my best three guys working at the mall.”

From the way Lisa was grinning, Hannah sensed breaking news. “What are they doing at the mall?”

“Protecting Stephanie Bascomb. She’s out there picking up a few things at the jewelry store. Lisa and I think it might have something to do with that ride the mayor took in a certain expensive convertible.”