Raspberry Danish Murder (Hannah Swensen #22)(13)

“You’re probably right, but at least he’s back on his side of the road again.”

“No . . . more . . . can . . . dees,” P.K. mumbled, and then his eyelids began to lower. “Got . . . ta get . . . Doc . . . hospit . . . uh . . .”

Both Hannah and Michelle watched in horror as the car weaved from one side of the road to the other, barely missing a county road sign. They had just given sighs of relief when the car began to drift toward the wrong side of the road again.

“Wake up, P.K.!” Michelle called out, leaning close to the phone. “Listen to me! You’ve got to stay awake!”

Again, there was no response from P.K. The only thing they heard was the sound of the engine growing louder and louder.

“He’s stepping on the gas!” Hannah said in horror.

“I know! I can hear it! And he’s . . . oh no!”

Michelle’s last word was an anguished cry, and Hannah felt as if it had come from her own throat. P.K.’s eyes were closed now, but the car was going faster and faster.

The scene outside the driver’s side window appeared to bounce up and down as the pine trees rushed past at breakneck speed. Then there was a loud blaring sound.

“The horn’s on!” Michelle identified it. “P.K. must be blowing it for help.”

Or he’s wedged on the steering wheel, Hannah thought, but of course she didn’t say what she was thinking.

“Look!” They watched as the bakery box with the Raspberry Danish that they’d given P.K. that morning flew past the screen as if it had suddenly grown wings.

“He’s in the ditch!” Michelle gasped. “And the car’s still going!”

Her horrified words were no sooner spoken than the screen on Michelle’s cell phone went black.

“His phone shut off, or broke, or something!” Michelle gasped. “We have to do something, Hannah!”

Hannah thought fast. “You said you were going to record the call.”

“I did!”

“Can you send that video to Mike’s cell phone?”

“I . . . yes, I think so.”

“Do it right now. I’ll call Mike and tell him it’s coming.”

While Michelle figured out how to retrieve the video and send it, Hannah placed a call to Mike. Then she ducked into the kitchen to speak to him in private. Michelle was upset enough already. There was no way Hannah wanted her to overhear the conversation she was about to have with Mike.

Luckily, Mike answered on the second ring, and Hannah told him the video was coming. “It looked really bad, Mike, and I recognized a couple of landmarks. I think P.K. went off the road right before Abe Schilling’s back pasture, the one where he keeps his bull in the summer. Do you know where that is?”

When Mike had assured her he knew the particular pasture she’d described, Hannah added her final sentences, the ones she hadn’t wanted Michelle to overhear. “Hurry out there, Mike. There may be a chance that P.K. is still alive, but . . . I really doubt it.”

Before she left the kitchen, Hannah poured the rest of the coffee into a thermos and carried it out to the living room. “Did Mike get the video?” she asked Michelle.

“Yes. He just texted me.”

“Good. Now go get your parka and your boots. We’re going out there.”

“How? We don’t know where P.K. went off the road!”

“I recognized some landmarks and I think I know where it happened. Hurry up, Michelle. And don’t forget your warm scarf and mittens.”

*

“Is that the county road sign we saw?” Michelle asked as Hannah drove down the winding road.

“I think so. And if I’m right, we only have a mile or two to go.” Hannah slowed for another bend in the road. “Do you hear a siren?”

Michelle lowered her window. “Yes. I hear it, too.”

“It’s probably Mike.”

“Or the paramedics,” Michelle added. “I think I hear two sirens now.”

When they rounded the next bend, they could see lights in the distance across the expanse of snow. Right after they passed an old yellow and black MINNESOTA BREEDERS ASSOCIATION sign nailed to a tree, Michelle drew in her breath sharply. “I saw that sign on the video,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.

“I know.” They rounded another curve, and Hannah saw more lights in the distance. “Hang on, Michelle. We’re almost there.”

“Doc’s car,” Michelle identified the car that was parked on the side of the road.

“And Mike’s cruiser.” Hannah pulled past it and parked behind another car that was on the shoulder of the road. “That’s Doctor Bob’s car. Let’s go, Michelle.”

As they opened their car doors, two figures materialized through the blowing snow. At first it was impossible to identify them, but as they reached the crest of the ditch, Michelle rushed forward. “Mother?” she called out.

Hannah was right behind her sister. It was obvious that their mother must have been riding with Doc because her car wasn’t there.

“Take your mother back to my car, Michelle,” Doc said. “I left it running, and the heater is on. Make her take off her wet shoes and wrap her in a blanket. And stay with her until I come back, okay?”