Raspberry Danish Murder (Hannah Swensen #22)(93)

Hannah held the ornament in her hand and turned it from side to side. She happened to look at the bottom as she was turning it and she noticed something that made her curious. There was a tiny label stuck on the bottom of the cookie ornament. She pulled it off, assuming that it was the price tag, but it wasn’t. The label read Made in China in tiny red letters. “Where did you buy this, Tracey?” she asked.

“From your neighbor, over there.” Tracey pointed to Gary’s booth. “He was really nice to me, and he gave it to me for half-price when I told him it was for Grandma McCann.”

“That was nice of him,” Hannah said, sticking the label deep in her apron pocket. Tracey was clearly delighted with her purchase, and Hannah wasn’t about to disillusion her. She’d decide what to do about the sticker later.

“All the ornaments he sells are handmade right here,” Tracey told her. “He said his sister sells them in her shop on consignment. That means the person who makes the ornament agrees to let her sell it in her shop and to give her a commission, doesn’t it?”

“That’s exactly right.” Hannah rewrapped the ornament in the tissue, put it in the bag, and handed it to Tracey. “You can keep it on the shelf behind the counter while you’re working.”

“Thanks.” Tracey turned to Andrea again. “Let’s take their aprons and let them go to lunch, Mom. All the prices are on the whiteboard and we know which cookies they are.”

Several minutes later, after some basic instructions and tying a towel around Tracey’s waist because the aprons were too big, Hannah and Michelle walked away to go to lunch.

“I saw you take something off that ornament,” Michelle said when they were far enough away so that Tracey and Andrea couldn’t hear her. “What was it?”

“A label that read, Made in China. Gary did tell us that all his sister’s ornaments were handmade in Minnesota, didn’t he?”

“He did.” Michelle began to frown. “I wonder why he lied about that?”

“I don’t know. I wonder about that, too. But that’s not all that concerns me.”

“What else concerns you?” Michelle stepped inside the dining room, and led the way to an empty table.

“I’m wondering what other things he’s lying about. People who lie generally have something to hide. So even more important, what does Gary have to hide?”

*

Only seconds passed until Dot, who was working in the dining room, saw them and came rushing over. “How’s it going in the convention hall, girls?”

“It’s going well,” Michelle told her. “We’re close to running out of cookies. We had to send Norman back to The Cookie Jar for more.”

“Who’s taking care of your booth?”

Hannah smiled. “Tracey and Andrea. Tracey said she needed a career path and it was a good opportunity for her.”

Dot laughed. “That sounds like Tracey. I really enjoy it when they come out here for dinner. She’s precious and so is Bethie. Are you two here for the buffet?”

“We are,” Michelle told her.

“Plates are up there and I’ll get you silverware and napkins. Just help yourselves when you’re ready. What would you like to drink? Drinks are included unless it’s wine or beer. Then it costs extra.”

“I’ll have club soda with a wedge of lime,” Hannah told her.

“The same for me. I’ve had enough coffee to float a battleship.”

“Is Sally around?” Hannah asked Dot.

“She’s around here somewhere. Would you like me to locate her and tell her you want to see her?”

“Yes, please. I have a question to ask her and it may be important.”

Dot’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean it’s about the . . .” She stopped speaking. “Never mind. I think I know what it’s about. I’ll go find Sally while you fill your plates.”

*

Sally came up to their table just as they had almost finished their lunch. “Dot said you had something important to ask me?”

“We do.” Hannah glanced around. The people at the table closest to them had finished their lunch and left, and there was no one else within earshot. “It may have to do with P.K.’s murder, but we’re not sure yet.”

“What is it?”

“Gary mentioned that his sister was in the hospital in the Cities. You don’t happen to know which hospital that is, do you?”

Sally shook her head. “Gary didn’t say when he called to reserve the booth for his sister.”

Hannah stored that information away for future reference. “So you’ve never spoken to Gary’s sister?”

“No. I do know her name and the name of her store, though. Gary gave it to me over the phone. Will that help?”

“Yes,” Michelle told her.

“Her first name is Violet and her store is called Many Hands. Violet sells local handmade items on consignment.”

“Is Violet’s last name the same as Gary’s?” Hannah asked.

“I think Gary said she was married and when they divorced, she kept his last name. I don’t remember it, but I might have written it down on the booth application. Do you want me to look it up for you?”

“Yes, please,” Michelle answered. “You don’t know where Many Hands is located, do you?”