Raspberry Danish Murder (Hannah Swensen #22)(99)

“Yes. I’m not sure what’s in the larger, suitcase-like cases, but they could be some sort of video equipment.”

“You’re welcome to go in and look if you’re willing to pay the back rent,” June told them.

“I’m willing,” Hannah told her. “My husband studied photography and filmmaking in college so these things could be his. I’ll definitely pay the back rent.”

“But you didn’t even ask how much the rental is,” Michelle pointed out.

“It’s okay, Michelle,” Norman reassured her. “I’m sure it’s worth it.”

“The back rent isn’t that expensive,” June told them. “This unit was rented five years ago when this facility first opened, and they had a special deal for anyone who rented in the first month. The original rent remains the same for the first five years and then it goes up to the current rate. This particular until is only forty-five dollars a month.”

“That’s fine with me,” Hannah told June. “And I saw some trucks parked outside. You rent them, don’t you?”

“Yes. We’re partners with a national chain. You can rent a truck and drop it off at any of the approved locations.”

“I don’t suppose there’s an approved location in Lake Eden, Minnesota,” Norman said.

“As a matter of fact, there is. We just opened a branch office out by the community college. You could rent a small truck here and drop it off there if you’d like.”

“We’d like to do that,” Norman told her. “I’ll rent the truck.”

“Then let’s go to the office and take care of the paperwork,” June told him.

“Thank you, June,” Hannah said as June locked up the unit again and they all followed her to the door.

“Okay then.” June led the way back to the office. “Who’s going to drive the rental truck? I’ll need a driver’s license.”

“I am,” Norman said, and then he turned back to Hannah and Michelle. “Who’s going to drive my car?”

“I will,” Michelle volunteered. “Hannah can ride with you in the truck. And don’t worry, Norman. I’m a good driver. One of my former roommates had a car just like yours and I used to drive it all the time.”

The arrangements with June at the rental office were made very quickly. She handed Hannah a key to the unit and gave Norman the truck keys. Norman, Hannah, and Michelle drove the truck down to the building that contained the rental unit and worked together to load the contents. Since everything was already packed in cases and boxes, it didn’t take long, and within thirty minutes the truck was loaded and ready to go.

“I’m not sure where I’m going to put all this,” Hannah confessed, looking at the contents in the back of the truck.

“I can store it at my place,” Norman offered. “I’ve been doing some work on the house and I enlarged the garage. It’s heated now, and there’s plenty of storage.”

Hannah drew a relieved breath. “Thanks, Norman. I don’t think the storage above my parking spots would hold it all.”

“I know it wouldn’t,” Michelle told her. “I tried to put my suitcase up there and it wouldn’t fit.”

Norman turned to Michelle. “Then we’ll all meet at my place. And once we unload, you can drive my car to the rental office by the college. We’ll drop off the truck and then I’ll take you two back to The Cookie Jar.”

*

Sooner than they expected, Norman turned into his driveway and pulled the truck up to the garage. “We can store all this equipment in the annex I built out here.”

Hannah stared at the garage in surprise. “You really enlarged this garage!”

“Yes. It’s triple the size it used to be. I’m planning to make several guest rooms on one side and we’ll use one of those as a storage place for now.”

The unpacking didn’t take long, and then Hannah and Michelle followed Norman to the truck rental place so that Norman could drop off the truck. While they waited for him to finish at the truck rental office, Michelle called Marge at The Cookie Jar to see if they needed to bake more cookies.

“Marge says no, they have enough,” she reported to Hannah.

“At the convention booth, too?”

“Yes. Marge checked with Lisa and she said they had plenty.”

It didn’t take long for Norman to finish at the truck rental office. “Do you have to go back to The Cookie Jar?” he asked them.

“Not today,” Hannah replied. “You can take us back to the condo.”

“Dinner tonight?” he asked them.

“Yes, but we’ll cook,” Hannah answered. “You took us out last night and it’s our turn.”

“Aren’t you tired after loading and unloading the truck?”

Michelle shook her head. “Are you kidding? Today’s a short day for us.”

“But I can take you out tonight, too.”

“No, Norman,” Hannah told him. “You’ve done enough for us today. We want to make dinner for you.”

“Yes, we do,” Michelle agreed. “Just take us back to the condo, drop us off, and come back at seven for dinner. And bring Cuddles with you.”