Christmas Caramel Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “Yes?”

  Hannah’s eyes widened. It was clear that Phyllis was not cowed by the famous director’s tone.

  “Please go to the table, pick up an imaginary Christmas gift bag, and carry it to Santa.”

  Hannah and Lisa watched as Phyllis walked to the table, pretended to pick up something from the surface, and returned to hand the nonexistent object to Herb.

  “Very good. We’ll have a silver tray for the bags the night of the performance. Our prop department tray will hold a dozen bags. All you’ll have to do is pick up the tray, stand next to Santa, and hand the bags to him, one by one, after a child is seated on his lap.” Tory stopped speaking to smile at Herb. “This year, Trudi has fashioned a new lap robe. Not only is it washable, she has wisely inserted a rubber sheet inside the lining. As our Santa knows quite well, some of the younger children in the audience become a bit too excited when they sit on Santa’s lap. This new, improved lap robe should generate a goodly savings for the Lake Eden Players in dry-cleaning costs during the holiday season.”

  There was a burst of general laughter from backstage, and Hannah glanced at Lisa. Lisa was smiling, and she leaned over to whisper in Hannah’s ear.

  “They had to dry-clean Herb’s costume three times last year. The rubber sheet was my idea.”

  Tory cleared her throat. “Are you ready, Miss Bates?”

  “Ready for what?”

  The question from Phyllis was casual, and Hannah realized that Phyllis was not at all intimidated, even after being dressed down in public by their famous director. Hannah glanced at Lisa, who was frowning slightly, and then she turned back to the stage just in time to watch Tory Bascomb give her next instruction for Herb and Phyllis.

  “When the last child leaves, Santa will stand and toss his lap robe on the chair behind him. “Action, please, Mr. Beeseman.”

  Herb got to his feet and tossed the lap robe on the chair.

  “Miss Bates? You will stand next to Santa. Santa will put his arms around you and give you a hug.”

  Hannah wasn’t surprised by the instruction. In previous years, Santa had always hugged Mrs. Claus at the end of the show. She watched carefully as Herb put his arms around Phyllis and gave her a hug. Then she glanced at Lisa. Lisa did not look at all upset by the casual hug that Herb had given to Phyllis.

  “Perfect,” Tory said, cocking her head to the side. “But I think we’ll try something new this year. Do you know how to deliver a stage kiss, Miss Bates?”

  “I think so. That’s a kiss that looks real, but isn’t real. Is that right?”

  “Basically, yes. This is what I want both of you to do. Mr. Beeseman will pull you into his arms. You, Miss Bates, will reach up to put your hands on his face. Then you will use your thumbs as a barrier and kiss your own thumbs right after Mr. Beeseman turns you to the side so that the audience cannot fully see what you are doing.”

  “I get it,” Phyllis responded quickly.

  “Are you sure? Stage-kissing often takes some practice.”

  Phyllis shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I got it.”

  “All right then. Let’s try it. Mr. Beeseman? Please pull Miss Bates into your arms.”

  As Hannah watched, Herb pulled Phyllis into his arms, but he was careful to keep some space between them. It certainly didn’t look as if Herb were interested in Phyllis, and that made Hannah doubt that Lisa truly had anything to worry about with her husband. Of course it was always possible that Herb had spotted Lisa in the audience and his apparent disinterest could have been for show. Hannah just wasn’t sure.

  “Proceed, Miss Bates,” Tory directed.

  Hannah glanced over at Lisa again. Her hands were clenched in her lap. It was clear that Lisa didn’t trust Phyllis to follow the director’s instructions.

  “Action!” Tory called out, and Phyllis put her hands on Herb’s face. Then, without waiting for him to turn, she began to kiss him.

  Hannah gave a little gasp. This wasn’t a stage kiss. This was real! And Phyllis was kissing Lisa’s husband in a very passionate way. She reached out for Lisa, wanting to make sure that Lisa stayed in her seat and didn’t make a scene right then and there, but her hand encountered empty air. Lisa wasn’t there. Her seat was empty. Hannah swiveled around to locate Lisa and spotted her going out the door and into the lobby of the auditorium.

  There was only one thing to do. Hannah got up quickly and hurried after Lisa, grabbing the box of Christmas gift bags from the table as she rushed past. The outside door was just closing, and Hannah raced after Lisa, almost slipping on the ice that had gathered on the sidewalk.

  “Wait up, Lisa!” she called out, and Lisa stopped under the streetlight that illuminated the parking lot.

  There were traces of tears on Lisa’s face. Hannah could see them glittering in the light as she approached. Lisa hadn’t been fooled for a moment by the stage kiss. And neither had anyone else.

  “She kissed him! Like that! And she did it right in front of everyone!”

  It was useless to deny the truth. Lisa was right. Phyllis had kissed Herb. “I know,” Hannah said, reaching out to pat Lisa’s shoulder. “But Lisa . . . Herb didn’t kiss her. He was expecting a stage kiss. And he wasn’t the one who kissed her. Phyllis kissed him. Just think about that for a moment. Herb was probably just as shocked as you were. He wasn’t expecting it. And there really wasn’t anything he could do about it.”

  “He could have moved. Or he could have pushed her away. He didn’t do anything like that! He just stood there.”

  “Maybe he was too shocked to move or push her away.”

  “I really doubt that! They were an item in high school. And maybe, just maybe, Herb was enjoying it!”

  Hannah remained silent. She knew that there was no way Lisa was going to accept any excuses for Herb right now. She was far too angry. The best thing Hannah could do to defuse the situation was to distract Lisa and give her something else to think about.

  “Come on,” she said, leading the way to her cookie truck. “Let’s take these Christmas gift bags back to The Cookie Jar and see how many pieces of candy they’ll hold. We need to figure out how much we need so that we can make out our work schedule. Christmas is a big busy season for us with all the family gatherings and parties.”

  “You’re right,” Lisa said, nodding quickly. “We had a lot more dessert-catering jobs than we expected last Christmas.”

  “That’s right. We worked late every night the week before Christmas to fill all those orders.”

  “And we had to turn down a couple because we just didn’t have the time,” Lisa recalled. “I’m really sorry, Hannah.”

  “Sorry for what?” Hannah stopped in the act of buckling her seat belt to ask.

  “I’m sorry I volunteered us for even more work by telling your mother we’d make the candy. I should have asked you first.”

  “Don’t be silly. We’re partners. I don’t ask you every time I accept an order, do I?”

  “Well, no. But . . .”

  “Then you don’t have to ask me,” Hannah said before Lisa could go on. “I was just thinking I’d like to try something really different this Christmas.”

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Something with butterscotch. We’ve never done anything with butterscotch. I wonder if we could make butterscotch fudge with pretzels in it. Chocolate-covered pretzels are great. Do you think pretzels and butterscotch would go together?”

  “I think so. Butterscotch is something almost everyone likes, and you need something salty with the sweetness. If the pretzels don’t work, let’s see what else we can come up with.”

  “Okay. We’ll experiment.”

  “Good! I love it when we experiment.” Lisa looked excited. “You never know what we’re going to come up with, and sometimes it’s wonderful!”

  “And sometimes it’s not,” Hannah reminded her.

  “I know, but usually something good comes out of it.”

  “Like, remind me
never to try this again because it’s yucky?”

  Lisa laughed and Hannah breathed a sigh of relief. She’d managed to distract Lisa from her problems.

  “Do you have time to do a little experimentation tonight?” Hannah asked her.

  “I’ve got nothing but time. The only thing I have to do tonight is give the dogs their dinner, let them run around the backyard for a while, try my chocolate caramels one more time, and go to bed.”

  “How about Herb? Will he mind if you’re late getting home?”

  Lisa’s expression changed to one mixed between sadness and irritation. “He hasn’t been home before midnight for I can’t remember how long, and there’s no reason to think tonight will be any different.”

  Hannah was silent. She had no comment. She wished she hadn’t asked the question. She wanted to comfort Lisa, to tell her that everything would be okay, but she wasn’t sure that would be the case. Was it better to pretend that she wasn’t as concerned as Lisa was? She knew that Herb loved Lisa. But sometimes a momentary passion superseded a steady and abiding love. It wasn’t right, but it did happen and it would be fruitless to deny it. The better choice would be to pick up on something else Lisa had told her. And that was exactly what Hannah did.

  “You made chocolate caramels?” Hannah asked, driving out of the snow-covered parking lot behind the school.

  “Yes. I tried my great-aunt’s recipe last night. It worked, but I want to try it one more time to make sure. Then I’ll bring some for you to taste. I sent a dozen to work with Herb this morning, and he called me at The Cookie Jar to say he really liked them. He said he gave one to Phyllis and she wanted another, but he told her he was saving them for later.” Lisa gave a little smile. “At least she didn’t get everything she wanted from him!”

  “Right.” Hannah decided that the safest thing to do was to change the subject. “If your caramels work out tonight, we can make some for the Christmas gift bags. I don’t know anybody who doesn’t like caramels.”

  “Neither do I,” Lisa concurred. “But I shouldn’t have mentioned them, Hannah.”

  “Why not?”

  Lisa gave a little laugh. “Because now I’m getting hungry. And I don’t think there’s much in the refrigerator at home except the bologna and cheese for Herb’s favorite sandwiches in the morning.”

  “Now that you mention it, I’m getting hungry, too,” Hannah admitted. Then she thought back to her schedule for the day and gave a wry smile. “No wonder! I was so busy, I forgot to eat lunch.”

  “Me, too. We had a big lunch crowd today and I didn’t even think of it. I guess I could have had a couple of cookies, but what I really wanted was meat.”

  “I know that feeling.” Hannah drove down the alley and turned into the parking lot behind The Cookie Jar. “All I can think about is a double cheeseburger with crispy fries.”

  “And maybe a salad with bleu cheese dressing and some cheesy garlic bread?”

  “Oh, yes!” Hannah’s mouth began to salivate, and she swallowed. “I’ve got a proposition for you, Lisa.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Let’s figure out how much candy the bags will hold and draw up a schedule of what to make when. And after we’re through, we can go out to the Corner Tavern for salads, garlic bread, cheeseburgers, and fries.”

  “And maybe some of their Chocolate Coffee Cake for dessert?”

  “Why not!”

  Lisa began to smile from ear to ear. “That sounds really good to me, Hannah!”

  As Hannah parked, Lisa grabbed the box with the Christmas gift bags for the children, and then she opened the passenger door.

  “You’re in a hurry?” Hannah asked.

  “Yes! Come on, Hannah. I’m so hungry, my stomach is growling just thinking about the fries and onion rings at the Corner Tavern. And the sooner we get started, the sooner we can drive out there and eat!”

  Chapter Three

  The bar at the Corner Tavern was crowded, but Hannah found a spot near one end. She ordered a soda water with a wedge of lime and sat there waiting for Lisa to arrive. Lisa had stopped at home to feed her dogs, Dillon and Sammy, and let them out to run in the backyard for a few minutes. Hannah had driven out ahead of her to wait for a table for the two of them in the dining room.

  The scent of good beef was in the air, and Hannah smiled as she thought of a hot, fresh cheeseburger and crispy golden French fries. The Corner Tavern was a mecca for hamburger and steak lovers. As a nod to their patrons who were cutting down on red meat, they had a vegetarian entrée on their menu, and several fish dishes. The owner’s wife, Nona Prentiss, had told Hannah that only two out of a hundred customers ordered a non-beef entrée, and Hannah believed it. As far as she was concerned, the Corner Tavern had the best beef of any restaurant in the area, perhaps even in the whole state of Minnesota. The reason most people went out there to eat was to get succulent beef, expertly cooked, and plenty of it.

  “So, Hannah! How’s it going?” a voice called out, and Hannah spotted Bonnie Surma sitting at the bar.

  “Everything’s fine, Bonnie,” Hannah responded. Just then, the man next to Hannah got up to follow one of the waitresses to a table, and Bonnie moved over to sit down on the stool the man had just vacated.

  “Can I buy the best baker in Lake Eden a drink?” Bonnie asked, smiling at Hannah.

  “Thanks, but I’m just having soda water. Are you meeting someone, Bonnie?”

  “Yes, Trudi Schumann. We’re going to get a table in the back, as far away from the actors as we can get.”

  Hannah thought fast. There was only one group of actors in Lake Eden. “Are you talking about the Lake Eden Players?”

  “Yes. And Tory Bascomb. She’s got the big table in the middle of the room, and she’s holding a meeting with the cast.”

  “And you’re not invited?”

  “I’m part of the technical crew on the Christmas play. I don’t have to go to the actors’ meetings, thank goodness. Tory’s probably picking apart everyone’s performances.”

  “You don’t like Tory?”

  Bonnie shrugged. “I like her well enough, but she’s very exacting. We’re not professionals, and our actors aren’t really used to that. The only reason I’m here is that I’m waiting for Trudi. I told her I’d help her alter that Mrs. Santa Claus outfit for Phyllis Bates if she’d come out here for a cheeseburger and a pitcher of beer with me. I’m husband-less tonight. Gil’s gone, and I hate to eat alone.”

  “Is Gil busy with school things?”

  “He’s in St. Cloud with the chess team. They drove up this afternoon and they’re staying overnight. The boys have a competition tomorrow, and they won’t be home until late tomorrow night.”

  Bonnie took a sip from her beer glass, and Hannah noticed that her hands were shaking. “Are you cold, Bonnie?”

  “I’m freezing. I had to park all the way in the back, and the wind felt like needles of ice when I got out of the car.” She glanced down at her beer glass. “I should have ordered a coffee drink. It’s just that I know we’ll have beer when Trudi gets here, and I didn’t want to mix my drinks. They have Beck’s on tap, and Trudi likes Beck’s.”

  “Why don’t you order a cup of coffee on the side? That way you can have your beer and warm up, too.”

  “Good idea.” Bonnie crooked her finger at the bartender, and he came over. “Could I have coffee? I’m still really cold.”

  “No problem. It’s on the house.” The bartender poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of Bonnie. “Do you want some brandy in that?”

  “No, thanks. I’m meeting someone in a while and we’ll be drinking beer.” Bonnie turned back to Hannah when the bartender had left. “Are you waiting for someone, Hannah?”

  “Yes, Lisa. She had to go home and feed the dogs.”

  “I saw her in the audience at the rehearsal tonight.” Bonnie cupped her hands around the coffee cup to warm them. “Was she terribly upset about that stage kiss that wasn’t a stage kiss?”
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  “Let’s just say that she wasn’t exactly happy about it.”

  “I don’t blame her for that. And she wasn’t the only one who was upset! I saw Herb afterward, and he looked really embarrassed.”

  “Does Herb know that Lisa was in the audience?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t mention it, that’s for sure. I figured the less said, the better.”

  “How about Herb? Is he here at Tory’s meeting?”

  “I don’t know. He hasn’t come in since I’ve been here, but I didn’t come straight out. I stopped at the community center to drop off some books I collected for the library. And then I ran past the house to store some things that came for the school.”

  “Are you still filling in as the librarian when Marge can’t make it?”

  “Yes, I tried to get out of it this year, but they couldn’t find anyone else. I’d like to back off a bit, but I guess I just can’t say no, especially if something is school related. Gil doesn’t like me to work, but he’s okay if I do volunteer things. And I really do enjoy working with the students. And of course I love the Lake Eden Players. I’ve been working with them for years now.”

  Hannah was still thinking of that table in the center of the room and exactly who was attending Tory Bascomb’s meeting. “Speaking of the Lake Eden Players, do you know if Phyllis Bates is here?”

  “She hasn’t come in since I’ve been here. If you want to pop in to look, I’ll hold your stool for you.”

  “Thanks, Bonnie.” Hannah got up from her stool and walked over to the entrance to the dining room. The Lake Eden Players weren’t difficult to spot since Bonnie had told her that they had the big oval table in the center of the room. Hannah scanned all sides of the table. Herb wasn’t there, and neither was Phyllis. She breathed a sigh of relief as she turned to walk back to the bar. If either Herb or Phyllis had been at the table, she would have called Lisa on her cell phone, made some excuse about how the Corner Tavern was too crowded to get a table, and suggested that they meet at Bertanelli’s for a pizza instead. As it turned out, Hannah barely had time to finish her soda water before Lisa came in.