Christmas Caramel Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  Norman’s smile grew larger by the nanosecond. “I knew you’d say that!”

  “I’m that predictable?”

  “No, it’s just that I know you so well. And because I know you that well, I’ve got one.”

  “You have a popcorn machine?”

  “Yes. I bought one just so I could say I had it. Of course I don’t know how to work it yet, but . . .”

  “I’ll figure it out,” Hannah cut in. “When I was in high school, I made popcorn for every movie they ran in the auditorium. And when I got to college, I made popcorn in the big theater, the small theater, the concession stand for football, basketball, and baseball games, and any other special events where they thought they could make a profit selling it. There’s not a popcorn machine on the face of this earth that I can’t learn to operate.”

  “This one’s digital.”

  “Ooooh! Fun! I’ve never seen a digital popcorn machine before. And that reminds me . . . is it portable?”

  Norman looked slightly confused. “Actually . . . yes. It doesn’t weigh that much. And it makes a ton of popcorn.”

  “You saved my life,” Hannah told him.

  “Okay.” Norman’s eyes narrowed. “How did I do that? Or will I be sorry I asked?”

  “You may be sorry, especially when you have to lug that popcorn machine all the way over to Jordan High.”

  It took Norman a moment, but then he gave a nod. “I get it. Their popcorn machine is broken again, and you need one for the concession stand at the Christmas play. Am I on the right track?”

  “Not only are you on the right track, you won the race! Will you lend it to me, Norman? It’s just for three nights. Michelle and I are manning the concession stand at the play because Lisa’s going to be Mrs. Claus. The Lake Eden Players usually borrow Jordan High’s machine, but theirs is broken and the new one they ordered won’t be here until after the holidays.”

  “You can borrow mine on one condition.”

  “What’s the one condition?”

  “It’s simple. You have to teach me how to use it and let me make the popcorn for you. You and Michelle will be busy enough selling everything else. I want to help.”

  “Then you’ve got a job,” Hannah said happily, reaching out to take his hand. “Thanks, Norman. You always come through for me in a pinch.”

  Norman gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and then he looked very serious. “Are you doing it again, Hannah?”

  Hannah’s first instinct was to ask him what he meant, but she already knew exactly what he was asking. “Yes,” she admitted. “Lisa’s a suspect and so is Herb. I have to clear them.”

  “By catching the real killer?”

  “That’s the plan. Lisa doesn’t have an alibi for a critical period of time last night. She was with me until nine, and then she went home alone to feed Dillon and Sammy. She didn’t join me again until around ten at the Corner Tavern.”

  “And Herb?”

  “Herb told Lisa that he’s been working late, but . . .” Hannah’s voice trailed off. She really shouldn’t be discussing Lisa’s marital problems with Norman.

  “But what?” Norman prompted.

  Hannah sighed. “But Lisa has her doubts.”

  “Let me get this straight. You want me to find an alibi for both Lisa and Herb?”

  “That’s right. An alibi for one would be good. And an alibi for both would be even better.”

  “Okay. I’ll keep my eyes and ears open. Do you know the time of death?”

  “Not yet. Doc can’t tell exactly, but he always puts a window of time in the autopsy report. My problem is, I don’t have the autopsy report yet.”

  “It shouldn’t be long now.”

  Hannah was puzzled. “What are you talking about?”

  “I saw your mother on the highway when I drove to town. She was heading in the opposite direction, and unless she was going out to the mall three hours before it opens, she was heading out to the hospital.”

  “What time was that?”

  “And hour or so ago. I stopped at Hal and Rose’s for breakfast, dropped in at the office to go over the mail, and then I came over here.”

  “Perfect. Mother should be here any . . .” Hannah stopped speaking as they heard a series of knocks at the door. “There she is now.”

  “Do you want me to get that?” Michelle asked from the other side of the kitchen.

  “Yes, please,” Hannah answered. “It’s Mother.”

  “On my way, Hannah. I’ll let her in, pour her some coffee, and then I’ll put more cookies on the plate I was fixing for you and Norman. Mother loves these Angel Jellies, and they’re cool enough to eat now.”

  A second or two later, Delores came in. She took a stool next to Norman at the workstation and plunked a manila envelope in front of Hannah.

  “Is that what I think it is?” Hannah asked her.

  “Yes, if you think it’s the autopsy report.” Delores tapped the envelope with one impeccably manicured nail, and smiled smugly. “I assumed that you’d need it?”

  “You assumed right. Thank you, Mother. You’re wonderful to do this for me.”

  “I like to help,” Delores said modestly, but Hannah noticed that her smug smile was still in place. “And this time I took an extra precaution. I called Andrea last night and told her I was going to get it and she didn’t have to sneak it out of Bill’s briefcase and scan it before she put it back.”

  “Was Andrea grateful that you were getting it and she didn’t have to?” Hannah asked the question, even though she thought she already knew the answer.

  “Actually . . . no. I thought she’d be relieved. She takes an awful chance, you know. Bill would be so upset with her if he ever caught her. But she sounded almost . . .”

  “Deprived?” Norman provided the word.

  “Why, yes! That’s right. And all I was trying to do was help.”

  “Of course you were,” Hannah said quickly. “And I’m sure that Andrea realizes that. It’s possible you just caught her at a bad time when you called.”

  Delores thought about that for a moment, and then she gave a little nod. “You’re right, dear. I did catch her at a bad time. Grandma McCann had taken Tracey and a friend ice skating at the school rink, and Andrea was trying to put Bethie to bed. I heard Bethie say that she wouldn’t go to bed without raffey and Andrea had no idea what a raffey was.”

  “Does Bethie have a toy giraffe?”

  Delores didn’t say anything. She just stared at Hannah so intently that Hannah began to feel uncomfortable. “Don’t look at me that way, Mother. It was just a guess.”

  “But you’re right! Bethie has a stuffed giraffe and it’s one of her favorite toys! You really should have children, Hannah. You have a natural flair for understanding them.”

  A host of replies occurred to Hannah including, It takes two to have children, Mother! and I’ll take that under consideration and let you know within a decade or so. But she knew that anything she said would only make the situation more uncomfortable. And that was when Michelle arrived at the workstation with the platter of Angel Jellies and saved her the necessity of replying.

  “Have a cookie, Mother,” Michelle invited. “They’re raspberry Angel Jellies.”

  “My favorite!” Delores declared, reaching for one.

  “Norman?” Michelle offered the platter to him.

  “Thanks, Michelle. I’ve never had these before.”

  “Hannah?” Michelle passed the platter to her. And then, in an undertone, she said, “I think you’d better put something in your mouth before you insert your foot.”

  Hannah had all she could do not to laugh. “Just set the platter in front of Mother, Michelle. She likes these cookies so much.”

  “Of course. I planned to do that.” Michelle took the stool next to Hannah. “What are you giving Andrea and Bill for Christmas, Mother?”

  “I don’t know yet, dear.”

  “How about if we all go in on it together and give Andrea an
d Bill a few days in a nice hotel, just the two of them?”

  “Why, that’s a wonderful idea!” Delores agreed immediately. “But you girls don’t have to contribute anything. I can afford to do it by myself and I’d like it to be my present to them. I wonder which hotel I should choose.”

  “Somewhere warm,” Hannah suggested. “I think the cold is getting to Bill. When he came in the other morning, he was shivering.”

  “You’re right, dear,” Delores agreed. “This has been a particularly cold winter. I know that Bill has the week after Christmas off. Andrea mentioned it to me the other day. I could fly them down to Florida to a nice, relaxing resort. They could have a mini second honeymoon.”

  “That sounds nice,” Norman said. “Mother and Earl went to Florida last March, and they loved it.”

  “Then that’s what I’ll do. I’ll fly them down there the day after Christmas and they can come home the day after New Year’s.”

  “You’d better act fast to get plane tickets,” Michelle cautioned her. “Flights are hard to get over holidays.”

  “I know, dear. Don’t worry. I’ll rush right home and do it.”

  “Before you do that, it might be a good idea to check with Bill to make sure exactly which days he has off,” Hannah reminded her. “I could be wrong, but I don’t think Andrea would like to go on a mini second honeymoon all by herself.”

  Chapter Eight

  “Here she comes!” Claire warned.

  “Thanks,” Hannah replied. She was sitting sideways on a settee in Claire’s dressing room with her feet tucked up and her steno pad open to a fresh page in front of her.

  “I’m ready,” Michelle said from the opposite end of the settee. She’d assumed the same position and also held a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other.

  “Come in, Mrs. Bascomb.” Claire’s voice carried easily to the dressing room. “I have everything all ready for you.”

  “Good. I don’t have much time this afternoon. I’m meeting a friend for afternoon tea, and then Richard and I have a dinner party we must attend. Mayoral duties, you know.”

  Michelle rolled her eyes up toward the ceiling, and Hannah smiled at her youngest sister. Both of them knew that Stephanie had no plans for tea. If Stephanie was meeting a friend for tea, then tea was a euphemism for Stephanie’s new favorite drink, a lemon drop vodka martini.

  The doorknob on the dressing room rattled as Stephanie tried the door. But Claire had everything under control. “Please use the larger dressing room, Mrs. Bascomb. I’ve hung your lovely choices in there. The lighting’s much better than it is in this one.”

  “Of course.”

  Michelle and Hannah heard the door to the adjacent dressing room open and then close again, and Hannah put her finger to her lips. Michelle nodded, and both of them were completely silent as they waited for Claire to engage Stephanie in conversation. Claire knew exactly what they needed to know. They’d gone over it all this morning.

  For long moments, there were no sounds except the rustling of cloth and the scratchy sound of zippers being closed. Then, at last, they heard the door to the adjacent dressing room open.

  “Claire?” Stephanie Bascomb called out.

  “Right here, Mrs. Bascomb,” Claire answered. Her voice was a bit louder than Stephanie’s, and Hannah realized that Claire must be standing just outside the dressing room where they were hidden.

  “What do you think? Is it a bit tight over the hips?”

  There was a pause, and Hannah assumed that Claire was assessing the fit.

  “No, I think it’s perfect,” Claire gave her opinion. “Of course, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can always let it out a little over the hips, but I think it looks stunning on you just the way it is. It’s too bad you didn’t have this last night when you went out to dinner with the mayor.”

  “Oh, that’s all right. We had to cancel anyway. Richard’s meeting with the town council lasted until eight-thirty, and our reservations were for eight. We settled for going out for drinks and appetizers with Del Woodley. He’s on the council, you know.”

  “I haven’t seen Del in a while. He’s well?”

  “He seems to be, especially now that Benton has moved to Lake Eden permanently and taken over production at DelRay Manufacturing. Del was working too hard, and after Judith was gone, he had no social life at all.”

  “But now he does?”

  “Oh, yes! Danielle has been very good for him.”

  This time Hannah did turn to look at Michelle, who appeared every bit as shocked as Hannah was.

  “Danielle Watson?” Claire asked.

  “Yes. Del called her right after the council meeting and invited her to join us for drinks last night.”

  “Danielle Watson is dating Del Woodley?”

  “Heavens no! Benton is dating Danielle. And just between you and me, I think it could be serious. But Benton was still at the plant last night, and Danielle didn’t want Del to feel that he was a third wheel. She’s a very nice person, you know. She makes sure that Del is included in a lot of their social events. She even acts as a hostess for Del on the rare occasions when Del entertains.”

  Hannah jotted a note in her book to call Danielle Watson at her dance studio. If drinks with the mayor had lasted any longer than ten-thirty or eleven, Mayor Bascomb was in the clear.

  “I’m sorry that you didn’t get to go out to dinner, but that still sounds like a nice evening,” Claire commented.

  “Oh, it was. Richard came to the house to pick me up, and Del was already in the car. I joined them, and then we stopped to pick up Danielle at her dance studio. Richard was going to invite his sister, Tory, to join us but she was tied up with the people from the Christmas play.”

  “Has Del been dating Tory?” Claire asked, and Hannah felt like applauding. It was precisely the question she would have asked.

  “Yes, a few times. They’re both very well off, you know. I think both of them are comfortable with each other. Del knows that Tory isn’t a gold-digger, and she knows that Del isn’t after her money. It’s difficult for people with money to find suitable companions, don’t you think?”

  “Well . . .”

  “Of course you wouldn’t really know about that,” Stephanie cut off any answer that Claire might have given, thereby proving that she didn’t give a fig about Claire’s opinion on social matters.

  “Was it a late evening?” Claire asked Stephanie.

  “I didn’t notice the time. Why do you ask? Do I look tired?”

  “Not at all. You look fresh as a daisy and absolutely fabulous in that lovely outfit.”

  “Good. I’d better try on another one. We’re wasting my time, chatting about inconsequential things.”

  “Of course,” Claire responded quickly. “Try on the claret-colored pantsuit, Mrs. Bascomb. That color is so lovely on you.”

  “Yes. Isn’t it.”

  It was a statement, not a question, and Hannah rolled her eyes ceiling-ward. Their mayor’s wife was not shy and demure when compliments were offered.

  “Come with me, Claire,” Stephanie commanded. “I’ll need help with those small buttons in the back.”

  The door to Stephanie’s dressing room opened with a click. Hannah listened to the sound of two sets of footfalls entering the dressing room. She waited until the door clicked closed again, and then she turned to motion to Michelle. They had the information they needed, and they could sneak out while Stephanie Bascomb was trying on the pantsuit. And then they could dash back to The Cookie Jar to pick up some kind of sweet treat for Danielle, hurry down the street to her dance studio, and find out exactly what time drinks with the first family of Lake Eden had ended on the previous evening.

  * * *

  When they returned to The Cookie Jar, they found Lisa in the kitchen. “You look like you’re in a hurry,” she said as they rushed in the door.

  “We are,” Hannah told her. “Stephanie Bascomb just mentioned that she went out for drinks last night with the
mayor. And Del Woodley. And Danielle joined them.”

  “Claire asked Stephanie what time that was,” Michelle added, “but Stephanie didn’t remember. My guess is that Stephanie had twee martoonis, or maybe more.”

  Hannah laughed. “You got that phrase from Dad, didn’t you?”

  “Yes. It used to crack me up when he said it. I always wanted to use it, but the time was never right . . . until now.”

  “So rather than go straight to the dance studio, you came back here to get something to take to Danielle,” Lisa guessed. “Is that right?”

  Michelle looked impressed. “That’s very good, Lisa. You figured out Hannah’s M.O.”

  “Of course I did. I’ve seen her do this before. Hannah always brings something tasty to exchange for information. It’s the barter system. She makes people happy and content, and they tell her exactly what she needs to know. And they don’t even know they’re doing it.”

  Hannah began to frown slightly. “You’re right, Lisa. But it doesn’t sound very nice when you put it that way. And . . . actually . . . I’ve never really thought of it that way before.” She stopped and considered it for a moment or two. “It is the barter system. Do you think that what I’m doing is wrong?”

  “Not at all!” Lisa responded quickly. “You always bring something when you go somewhere. And there’s nothing wrong with asking for information. After all, you’re trying to catch a murderer.”

  “And she’s trying to prove that the murderer’s not you,” Michelle added.

  Lisa smiled. “There’s that, too. I do have a vested interest. And it just so happens I’ve got the perfect treat for you to take to Danielle.”

  “What?” Hannah asked.

  “You’ll see.” Lisa hurried to the walk-in cooler, disappeared inside, and returned with a tray of candy. “I happen to know that Danielle loves caramels. Try these and tell me what you think.”

  Hannah and Michelle each took a piece and bit into it. And then both of them smiled.

  “Incredible!” Hannah pronounced.