by Joanne Fluke
“Thank you, Bud. That’s perfect. I’d like you to take a look at something else we bought. Have you ever done any restoration on grave art?”
Bud gave a little shrug. “I don’t know. They bring it in, I weld it. What’s grave art?”
“It’s a tribute for a grave, a statue or some kind of decoration chosen by the family. Commonly they’re made of marble or granite, but this one is metal.”
“What is it? An angel or something like that?”
“No, it’s a fish.”
“A fish?” Both Andrea and Hannah spoke at once since Bud appeared to be rendered speechless.
“I believe it’s a walleye pike. It’s not so unusual if you consider that families like to personalize the graves of their dearly departed.”
Dearly departed? Hannah stared at her mother in shock. She’d never heard anyone use that phrase outside the walls of a church. “So some dead person inside, whoever he was, liked to fish?”
“I assume so, dear. We have several examples of grave art at the shop. They’re from the family mausoleum section of Spring Brook Cemetery and they date back to the eighteen hundreds.”
“They’re tearing down part of that section, aren’t they, Mother?” Andrea asked.
“They’re relocating it, dear. The city council feels that the crypts are in such bad repair, they could be dangerous.”
“How could they be dangerous if everyone who’s in them is dead?” Hannah asked.
Andrea and Bud burst into laughter, and Hannah noticed that Delores did all she could do to keep a straight face. “That’s not very nice, dear,” she chided her eldest daughter.
“But it’s funny,” Bud said, still chuckling.
“And it’s true,” Andrea added.
“Well, be that as it may, the council decided to take down the crumbling mausoleums and relocate the … um … contents.”
“All of them?” Hannah asked, remembering how she used to ride her bike out to the old part of the cemetery and walk past the giant stone angels and carved headstones. “I used to love the pink granite mausoleum with the columns in the front.”
“That belongs to the Evans family and Florence has agreed to repair it. Four generations of her family are buried there. The problem the council had was with some of the other mausoleums. At least a dozen were unclaimed. Either the families moved to parts unknown, or there are no living relatives.”
“Those are the ones they’re tearing down?” Bud asked.
“That’s right. But some of the grave art can’t be moved to the new gravesites. Either it’s in bad repair or it’s simply too large. Carrie and I are taking whatever we can salvage to sell at Granny’s Attic and we’ll donate the proceeds to the relocation fund.”
“That’s nice of you, Mother,” Andrea said. “But do you really think that anybody will buy a walleye for a grave?”
“It’s already sold, dear. Winnie Henderson is buying it for her family crypt. She’s kept it up over the years, but she never got around to ordering any kind of decoration.”
“And she wants the walleye?” Bud looked astonished.
“Yes. One of her husbands just loved to hunt and fish. I think it was the third one?”
“I thought it was the fourth,” Hannah said.
“Whatever. Winnie said his fishing buddy wanted all his fishing tackle, so she couldn’t put any inside. All she had were his hunting things.”
“She put those inside?” Andrea asked.
“Yes, and that’s why she wants the walleye. Winnie wants everyone to know that he was a great fisherman as well as a good hunter.”
“Sounds like what the Egyptians did with the pyramids,” Bud commented. “Does Winnie believe he’ll use them in the afterlife?”
“I don’t know, Bud. Winnie has some strange notions and I didn’t really get into it with her.”
“Wait a second,” Bud said, looking a little worried. “She didn’t put any guns in there, did she?”
“Heavens, no! She kept the guns. She said you never know when you need firearms out on the farm. She shot a lynx last year, right before it attacked one of her calves.”
“Is a lynx the same as a wildcat?” Andrea turned to Hannah. “I always get those two mixed up.”
“A lot of people do. The bobcat’s genus is lynx, but if you’re thinking of the Canadian lynx we see here in Minnesota, they’re twice as big as bobcats, and they have snow-shoe paws.”
Delores laughed. “I don’t think Winnie got close enough to examine its paws.”
“But was the bobcat Winnie shot a Canadian lynx?” Andrea asked.
“Probably,” Bud answered her question, “especially if it was attacking something as big as a calf.”
“Maybe it was a cougar, or a … a mountain lion.” Andrea was obviously struggling with the nomenclature. “Or don’t we have any of those here?”
“I think cougars are another name for mountain lions,” Hannah told her. “And if I remember correctly, they’re lumped in there somewhere with pumas and panthers.”
“But do we have mountain lions here?” Andrea repeated her question. “We don’t have any mountains in Minnesota.”
“You’re right,” Bud said. “Most of them are farther west, but they migrate over here once in awhile. They’re adaptable, and if there’s not enough food where they are, they go in search of it.”
“Then you think the big cat that Winnie shot might be a mountain lion?” Hannah asked him.
“I doubt it. If you spot a big cat here, it’s probably a Canadian lynx.” He turned to Delores. “Tell me more about that walleye. What’s wrong with it?”
“It’s missing one of its fins. That’s why I asked if you’d ever done any restoration work. Do you think you could fabricate a fin and weld it on?”
“Yes, but only if you dance with me.”
“What?!”
“Only if you dance with me. This is our song … remember?”
Delores didn’t say a word, but she got to her feet and took Bud’s arm. Hannah noticed that her mother’s cheeks were bright pink as Bud led her to the dance floor and took her in his arms.
“I wonder if Bud’s an old flame,” Andrea mused.
“He could be. Mother told me she dated a lot in high school.”
“You mean our mother played the field?”
“You could call it that, I guess. I know she wasn’t serious about anyone until Dad came along.”
Both sisters were silent as their mother danced by with Bud. Then Andrea turned to Hannah. “I wonder if she feels lonely now that Carrie’s married again.”
“I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything about it. Then again, she probably wouldn’t. Do you want me to ask her?”
“No! That’ll only make her think about it, if she’s not thinking about it already. It’s just that … I was wondering if we should keep an eye on her … just in case.”
“Just in case what?”
“Just in case she falls in love again. Remember what happened with Winthrop?”
“I’ll never forget it, but I really don’t think that’ll happen again.”
“Why not?”
“Because Mother’s wiser now, and there aren’t any new, fascinating men with British accents who’ve moved to Lake Eden. Mother’s known all the eligible local men for years.”
“I know that, but …”
“Besides,” Hannah went on, “Mother doesn’t seem in terested in anything but friendship. And the men seem to feel exactly the same way.”
“Really?” Andrea nudged Hannah and gestured toward the dance floor. “Take a good look and tell me that again.”
Hannah scanned the couples on the floor and located Delores dancing with Joe Dietz. Their mother was looking up at Joe and smiling in what Hannah thought could be a mildly flirtatious way. “What’s Mother doing with Joe Dietz? I thought she was dancing with Bud!”
“She was, but not anymore. Joe cut in on Doc Knight.”
“Doc Knight? How did Doc
Knight get into the picture?”
“Doc cut in on Bud.”
“But it can’t be more than a minute since Mother left the table! Are you telling me that she’s had three dance partners already?”
“Yes, and number four is on the horizon and approaching fast. Look to your left.”
Hannah followed Andrea’s direction and watched as Pete Nunke walked out on the dance floor and made a beeline for Delores and Joe Dietz. There was no doubt that Andrea was correct when Pete tapped Joe on the shoulder.
“See what I mean?” Andrea asked.
“I see.”
Both sisters watched as Joe tried to wave Pete away. There was a moment of good-natured banter between the two men and then Delores said something to Pete. His response caused her to throw back her head and laugh in obvious delight, leaving no doubt that she relished being the belle of the ball at her best friend’s wedding.
“Mother’s very popular tonight,” Andrea said as De-lores went into Pete’s arms.
“Yes, she is.”
“From where I’m sitting, she looks as if she’s enjoying every minute of it,” Andrea commented, “and it looks like it could be a little more than simple friendship to me.”
Hannah sighed. Her sister was right. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to keep an eye on Mother … especially since all the bachelors and widowers in Lake Eden seem to be doing the same thing!”
Chapter Two
She was being crushed between two boulders … except they weren’t boulders. They couldn’t be boulders. Boulders were hard and cold. These were softer, and they were warm. She couldn’t be certain what material they were made of, but she was totally restrained by whatever it was.
Her arms must be bound, or perhaps wedged at her sides, because she couldn’t move them. Her legs also seemed to be trussed or contained in some manner. Why was she imprisoned like this? She couldn’t remember, and she wasn’t even certain that she’d ever been told.
There was a noise in the dark, way in the distance. She struggled to identify it for a moment, and then her mind, which seemed to operate in slow-motion, latched onto an image of a truck. It was the sound of a motor running, perhaps several motors running. Was she about to be moved from this place of confinement and transported to another location?
The rumbling continued, echoing around her, filling her head with questions. How had she been brought here? Who was responsible? And when there were no answers to those questions, her mind turned to others.
How high was high? What made the wind blow? No one could disagree that she was thinking. Did that mean that she existed? But this line of thought was not productive in her current situation. She ought to attempt to find a way to break out of her confinement and not waste time woolgathering.
Woolgathering. The words swirled in her mind, back and forth, around and around. The letters were made up of little puffy balls of cotton wool and it reminded her of sheep the size of kittens. And there was something about kittens, something about the fog creeping in … but that was cats. And these sheep were … cats!
“Off!” Hannah ordered, startling the two cats and sending them leaping from the bed. No wonder she’d dreamed about being wrapped up like a mummy! It had gotten cold and damp in the wee hours of the morning. Moishe and Cuddles must have felt the chill, because they’d moved from the living room couch to her bed. There they’d climbed up on her pillow, Moishe on the left and Cuddles on the right, moving closer and closer to her as they slept. For all intents and purposes, she’d ended up with two cats glued tightly to either side of her head.
A glance at the clock on her bedside table made Hannah groan. It was already a quarter to four and she had to get up in forty-five minutes. By the time she made a trip to the bathroom and got back in bed, only forty minutes of sleep time would be left. And by the time she actually calmed down, gave the cats several scratches behind the ears to apologize for startling them, and got back to sleep, it would be almost time to get up again.
And now, just thinking about it and figuring out the times, she was wide awake. No sense even trying for the few additional minutes of sleep that she might possibly gain. It was better to get up and try the recipe her college friend, Beth, had sent her for Vanilla Crack, to see if they could use it at The Cookie Jar. It certainly seemed easy to make and they had nothing else like it on the cookie menu.
By the time the little hand was a smidgen short of the four and the big hand was flirting with the eleven, Hannah emerged from the bathroom squeaky clean. She dressed quickly in the clothing she’d set out the previous night, and before the second hand could tick off the remaining three clicks to the hour, she was ready for the day that had not yet arrived.
“Thanks a lot, guys,” she said to the two felines who were now nestled on her pillow, sound asleep, and walked down the carpeted hallway toward the kitchen. As she passed the closed guest room door, she listened for any sound that might indicate Michelle was awake. Her youngest sister had come home just as Hannah was going to bed, and both of them had been too tired to do more than say goodnight.
When she got to the kitchen, Hannah flicked on the banks of fluorescent lights that turned the white-walled room into the luminance of day, and re-read the recipe she’d received in the mail. It was even easier than she’d remembered, and she had all the ingredients on hand, including a fresh box of soda crackers. Then she set the recipe down on the counter and completed the first step toward a successful baking experience. She poured herself a cup of coffee to wake up.
The first sip was heaven. Hannah gave a deep sigh of pleasure and sank down on one of the plastic-covered chrome tube chairs that would eventually become antiques. Could anything be better than the first cup of coffee in the morning?
Hannah sat there relishing the experience, concentrating on the dark, rich taste. It was full-bodied but not bitter, and that meant the beans had been roasted to perfection. She definitely liked the new coffee Florence Evans, owner of Lake Eden’s Red Owl Grocery Store, had ordered for her. It was called Silver Joe’s, and they were trying it out at The Cookie Jar this morning. If their customers liked it, they’d switch. And that just went to prove that there was an upside to keeping in touch with old classmates. Who would have guessed that Pat Vota, the bratty boy who had pushed her off the dock every time they’d gone swimming at Eden Lake, would end up as a top executive at a gourmet coffee company?
Once her cup was empty and the morning caffeine had performed its miraculous cure, Hannah poured a second cup and began to gather ingredients. The list was short and consisted of only four items: butter, white sugar, vanilla, and salted soda crackers. Since there was a variation called Chocolate Crack, Hannah also carried a canister of brown sugar and a bag of chocolate chips to the counter. She had just filled a saucepan with butter, sugar, and vanilla when the phone rang.
Hannah turned to glance at the clock. It was four thirty-five. Who would call her this early? Visions of crippling auto accidents, life-threatening medical emergencies, and violent crimes befalling friends and family filled her mind with dread as she rushed over to answer it.
“Hello?” Hannah answered, hoping it was a wrong number. Anything else was likely to announce a disaster.
“Good morning, Hannah.”
“Norman?” Hannah could scarcely believe her ears as she recognized the cheery voice. It was Norman, calling her on his cell phone, and he sounded alert and wide awake. “Is everything all right?”
“Yes, but I woke up too early. I couldn’t sleep without Cuddles.”
And I couldn’t sleep WITH Cuddles, Hannah thought, but of course she didn’t say it.
“So how did she sleep?” Norman continued.
“Cuddles slept just fine. So did Moishe,” Hannah replied, deciding not to tell him about her rude awakening with both cats plastered to her head.
“Good. Well … I’d better let you go then. I know you’re probably just getting ready for work.”
Hannah gave a little smile. “Actually,
I’m baking. I’m testing a new recipe a friend sent me for Vanilla Crack.”
“Is that a cookie?”
“Not really. I guess you could say it’s a cross between a cookie and a candy.”
“Sounds interesting. Will you save one for me when I come to pick up Cuddles on Wednesday night?”
“Of course I will.”
“Okay then. I’d better try to catch a little more sleep. I’m meeting the old gang to take a tour of the clinic this afternoon, and then we’re all going out for dinner.”
“Have fun.”
“I will. It’s been three years since I’ve seen these guys. We’ll probably spend most of the night playing catch-up.”
Hannah said goodbye and hung up the phone feeling envious. Norman was going back to bed. She wished she could go back to sleep and get up much, much later.
It didn’t take long to boil the butter and sugar the required amount of time. Hannah had just added the vanilla and poured it over the bed of soda crackers she’d arranged on a cookie sheet when her phone rang again.
It only took a moment to sprinkle on a few pieces of salted nuts, slip the pan into the preheated oven, and set the timer. Hannah managed to answer the phone on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Hannah!” It was Andrea’s voice and she sounded anxious. “I’m sorry to call so early, but I knew you’d be up and I really need to talk to you. It’s about … oh drat! Bill’s out of the shower and I can’t talk now. I’m showing two houses this morning, but I’ll come in this afternoon, okay?”
“Fine, but …” Hannah stopped talking when she realized that her sister had hung up. She stood there staring at the receiver for a moment and then she returned it to the cradle. Andrea was usually a late riser. What had happened to get her up before dawn? Or had she been sleepless all night, worrying about something?”
The timer dinged and Hannah removed the pan of Vanilla Crack from the oven. It smelled marvelous. She removed the pieces from the cookie sheet on a wire rack to harden and gave a little smile of satisfaction.
“What smells so heavenly?”
Hannah whirled around to see her youngest sister standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing a red and black checkered nightshirt and pink bunny slippers.
