Double Fudge Brownie Murder (9780758280428)

by Fluke, Joanne

  “What does Clay’s older brother do now?”

  “Ray ended up coaching college football. The last I heard, he was with the Gators.”

  “Gainesville, Florida?” Hannah was surprised. “He’s a long way from Minnesota. Where did your friend Clay end up?”

  “He stayed in Minnesota and lives in Mankato. He’s an economics professor at the state university there. He married his college girlfriend and they’ve got two daughters. I get a Christmas card from them every year. And Clay’s sister lives in Duluth. She went to college up there and liked it so much, she stayed.”

  “Is she an athlete, too?”

  “A swimmer. She almost made it to the Olympics her first year in college.”

  “So Clay’s older brother is the only one who moved away from Minnesota?”

  “That’s right. I think it was because of the court case. Nobody remembers it now, but people were talking about it when Clay and I were growing up.”

  Hannah leaned forward, all ears. “What court case is that?”

  “Ray was out with his girlfriend the night of the senior prom. They were driving past Lady Lake on their way back to town when Ray swerved to avoid a deer. The car went out of control and ended up in the lake.”

  “That’s scary,” Hannah said.

  “It was a lot more than scary. Ray wound up with lacerations and bruises, but he managed to get out of the car and walk home. His girlfriend wasn’t so lucky. They pulled her out of the car the next morning.”

  Hannah shuddered. She couldn’t help but remember the car in Miller’s Pond with Doctor Bev’s body inside.

  “There was a lot of speculation about it at the time,” Ross went on with the story. “The town newspaper called it another Chappaquiddick.”

  “Ray’s girlfriend drowned?”

  “No one’s sure. The autopsy report was inconclusive. Her family brought suit against Ray, claiming that he had been drinking, but the case was dismissed before it even got to trial for lack of evidence. There was no proof that he had done anything wrong.”

  “Did you keep in touch with the Worthington family?” Hannah asked him.

  “Just with Clay. Why?”

  “I’d really like to talk to Senator Worthington. Perhaps he could tell me something about Judge Colfax’s background that might relate to his murder. Do you think you could presume on that old acquaintance and convince him to see me?”

  “I’m almost sure I could. I’ll call him tomorrow and see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, Ross. If they worked in the same law office, they’ve known each other for a long time. Sometimes old friends know things about each other that not even their families know.”

  “You’re trying to find something in Judge Colfax’s background that connects to his murder?”

  “Exactly. I’ve struck out with everyone who was in Judge Colfax’s current life. Maybe an old friend from the past like Senator Worthington can help.”

  It had been one of the happiest evenings of Hannah’s life and she didn’t want it to end. “Will you come in for a while, Ross?” she asked, when he opened the car door for her.

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

  They walked up the stairs arm in arm, and when they came to the landing, Hannah stopped. “Do you remember what Moishe does when I open the door?”

  “I remember. Do you want to catch him or shall I?”

  “You can. He’d like that. But brace yourself. He was twenty-four pounds the last time Doctor Bob weighed him.”

  Hannah unlocked the door and opened it to release the flying orange and white blur.

  Ross grunted when he caught Moishe in midair, and then he chuckled. “You are a big boy, aren’t you?”

  “Just put him on the back of the couch,” Hannah instructed. “It’s his favorite perch.”

  Once Moshe was settled, she shut and locked the door. Then she went to check on Michelle and found that her youngest sister wasn’t back from her dinner with Lonnie. “Would you like coffee?” she offered when she came back to the living room.

  “Sure,” Ross said. “Michelle’s not home yet?”

  “Not yet.” Hannah turned to go to the kitchen, but strong arms caught her and warm lips nuzzled her neck.

  “I don’t think I want that coffee after all,” Ross said.

  Chapter Twenty-nine

  Hannah woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee and a purring cat nestled on her head. She dislodged the cat, thrust her arms into her robe and her feet into her slippers and went in search of the coffee. She found Michelle standing at the kitchen counter, similarly dressed and sipping a cup of the aromatic brew.

  “Here you go,” Michelle said, pouring another cup for Hannah. “Go sit. I’ll bring it.”

  “Good thing. I’d probably drop it,” Hannah mumbled, sinking down onto one of her favorite vinyl-covered antique kitchen chairs. It was a clone of the other three chairs arranged around the Formica-topped table, but it was exactly where she wanted to sit.

  The other chairs had views that did not lend themselves to work mornings. Two faced the wall between the kitchen and the laundry room that was hung with an array of collectible plates Delores had placed there when Hannah had first moved in. Hannah had never bothered to change them to something she liked better. They were pretty and were probably expensive, but she didn’t want to even pretend to assess their value before she’d consumed at least a whole carafe of coffee. As far as she was concerned the plates were a nice, innocuous wall decoration, nothing more.

  The third chair faced the wall phone, hanging above her favorite chair. Hannah didn’t want to look at the phone. If she faced the phone, it could possibly encourage it to ring. And the last thing she wanted to do when she got up at the crack of dawn was to deal with an early telephone call.

  Her favorite chair faced the clock shaped like an apple, and that was perfect for morning viewing. It reminded her that she didn’t have to go to work quite yet, but it wouldn’t let her tarry too long. It ticked off the seconds in a predictable manner that only a dead battery could halt. It moved very slowly when she trained her eyes on it and it granted her time to sip, stare, and cogitate until the little hand neared the numeral five and the big hand halted at the numeral nine. Two more sweeps of the red minute hand and it was time to rise from the chair, walk down the hallway, and take her morning shower. Ten minutes later, she would finish her shower, dress, feed Moishe, and arrive at work on the dot of five-thirty.

  “You got a text. I heard Big Ben,” Michelle told her.

  “Thanks,” Hannah said. It was time. The little hand was nearing the five, the big hand was on the nine, and the red minute hand had finished its second sweep and was well on its way to the third.

  It only took a moment to retrieve the text. Hannah read it, smiled, and put the phone in her purse. Ross loved her, he was going to work, and he’d meet her at The Cookie Jar before five-thirty tonight. When he called Senator Worthington, he’d text her again and tell her what time the senator could see them.

  Twelve minutes later Hannah had finished her shower, toweled off and dressed, and was walking down the hall toward the kitchen for one last cup of coffee.

  “Hurry up, Hannah!” Michelle called out. “He’s got another one!”

  Hannah covered the last five feet of the hallway in two steps and burst into the living room, only to see Michelle holding a pink, frilly baby bonnet in her hand.

  “Moishe?” Hannah asked, staring at the baby bonnet.

  “Yes. He had it in his mouth when I came out of the guest bedroom. Andrea never had anything like this for Bethie, did she?”

  “No. Bethie was a winter baby. She wore knit hats. That’s a summer bonnet. Look at the flowers on the side.”

  “Do you think it could have been Tracey’s?”

  “I doubt it. Tracey’s birthday is in September and it was already getting cold when she was born. Andrea bought her hoodies made of sweatshirt material, and Tracey had one in almost every color
.”

  “Then it’s the cat burglar,” Michelle said with a sigh. “Do we have time to look at the tape?”

  “We’ll make time,” Hannah decided. “I don’t know about you, but this is really bothering me. It’s almost as frustrating as trying to solve Judge Colfax’s murder.”

  Of course there had been nothing on the tape and by the time Hannah and Michelle got to work, they were an hour late.

  “The cat burglar?” Lisa guessed when they came in the kitchen door.

  “Yes. We repositioned the camera in the kitchen. It’s the only room we haven’t tried,” Hannah sighed deeply, “but I really don’t have much hope.”

  “You can’t give up now,” Aunt Nancy told them. “Grandma Knudson thinks you’re close to the answer. She was listening yesterday and we got to talking later. Between the two of us, we came up with an idea about what you should do next.”

  “You did?” Hannah was delighted. Grandma Knudson was a wise woman and Aunt Nancy had a good head on her shoulders. “What do you think I should do?”

  “We want you to hold a yard sale next Saturday, but not a yard sale for money. Just make a display, right here at The Cookie Jar of all the items Moishe has appropriated. Lisa says everybody comes in here on Saturdays and somebody is bound to recognize something. If they do, you’ll know at least one place Moishe went when he got out.”

  “That’s a wonderful idea! I wonder why I didn’t think of it myself.”

  “Because you’re too close to the problem. And you’re too busy with other things. Will you do it?”

  “Yes, I’ll do it.”

  “Good. We’ll start telling people about the yard sale that isn’t a yard sale to display the cat burglar’s loot.”

  It was eleven o’clock when the text came in. Hannah heard her phone chime and hurried to take it out of her purse. Just as she expected, it was a text from Ross.

  Senator Worthington will see you at the Winnetka County Courthouse at five-thirty this evening. Worthington Law has rented it for the evening to hold their annual reunion and he’s the guest speaker. The reunion dinner begins at six. If we get there promptly at five-thirty, he’ll give us thirty minutes of his time.

  While Hannah was reading Ross’s text, another text message came in. Again, it was from Ross.

  Correction. It’s just going to be you, Cupcake. I have to work until eight. I’ll meet you at your condo later. Give the senator my regards. I’ll text him to let him know I won’t be with you. Love, Ross.

  “What’s the matter?” Michelle asked, coming into the kitchen just in time to see the disappointment on Hannah’s face.

  “Nothing, really. It’s just that Ross was going to go with me to see Senator Worthington, but he has to work late.”

  “Do you want me to go with you?”

  “No, that’s okay. If you really want to help, start something for dinner. Ross should be at the condo by eight-thirty.”

  Hannah was dressed and ready to go. She’d had another phone lesson from Tracey, baked several more batches of cookies, and rushed back to the condo to change into an outfit that was appropriate for meeting a state senator. As she dressed, she thought of something that Howie had mentioned months ago, some rumors about how Judge Colfax had done a favor for someone powerful and gained his judgeship in the process. She knew that Howie was in his office on Saturdays so she glanced at the clock, saw that it was not yet five, and dialed Howie’s office number, hoping that he hadn’t left early.

  “Levine Law,” Howie answered on the second ring.

  “Hi, Howie. It’s Hannah. Are you going to the dinner at the courthouse?”

  “What dinner?”

  “Worthington Law is having their annual reunion and they rented the courthouse for a catered dinner. Senator Worthington is the guest speaker.”

  “Hmmm! This is the first I’ve heard about it. Of course, I never worked for Worthington Law so I guess I wouldn’t be invited.”

  “Well, I’m glad I caught you. I have a meeting out there with Senator Worthington and I remembered something you told me a couple of months ago. You said there were rumors about Judge Colfax getting his judgeship in return for doing a favor for a powerful person.”

  “That’s the rumor I heard. It’s just a rumor, though. Nobody seems to know what the favor was or who asked him to do it.”

  “Oh.” Hannah was disappointed. She’d hoped that Howie would know more than that. “I did find out that Judge Colfax was the senator’s mentor when he was a law clerk at Worthington Law. It’s entirely possible that Senator Worthington might know something about that old favor.”

  “Tread carefully, Hannah.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “What if the favor was for the Worthington family?”

  “Oh. Yes, I see what you mean. That would be putting my foot in it, wouldn’t it?”

  “I’ll say. I’ve got to go, Hannah. Kitty’s making sauerbraten tonight and that’s one of my favorites. I don’t want to be late.”

  “Tell her hi from me,” Hannah said and hung up the phone. She glanced at the clock, picked up her purse, slung it over her shoulder, and headed down the outside staircase to the garage. There was no way she wanted to be late, not when Senator Worthington had so generously worked her into his busy schedule. She just hoped that their meeting would be productive and she’d discover something that would lead to the identity of the person who’d killed Judge Colfax.

  Chapter Thirty

  Hannah found a parking spot right in front of the courthouse. There were no other cars on the street. She thought that was odd until she remembered that almost all of the guests coming to the Worthington Law reunion would be lawyers, and lawyers had preferred parking in the underground garage.

  She glanced at her phone to check the time. It was five-twenty so she texted Ross.

  I’m here at the courthouse ten minutes early. I’ll see you later. Love, Hannah.

  Something prickled at the back of her mind as she climbed the courthouse steps. She was inside, heading up the first set of stairs when she realized what it was. She hadn’t seen any caterer trucks. They’d better get here in a hurry if dinner was at six.

  Her footsteps echoed hollowly on the marble staircase that led to the courtrooms on the second floor. The courthouse had a deserted feel and it made her a bit uneasy. Had she gotten the wrong day? Ross had said she should meet Senator Worthington tonight, hadn’t he?

  Hannah stopped and pulled out her phone to check Ross’s earlier text message. Yes, her appointment with the senator was tonight. She was to meet him in Judge Colfax’s chambers on the third floor at five-thirty. He would give her thirty minutes of his time before the six o’clock dinner. But how could there be a dinner at six o’clock if the caterers weren’t here yet? They would need time to set up and she’d seen no one hurry past with trays of food or linens.

  Something was wrong and she didn’t like it. Hannah felt a sense of dread as she stared at the railing that ran all the way up the staircase to the second floor and then curved around in an arc to start the down staircase on the other side. She tried to tell herself that everything was all right, that she was simply nervous at the prospect of meeting such an influential person. That didn’t work, not even for an instant. Every fiber of her being was vibrating with the sense of danger. Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. There had to be a reason why her mouth was dry and her heart was pounding like a caged bird in her chest. Silly or not, overactive imagination or not, she was getting out of the courthouse right now!

  Hannah turned around on the step and that was when she saw a tall figure standing near the heavy oaken doors. He had dark hair, carefully styled and streaked at the sides with silver. He had the well-muscled body of an athlete who had stayed in shape, and he looked even more imposing than he had in the newspaper photos she’d seen. There was a smile on his face, a smile that was knowing and threatening, a smile that made her knees start to shake. Hannah was certain that the gloating expression on Sena
tor Eric Worthington’s face was one his constituents had never seen.

  “So you finally figured it out,” he said in an impassionate voice. “Unfortunately for you, it’s a little too late.”

  “Figured what out?” Hannah asked, hoping her voice didn’t reveal how terrified she was.

  “That there is no reunion and that I lured you here. You may even have figured out that I killed Geoffrey.”

  “You . . . did?” Hannah asked, taking a step back up the stairs so that she could put more distance between them. “But how did you murder him without being seen?”

  Senator Worthington laughed and it was not a pleasant laugh. “I didn’t kill him personally. I’d never do that. Geoffrey was a friend. As a matter of fact, we were going to have lunch together. That’s how my man got into the courthouse. Geoffrey sent me a one-time pass for the parking garage.”

  Hannah moved back until she felt the next step up behind her heels. “If he was your friend, why did your man kill him?”

  “Geoffrey had become a very dangerous liability. He was losing his mind, you know. For periods of time, he was living in the past. And that was not a good thing for me.”

  “I . . . didn’t know that his mind was going. I never noticed that.”

  “But I did. You wouldn’t notice. You didn’t know him when his colleagues claimed that he had a mind like a steel trap.”

  “He was a brilliant lawyer?” Hannah asked, hoping he wouldn’t notice when she took another step upward.

  “Oh, yes. He made junior partner at Worthington Law before he was thirty. That’s a rarity. But years passed, and his mind weakened so much that I couldn’t depend on him to keep my secret any longer.”

  “But wouldn’t people have thought that anything he said was the product of his confused mind?” Hannah asked, moving back until her heel was against the next step up.