Strawberry Shortcake Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  Norman just stared at her for a moment, then he shook his head so hard, Hannah was afraid his brains would scramble. “No! Whatever gave you that idea?”

  “Just a wild guess.” Hannah wasn’t about to mention either Norman’s mother or hers. “So you’re doing a favor for Lucy by giving her some free dental work. What favor is Lucy doing for you?”

  For a long tense moment, Hannah didn’t think Norman was going to answer. Then he sighed, and said, “She discovered something about me, Hannah, an incident that happened when I was living in Seattle. I do her caps and she agrees not to publish her story. It’s simple, really.”

  “It’s blackmail, really.”

  “Actually, it’s extortion,” Norman corrected her, “but I have to go along with it. She’s got me over a barrel.”

  “Is what Lucy knows really that bad?” The question slipped out before Hannah had time to think about it, and she wished she hadn’t asked. It was really none of her business.

  “It’s bad enough. It wouldn’t completely destroy my life if it got out, but the people in Lake Eden would never look at me in the same way again. Mostly, I’m concerned about my mother. She’d be devastated.”

  Hannah’s mind whirled. Norman had admitted that Lucy was blackmailing him. Could she have attempted the same thing with Boyd? And how about Claire? Lucy had waltzed into The Cookie Jar wearing a new coat from Beau Monde, and she owned the expensive scarf that Luanne had wanted to buy for her mother. The story Lucy had told about her book advance had been pure hogwash. Hannah had thought so at the time. And now she suspected that every penny of Lucy’s newfound wealth had come from the people she’d threatened to expose.

  “Hannah?”

  “Yes?” Hannah put her thoughts on hold and turned to Norman.

  “I asked you a question. Do you have to know what Lucy found out about me?”

  Hannah made an instant decision. “No.”

  “Are you afraid you won’t like me anymore if you find out what it is?”

  “You should know better than that, Norman!” Hannah gave him a stern look. “Your secret is your secret. But if you ever choose to tell me about it, I absolutely guarantee that it won’t change my feelings for you.”

  “Thanks, Hannah. Maybe I’ll tell you later, but not right now.”

  “That’s good enough for me.” Hannah did her best to squelch her curiosity over what Norman had done. “Think carefully, Norman. Do you think that Lucy could be pulling this same thing with any other people in town?”

  Norman shrugged. “That’s certainly possible. As a reporter, she has access to all sorts of information. That’s how she found out about me. Actually, I wouldn’t put it past her. When she came into my office and demanded that I fix her teeth, I got the impression that she’d done this type of thing before.”

  “What made you think that?”

  “She knew exactly what she was doing. She handed me her story, told me to read it, and said she had a deal for me. And she warned me that if I even thought about turning her in, I’d see it printed on the front page of the Lake Eden Journal the next day.”

  Hannah was surprised at Norman’s naïveté. “And you believed her?”

  “Of course not. I was sure that Rod would never print it, but she could still tell people, and you know how gossip spreads in a town the size of Lake Eden. Besides…” Norman hesitated, “…maybe I shouldn’t tell you this part.”

  “Spill it, Norman,” Hannah ordered. “I want to know.”

  “At that point, I was really angry. And I was looking forward to working on her teeth. I figured I could jab her with the dullest needle I’ve got.”

  Hannah laughed. She couldn’t help it. And she was glad to see that Norman joined in. “Did you?”

  “No. Once I started working, my professional side took over. I’m a good dentist, Hannah.”

  “I’m sure you are.”

  Norman took a sip of his red cream soda and sighed. “What do you think I should do about it, Hannah? Report it to Sheriff Grant?”

  “Not yet. So far, you’re the only victim we know about. I think we should try to find some of the others first.”

  “You’re sure there are others?”

  “I’m almost positive. Don’t forget that Lucy called Boyd. She was probably pulling the same thing with him. And there have to be others. She’s been spending money like it’s going out of style.”

  “But how are you going to find her other victims? They’re not going to come up and tell you about it. You’re going to need proof.”

  “Proof.” Hannah repeated the word and started to smile. “That’s it, Norman. Did Lucy have proof that the story she wrote about you was true?”

  “Yes. She had a letter from…”

  “Never mind,” Hannah interrupted him. “I don’t need to know where it was from. But she did have proof?”

  “Yes. The letter she showed me was a copy, but she said she had the original.”

  “Then all I have to do is find out where she keeps it. There’s bound to be things from her other victims there. I can find out who they are and…” Hannah stopped speaking in mid-sentence, and a smile spread over her face. “Forget I said that. I must be tired. I don’t have to track down Lucy’s other victims. All I have to do is steal her proof.”

  “But how are you going to do that? You don’t even know where she keeps it.”

  “It wouldn’t be in the newspaper office. Rod might find it.” Hannah began to eliminate the possibilities. “And she wouldn’t keep it in a safe-deposit box because the bank’s closed at night and she might need it. She wouldn’t trust anyone else to keep it for her, it’s just too important. And that means it’s got to be in her apartment.”

  “That makes sense, but there’s no way Lucy is going to give you permission to search her apartment.”

  “I wasn’t planning to ask for her permission. When is her next appointment?”

  “Tomorrow morning at seven. She’s coming in early, and I’m doing impressions. But you can’t break into her apartment, Hannah. That’s illegal.”

  “So is extortion. How long can you keep her in the chair?”

  “I don’t know.” Norman frowned, and Hannah could tell his morals were kicking up a fuss.

  “You’ve got to cooperate with me, Norman. I’m going to need at least an hour.”

  Norman gave a sigh and caved in. “I can manage that. I’ll mix in extra water with the impression powder and it’ll take longer to set. But I can’t keep her longer than an hour.”

  “That’s okay. It’s a small apartment, and I should be through by then. Call Lucy’s number when she leaves your office so I’ll know it’s time to head out.”

  “Okay, but I don’t like this, Hannah. What if you get caught?”

  “I won’t,” Hannah reassured him, wishing that she had someone to reassure her.

  Oatmeal Raisin Crisps

  Preheat oven to 375° F.,

  rack in the middle position.

  1 cup melted butter (2 sticks—½ pound)

  2 cups white sugar

  2 teaspoons vanilla

  ½ teaspoon salt

  2 teaspoons baking soda

  2 large eggs, beaten (just whip them up with a fork)

  2 ½ cups flour (no need to sift)

  1 cup raisins (either regular or golden, you choose)

  2 cups GROUND dry oatmeal (measure before grinding)

  Melt the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Add the sugar and mix. Then mix in the vanilla, salt, and the baking soda.

  When the mixture has cooled to room temperature, stir in the eggs. Add the flour and stir it all up. Then mix in the raisins.

  Prepare your oatmeal. (Use Quakers if you have it—the cardboard canister is useful for all sorts of things.) Measure out 2 cups and dump it in the food processor, chopping it with the steel blade until it’s the consistency of coarse sand. Dump it in your dough and mix it all up. (This dough will be fairly stiff.)

  Roll walnut-
sized dough balls with your hands and place them on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. (If it’s too sticky to roll, place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and try again.) Squish the dough balls down with a fork in a crisscross pattern (like peanut butter cookies).

  Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

  Andrea likes these and she’s never liked raisins—go figure.

  Chapter Ten

  Andrea shivered as Hannah parked at the end of Vera Olsen’s alley. “Are you absolutely sure we have to do this?”

  “I’m sure.” Hannah shut off the engine and checked her watch. It was seven o’clock and Lucy should be in Norman’s dental chair by now. “Get a grip, Andrea. There’s no way we can stand by and let Lucy get away with extortion!”

  “I guess not.” Andrea shivered again. It was a cold morning, and the wind was whipping up, but Hannah suspected that her sister was more scared than cold.

  “Come on, Andrea. We don’t have much time. Norman can’t keep Lucy in his office forever.”

  “You’re right. Let’s get it over with.” Andrea pulled her knit cap down over her ears, and opened the passenger door. “I’m glad Tracey spent the night with Grandma. I don’t want her to find out that her mother’s a criminal.”

  “You’re not a criminal. I take full responsibility for any problems that might come up.”

  “What problems?” Andrea grabbed at Hannah’s arm as they started to walk down the alley. “You didn’t say anything about any problems when you called me last night.”

  Hannah winced. She should have kept her big mouth shut, but it was too late to swallow her words. “I really don’t expect any problems.”

  “How about problems you don’t expect? You’d better tell me, Hannah.”

  “Well.” Hannah stopped speaking and sighed. She’d opened a real can of worms, and they were a long way from a fishing hole. “I guess it’s possible that we could get caught. If that happens, I’m going to tell Bill that I dragged you here and you didn’t know what I was planning to do.”

  “Oh, sure. And Bill will believe you. I’m beginning to regret this, Hannah.”

  “Would you rather stay in the truck and wait for me?”

  “No. I said I’d help you, and I will.” Andrea walked a little faster. “Hurry up, Hannah. We don’t want anyone to spot us.”

  “Nobody will spot us. And if they do, they won’t know who we are. That’s why I told you to wear Bill’s old parka and a cap.”

  The entrance to Lucy’s apartment was off the alley, and Hannah knew the chance of anyone seeing them was slight. There was an outside staircase that was exposed to the elements, but a large evergreen with bushy branches would hide them from the neighbors’ view.

  When they reached the base of the staircase, Andrea hesitated. “What if she canceled her appointment, Hannah? What’ll we do then?”

  “We’ll knock first. If Lucy answers, I’ll say I just dropped by to give her some cookies for her birthday.” Hannah held up the bag in her hand. “We’ll stay for a while, then we’ll leave.”

  “Lucy’s birthday is today?”

  “I don’t know when it is, but it’s a good excuse.” Hannah led the way up the wooden stairs. “I can always claim that someone gave me the wrong date. But Lucy’s not home. Norman told me she’s never missed an appointment, and she’s always on time.”

  “Then why did you bring the cookies?”

  Hannah sighed, wishing her sister wasn’t so alert in the morning. “Because it never hurts to be prepared.”

  When they reached the landing, Hannah knocked on the door. There was no answer, even when she knocked a second time. She turned to Andrea. “See? I told you Lucy wasn’t here. Hold this bag. I need to use my credit card.”

  “Why?”

  “To break in. You just slide it between the doorjamb and the lock and wiggle it around until the latch clicks back.”

  “That won’t work. Lucy’s got a dead bolt. See that second key hole?”

  Hannah frowned. Andrea was right. There were two locks on Lucy’s door. “I don’t know how to pick a dead bolt.”

  “They’re not pickable. Bill says a properly installed dead bolt is a homeowner’s best defense against burglary.” Andrea leaned out, over the rail, to examine the window that was to the right of the door. “Of course a dead bolt doesn’t do much good if you forget to lock your combination windows.”

  Andrea pulled off her gloves and stuffed them into her pocket. She unlatched the storm window panel, slid it up next to the screen, and placed her palms flat against the inside pane. She pushed up, the window rose, and she turned to give Hannah a triumphant grin. “I’ll wiggle through. I’m smaller than you are. You hold my parka, and I’ll be inside in a second.”

  Hannah watched as Andrea straddled the rail and grasped the windowsill. She slid forward until her upper body was inside, then braced her feet against the rail and snaked the rest of her body inside. Hannah heard something fall with a crash and a few moments later, the door opened.

  “I told you I could do it.” Andrea smiled proudly. “But I sure wish Lucy hadn’t stacked her dirty dishes in the sink. We owe her a plate and a coffee cup.”

  Lucy’s attic apartment, under the sloping ceiling, consisted of a kitchen, a bathroom, and one large all-purpose room. Andrea and Hannah started with the tiny kitchen and made short work of that. After they’d opened all the cupboards and checked the stove, the refrigerator shelves, and even the inside of the freezer, they headed to the bathroom to search there.

  The bathroom took even less time than the kitchen. There were only four drawers in the vanity to search, and they found nothing in the medicine cabinet except Lucy’s makeup, a toothbrush, a half-used tube of toothpaste, and an outdated bottle of aspirin.

  “Hold on a second.” Hannah stopped Andrea as she was about to leave the room. “We didn’t check the toilet.”

  “The toilet?”

  “I saw it in a movie once. If you put things in a waterproof package, you can hide them in the tank.”

  Andrea watched while Hannah lifted the lid and peered inside the tank. “Did you find anything?” she asked.

  “Nothing but water and the insides of the toilet,” Hannah reported. “I guess Lucy didn’t see that movie.”

  The large, all-purpose room was next. It served as Lucy’s living room, office, and bedroom, and Hannah knew they had their work cut out for them.

  “Where does that door lead?” Hannah asked, pointing to a door on the wall next to Lucy’s bed.

  “That’s the original attic door,” Andrea told her. “Vera brought me up here once when I was in high school.”

  “Why?”

  “We were looking for props for the senior play. Vera had lots of things that belonged to her parents, and they were stored in this attic. Where do you want me to start, Hannah?”

  “You take the closet, and I’ll search Lucy’s dresser.”

  Andrea had turned to head for the closet when they heard a tapping sound. Both sisters exchanged startled glances and Andrea whispered, “What’s that?”

  “Someone’s knocking at the door,” Hannah whispered back.

  “What’ll we do?”

  Hannah could see that her sister was frightened and she reached out to pat her arm. “We won’t answer. Relax, Andrea. If they had a key, they wouldn’t have knocked.”

  The knocking went on for several more moments. Then there was silence. Both sisters held their breath, listening for footsteps going back down the stairs, but there was no sound at all. They waited, in an agony of suspense, but then the knocking began again.

  “He’s really persistent,” Andrea whispered.

  “I know. You’d think his knuckles would be sore by now.” Hannah motioned Andrea down on the edge of Lucy’s bed. “Lie low, Andrea. I think I can see the top of the landing from Lucy’s kitchen window. I’m going to take a peek
.”

  Hannah tiptoed into the kitchen and hugged the wall as she approached the window over the sink. If Lucy’s visitor spotted her, she’d have a hard time explaining what they were doing in Lucy’s apartment when Lucy wasn’t home. The kitchen curtains were made of yellow cotton, held in place by white-plastic rings on a narrow rod at the top of the window. Andrea had closed them after she’d broken in, but there was a narrow gap between the two panels.

  The gap between the panels was perfect. Hannah peeked out and craned her neck to the side. She could see the landing of the outside staircase, but it was empty. There was no one standing at the top of the stairs. Lucy’s visitor was still knocking; she could hear the tap-tap-tapping, just like Poe’s raven on the chamber door.

  Poe’s raven? Hannah seized that thought and started to grin. She reached out with both hands, pulled open the curtains, and met the beady gaze of a redheaded woodpecker, caught in the act of pecking away at the wooden frame around Lucy’s door. The bird froze for an instant, then startled into flight, winging its way to the big pine tree that grew next to Lucy’s staircase.

  Hannah laughed as she retraced her steps to Lucy’s large room and saw Andrea peeking out from the space behind Lucy’s bed. “You can come out, Andrea. It was only a woodpecker.”

  “A woodpecker?” Andrea looked a little sheepish as she stood up and wiggled out of the tight space, dislodging a pillow in the process.

  “There must be bugs in the wood on Lucy’s doorframe. When he saw me, he took off.”

  Andrea gave a big sigh of relief. “All I could think of was Boyd’s killer. I pictured him standing at the top of the stairs with a knife in his hand.”

  “I don’t think the killer would be polite enough to knock.” Hannah gave her sister a little push toward Lucy’s closet. “Let’s get going, Andrea. You check out the closet, and I’ll handle the dresser and the bed.”