Lemon Meringue Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)

by Joanne Fluke

  “You’ll see it when it comes over the hill.”

  “Who do you think you are?” Hannah asked, eyeing him with some amusement. “Supercop with x-ray vision?”

  “No, but I might try out for Supercop with subsonic hearing.”

  “You heard the bus?”

  “That’s right. A diesel engine’s got a certain high-pitched whine to it. On a still night it’ll carry for a long way.”

  Hannah stared at him, but he didn’t seem to be putting her on. “Okay, I believe you even though I’ve met the bus lots of times and I never heard a whine.”

  “You probably wouldn’t notice.”

  “Because it’s a cop thing?”

  “No, it’s a trucker thing. My father was an owner-operator and I drove most of his short runs every summer. It gets boring, driving the same route day after day. I looked for ways to amuse myself and I started concentrating on the sounds trucks make. I got so good, I could tell a Peterbilt from a Kenworth a quarter-mile away.”

  Hannah had been aware of a low rumbling noise while Mike spoke and it had increased in volume. Her eyes widened as a Greyhound bus crested the hill and began its descent. “You were right. There’s the bus. I hope Michelle’s trip wasn’t too boring.”

  “I’m sure she found someone to talk to. She’s a very pretty woman.”

  “Girl,” Hannah corrected him. “She’s still a teenager.”

  “Just barely. I’ve known a few nineteen-year-olds. They’d much rather be thought of as young women.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” Hannah gave him a sharp glance as she climbed out of the car. She wanted to know more about the nineteen-year-olds he’d known, but it wasn’t a good idea to ask. Mike didn’t talk about his past very much and he’d already told her about driving his father’s truck. That was enough for one night.

  As they walked, Hannah glanced up at the halogen lights by the bus loading and unloading area. Moths were fluttering around the bulbs in uneven halos, attracted to the hot light despite its danger. As she watched, several fell back down to the pavement and were crushed under the feet of the people who had gathered to meet the bus.

  Mike found a spot near the front of the crowd and Hannah stood close to his side. He reached out to take her arm and smiled down at her. “Are you excited about seeing her again?”

  “Yes,” Hannah said, smiling back. There were times when she indulged in a bit of nostalgia, remembering how she’d helped Delores soothe Michelle through bouts of colic when she was a baby, carrying her on mile-long treks around the living room until she’d finally gone to sleep.

  The bus pulled up with a loud snort and a squeal of brakes, spewing out a black plume of what Hannah now knew was diesel exhaust. There was a moment of expectation while the driver flicked on the interior lights and checked something on his clipboard. Then the door opened with a mechanical hiss and a plump woman in a nurse’s uniform climbed down the steps. She was followed by a man carrying a raincoat, a mother with a baby in her arms, and an older gentleman wearing a straw hat.

  There was a long pause as a young man struggled to navigate the steps with a package large enough to contain a tuba. Once he’d successfully disembarked, two teenage girls in jeans and sweaters stepped off the bus.

  Hannah began to frown. There was only one more passenger waiting to get off the bus and it wasn’t Michelle. “Oh-oh. I think she missed the bus.”

  “No, she didn’t. She’s right there at the top of the stairs.”

  Hannah gave the woman a second glance. She had bright green streaks in her hair and a tattoo on her left shoulder, an in-your-face rendition of a coiled snake. She was wearing a shiny gold top that was so tight Hannah could see every breath she took, and her red pants were hip-height at the waist, exposing her navel. As far as Hannah could see there was no one standing behind her waiting to get off. “I don’t see her. Where is she?”

  “Right there. With the green hair.”

  Hannah took another look. The apparition was still at the top of the stairs and she appeared to be having trouble with one of her gold, high-heeled tennis shoes. The heel was stuck in the metal grating of the step.

  “That’s not Michelle,” Hannah said, shaking her head.

  “Yes, it is. Watch this.”

  Mike stepped closer to wave at the green-haired woman. “Hi, Michelle. Over here!”

  The woman’s face lit up in a smile and she waved back. “Hi, Hannah! Just a sec. My shoe’s stuck.”

  It was Michelle. Hannah groaned. She knew that college students often followed the newest clothing fads and she’d expected that Michelle might have a slightly different look, but nothing could have prepared her for seeing her baby sister in an outfit that looked like…

  “I’ll go help her,” Mike said, interrupting the thoughts that Hannah didn’t want to think anyway. “Don’t worry. It’s probably just some stage she’s going through.”

  “Some stage,” Hannah muttered, managing somehow to put a welcoming smile on her face. She averted her eyes as Mike bounded forward, wondering if her mother had grounds to sue the college. She’d check with Howie Levine in the morning. Better yet, she’d call him the moment she got home to her condo.

  “Here she is,” Mike announced, arriving at Hannah’s side with Michelle in his arms and her left shoe dangling from his fingers. “I’m going to carry her to the car so she can change shoes. Her luggage is being unloaded right now and there’s only one piece, a pink duffle bag. Can you get it?”

  “Sure,” Hannah said brightly, heading off to collect the pink bag. Perhaps the college wouldn’t admit full responsibility. Michelle had lived off campus for a semester. But at the least, they ought to refund the tuition money.

  “So. How was your trip?” Hannah asked, after she’d retrieved Michelle’s bag, stashed it in the trunk, and taken her place in the passenger’s seat.

  “Exciting. I almost missed the bus.” Michelle grinned at her big sister. “I just wish I’d brought my camera. I’d give anything to have a picture of your face when I got off that bus.”

  “You do look…uh…pretty spectacular,” Hannah said, reminding herself that they had an audience and it would be better to wait until they were alone to read Michelle the riot act.

  “I wish Mother could see me like this, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  “Probably not,” Hannah said, knowing that she’d just made the understatement of the year. “As far as I know, she doesn’t have heart problems…yet.”

  Michelle cracked up and Hannah immediately felt better. At least her sister’s new look hadn’t leached her sense of humor.

  “Could we go to your place so I can wash this green stuff out of my hair?”

  “It washes out?”

  “It’s supposed to. It’s a spray I got from the makeup department. You don’t think I look like this all the time, do you?”

  “You don’t?”

  “Of course not. I don’t dress like this, either. It’s just that I was in a student play tonight. If I’d taken the time to change out of my costume, I would have missed my bus.”

  “You’re wearing a costume!” Hannah exclaimed, beginning to smile. “Mike and I thought it was a new kind of fad. How about the tattoo? Is that real?”

  Michelle shook her head. “It’s just one of those press-on things that washes right off with soap and water. If I can use your shower, I’ll be as good as new in less than twenty minutes, I promise.”

  “Hannah’s place it is,” Mike said, reaching out to pat Hannah’s hand as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. “The tattoo’s impressive. I know a woman who has one just like it.”

  “Here in Lake Eden?” Hannah asked, turning to him in absolute shock.

  “No, in Minneapolis. I busted her three times when I was a rookie.”

  Chapter

  Fifteen

  H annah took another sip of coffee. Her nerves were jangling with the infusion of even more caffeine than usual, but she ha
d to do something to wake up. They’d stayed out at the cottage with Mother and Michelle until almost one in the morning, and then she’d spent long minutes with Mike at her door, debating about whether or not she should invite him in. One glance at her watch had settled that question. One-thirty was too late, especially for a small-business owner who had to get up at five the next morning to bake. She’d gone inside alone, fed Moishe, and crawled into bed. And this morning, when she’d come into work, she’d found two frantic messages on her answer machine. Both were rush orders that had come in the previous evening. Loretta Richardson had called in a panic. She’d been deluged with unexpected guests for the Fourth and she needed five-dozen Praline Charlottes. The second order had come from Doc Knight, who wanted three pans of Lovely Lemon Bar Cookies for his nurses.

  “Hannah?” Lisa pushed the swinging door to the kitchen open and stuck her head in. “Norman’s on the phone and he wants you to meet him down at the clinic at twelve. He says it’s important. Then he wants to take you to the café for lunch.”

  Hannah was about to say yes when she remembered that Lisa needed her lunch break. “How about you? Can you wait until one for lunch?”

  “No problem. Just bring me back one of Rose’s hamburgers.”

  “It’s a deal.” Hannah started to smile. It would be good to see Norman.

  “And Mike just came in. He wants to see you.”

  “Okay. Will you coffee him and send him back here?”

  “Sure. Did you finish the Praline Charlottes for Loretta?”

  “Yes, and I’ll deliver them on my way to see Norman.” Hannah gestured toward several boxes she’d stacked on the counter. “I have extras if you want to give them out for samples.”

  Lisa shook her head. “They’re too good for samples. I know you’re just using them for catering and advance orders right now, but I think we should add them to the cookie menu.”

  “We’ll have to charge a little more. The frosting takes time.”

  “People will pay it. They’re delicious, Hannah. I just wish Cousin Charlotte could taste them.”

  “I agree, especially since we named them after her. I’ll package up a few and we’ll send them to her by overnight mail.”

  Lisa looked happy as she went back out to the coffee shop. Her mother’s cousin, who ran a cleaning service in New Orleans, had sent Lisa a box of pralines for Christmas. Hannah had tasted one and been so impressed, she’d decided to try to make a praline cookie.

  Hannah had just finished packaging the cookies when Mike came in with a coffee mug in his hand. “Hi, Hannah. I checked on that little problem we discussed last night.”

  “What little problem?”

  “Just a second.” Mike walked over to the pantry and glanced through the open door.

  For a moment Hannah thought he’d lost his marbles, but then she realized that he wanted to give her his report on Jed’s job at the prison. “Jed and Freddy finished their work for me yesterday. There’s no one here except you and me, and the weevils in the flour.”

  “You have bugs in your flour?”

  Mike started to frown and Hannah wondered if he was thinking of turning her in to the Health Department. She didn’t think he would, but she knew she’d better correct his misconception in a hurry. “Relax, Mike. I was just kidding. I always store my flour in canisters and tape a bay leaf to the inside of the lid to keep out the weevils.”

  “And that works?”

  “It’s never failed me. The only other way is to freeze the flour in airtight containers, but I don’t have the freezer space for that.”

  “I learn something new every day in this job.” Mike gave her a grin. “Do you want me to tell you about Jed?”

  “Please do. Pull up a stool and sit down.”

  Mike took the stool across from Hannah and took out his notebook. “I checked when I got to the station this morning. Jed was a civilian worker on the maintenance crew at Stillwater. He didn’t lie to you, but I doubt he told you the whole truth.”

  “What’s the whole truth?”

  “He was fired. I talked to his supervisor and he said that Jed was unreliable. He came in late most mornings and there were several times when his supervisor suspected that he’d been drinking on the job. He finally caught Jed with a bottle and fired him on the spot.”

  “Jed didn’t mention anything about that.”

  “Of course he didn’t. My big concern is for Freddy. You said you think Jed’s a real influence on him?”

  “I know he is. Freddy thinks the world of Jed.”

  “Then we’d better hope that Jed’s drinking hasn’t developed into a pattern. Do you think he was drinking when he was working for you?”

  Hannah thought about it for a moment and then she shook her head. “I don’t think he was. I’m pretty sure I would have noticed. Maybe he learned his lesson?”

  “Either that, or he’s just being more careful not to get caught. Who are they working for now?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “I’ll find out and keep an eye on Jed.” Mike finished his coffee and stood up. “Break time’s over and I’ve got to run. I’ll give you a call later.”

  The moment Mike left, Hannah pulled out her steno pad and added the new information he’d given her. It didn’t have anything to do with Rhonda’s murder, but she liked to keep all her information in one place. Then she checked her list of things to do and saw her notation about Reverend Knudson. Priscilla thought her grandson had attended a church-related meeting on Friday night, but Hannah had her doubts. If Lisa could spare her, she’d run next door and ask Claire if she knew where the reverend had gone with his two orders of takeout osso buco.

  “Is there something wrong with the outfit you bought yesterday?” Claire asked when she answered Hannah’s knock on her back door.

  “Are you kidding? I wore it when I went out to dinner with Mike and he said I looked like a goddess.”

  Claire smiled. “It’s the simple truth. That outfit does wonders for you.”

  “Thanks.” Hannah appreciated the compliment, but it was time to get to the point. “Something’s come up and I need to talk to you about Reverend Knudson. Do you have a minute?”

  Claire glanced at her watch. “I have exactly five. Becky Summers just went into the dressing room and she always struggles with her zipper for at least five minutes before she calls me in to help.”

  “Then I’d better hurry.” Hannah took a deep breath as she stepped inside Claire’s back room. “I know that this is a delicate subject, but do you know where Reverend Knudson was on Friday night?”

  “Is this about Rhonda’s murder?”

  “Yes. Rhonda had a guest at the Voelker place on Friday night and he brought two takeout dinners with him. I know Reverend Knudson got takeout that night. I’m hoping he wasn’t Rhonda’s visitor.”

  “He wasn’t.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “As sure as I can be. Bob was my visitor.”

  “What time did Reverend Knudson get to your place, and when did he leave? And what did he bring you for dinner?”

  “Do you really need to know all that?” Claire’s green eyes narrowed. “Or is it just prurient curiosity on your part?”

  “I’m never prurient…or at least not often. I really need to know, Claire. I realize you want to keep your relationship with the reverend private and that’s one of the reasons I’m asking. If I can eliminate him from the suspect list, I won’t have to mention him to Mike.”

  Claire thought about that for a moment. “All right. Bob got to my apartment at seven and he didn’t leave until after midnight. And he brought me osso buco.”

  “Good. I can cross him off the list.” Hannah gave a relieved sigh. “If you don’t mind my asking, why did his grandmother think he was at a church meeting?”

  Claire gave a little smile. “Because that’s where he was supposed to be. It was Ecumenical Council night, but they canceled. Bob found out late that afternoon and we…
well…we just took advantage of the moment. By the way, he’s an incredible dancer.”

  “Reverend Knudson?”

  “Yes. He put himself through college by working part time as a dance instructor. Bob can tango better than anybody I know. He’s just wild.”

  Hannah blinked. She really had trouble imagining the solemn man who stood behind the pulpit at Redeemer Lutheran dancing a wild tango. “You went out dancing?”

  “Not out. We shoved back the furniture and danced in my living room. Bob’s just wonderful, Hannah. I’ve never been so happy in my life. He’s almost got me persuaded to let him announce our engagement to the congregation and let the chips fall where they may.”

  Hannah sighed. She wished Claire well, but those would be some pretty big chips.

  “I know what you’re thinking, but even when I was involved with Richard, I stayed active in the church. I can always be the reformed sinner that Bob redeemed.”

  Another thought occurred to Hannah that she knew she shouldn’t ask, but that had never stopped her before. “Do you really think you could be a small-town minister’s wife?”

  “I think so. I know I’d like to be Bob’s wife. There’s only one thing stopping me.”

  “Your past?”

  “No, Bob doesn’t care about that. But I don’t read music and every other minister’s wife in town plays the organ.”

  Hannah glanced at her watch as she pulled into a space in front of the Rhodes Dental Clinic. She was twenty minutes early for her lunch date with Norman despite the fact that she’d stopped off to deliver Loretta’s Praline Charlottes. She got out of her truck, locked it up, and walked into the waiting room. She could hear voices in the back, coming from one of the examining rooms. Norman was still with a patient. Rather than sit and page through magazines she didn’t want to read anyway, Hannah decided to dash up the block to Lake Eden Neighborhood Drugs and talk to Jon Walker about Rhonda’s work at the drugstore.

  The heat was shimmering up in little waves from the sidewalk as Hannah walked to the drugstore. Main Street was practically deserted and she could understand why. Anyone with half a brain was inside with curtains drawn and fan blades whirling as fast as they could to move the sluggish air. The heat today was powerful enough to make Hannah wish that the Lake Eden City Council would legislate required siestas.