Banana Cream Pie Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “If he had called, Lisa or Aunt Nancy would have told me.”

  “Yes, if he called The Cookie Jar. But maybe he didn’t want to bother you at work, and he tried to contact you on your cell. Did you check your cell phone to see if you missed any calls?”

  “No. Tracey didn’t teach me how to do that.”

  “Let’s do that now. You get your cell and I’ll check it for you. And then I’ll show you how to do it yourself.”

  A few short minutes later, Hannah had her answer. Ross had attempted to call her three times. He’d even tried to text her to tell her that he was leaving.

  “I feel like a real fool!” Hannah admitted, once Michelle had shown her the missed calls and the unread text message from Ross. “No wonder Ross couldn’t reach me! I left my cell phone in the truck when I went in to have lunch with Mother at the Red Velvet Lounge.”

  “You forgot to bring it in with you?”

  “No. You know how Mother is about taking phone calls during social occasions. She thinks that answering calls in front of other people is rude. And since I didn’t expect any calls or text messages, I decided not to carry in my phone.”

  “And when you got back to your truck, you didn’t check it?”

  “That’s right. I turned it back on, but that was all I did. Thanks for showing me how to check it, Michelle. Tracey probably taught me how when I first got my phone, but there were a lot of new things I had to learn and I must have forgotten that one.”

  “I’ll show you how to put your phone on vibrate. Then all you have to do is put it in your pocket and it won’t disturb anyone else by ringing. When you feel it vibrate, you’ll know that a call or a text came in, and you’ll remember to check it later.”

  Hannah watched carefully as Michelle showed her how to go to the OPTIONS program and put her phone on vibrate, and how to take it off vibrate when she wanted it to ring. “I think I’ve got it,” she said gratefully.

  “Good. Now you’ve got one more thing to do.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You’d better get changed. You already know how irritated Mother gets with people who take phone calls during social engagements. And she gets even more irritated with people who arrive late.”

  * * *

  When Hannah and Michelle arrived at the Lake Eden Inn, two minutes before the allotted time, Dot Larson was working at the hostess stand.

  Dot greeted them with a smile. “Your mother requested a private booth and I gave her the one on the far end. She said you’d be here at six-thirty and you’re even a little early.”

  “We figured we’d better be on time,” Michelle said as Dot picked up two menus and stepped out from behind the stand.

  “You’re right,” Dot began to smile. “Delores and Mrs. Chambers, my first grade teacher, have something in common. They both hate it when someone is late.”

  Hannah and Michelle exchanged smiles. Dot had been working at the Lake Eden Inn since she was a senior in high school and she knew everything about everybody who came in regularly.

  “Just follow me,” Dot told them. “I’ll take you to your mother’s booth. And congratulations for being on time. Your mother’s going to be happy.”

  Michelle poked Hannah gently in the back as if to say I told you so! and then she followed Hannah as Dot led them up the three, carpeted steps that led to the raised area with five private booths.

  “How are Jimmy and Jamie?” Hannah asked Dot on their way past the other booths.

  “They’re both just fine. Jimmy got a promotion. They really like him at work. And Jamie’s just as active as ever. I don’t know how we’d manage without Jimmy’s mother to babysit. We’d have to hire a Jordan High track star to keep up with Jamie. Somehow he must have missed learning how to walk because it’s nothing but run, run, run.”

  “But your mother-in-law can handle that?” Michelle asked.

  “Yes. She says it keeps her in training and she loves it.”

  “In training?” It was Hannah’s turn to ask the question.

  “Yes. She runs the Minneapolis Marathon every year and next year she wants to run the Boston one. The whole family is very athletic.”

  When they arrived at the last booth on the end, the privacy curtain was drawn. Each booth had a lace curtain for semi-privacy, and another heavier curtain for total privacy.

  “They’re here, Delores,” Dot announced, pulling back the curtains and ushering Hannah and Michelle inside the enclosure.

  “Wonderful!” Delores greeted them, and then turned to Dot. “Could you please ask our waitress to serve the wine now?”

  “Of course, but I’ll be happy to do that,” Dot offered, and napkin in hand, she extracted a wine bottle from the silver cooler next to Delores.

  Uh-oh! Hannah mind warned. It’s not champagne. And it would be champagne if Mother had learned the name of Tori’s business manager from Stephanie.

  “Just a half-glass for me,” Michelle told Dot. “I’m the designated driver tonight and it looks like it’s going to snow.”

  Dot laughed. “It’s November in Minnesota. Of course it’s going to snow.”

  All three of them laughed and Dot looked pleased. “It’s not going to be a storm, Michelle. Jimmy always puts on the weather before he goes to work and they were predicting light snow and no winds to speak of. You shouldn’t have any trouble driving home.”

  “In that case, I’ll have a whole glass,” Michelle said. “But only one. After that, I’d like soda water.”

  “I’ll tell your waitress,” Dot said with a smile. “You’re having wine, aren’t you, Delores?”

  “Yes. Doc dropped me off on his way to his consultation and he’s going to pick me up later. I don’t have to worry about driving home.”

  Once the glasses were filled and Dot had left to go back to her hostess station, Delores gave a little sigh. “I’m afraid I have bad news, girls.”

  Hannah guessed. “Stephanie wouldn’t tell you the name of Tori’s business manager?”

  “Stephanie didn’t know the name of Tori’s business manager. She called Ricky-Ticky to ask him, and he didn’t know, either.”

  Hannah felt her spirits fall. “So the only person who knows is Stan Kramer and he won’t be back until Monday.”

  “I’m afraid that’s right, dear. I even called Nina Reinke to get Alma’s number.”

  Hannah knew that Alma Reinke had been the former director of the Lake Eden Players and Tori had worked with her for several months before Alma had moved out of state.

  “First, I had to track Nina down. She got married last summer and she lives in Brainerd now. She gave me Alma’s number so that I could call her.”

  “Alma’s in Chicago now, isn’t she?” Hannah was amazed at her mother’s determination.

  “Yes, dear.”

  “Did Mrs. Reinke know anything?” Michelle asked.

  “She knew quite a few things. Alma’s neighbor is having an affair with a repairman and he parks his truck in their driveway from noon to one on Mondays and Wednesdays. She’s trying the latest low-everything diet and she still hasn’t lost an ounce, her sister had a gall bladder attack last Thursday, and her television set is broken. She must have been terribly bored, because she kept me on the phone for a solid fifteen minutes. And I still had to get dressed for dinner.”

  “So you didn’t learn anything helpful from her at all,” Michelle said sympathetically.

  “Nothing,” Delores said with a sigh, “but it was worth a shot. Alma and Tori used to spend a lot of time together, and I thought Tori might have mentioned her business manager. I’m sorry, girls. I’m afraid we’ve reached a dead end until Stan comes back to town.”

  “Unless we can learn the name of Tori’s business manager from another source,” Hannah corrected her.

  Delores nodded in agreement. “You’re right, Hannah. But how can we do that?”

  “Do you still have the key that Tori gave you?”

  “No. Mike asked me to give it to
him when he interviewed me on the night she was murdered. And of course I did. I believe in complying with law enforcement.”

  “You gave him the original key, is that right?”

  “That’s correct, dear.”

  Michelle laughed and Hannah knew she’d caught on immediately. “You always told us to make a copy of important keys right after we got them.”

  “Yes, indeed. It’s good policy, dear.”

  “So you made a copy right after Tori gave you her key, but you didn’t give the copy to Mike. That’s right, isn’t it, Mother?” Hannah exchanged smiles with Michelle.

  “That’s right, dear. I complied with everything Mike asked of me, but Mike didn’t ask me if I had more than one key, and it never occurred to me to tell him.”

  Michelle laughed. “You would have made an amazing trial lawyer, Mother. You’re very sneaky.”

  “I prefer to think of it as literal, dear. It sounds so much nicer. Am I right in assuming that you want to search Tori’s condo to look for the name of her business manager?”

  Hannah gave a little nod. “That seems to be our only option, Mother. We need that name so that we can find out if he was in Lake Eden the night of Tori’s murder.”

  “That seems reasonable, dear. You can’t very well investigate his whereabouts if you don’t know his identity. Tori could have it written down somewhere in her condo.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping. Michelle and I will come to get the key right after dinner tonight. We’ll go through Tori’s condo as quickly as we can and bring the key back to you when we’re through.”

  “No, dear.”

  “No?” Hannah repeated, and she exchanged puzzled glances with Michelle.

  “No,” Delores repeated.

  “But why, Mother?” Michelle asked her.

  “Because I promised Tori I wouldn’t let anyone else use that key. The authorities, of course, were an exception. I had to comply with Mike’s order.”

  The urge to roll her eyes was strong, but Hannah knew it would do no good. Instead, she’d play her mother’s game. “I understand, Mother. I know you promised Tori that you wouldn’t let anyone else use the key she gave you. But you didn’t promise her that you wouldn’t make a copy, did you?”

  “No, I did not.”

  “So you made that copy and you still have it.”

  “That’s right, dear.”

  “So you have a copy of Tori’s key, but you didn’t promise her that you wouldn’t let anyone use that copy, did you?”

  “Of course not! And I see where you’re going with this, Hannah. Your line of questioning is shrewd, but I still won’t let you use the key.”

  Hannah was stymied. “Why not?”

  “Because if Tori had known I had a copy, she would have asked me not to let anyone else use it. Yes, it’s an implied promise, but I keep my promises. So if you can’t use the key and Michelle can’t use the key, it simply means that I’ll just have to come along with you so that I can use the key myself.”

  * * *

  “I’ll have the mini quiche appetizer,” Andrea said, after Michelle had ordered a salad appetizer. “And the pork with Calvados. I practically never have pork at home and Sally’s pork dishes are always superb.”

  “I’ll tell her you said so,” the waitress responded and then she turned to Hannah.

  “I’m torn between Sally’s cocktail meatballs with two different sauces and the Cheesy Pepperoni Bites. I’ve never seen those on the appetizer menu before.”

  “That’s because they’re new and Sally’s trying them out on the appetizer menu tonight.”

  “Can you tell me about them?”

  “Of course. They’re cute little packets of cheese, pepperoni, and olive, wrapped in puff pastry dough. We came in early to taste them and they’re just great. They’re nice and salty because of the olive and the sea salt Sally sprinkles on top of the packet and the cheese is melted because Sally bakes them in the oven.”

  “What kind of cheese does Sally use?”

  “Gouda. She’s got the kind that comes in little balls that are covered in red wax.”

  “How about the olives? What kind are they?”

  “Kalamata olives. They’re my favorites.”

  Hannah remembered the wonderful, salty taste of the olives and began to smile. “I really like them, too.”

  “Where do they come from, Aunt Hannah?” Tracey asked.

  “Most of them are grown in Kalamata.”

  She was interrupted by a giggle from Tracey.

  “What?” Hannah asked.

  “That figures that Kalamata olives would come from Kalamata. I should have guessed that.”

  “Not really. Green olives don’t come from Greenland, do they?”

  Tracey made a face and began to laugh. “You’re right, Aunt Hannah.”

  Everyone around the table laughed, including their waitress, and Hannah waited until the mirth had quieted a bit before she continued. “A lot of them come from Messenia. That’s in the Peloponnese Peninsula. And some are grown in Laconia. That’s close to Kalamata.”

  “Kalamata is a better name than Mess . . . whatever you said,” Tracey commented.

  “I think so, too. The olives are dark purple and they have to be picked by hand so they don’t bruise.”

  “I’ll bring you a couple to try,” their waitress offered.

  “Thank you!” Tracey looked delighted at the offer. “We need a new tree in our back yard. Daddy said our old tree has to come out because it’s dying. Isn’t that sad?”

  “That’s very sad,” Hannah commiserated, “but you won’t be able to grow a Kalamata olive tree, Tracey.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because Kalamata olive trees are intolerant of cold weather. Intolerant means . . .”

  “I know, Aunt Hannah!” Tracey said quickly. “It means they don’t like cold. And it gets cold here in Minnesota.”

  “It sure does!” their waitress agreed.

  “I’ll try the Cheesy Pepperoni Bites,” Hannah told her. “They sound really interesting.”

  “And for you, Ma’am?” The waitress turned to Delores.

  “I’ll have the shrimp cocktail. I always have the shrimp cocktail. Sally gets the best jumbo shrimp I’ve ever tasted.”

  “That’s one of my favorites, too,” the waitress admitted. And then she turned back to Andrea. “And for your girls?”

  “They’re going to order all by themselves,” Andrea told her. “You go first, Tracey.”

  “Thank you, Mommy,” Tracey said politely. “Could I please have one slider with the little shoestring potatoes?”

  “Of course,” the waitress said, giving her a smile before she turned to Bethie. “And for you, young lady?”

  Bethie giggled. “No lady. I am the baby.”

  The waitress managed to retain a perfectly sober expression, but Hannah could tell she was close to breaking into laughter. “I see. And what would you like, pretty baby?”

  “Fank you for pretty,” Bethie said, and then she glanced at Tracey, who nodded. “Please I want . . .” she stopped and sighed as she attempted to remember. “I forgot. But I would like . . . what she said!” Bethie pointed to Tracey and smiled. “It sounds very . . . ’licious.”

  “It is,” the waitress told her. “I’ll put in your order right away and I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

  Hannah noticed that the waitress’s shoulders were shaking slightly as she hurried away and headed toward the kitchen. Hannah had no doubt that there would be laughter in the kitchen when their waitress recounted Bethie’s conversation. “Good job, Bethie!” she said, slipping her arm around her youngest niece. “You ordered just beautifully.”

  “Gamma ’Cann teached me. But I forgot.”

  “You did just fine anyway,” Delores told her. “Our waitress knew exactly what you wanted to order.”

  “Fank you, Gamma Dee,” Bethie said, and she looked very proud of herself.

  “I printed out t
he menu for Grandma McCann,” Tracey told them. “And she taught Bethie what to say. I thought she did very well. And that was a good save when she forgot a word, wasn’t it?”

  “It was very smart,” Michelle said, and then she turned to Bethie. “What are you having for dinner, honey?”

  “Hadog!” Bethie said, giving Michelle an excited smile. “I love hadogs! Mommy puts hadogs in the machine for me.”

  “The microwave,” Andrea explained. “Bethie’s crazy about hot dogs this week. Last week it was mac and cheese. And before that, it was bologna sandwiches.”

  As Hannah watched the interplay between Bethie and Andrea, she found herself hoping that she’d have children with Ross. It would be difficult juggling motherhood with work, but plenty of other women had done it successfully. Andrea was a case in point. She was still working and she was a good mother. Of course she had Grandma McCann to help her. Would they be able to afford a wonderful nanny like Grandma McCann? That was something she’d have to discuss with Ross. And, actually, she didn’t even know if Ross wanted children since they’d never discussed the possibility. Was it possible they’d rushed into marriage a bit too soon, without really knowing each other’s wishes and needs?

  Just then their appetizers materialized on a tray carried by their waitress. As they were distributed, one by one, Hannah found that she was very relieved to have something less serious to think about.

  “This quiche is wonderful,” Andrea said after she’d taken the first bite.

  “So is my salad,” Michelle commented. “I love a salad with radishes. They add so much color and unique flavor.”

  Delores just smiled and dipped her jumbo shrimp into Sally’s special shrimp cocktail sauce. The smile on her face was a testament to Sally’s culinary ability.

  “My hamboo is bery good,” Bethie said, joining in the conversation. “I wan to eat it all up.”

  Hannah sampled her first Cheesy Pepperoni Bite and nodded. Sally’s new appetizer was absolutely delicious, a wonderful combination that caused the taste buds to sit up and beg for more. Perhaps she could make them at home for her next dinner party. She knew they’d be a huge hit, and Ross was crazy about olives. She’d learned that about him on their honeymoon. Perhaps it might even be possible to make them ahead and freeze them right in their packets. Then all she’d have to do was stick them in the oven and bake them.