Red Velvet Cupcake Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “Hello,” she answered, wondering if it was Norman and mental telepathy was at work. But that wasn’t the case because it was Andrea.

  “Hannah?” Andrea asked a bit tentatively.

  “Yes, Andrea.”

  “I know you probably just got home and you’re resting, but . . . can I drive out to see you?”

  Hannah didn’t hesitate even though she still had to think of something to make for Mike to eat. “Sure,” she said.

  “I’ve got something for you, but I have to stop on the way to pick up some milk for tomorrow. Do you need anything?”

  “I’m not sure I . . .” Hannah stopped speaking and began to smile as visions of pancakes swimming in butter and syrup danced through her head. Mike loved breakfast any time of the day or night, so she’d make pancakes and sausage. Mike also loved dessert and she was sure she had some cookies in the freezer. Teamed with the ice cream that she knew was there, they would make a fine dessert.

  “Are you there, Hannah?”

  “I’m here. I was just thinking about what I needed. Can you pick up breakfast sausage, quick-cooking oatmeal, milk, and maple syrup?”

  “Sure. I’m writing a list. Anything else?”

  “Where are you going?”

  “The Quick Stop. The Red Owl’s already closed.”

  “Do they have any fresh fruit out there?”

  “Nothing fancy, but the last time I was there they had oranges and apples.”

  “That’ll do just fine. I’ll need an apple.”

  “Just one?”

  Hannah considered that for a moment. If Andrea hadn’t eaten, she’d invite her to stay. And then there was Norman. When she returned his call, he might want to drive out to talk about Doctor Bev’s death. That would be dinner for four. And heaven only knew who else would call. She’d better plan for six, just in case.

  “Hannah?”

  “Sorry. I was trying to plan things. Better bring two apples, just in case. And you’d better bring enough breakfast sausage for six.”

  “You’re expecting company?”

  “Not exactly. I’m anticipating company. I never know what’s going to happen when I start to cook.”

  “That’s because you’re such a good cook and everybody wants to come to your place to eat. I’ll see you in about forty . . . Hold on. I’ve got another call coming in.” Hannah held on and in less than a minute Andrea was back on the line. “That was Norman. He tried to call you, but your line was busy.”

  “Of course it was busy. I was talking to you.”

  “I know. That’s what I told him. You really ought to get call-waiting, Hannah.”

  Hannah wisely said nothing. Her sister had been trying to talk her into getting conference calling, call-waiting, and automatic this and that ever since she’d first moved into her condo.

  “I told Norman you’d call him back just as soon as you got off the phone with me. That’s okay, isn’t it?”

  “That’s exactly what I was planning to do.”

  “Good. I thought he sounded a little funny, but maybe we had a bad connection. I’m leaving now and I’ll be there in less than forty-five minutes.”

  Hannah hung up the phone, got herself another glass of lemonade from the huge jug she kept in the bottom of her refrigerator, and returned to the couch. It was time to call Norman.

  “Hannah,” Norman said, sounding pleased that she’d called. “I tried to call you earlier, but you were talking to Andrea.”

  “I know. Andrea told me. I got your message, but Andrea called just as I was about to pick up the phone to return your call.”

  “Are you all right?”

  “I’m okay. How about you? That was really a shock.”

  “Yes, especially since I was in the car with her less than four hours before it happened. She asked Tracey to go for a ride with her, and I didn’t think she should go alone, so I went along to chaperone her.”

  “I know all about it. Tracey told me this afternoon.”

  “I don’t think you know the whole story. Once Bev dropped Tracey off at the real estate office, she drove out to the Lake Eden Inn and insisted that I take her to lunch.”

  “Dentist-napping?”

  “That’s about what it amounted to. I wouldn’t have gotten in the car in the first place if it hadn’t been for Tracey.”

  Norman sounded so sincere, Hannah nodded even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I know that, Norman.”

  “You know that Bev and I were through, don’t you?”

  “I know.”

  “She stopped by the clinic this morning and called me from her cell phone. She asked me to go for a ride and I told her I didn’t think it would be appropriate.”

  Hannah smiled. That sounded like Norman. “What did she say to that?”

  “She said it was just a ride and anyone could go along. She just needed someone local to show her the back way to the lake. I said okay, and I sent Doc Bennett out to show her the right road.”

  “Oh, boy!” Hannah said under her breath. She had no doubt that Doctor Bev had been as mad as a wet hen. And at that moment, something else occurred to her. “You said you went to lunch with her. Tell me about that.”

  “There’s not much to tell. Ask Sally and she can tell you how uncomfortable I was. I didn’t want to say anything that could possibly be misconstrued.”

  “I understand that, but how about lunch? Did Doctor Bev have a lot to drink?”

  “Just sparkling water. She said it was too early in the day and Roger had gotten her into the habit of having martinis at five.” Norman stopped speaking for a moment and Hannah knew the wheels were spinning in his mind. “You were thinking that she had too much to drink at lunch and that’s why she had the accident?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, that’s not it. She didn’t have anything alcoholic, at least not at lunch. And she didn’t eat either. What puzzles me is Bev was a very good driver. As far as I know, she’d never had an accident before this. It makes me wonder if something went wrong with the car.”

  “You must be very upset, Norman.”

  Norman sighed so deeply that she heard it clearly over the phone. “I’m not very upset. And maybe that should be upsetting in itself. I don’t feel anything for her anymore, Hannah. I wrote Bev off that last night I confronted her in the Cities. When I danced with her at the grand opening of the hotel, she was like a stranger to me. I felt no connection at all. Does that make sense to you?”

  “It makes sense. She wounded you in the past so you put on your protective armor. You squelched any feelings you might have and felt nothing.”

  “That’s exactly it. Do you think that’s bad?”

  Hannah realized that Norman sounded sad and a little anxious. It was clear to her that he needed a friend. “I don’t know. Have you eaten yet?”

  “Eaten?” Norman gave a little laugh. “Now there’s a real non sequitur!” There was a long pause. “You know, I don’t remember eating. And all I had was coffee at lunch. I don’t think I’ve eaten since breakfast.”

  “Well, get in the car and come out here. Andrea’s driving out, and Mike’s coming over later to take my statement about the accident. I’m going to make pancakes and sausages for everybody.”

  “Are you sure you’ll have enough?”

  “I always have enough,” Hannah promised. “Come out here, Norman. I really want to see you. And bring Cuddles if you want. She’s always welcome.”

  OATMEAL APPLE PANCAKES

  Hannah’s 1st Note: This recipe calls for you to mix everything up in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender. You could also use a food grinder to grind up the oatmeal and then mix everything up by hand. I think you could also substitute instant oatmeal , (the kind in little packages that you make in the microwave), for the quick-cook oatmeal and then mix everything up by hand.

  1 small apple (I use Fuji or Gala—if you use

  Granny Smith or any other tart green appl
e,

  you’ll have to sprinkle the apple slices with sugar

  before you add them to the pancakes)

  1 Tablespoon lemon juice

  ½ cup all-purpose flour

  ½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal

  2 Tablespoons white (granulated) sugar

  1 teaspoon baking powder

  ½ teaspoon baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 teaspoon cinnamon

  ½ teaspoon nutmeg

  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  ¾ cup buttermilk or regular whole milk

  2 teaspoons vegetable oil

  1 large egg

  1 teaspoon vegetable oil (for frying the pancakes)

  2 teaspoons salted butter (for frying the pancakes)

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: I’ve made these with buttermilk and with regular whole milk. Both ways are very good. If you want to try the recipe with buttermilk and you don’t have any in your refrigerator, you can easily make a substitute. Just pour 2 teaspoons of lemon juice OR 2 teaspoons of white vinegar into a measuring cup and fill the cup to the three-quarter mark with whole milk. Just let it stand on the counter for 5 minutes and it will be ready to use in this recipe.

  Peel and core the apple. Cut it into very thin slices, place them in a bowl, and sprinkle them with the lemon juice. Toss them around a little with your fingers so that all the slices are coated with the lemon juice. (This will keep the apple slices from browning while you make the pancake batter.)

  Place flour, oatmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a food processor and process with the steel blade for 10 seconds.

  Add the vanilla extract, buttermilk, vegetable oil, and egg to the dry mixture in the food processor. Process for 30 seconds or until everything is smooth and well blended.

  Heat two teaspoons salted butter and one teaspoon vegetable oil in a frying pan over MEDIUM HIGH heat, or until a small amount of water sizzles and “dances” on the surface of the pan.

  Use a quarter-cup measure to scoop out the batter and pour it onto the surface of the pan for each pancake.

  Place 5 or 6 slices of apple on the top of each pancake. Push them down slightly into the batter with your fingers, but be very careful not to burn yourself!

  When the outside edges of the pancakes show little holes where bubbles have formed and popped, but not filled in with batter again, flip the pancake over and brown the other side. If you can’t tell if there are holes on the outside edges, just lift one edge of the pancake with your spatula and peek to see if it’s golden brown on the bottom. If it is, flip it over. It it’s not, give it a minute or two longer, and then flip it over.

  Fry the second side of the pancake until it’s golden brown.

  Serve the Oatmeal Apple Pancakes hot off the pan with butter and syrup.

  Hannah’s 3rd Note: If there are any apple slices left over, sprinkle them with sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and use another teaspoon of butter to fry them until they’re tender. Just put them in a bowl and you can serve them as a side dish with your pancakes.

  Lisa’s note: I’m going to try these with well-drained crushed pineapple in the batter. I’m also going to try them with banana slices instead of the apple slices. Banana and oatmeal is a wonderful combination!

  Yield: approximately 6 quarter-cup pancakes

  Chapter Sixteen

  Hannah had just finished transferring her wet clothes from the washer to the dryer when her phone rang again. She took a half-second to set and turn on the dryer and then rushed back to the living room to answer it. “This is Hannah,” she said, sinking down on the couch.

  “And this is Michelle,” Hannah’s youngest sister answered. “Can I come and stay with you for a couple of days? I’ve got a little time off before my work-study program starts, and it’s lonely at our house. Everyone else has left on summer break.”

  “Of course. You know you’re always welcome. What day are you coming?”

  “I’m here. Mother picked me up at the Quick Stop and Sean said we just missed Andrea. Mother will drive me to your place if that’s okay with you.”

  “It’s fine with me. Have you eaten?”

  “Not yet, but I’ve got a couple of energy bars with me, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

  “It’s no worry. I’m already fixing night lunch for Andrea, Norman, and Mike. It’s easy to add you and Mother to the mix.”

  “Oh, good! Mother hasn’t eaten either. Can we pick up anything on the way?”

  Hannah thought fast. “Some orange juice. That’s a natural with breakfast sausage and my Oatmeal Apple Pancakes.”

  “You got it. How about dessert?”

  “I’ve got cookies and French vanilla ice cream in the freezer.”

  “That sounds good. I’ll pick up some toppings to go on the ice cream. There’s no way Mother can eat a whole meal without chocolate so I’ll get hot fudge.”

  “Good thinking.” Hannah glanced over at Moishe, who was staring at her intently. “Is Mother wearing silk stockings?”

  “Yes. But why did you want to . . .” Michelle stopped speaking and laughed. “I get it! I’ll pick up some kitty treats so Mother can placate Moishe. We’ll see you in less than an hour.”

  Hannah hung up the phone and sighed. It didn’t do any good to have a cold glass of lemonade if she didn’t get the chance to drink it. It was a good thing she made it fairly strong so that all she had to do was pour it in a larger glass and add fresh ice. She had just accomplished that and was on her way back to the couch when the phone rang again.

  There were times when she really wanted to answer the phone and times when she really didn’t. This was one of those “really didn’t” times. In Hannah’s case, reluctance bowed to responsibility and took center stage because she reached for the phone. “This is Hannah,” she said, trying not to sound as exasperated as she felt.

  “Hi, Hannah. It’s Mike. I got through early and I would have been out there by now, but Doc Knight’s doing the autopsy and I’m waiting for the results. I’m almost sure I can be there by nine, though. Is that all right?”

  “That’s fine. Are you hungry?”

  “As a bear. Do you want me to stop at the Corner Tavern and pick up burgers for us?”

  “Thanks, but no. I’m cooking. And just so you know, I’m about to get a houseful.”

  “Who’s coming?”

  “Andrea’s the first. She should be here fairly soon. And Mother and Michelle are right behind her.”

  “Great. I haven’t seen Michelle in a while. Anyone else?”

  “Norman. He hasn’t eaten since breakfast and I invited him to join us. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Not at all. I need to talk to him anyway. When I went out to the Inn to interview Sally, she said he had lunch with Bev.”

  “Had lunch?” Hannah was a bit disconcerted. Norman had told her he hadn’t eaten lunch.

  “Okay, I should have said that Norman was with her at lunch. Neither one of them ate. He had coffee and she had sparkling water. Sally also said that Norman looked the opposite of thrilled to be with Bev again. What are you cooking, Hannah? Do you need me to pick up anything on the way?”

  “Thanks, but I think I’ve got it covered. We’re having pancakes and sausage with cookies and ice cream for dessert.”

  “Sounds good! I’ll see you as soon as I get those results.”

  Hannah took time to drink her lemonade and then she went into the kitchen to get out her electric griddle. With six for pancakes, she needed more cooking space than she could get with frying pans on the stovetop. She was just getting out the vegetable oil, butter, flour, and milk when the phone rang again.

  “Grand Central,” she said as she picked up the wall phone by her kitchen table.

  There was a burst of laughter from her caller and Hannah recognized the laugh. “Lisa?” she asked.

  “It’s me. I just wanted to tell you that Jenny’s going to come in tomorrow to meet you.”

 
“Jenny?” Hannah asked, thoroughly puzzled.

  “Jenny Hester, the nurse with the Easy Fruit Pie recipe. I talked to her on our break tonight. She just moved here a couple of weeks ago and if she isn’t working for Doc Knight at the hospital, she’s at the college taking classes. She told me she’s been so busy she hasn’t had a chance to get to The Cookie Jar yet, but she wants to come in and meet you.”

  “Great. I’ll look forward to meeting her.” Hannah paused as she heard a knock on the door. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Lisa. I’ve got company coming and I think they’re here.”

  It only took a moment or two to hang up the phone and cross the living room to the door. Hannah opened it without looking through the peephole and chided herself for her negligence. She had to get into the habit of looking before she opened the door.

  “You didn’t look through the peephole,” Andrea accused as she handed Hannah a grocery bag.

  “How do you know I didn’t?”

  “Because I was looking in from outside, and nothing blocked the light behind it.”

  “Then if I’d looked, all I would have seen was your eye.”

  “Oh. I guess you’re right. But you really ought to look, Hannah. Bill says it’s really important.”

  “I’ll try to remember.” Hannah glanced inside the grocery bag. “I’m glad you didn’t get the really small canister of oatmeal.”

  “How much do you need for those pancakes?”

  “Only half a cup for each batch, but a batch only makes six small pancakes. We’ll be six for dinner and I’ll need at least four batches, maybe more. I just hope I have enough cookies in the freezer.”