Plum Pudding Murder Bundle with Candy Cane Murder & Sugar Cookie Murder

by Joanne Fluke

  “Thank you. Shirley gave it to me for Christmas two years ago and I just love it.” Babs reached up to touch the gold wreath pin she wore at the neck of her dark red silk blouse. “I suppose you’ve heard the news?”

  “Just this morning.” Hannah let it go at that and turned to Shirley. “You look great tonight, Shirley. That’s a gorgeous suit, and you’ve cut your hair, haven’t you?”

  Shirley beamed, happy that Hannah had noticed. “I had it done when I went to Chicago last week. I got a promotion, you know. Del and Benton Woodley decided that DelRay should be represented at all the big trade shows, and that’s my job.”

  “Sounds like fun.”

  “It is. I found out I’m a better salesman than I thought I was. They were so pleased when I came back from Chicago with two new contracts, they decided to give me a clothing allowance. Can you believe that? And since Babs agreed to take care of the boys for me while I’m traveling, I don’t have to worry about a thing.”

  “Are the boys here?” Hannah asked, realizing that Shirley and Martin’s young sons were nowhere in sight.

  “No, they’re with my mother. Babs and I thought it was best, since”—Shirley faltered slightly—“since Martin plans to be here with her.”

  “Oh. That’s probably wise. I mean, the boys might not understand…” Hannah’s voice trailed off as she spotted Martin Dubinski and his new wife entering the banquet room. For a new groom, Martin didn’t look very happy, and Hannah briefly wondered why. But that thought left her mind completely when she caught sight of the woman on Martin’s arm.

  “Good heavens!” Hannah joined in the collective gasp that emanated from the throat of almost every person in the room.

  Brandi Wyen Dubinski deserved a gasp and then some. She was drop-dead gorgeous. The auburn-haired beauty’s skin was flawless, her eyes were a delightful shade of sea green, her lashes were long, her hair was lustrous, and her figure was so remarkable, there was complete silence in the crowded banquet room. Martin’s new wife was tall, and she was obviously comfortable with her height, because she was wearing silver high-heeled boots that clung to her calves like plastic wrap.

  “Wow!” Hannah breathed, blinking hard. The vision was almost too perfect to be true. Brandi was poured into a gleaming silver satin dress with a low neckline, and it was so snug it must have been tailored to hug her every curve. The smile Martin’s new wife gave to the assembled multitude showed incredibly white and even teeth. She was glamour personified, theatrical and stunning. Lake Eden had never set eyes on anyone of her magnitude before.

  Hannah sneaked a quick glance at Shirley. Martin’s ex-wife was staring at her replacement with a slack jaw and a glazed look in her eyes. As Hannah watched, Babs nudged Shirley and whispered in her ear. Whatever Babs said, it worked. Shirley closed her mouth, sat up a little straighter, and pretended she was fascinated by the Christmas tree that sat in the middle of the room, and not in the least bit interested in the new Mrs. Martin Dubinski.

  “Uh-oh,” Hannah said, under her breath, wondering what she could do to defuse the situation. The tension grew as Martin spotted his mother and started to bring Brandi over to her table. Then he noticed that Shirley was there and reconsidered. It was an awkward situation, with Martin and Brandi eyeing Babs and Shirley warily; mother and ex-wife seated at the table, and husband and new wife standing only a few feet away.

  There was no way Hannah was about to let the tension grow any thicker. She looked around for Andrea, caught her eye, and motioned toward Martin and Brandi. Andrea, the quintessential politician’s wife now that Bill had won the race for Winnetka County sheriff, caught on immediately and headed over to greet Martin and Brandi and show them to a table as far away from Babs and Shirley’s as the architecture of the banquet room would allow.

  “Oh, there’s Mother,” Hannah said, spotting Delores as she came down the stairs. “You two enjoy the dinner. I’ve got to go say hello.”

  Hannah hurried to the bottom of the stairs and greeted her mother. And then she stared up expectantly. “Where’s Winthrop?”

  “Parking the car in the lot. He dropped me off right by the door. He’s just so considerate that way.” Delores Swensen waltzed into the room, looking for all the world like a grand duchess. “Would you take my coat, dear? I see a spot at that table over there that would be just perfect for us. Winthrop’s gauche, you know.”

  “Gauche?”

  “In the true sense of the word.”

  “You mean…left-handed?”

  “That’s right. He needs to sit at the end of the table on my left. Most people don’t realize what a true handicap that is. Practically everything is designed for right-handed people.”

  “No doubt,” Hannah said, accepting what she suspected was a new dress coat from her mother.

  “Do free yourself up soon and come over to meet Winthrop, dear. He’s been asking about you. And remember, we added the orange juice concentrate as a modern innovation to dear Lady Hermoine’s Chocolate Sunshine Cake.”

  Hannah greeted a few more people, and then she spotted what could only be described as a dapper gentleman coming down the stairs. It had to be Winthrop. Hannah eyed him suspiciously as he walked toward her mother’s table, smiling a greeting.

  Delores caught Hannah’s eye and waved. It was an order for a command appearance. Not one to dare resist such a summary summons, Hannah turned on her heel, squelched the urge to salute, and headed straight for her mother’s table.

  “You must be Hannah,” her mother’s companion stated, shooting to his feet as Hannah approached them. “So nice to meet you, my dear. Delores told me you were the beauty in the family.”

  Hannah resisted the urge to accuse Winthrop of being a bald-faced social liar and gave a polite little laugh. “She must have gotten me mixed up with my sisters. But anyway, we meet at last. Mother’s told me a lot about you.”

  “All good, I hope?” Winthrop asked, exuding confidence that his question would be answered in the positive.

  “Naturally.” Hannah smiled, taking in her mother’s significant other at a glance. Winthrop Harrington II matched Hannah’s mental picture of a Regency romance heartthrob, and that meant he was right up her mother’s alley. He was suave, sophisticated, handsome in a quietly understated way, and from the way his clothing fit, it had been tailored just for him. Winthrop exuded an air of quality, and he looked as if he wasn’t hurting for cash, or what her mother would refer to as blunt if she were in Regency mode. Still, Hannah wasn’t convinced Winthrop was all he claimed to be, and she eyed him the way a wary rabbit might regard a snake.

  “Is the antique cake knife here, dear?” Delores asked, reacting to her daughter’s silence and seeming to sense that Hannah was contemplating the wisdom of asking Winthrop some embarrassing questions.

  “Yes, it’s right next to the cake on the dessert table. Norman wanted us to bring out some of the prettiest desserts early so that he could take photos. Kurt Howe was really impressed when he saw your knife. He told me to tell you that it’s gorgeous.”

  “I think so, too. And Luanne is a real genius for finding it. I tell you, she goes through all those estate sale flyers with a fine-toothed comb. This one just said, ‘old silver cake knife.’ When Luanne told me she had a hunch it might be something good, I sent her down to St. Paul for the auction. And the rest is…history!”

  “How droll, my dear,” Winthrop said, chuckling appreciatively and patting Delores’s hand. Hannah knew she had to excuse herself soon or she’d say something she’d later regret.

  Perhaps it was one of those unspoken mother-daughter communications, but Delores seemed to sense that her eldest daughter had reached the end of her patience, and she stepped in quickly. “I hate to speed the departing guest, but I know you’re busy, dear. I just wanted you to meet Winthrop. You’ll get to know each other much better over the holidays.”

  “Right,” Hannah said, trying not to react to the hint that Winthrop would be taking part in their family c
elebrations. “See you later, Mother. Winthrop? Charmed, I’m sure.”

  My daughter, the humorist, Hannah imagined her mother saying, as she walked away. She resisted the urge to go back and really quiz Winthrop about his intentions, and she settled for catching Andrea’s eye. Her sister was sitting with Martin and Brandi, looking about as comfortable as an overdue pregnant woman suffering from terminal boredom could look. Hannah gave her a high sign that meant she’d relieve her in a few minutes and they’d compare notes about Winthrop. Andrea nodded, catching Hannah’s drift perfectly. They’d always been able to communicate without words, perhaps the result of living with a mother who always had to have the last word on everything.

  Hannah glanced toward the kitchen doorway to see Edna gesturing for her. It was time to set out the food. She hurried into the kitchen, and moments later she was carrying out dishes according to Edna’s instructions. Once the appetizer table was ready and Norman had photographed it, Mayor Bascomb told everyone that they were welcome to dig in. The crowd converged and Hannah rejoiced in the oohs and ahhs of the admiring diners as they sampled Spinach Rollups, Busy Day Pâté, Fiesta Dip Platter, and Caviar Pie. There were dozens of appetizers on the groaning board, including Baked Brie, Bill Jessup’s Misdemeanor Mushrooms, Mrs. Knudson’s Herring Appetizer, and Seafood Bread Dip, one of the appetizer recipes Carrie Rhodes had submitted for the cookbook.

  Hannah took a thin sliver of her Spinach Quiche. Since they had plenty of entrées, Edna had cut it into as many thin slices as possible and arranged them on a platter as an appetizer. Then she walked over to join her sister, who had gone up to the appetizer table with Martin and Brandi and was still sitting with them.

  After the introductions had been made and Hannah had congratulated the newlyweds, she leaned forward to attempt polite conversation with Brandi. “Your dress is beautiful.”

  “I know. Martin said I could have anything I wanted, but I’m pretty sure he didn’t expect it to go to four figures.”

  Hannah did her best to keep the friendly smile on her face. She knew four figures meant a thousand dollars at the least. She also knew that Martin’s small business didn’t make a fortune and he had two children to support. “I guess Lake Eden must be quite a change from Las Vegas.”

  “You can say that again.”

  Hannah had the urge to do just that. At least it would give her something else to say. What she really wanted to know was why Brandi had married Martin in the first place, but it would be rude to ask.

  “So…you married?” Brandi asked, glancing down at Hannah’s bare fingers.

  “No, I’m not.” Hannah felt the urge to babble just to fill the silence, and she gave in to it. “I haven’t found the right man yet, I guess.”

  “You won’t, not here. These small towns are death for single women, especially when they get to be your age. But don’t get me wrong…you’re not bad looking and some men like that natural, untouched look. I bet I could have lined you up with somebody really hot in Vegas.”

  Hannah frowned. She didn’t even want to think about the type of man Brandi might have picked out for her and she quickly changed the subject. “Have you met Martin’s sons yet?”

  “No. I’m not big on kids, but at least they’re boys. I get along a lot better with boys.”

  I’ll bet you do! Hannah thought, but of course she didn’t say it. Making conversation with Brandi was like trying to drive a truck out of a mud hole. Every time she managed to crawl forward a few feet, she slipped right back in the muck.

  “Who’s that?” Brandi gestured toward a table at the front of the room.

  “Who’s who?”

  “That guy with that awful Christmas tie. He looks familiar.”

  “That’s our mayor, Richard Bascomb.”

  “He looks like somebody I met a while back, but the name’s not familiar.”

  Hannah nodded, but her mind was racing. Mayor Bascomb had flown to Las Vegas for a convention a couple of months ago. If he’d hooked up with Brandi and wanted to maintain his anonymity, he might not have used his own name.

  “Excuse me a second, will you? I have to talk to Marty.”

  Hannah breathed a sigh of relief as Brandi huddled with Martin. Now she was free to talk to Andrea. “So where’s Bill? I thought he’d be here by now.”

  “He just called me. The Tri-County Sheriff’s Coalition meeting is running late, and he might not be here for hours.”

  Brandi turned to tap Andrea on the arm. “I never thought to ask you when Marty said your husband was the sheriff, but is there a problem with crime in this area?”

  “Not at all,” Andrea assured her, and Hannah almost choked on her bite of quiche. It was clear that her sister wasn’t about to mention the murder cases they’d helped Bill and Mike solve.

  “Oh, good! Then maybe I’ll put my new fur coat in the cloakroom after dinner.” Brandi reached out to stroke the coat that she wore draped over her shoulders. “Since it was so expensive, I didn’t want to leave it unattended, but Marty said it was perfectly safe. I was just hoping that he was right…about that, at least.”

  Hannah stifled a groan at the last four words of Brandi’s sentence. It sounded to her like trouble in paradise, and they’d been married for less than a week.

  “Martin’s right,” Andrea said, smiling at Brandi. “Theft has never been a problem in Lake Eden. Some people don’t even lock their doors. Did you happen to notice the silver cake knife on the platter next to the chocolate cake?”

  “I saw it when we were standing in line for the appetizers. It’s really pretty. I like all those colored stones on the Christmas tree.”

  “They’re gemstones. The big one on the top is a star-cut diamond and the smaller ones are sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. The knife is a solid silver antique worth thousands.”

  “But…it’s just sitting there in plain sight and no one’s even keeping an eye on it.”

  “I know,” Andrea zeroed in to prove her point, “and that just goes to prove that you don’t have to be worried about somebody stealing your fur coat in Lake Eden. People here are as honest as the day is long.”

  When Brandi had returned to her conversation with Martin, Hannah tapped Andrea on the shoulder. “If Bill gets hung up, I’m sure Mike will give you and Tracey a ride home.”

  “In his Hummer?” Andrea looked delighted when Hannah nodded. “That’s just great! Tracey said it was bumpy, and it might work as well as Lisa’s mother’s horseback ride!”

  Chapter Seven

  Hannah stood up as Edna motioned to her from the kitchen door. It was time to set out the salad, soup, and bread course. “Nice to meet you, Brandi. Sorry I can’t stay, but I have to help set out the next course. Andrea?”

  “Yes?”

  “You wanted to check on that Jell-O salad, didn’t you?”

  “Jell-O…” Andrea looked blank for a split second and then realization dawned. “Yes! Thanks for reminding me.” She turned to Martin and Brandi. “It was nice chatting with you, Brandi. And congratulations, Martin. I wish you two all the best.”

  Hannah heard her sister give a relieved sigh as they stepped away from the table. She’d been sitting with the newlyweds for over thirty minutes, and that was above and beyond. She turned to say thank you for helping out, but that thought vanished when she noticed the shocked expression on Andrea’s face.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “Hot Stuff. And that’s got to be Silver Fox.”

  “What?” Hannah grabbed her sister’s arm. Did pregnant women start spouting nonsense when they went into labor? She really should have read one of the pamphlets Andrea had given her about childbirth.

  “Hot Stuff.” Andrea pointed toward an older couple at one of the long tables. “That’s Vera Olsen’s screen name. Don’t you remember the e-mail she was answering when we were searching her attic apartment?”

  “Right.” Hannah felt a wave of relief sluice down from the top of her head to her toes. Andrea wasn’t in la
bor and she wasn’t crazy. She was talking about Vera’s on-line romance with a man who called himself Silver Fox.

  “Vera looks fabulous. She’s lost weight and had her hair streaked. I think she might have had a lift, too.”

  Hannah glanced over at Vera. Andrea was always right when it came to noticing appearance enhancements and she could spot a facelift or a new hairstyle from a block away. “You’re right. Vera looks a lot younger.”

  “Do you think he’s Silver Fox?”

  “I think so.” Hannah tried to recall the photo she’d seen on the computer screen. If she remembered correctly, the handsome older man sitting beside Vera bore a close resemblance to the picture of Silver Fox standing at the helm of his boat.

  “He’s certainly dressed well. That’s a cashmere vest and an Armani suit. And his hair’s been styled by someone really good. Not only that, his manicure is perfect.”

  “Silver Fox has a manicure?” Hannah squinted, but there was no way she could match her sister’s eagle eye for spotting nuances of personal grooming.

  “Manicures aren’t just for women, you know. Big executives make appointments for manicurists to come to their offices. I bet that’s what he is.”

  “A manicurist?” Hannah asked, knowing that wasn’t what her sister meant, but unable to resist teasing her a bit.

  “Of course he’s not a manicurist! He’s got to be someone with a big, important…” Andrea stopped in mid-thought and made a strangled sound.

  Hannah tightened her grip on her sister’s arm. “Is there something wrong? Do you want to sit down? Is it the baby?”

  “None of the above. And stop holding my arm in that death grip. I’m going to bruise.”

  “Sorry.” Hannah dropped Andrea’s arm, but she kept her hand at the ready, just in case. “Why did you make that sound?”

  “Just take a look at Vera’s finger and you’ll understand.”

  Hannah took a look and made an identical strangled sound as she spotted the glittering diamond ring on Vera’s third finger left hand. It was easy to see, perhaps because Vera was using her left hand to wave to everyone she knew. “Does that mean Vera’s engaged?”