by Joanne Fluke
Hannah arrived at her sister’s side slightly winded. People were still hovering in front of the dessert table, and she’d had to excuse herself more times than she could count. She turned to Shirley and smiled. “I’m glad Andrea found you. We really need to talk.”
“What about?” Shirley asked.
“Martin. And Brandi.”
“Oh,” Shirley said, drawing a deep breath and looking a lot like Moishe the last time he’d tipped over his litter box.
“Where were you for the past hour?”
“Do you really need to know?”
“Yes, I do.” Hannah put on the most no-nonsense expression she had, the same one she’d used when she’d told Moishe never to tip over his litter box again. It hadn’t worked with him, but she hoped it might work with Shirley.
“Well…” Shirley clasped her hands together and gave a deep sigh. “I guess I’d better confess.”
Andrea gasped, and Hannah gave her a warning glance. “Confess to what, Shirley?”
“I still love Martin and he still loves me. That’s why we were together for the past hour. When Brandi went to the ladies’ room, he came over to our table and talked to us for a few minutes. Then he said he needed to talk to me in private, and we went to that space under the stairs where they store all the tables and chairs.”
“What happened once you got there?” Hannah asked, hoping she wasn’t about to hear something risqué.
“Martin said he had a real problem on his hands, that he’d made an awful mistake.”
“His marriage?” Andrea asked.
“That’s right. He said he was a fool not to realize how much he still loved me. And then he said that just as soon as he could get rid of Brandi, he wanted to marry me again.”
“He said he was going to get rid of Brandi?” Hannah repeated, picking up on that ominous phrase.
“Yes, right away. And I said I’d help him any way I could.”
“Oh, boy!” Hannah sighed, glancing over at her sister who looked equally distressed. “Did you tell anybody else about the conversation you had with Martin?”
“Of course I didn’t. It was private, just between Martin and me. And I knew that if I repeated it, Brandi would be embarrassed. You girls have known me for a long time now. I’m not the sort of person to embarrass anyone in public.”
“Actually…you couldn’t embarrass Brandi if you tried,” Hannah said, deciding it was time to cue Shirley in.
“Why not?”
“Because Brandi’s dead. She was killed out in the parking lot.”
“What?” Shirley gasped, swaying slightly on the heels of her boots and looking completely dumbfounded. She just stared at Hannah for a long moment and then she asked, “Was she in an accident?”
Hannah gestured to Andrea who grabbed Shirley’s arm to steady her for the next bout of bad, or good news, depending on your perspective. “It wasn’t an accident. Brandi was murdered.”
“That’s…that’s horrible! You must have thought I was awful when I was talking about getting rid of her. I meant that Martin was going to divorce her, that’s all.”
“We were sure that was all you meant,” Andrea comforted her.
“Murder,” Shirley repeated, her voice quivering slightly as she looked up at Hannah. “When did it happen?”
“Almost an hour ago.”
“At least no one can blame Martin! I was with him the whole time except for the past twenty minutes or so.”
“Then you alibi each other,” Andrea pointed out. “Nobody can suspect you, either.”
“Thank goodness for that! Does Martin know yet?”
“I’m sure he does, by now,” Hannah said. “I took him up to see Mike about ten minutes ago and he’s probably still there. It’s that little conference room right next to the library. Why don’t you run upstairs and confirm Martin’s alibi?”
“I’ll do that right now.”
“Good. And don’t mention it to anyone else on your way up there. Mike’s trying to keep everything under wraps for now.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
Hannah watched Shirley as she threaded through the crowds of people and reached the stairs. True to her word, Shirley hadn’t stopped to talk to anyone.
“I guess you can cross her off,” Andrea said, “and Martin, too. Who’s left?”
Hannah reached into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled napkins she’d been using for notes, instead of her steno pad. “Babs, and Laura Jorgensen. Let’s get Babs first.”
Babs Dubinski was easy to find. She was still sitting at the same table, drinking coffee and eating a piece of Andrea’s Jell-O Cake. “Hello, girls. This is a wonderful cake. It’s so moist, and it’s pretty, too.”
“Thank you. It’s my recipe.” Andrea gave her a big smile, and it was clear she was pleased. “Did you have some of Hannah and Lisa’s Christmas Sugar Cookies? I think they’re my favorites.”
Babs gestured toward a red and green dessert plate with a few cookie crumbs on it. “I had a star. It was delicious.”
“I need to ask you some questions,” Hannah spoke up before the discussion of desserts could continue.
“You look serious, Hannah. Is there something wrong?”
“I’m afraid so. Can you tell me where you’ve been for the past hour?”
“Me? Well…right here, mostly. Martin came over and talked to us for a while. And then, after he left with Shirley, I went back for some of Kitty’s Salmon Loaf. On the way back, I stopped to talk to a couple of people, and then after Mayor Bascomb made his announcement, I got in line at the dessert table. I went to the ladies’ room, too. I almost forgot about that. And…I really can’t account for every minute, Hannah. Is it important?”
“Very important.” Hannah took a deep breath and prepared to deliver the news. “Brandi was killed in the parking lot.”
“You mean…Martin’s Brandi?” Babs looked astonished when Hannah confirmed the news. “Was Martin with her? Is he hurt?”
“Martin’s fine. He’s upstairs talking to Mike Kingston right now, and Shirley’s with him. And no, he wasn’t with Brandi.”
“Thank goodness for that! So what happened?”
“Someone stabbed her with my mother’s cake knife.”
“Saints preserve us!” Babs fanned herself with her paper napkin. “You mean she was murdered?”
“That’s what it looks like. Mike’s investigating it as a homicide until the results of Doc Knight’s tests are in.”
Babs fanned a bit faster. “I hope no one thinks that Martin did it!”
“No one does. Martin was talking to Shirley at the time, and that provides them both with an alibi.”
Babs looked relieved for a moment, but then she stared hard at Hannah. “So that’s why you were asking me all those questions about where I was! You think I did it!”
“We couldn’t ignore that possibility,” Andrea stepped in, giving Babs her sweetest smile. “Of course, we didn’t really believe you could do anything like that, but we couldn’t let our fondness for you get in the way of a murder investigation.”
Hannah didn’t say a word, but her mind was busy forming compliments for her sister. Good going, Andrea. I wish I could learn to be that smooth. Obviously, the smooth gene passed me by, because I would have grilled her to within an inch of her life.
“I can understand why you suspected me,” Babs said. “It’s no secret that I was upset over Martin’s marriage.”
“Of course you were!” Andrea glanced over at Hannah to let her know she’d taken over the questioning. “What a disappointment that must have been for you! I know how much you like Shirley, and you must have hoped that they’d put aside their differences and get back together for the sake of the boys.”
“I did hope that,” Babs admitted.
“It must have been terribly painful for you when Martin came back from Las Vegas and announced that he was married.”
“It was, especially since I had no warning. He just b
rought Brandi over to the house and introduced her as his new wife.”
“What did you think of her?”
“I tried not to think,” Babs said candidly. “I was polite to her, of course, but I couldn’t help feeling that Martin had made a terrible mistake by marrying her. But they were married. And there wasn’t anything I could do about that except grit my teeth and make the best of it.”
Andrea smiled and shook her head. “I’m not sure I would have been so forgiving in your place. Then you were ready to welcome Brandi into the family?”
“I wouldn’t go that far. But I love my son and there’s no way I wanted to alienate him. I didn’t have to like Brandi, but I did have to get along with her.”
Andrea glanced at Hannah, who shook her head. There was nothing more to ask Babs. Andrea expressed their condolences and made the appropriate parting comments. Hannah cautioned Babs not to tell anyone else that Brandi had been killed, and then the two sisters headed their separate ways. Andrea went up to check on Tracey at Kiddie Korner, and Hannah walked over to the Jordan High Jazz Ensemble to give them some well-deserved kudos.
“Nice job,” Hannah said to Kirby Welles, who was just getting ready to step off the riser the ensemble was using as a stage.
“Thanks, Hannah. The kids are going to take a break for dessert. Edna said she’d save some goodies for them in the kitchen.”
“Great. I’d hate to think they missed out. I just came over to compliment you on the music and warn you that it could be a long night.”
“I know. The blizzard. It’s okay, Hannah. We’ve got a big repertoire.”
“I hope it’s gigantic.” Hannah considered it for a moment and then she decided that Kirby would have to be one of the essential people she told about Brandi’s murder. She hopped up on the riser, took his arm, and walked him a couple of steps toward the back of the stage. “I have to talk to you, Kirby.”
“Not right now, Hannah. I’ve got something really important I have to do.”
“This is more important. I need you to keep this under your hat, but it’s not just the blizzard that’s keeping people from leaving. Martin Dubinski’s new wife was murdered in the parking lot and Mike thinks the killer’s still here.”
Kirby’s face paled and he reached out to steady himself on a music stand. “You mean…Brandi?”
“That’s right.” Hannah watched as Kirby’s hands started to shake. She was no doctor, but Jordan High’s music teacher looked as if he were about to collapse. “Are you okay?”
“Shock,” Kirby forced the word out between bloodless lips.
“Come on. You’d better sit down.” Hannah guided Kirby to a chair and took one for herself. Kirby still looked as if a puff of air from a hair dryer could blow him over. Was he this squeamish at the mere mention of murder? Or did he have a personal reason for being so upset?
“I’m sorry I just blurted it out like that,” Hannah apologized, deciding to go for a fake pass and an end run. “I didn’t realize that you knew Brandi.”
Kirby blinked and a little color began to come back to his face. “I didn’t. Not really. Martin introduced us tonight. How was…” Kirby gulped and cleared his throat. “How was she killed?”
“She was stabbed with my mother’s antique cake knife.”
Kirby groaned as if he couldn’t help himself, and Hannah went on full alert. His reaction was certainly overboard for someone who claimed he’d met Brandi only an hour or so ago. Rather than trying to couch her question in polite terms, as Andrea or her mother would have done, Hannah just came out with it.
“So…” she said, staring at Kirby closely. “Don’t you think you overreacted if you just met Brandi tonight?”
Kirby nodded, looking a little embarrassed. “I know I did. It’s just that murder is so horrible, especially when it’s violent. And she was alive just minutes ago. It made me think of how short life can be, and it scared me silly.”
“I understand,” Hannah said, even though she wouldn’t have bought Kirby’s excuse at a fire sale. It was true that most people would be disturbed if someone they’d just met was killed. And some of those people might think about life and how transient it was. But Kirby had come close to fainting before she’d pushed in him down in the chair. No one was that sensitive just hearing about the death of someone they barely knew.
“Kirby?” Hannah roused him. It was time to get down to business and pursue his strange reaction later.
“Yes?”
“Can your group play for a couple more hours? Mike needs to keep people distracted while he investigates.”
“Of course we can,” Kirby said, looking a little calmer now that Hannah had given him a task to do. “Are they going to make an announcement about…you know?”
“No. No one except a few select people know about it. That’s why we need you to keep this completely under wraps and play for as long as you can. We want people to think that everything is completely normal, except for the weather.”
“Got it,” Kirby said, nodding sharply. “Don’t worry about us, Hannah. I brought extra sheet music just in case. We can play all night, if that’s what it takes.”
Chapter Thirteen
Hannah was about to go trolling through the crowded room for her sister when Andrea came up carrying another dessert plate. “This pecan pie of yours is just wonderful! Remember when I was afraid I’d have the baby at Thanksgiving and I wouldn’t get to have your pie?”
“I remember.”
“Well, I had your pie at Thanksgiving, and now I’m having it again. And I still haven’t had the baby!”
“No one can hurry nature,” Hannah intoned, realizing how pompous that sounded, but unable to take it back.
“Sure they can. If there was a horse here right now, I’d take Lisa’s mother’s suggestion and ride him around the room until something happened.”
“And I’d probably boost you up in the saddle,” Hannah said, picturing the scene that would make and exploding in laughter. A scant second later, Andrea began to laugh, too. It was one of those wonderful moments when sisters who were very different happened to be on the same wavelength. When she was able to speak again without sputtering, Hannah said, “While we’re waiting for that horse, I’ve got a question for you. I need to know about Brandi’s engagement ring. Michelle saw it, but she couldn’t describe it except to say that she thought it looked expensive. Did you notice it?”
“Of course I did! It was gorgeous, and it looked like a really valuable antique.”
Hannah grabbed Andrea’s napkin, turned it inside out so she could write on a spot that wasn’t covered by Santa and his reindeer, and held her pen at the ready. “Okay. Describe it for me.”
“It was a square-cut emerald, at least two carats, surrounded by a frame of Tiffany-cut diamonds.”
Hannah gave a low whistle. Even though she knew next to nothing about jewelry, the ring Andrea was describing sounded expensive.
“The diamonds were blue-white, a really excellent color, and they had to be at least a half-carat apiece. And the setting was platinum. That’s more expensive than gold or silver.”
“Okay,” Hannah jotted it all down. “Do you have any idea how much a ring like that would cost?”
“Not really, but I’d guess it was worth a lot more than her fur coat. And Brandi and Martin were fighting about it.”
“Fighting?” Hannah asked, leaning forward.
“She wanted to wear it and he told her to take it off. They stared each other down for a minute and then she took it off her finger and dropped it in her purse. Is that all you need? I want to go back to the dessert table for some Candied Pecans.”
“Hold on, Little Piggy,” Hannah said, smiling to show her sister that it was a term of endearment. “Do you have your cell phone with you?”
“Of course I do! I’m a real estate professional.”
“Could you help me out and call all the wedding chapels in Las Vegas to find out where Brandi and Martin got married? Th
ere’s something I need to know.”
“Sure. It shouldn’t be that hard, especially since I know an Elvis impersonator married them. Once I find the right chapel, what do you want me to ask?”
“Try to get them to tell you what name Brandi used on the marriage license. Michelle found out that her real first name was Mary, and Brandi let it slip that she grew up not too far from here.”
“I knew that had to be a stage name,” Andrea gave a little snort. “It was just too cutesy to be real. Brandi Wyen. I mean…really! I’ll go up to the lobby to call. The reception’s better up there.”
“Okay, just stick close to Lonnie. Don’t forget that there could be a killer in the building.”
“I won’t forget,” Andrea said, looking very serious as she headed up the stairs.
As Hannah approached the dessert table, she noticed that the Candied Pecans were almost gone. Since Andrea was doing her a favor and might miss out on the dessert she wanted, Hannah got in line, grabbed one of the little paper cups Edna had set out, and took some.
“Hey, Hannah?”
Hannah turned around to see Earl Flensburg, the county snowplow and tow truck driver, standing there in his boots and jacket. “Hi, Earl. Since you’re here, why don’t you get something to eat?”
“That’s what Edna said. She’s fixing me a plate in the kitchen. But before I can eat, I need to find Mike.”
“He’s upstairs in the little conference room right next to the library. He’s using it as a temporary office.”
“Okay. I need to get a paper signed for the paramedics. I plowed out that drift in the parking lot so they could get their rig in, but they can’t take…you know, what they came to get…” Earl’s voice faltered, and he cleared his throat noisily. “Heck of a world, huh Hannah? Anyways, they need Mike to sign this release paper.”
“I understand.” Hannah patted Earl on the back. For a gruff guy who bragged that he’d shot more game than anyone else in the county, he could be surprisingly sensitive when it came to human death.
Earl had just walked up the stairs when Andrea came down. There was a huge smile on her face and Hannah assumed she’d been successful in talking to whoever was on duty at the wedding chapel.