Carrot Cake Murder Part 19

"Sorry about that." Hannah stepped inside and watched as he shut it again. "I should have thought to check it before I asked you to climb over. And speaking of that climb you made, have you been working out?"

"You noticed!" Norman looked pleased. "I've been swimming out at the new fitness club. They've got a lap pool. You should come out with me sometime. Members can bring a guest."

"Are you talking about Heavenly Bodies at the mall?" Hannah guessed. And when Norman nodded, she was almost tempted to give it a try. But then she remembered that her old swimsuit didn't fit her anymore. That meant she'd have to try on suits in a department store fitting room, and that was always depressing.

"Do you want to split up to look for the car, or do it together?"

"Together, but separate," Hannah said, enjoying the apparent contradiction. "Let's do what the police do when they search for something in the woods."

"Walk forward in parallel and meet at a designated point?"

"Exactly. That way you'll hear me if I spot it, and I'll hear you if you do. Let's pick a starting point and walk straight down the rows. Then we'll meet at the fence in back and start up another two rows."

It took three rows out of what must have been at least twenty, but they lucked out. Norman called out from the middle of his row, and Hannah darted between the cars to join him. She found him standing next to Gus Klein's Jaguar with a smile on his face. "This has got to be it. It's probably the only Jaguar in the lot."

"It's the one Gus was driving," Hannah confirmed it, "And there's the jacket I remembered."

"Linen," Norman commented. "I think that's the same one he was wearing when he drove up in front of the church."

"Mother said he wore it to the brunch he hosted at the Lake Eden Inn. He must have hung it up so that it wouldn't wrinkle for the drive to the lake."

Norman stepped up to the window, pressed his nose to the gla.s.s, and peered in. When he stopped back, he was shaking his head. "I don't think so," he said.

"Why not?"

"Because his pants and shirt are there, too. They're hanging behind the jacket. And I really don't think he drove out to the lake in his underwear."

Hannah and Norman stood there staring at the expensive linen suit. For long moments, the only sounds were the humming of insects and the far-off drone of cars on the highway.

"This just doesn't make sense," Hannah said at last. "Gus changed clothes at the cottage. His suitcase was open on the bed. And the closet was right there, no more than three or four steps away. I just can't figure out why Gus went outside and hung his suit up in his car."

Hannah smiled across the picnic table at Norman. "It was so nice of you to make Clara and Marguerite's Mexican Hotdish for Jack's birthday party."

"Maybe not. You haven't tasted it yet. I doubled the spice. Marguerite says it's even better that way. She felt so bad about not being able to bake it for Lisa and Herb's family reunion, and I volunteered to do it for her."

"That was really nice of you, Norman."

"It was fun, and really easy. Taste it and tell me what you think."

Hannah took a bite and smiled. "It's excellent, but it's a little spicier than I remember."

"Then Clara must have made it the night you went over there for dinner. She uses only one packet of taco seasoning. When Marguerite makes it, she uses two packets."

"The sour cream on the side is a nice touch."

"That's a little trick I picked up in Puerto Vallarta. We went to a place that was famous for its fish tacos and they were too spicy for Bev. The waitress brought her some sour cream to cut the heat."

"That's nice to know," Hannah said, referring to the sour cream, not to the fact that Norman had taken his ex-fiancee, Beverly Thorndike, to Mexico.

"We should go sometime. You'd love it down there. We could stay at the La Jolla de Mismaloya resort."

"Isn't that the location John Huston used in The Night of the Iguana?" she couldn't resist asking.

"That's right. Of course it's all modern and restored now, but they really did a good job of keeping the original ambience."

"Nice," Hannah said, deciding that one-word responses were best. She really didn't care to hear much more about Norman's Mexican vacation with Beverly.

"They run the movie continuously in the bar. The first night Bev and I were there, we sat through it twice."

"Really."

"You'd love the place, Hannah. It's very relaxed, and you can practically live in your swimsuit."

Swimsuits again. It was the second time in less than an hour that she'd been reminded of swimsuits. "Great," she said, not mentioning that if she agreed to go anywhere with Norman, and the way she felt right now the odds of that happening were drastically reduced, it certainly wouldn't be somewhere he'd vacationed with his ex-fiancee.

"I wonder what's wrong with Lisa," Norman said, changing the subject abruptly. "She looks worried."

Hannah turned to look. Her friend and partner was making her way through the crowd toward the picnic table where they were sitting.

"I don't know, but she's definitely upset." Hannah glanced around for Jack Herman and was relieved to see him smiling and laughing with Marge and a full table of relatives. Whatever the problem was, it wasn't with Jack. But there was definitely something wrong.

"Oh, Hannah! I've got to talk to you!" Lisa said, rushing up.

"Of course. What is it?"

"Not here! Mac and Herb are waiting on the dock for us. It's private there. I promised to come and get you right away. You too, Norman."

Hannah and Norman exchanged glances as they got up to follow Lisa. Hannah's glance said, Uh-oh. This is something big! And Norman's answering glance said, You can bet the farm it is!

The sun had lowered in the sky, changing from a bright yellow ball high in the sky to a huge orange orb at the edge of the horizon. The surface of Eden Lake gleamed with color. Red, yellow, orange, and pink streaks rippled with the waves across its surface, forming a riotous canvas for the darker reflections of the pines that lined the sh.o.r.es. The dock protruded, a dark carpet rolled out to greet the approaching evening. Two motionless figures in silhouette stood at the end of the dock, and as they drew closer, Hannah could see their tense postures and serious demeanors.

"Norman," Herb reached out for his hand. "You've met my Uncle Mac, haven't you?"

"Yes." Norman reached out to shake Mac's hand.

"And thank you for coming, Hannah. You've met my Uncle Mac?"

"Yes, at the dance." Hannah gave him a nod and a brief smile. "Nice to see you again."

For several moments that followed the polite greetings, no one moved or spoke. It was as if they'd been turned into carved pieces on a chessboard, waiting for someone or something to move them.

"So what's wrong?" Hannah asked at last, taking a step closer and breaking the grip of inertia.

"It's Dad," Lisa said, sounding tearful. "We're afraid he killed Uncle Gus!"

CLARA & MARGUERITE HOLLENBECK'S MEXICAN HOTDISH Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the center position.

4-ounce can Ortega diced green chilies (with the juice) 2 cups shredded Jack cheese (approximately 8 ounces) 2 cans (14 ounces each) diced tomatoes (with the juice) 1 medium onion, chopped 2-ounce can sliced black olives (with the juice) 1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped 2 cups UNCOOKED white rice 2 packages (approximately 1-ounce each) Taco seasoning (Clara buys Lawry's) 3 cups cubed cooked chicken 1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth cup cold b.u.t.ter (1 stick, pound, 4 ounces) 2 cups Fritos corn chips 2 cups (approximately 8 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese * (I used the kind with four cheeses mixed together) *If the cheese selection at your grocery store is limited, just use shredded Monterrey Jack for the first cheese, and shredded sharp cheddar for the second cheese to melt on top of the Fritos. If you can't find Monterrey Jack, use Mozzarella, or Swiss.

Spray a 6-quart roaster with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray. (Clara buys disposable half-size steam table pans at CostMart and uses one of those. She says to be careful to set it on a cookie sheet before you fill it, though. The disposable foil could buckle and you could end up with uncooked Mexican Hotdish all over your kitchen floor!) Hannah's 1stNote: This hotdish is easy to make because once you've got the cubed chicken, all you have to do is open a bunch of cans. You don't even have to drain them. Just dump them in your baking pan, juice and all!

In the bottom of the pan or roaster, mix together the diced green chilies, the Jack cheese, the two cans of diced tomatoes, the chopped onion, the can of sliced black olives, the chopped bell pepper, and the UNCOOKED white rice. (Marguerite told Norman that she washes her hands and then just mixes everything up with her fingers, but that's only if no one's around.) Sprinkle the Taco seasoning over the top, add the chicken cubes, and mix again.

Add the chicken broth and stir everything up with a wooden spoon. (You can also get in there with your impeccably clean hands and mix it up that way.) Cut the cold stick of b.u.t.ter into 8 pieces and put the pieces on top of the hotdish.

Cover the pan with heavy duty foil (or a double thickness of regular foil) and turn down the edges to seal them.

Bake the hotdish for 1 hours (90 minutes) at 350 degrees F.

Take the baking pan out of the oven BUT DON'T TURN OFF THE OVEN YET. Remove the foil carefully as steam may escape.

Sprinkle the Fritos on top of the hotdish, spreading them out as evenly as you can.

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the Fritos as evenly as you can.

Don't cover the hotdish. Return it to the oven to cook for another 10 minutes, uncovered, or until the cheese has melted.

Let the baking pan or roaster sit for at least 10 minutes so the hotdish can firm up before you serve it.

Hannah's 2ndNote: When I first had this hotdish at Clara and Marguerite's condo, they served it with white wine margaritas. If you don't want to serve alcohol, it would also be good with ice cold lemonade.

Hannah's 3rdNote: Norman served this with sour cream on the side for those who wanted to put a dollop on top of their serving. (I really liked it that way.) I think it would also be good with guacamole on the side for those who want to add that.

Chapter Twenty.

Mac took out a handkerchief and wiped his brow. "It was a little after one-thirty. Patsy was already sleeping, but I was still wound up from the dance and talking to all the people I haven't seen for years. I knew there was no way I was going to be able to sleep, so I got up to get a gla.s.s of water and take a couple of those aspirins with the sleep aids."

Hannah knew the type of over-the-counter medication he was talking about. "How did you come to see Jack?"

"I was running water at the sink in the kitchen, and I looked out the window. It faces the pavilion, and I saw Jack walking down the road from his cottage. He cut across to the pavilion and went around to the entrance. I think he went inside, but I don't know that for sure. You can't see the entrance from the window."

Mac stopped speaking and cleared his throat. "I thought about going out to get him and walking him back to his cottage. I was already in my pajamas, but I figured I'd just get dressed again and go out after him. But then I realized that there was somebody inside the pavilion. One of the shutters was still open, and the lights were on. I figured whoever was in there would take care of Jack if he couldn't find his way back, so I took the tablets and went back to bed." Mac stopped speaking again and sighed. "I sure wish I'd gone after him now, but you know what they say about hindsight."

Hannah glanced at Lisa. Her friend looked as if wanted to break down and sob. Hannah wanted to a.s.sure her that her father couldn't have killed Gus, but what Mac had just told them fit perfectly with what Mich.e.l.le had seen from the dock. Of course Mich.e.l.le hadn't known that the person she saw was Jack Herman.

"Did you tell this to the police?" Hannah asked, not knowing which answer she'd prefer. If Mac had already told Mike, the matter was out of her hands and she didn't have to worry about when she should tell him, or even if she should tell him.

"Of course not!" Mac shook his head. "I haven't told anybody except you four. I didn't even tell Patsy. Since I didn't see Jack go into the pavilion, I don't know for sure if he did, or not. I just saw him walking outside. The awful thing is Jack probably doesn't even remember leaving his cottage."

Lisa bit her lip. "You're probably right, Uncle Mac."

"But don't you get too upset, Lisa. I've known Jack for years. He was almost like a brother to me. He's kind, and loving, and...there's no way he'd do anything violent to anybody."

Hannah was silent, but her mind raced. The fight her mother had told her about between Jack and Gus wasn't exactly nonviolent. And Doc Knight had backed up that story.

"I knew if I told the cops about Jack, it would just muddy the waters." Mac reached out and took Lisa's hand. "Besides," he said, giving her hand a squeeze, "we're family. And family's got to stick together."

"She's a real trooper," Norman said, watching Lisa stick candles on top of the birthday cake she'd made for her father while Herb stood by, ready to light them.

"Yes, she is. And she loves Jack with all her heart." Hannah thought about how Lisa had given up her college scholarship, two years ago, to stay at home with her father who'd just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She'd wanted to become a doctor and Hannah was convinced she would have made a good one. On the other hand, Lisa seemed happy and content with the hand life had dealt her, especially now that she'd married Herb.

"What?" Norman asked, noticing Hannah's determined expression.

"I've got to clear Jack. I just have to do it for Lisa!"

"I know you do, and I'll help any way I can. How about Mike? Will you tell him what Mac told us?"

"I promised him that I'd share information."

"That's not what I asked you," Norman said with a chuckle. "Let me ask again...will you tell Mike?"

It was Hannah's turn to smile. "I don't know. I haven't made up my mind yet."

"And you'll put off making that decision to give yourself time to clear Jack?"

"That's probably right. I just hope my conscience doesn't get in the way." Hannah broke into applause as Lisa walked to the table where Jack was sitting, set the cake down in front of him, and led them in singing Happy Birthday.

"Make a wish and blow out the candles, Dad," Lisa said, kissing him on the cheek. "It's like you used to tell me when I was a little girl. If you blow out all the candles, your wish will come true."

Jack smiled as he bent over to blow out the candles, and everyone applauded when he extinguished every one. "Marge always tells me I'm full of hot air," he said, and everyone laughed again.

"That was great, Jack," Herb said, patting him on the back. "Now your wish will come true."

"It already did. I wished for enough of Lisa's Chocolate Peanut b.u.t.ter Cake for everybody. And Marge and her sister are at the back table right now, dishing it up on the plates."

"Why are we here?" Norman asked, following Hannah inside as she opened the door to the cabin Gus Klein had used so briefly.

"I just want to check on the frog."

"What frog?"

"The one I saw yesterday when I came here looking for Gus. I'm just hoping the crime scene people didn't trample him, or anything like that."

"So you're going to check to make sure he's all right?"

"Yes. Don't worry. It'll just take a second and then we'll rush right back for the cake."

Norman chuckled as Hannah turned on the lights and began to look for the frog. "I'm not worried about that. I just thought we were here to check something for your investigation. And now I find out it's for the frog."

"Sorry."