-28- "I know why you won't tell me where we're going," Andrea said, following Hannah up the stairs. "You're mad because I ate all the french fries. But it's not like I did it deliberately. Once I got started, I just couldn't stop eating."
Hannah glanced back at her sister. Andrea did look very contrite. "It's okay. I understand."
"That's good, because I sure don't!" Andrea replied with a frown. "I've never gone on food binges like this before. What's gotten into me, anyway?"
Several succinct answers occurred to Hannah, but she wisely let them pass. She just waited until they'd reached the top of the staircase, and then she pulled Andrea over to the side of the hall. "Let me tell you about the ghost."
As Andrea listened to the Hannah's story, she started to smile. By the time Hannah had finished, she was laughing.
"And it's all your fault," Hannah concluded.
"My fault? What did I do?"
"You told Sally that ghosts sell, and that's what gave Francine the idea. Come on. Let's go talk to Francine. I want to know if she's the one that writer saw last night."
* * *
"It wasn't me," Francine insisted after Hannah had asked the question. "I never appear outside. His imagination must have been working overtime."
Hannah shot Andrea a warning glance. Both of them were convinced that the writer hadn't been imagining things. He'd seen someone following Alan, and that someone had been the killer.
"Do you want to see my ghost costume?" Francine smiled when they nodded and she walked over to pull the curtains. "It only works when the light's dim. Wait right here. I'll be right back."
In less time than they expected, Francine reappeared. She was wearing an old-fashioned black coat, black pants, and a black hat pulled down over her eyes. "It's a little too light in here. Try to imagine how I'd look at night and I'll demonstrate my ghost walk."
Hannah and Andrea watched as Francine demonstrated her special walk. She scooted along with her knees bent and bobbed up every few feet. By squinching her eyes half-shut, Hannah could get the full effect.
"That's wonderful!" Andrea clapped her hands. "It looks like you're floating."
"That's the general idea. I let people see me and then I duck down the back stairs. They're off limits for the guests because they don't meet the building code, but Sally gave me a key."
"How do you get back to your room?" Hannah asked.
"That's simple. I lock the stairwell door behind me and take off my ghost outfit on the landing. It's a couple of sizes too large and I wear it over my regular clothes. Then I stuff it in Danny's diaper bag, go down the back stairs, and come up the main staircase while everybody's still milling around. I'm always carrying the diaper bag anyway, so no one thinks it's suspicious."
"Is it working?" Andrea asked.
"Like a charm. People have been calling in from all over, and last night Sally told me she was all booked up until the end of March. You've just got to come see one of my appearances. I haven't had this much fun in ages."
"Just let us know when," Hannah said. "We'll come."
"And I'll scream," Andrea added. "My drama teacher at Jordan High said I had the best bloodcurdling scream he'd ever heard."
"What's next?" Andrea asked as they left Francine's room.
"I'm not sure," Hannah said, glancing at her watch as they walked toward the stairs. "We still have to talk to the rest of the Connie Mac people, but Sally said they never come back for dinner until eight."
"We could eat dinner. We probably won't have time later."
"You're hungry again?"
"Not really, but you have to eat. I'll just keep you company."
"Okay," Hannah agreed, starting down the stairs. "Since you ate all my fries, I get to pick the place."
"The Corner Tavern?" Andrea guessed, wrinkling her nose.
"You bet. I need brain food and I'm in the mood for a thick slab of steak."
"But fish is supposed to be brain food," Andrea objected. "At least that's what everybody says."
"I know, but I'm having a steak, blood rare, with an order of garlic bread. You can have a double order of fish. Then you'll be smart enough for both of us."
The Corner Tavern was crowded, but they managed to find a booth in the back. Hannah ordered the thickest porter- house they had, and Andrea ordered the fish.
"You want your steak cooked the usual way?" the waitress asked Hannah.
"Slap it on the grill, give it thirty seconds on one side, and flip it over for another thirty seconds."
"I know, I know," the waitress said with a grin. "If it doesn't moo when you cut into it, it's overdone."
When their waitress had left, Hannah plopped her huge shoulder bag on the table and pulled out her steno pad. "We might as well be constructive while we're waiting. Let's go over the notes."
"Are you ever going to replace that?" Andrea asked her.
"Sure, when it gets full. I've got a whole bag full of new steno pads at home."
"Not that. I was talking about your purse. It's really a disgrace, Hannah. You've had it forever and it's completely out of style. Why don't you let me buy you a new purse for your birthday?"
"No way. I love this purse. It's just the right size for everything I need and it's perfect for me. That's why I've had it so long. This purse is like a friend. You don't ditch a friend because she gets old."
Andrea sighed. "If you won't give it up, maybe you should think about having it reconditioned. You could always have the leather dyed a darker color. Then the scratches won't show as much."
"Those scratches are like battle scars. They're badges of honor. This purse and I have gone through the wars together."
"And it looks like it," Andrea muttered, and then she started to grin. "We're doing it again, Hannah. We're squabbling like kids over your stupid purse."
"My purse isn't stupid," Hannah retorted, and then she laughed. "You'd better take that back or I'll tell Mother."
Several patrons at neighboring booths turned to stare at them as they both burst into laughter. One even asked them what was so funny, and that made them laugh even harder. When they finally sobered enough to speak, Andrea leaned closer. "Have you ever wondered why we call her 'Mother'?"
"Because she gave birth to us?"
"I'm serious, Hannah. We've always called her 'Mother' and never 'Mom.' "
"That's true," Hannah said, and she thought about it for a moment. "I think it's because she's always been so perfect."
"Perfect?" Andrea looked puzzled.
"I mean her appearance was perfect. She never slouched around in old clothes like the other moms, and she even had a special outfit she wore when she worked in the garden. I never saw her without her makeup, and her aprons always looked like they were brand-new. It was almost like she was starring as the mother in a television show."
"You're right," Andrea said, wincing slightly, "and I think I inherited it from her. I've got outfits for everything, too."
"Relax. That doesn't mean you're like Mother," Hannah reassured her.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive. Mother would never ride on a snowmobile with me. She knows better. Now stop worrying about it and get ready to eat. Here comes our food."
Hannah's steak was cooked perfectly, and she ate in silence for several minutes. When she glanced over at Andrea, she was only slightly surprised to see that her sister had eaten most of her fish and all of her green salad.
"What?" Andrea asked, noticing Hannah's interest in her plate.
"Nothing. I just thought you weren't hungry, that's all."
"I wasn't, but I like the way they do fish here. And that garlic bread smells so good."
"Here," Hannah said, shoving the basket closer to her sister.
"Thanks, but no thanks."
Hannah was puzzled. "But I thought you said it smelled good."
"It does, but I can't have it. Do you know that ingested garlic seeps out through your pores for hours after you've eaten it? It even makes the sheets on your bed smell like garlic."
"So?"
"That wouldn't be fair to Bill. It'd be different if he ate it, too. Then neither one of us would mind. But Bill's not here, and it wouldn't be fair for me to eat it without him. You don't have to worry about things like that because you live alone."
Hannah's lips twitched with amusement. Andrea had some strange ideas. "Just take a piece home to Bill and then there won't be a problem."
"That's a good idea," Andrea said, reaching for the basket. "Don't let me forget, okay?"
"I won't. Can you talk and eat at the same time?"
"Sure. I'm almost through anyway."
"Good. I want to go through my list of suspects again and make sure we didn't miss anybody." Hannah flipped through her notebook with her left hand and forked her salad with her right. "Here's Janie. We eliminated her. And here's Norman, but Mike decided that he couldn't have hit himself over the head. And here's Ray, Connie Mac's driver."
"I eliminated him," Andrea said proudly. "He was nowhere near Lake Eden at the time."
"Right. We eliminated Paul because he was with Alan, and Alan's eliminated because he didn't kill himself. And here's the man who got half."
"Huh?" Andrea looked thoroughly puzzled.
"The man Connie Mac and Alan were fighting about when Sally heard them in the bar. He got half of something and Connie Mac was really mad about it."
"I remember now. There were just too many suspects, Hannah. I had trouble keeping them all straight."
"Tell me about it." Hannah flipped the page. "Here's Kurt Howe, but I cleared him. And here's Alex, but I cleared her, too. Then there's Larry Kruger. We still have to question him."
"No, we don't. I ran into him in the hall and we talked for a couple of minutes. He said he was alone when Connie Mac and Alan were killed, but he had an alibi for the night that Norman was bashed on the head."
"What was it?"
Andrea started to grin. "He was interviewing Lake Eden's foremost authority on Ezekiel Jordan's life to get more information for his ghost stories. Can you guess who that is?"
Hannah sighed. Andrea was doing it again. She loved to tell stories her way, and now she wanted to playa guessing game. "It's got to be someone from the historical society. Am I right?"
"You're right. But who?"
"Someone who read the letters that Delores has. She said there was a lot of information in . . ." Hannah stopped speaking as the light dawned. "Larry Kruger was interviewing Mother?"
"That's what he said."
"She should be home by now. Call her to substantiate his alibi."
"I think you should call her. You're older."
"What does older have to do with it? Besides, you're the one with the phone."
The two sisters locked eyes; Andrea caved in first. "All right. I'll call her. But I'm not happy about it."
Hannah poured another cup of coffee from the carafe the waitress had brought and listened to the one-sided conversation as Andrea spoke to their mother. It was clear that Delores was confirming Larry Kruger's alibi. But then Andrea assumed a devilish expression, and that made Hannah go on full alert.
"She's right here, Mother," Andrea said with a grin. "We're having dinner together. Hold on a second and I'll hand her the phone."
Hannah shot her sister a look of betrayal as she took the phone, but she knew she might as well get it over with. "Hello, Mother."
"Is it true, Hannah?" Delores asked.
"What, Mother?"
"That you found another body?"
Hannah glanced at her sister. Andrea's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter and Hannah gave her a dirty look. "It's true, Mother. I did find another body. His name is Alan Carpenter and he was Connie Mac's lawyer."
"Oh, Hannah!" Delores sighed so loudly, Hannah came close to holding the phone away from her ear. "I do wish you'd stop looking for trouble."
"I wasn't looking for trouble, Mother."
"Perhaps not, but you certainly seem to attract it. You've got to make an effort, dear."
Hannah glanced at Andrea again. Her sister was really enjoying this. "I will, Mother. I'll make a real effort to stop finding dead bodies, I promise."
"Well, I should hope so! You're destroying your reputation, you know."
"It'll be all right, Mother. I haven't noticed any small children cringing when they meet me on the street."
"Don't be sarcastic. It's not becoming. Tell me the truth, Hannah. Are you working with the sheriff's department again?"
"No, Mother."
"How about your sister? She has a child to think of, you know. You're not. . ."
"I'm not leading Andrea into any trouble, Mother," Hannah interrupted, hoping to nip that idea in the bud.
"I just feel it's my duty to warn you, dear. People are starting to talk. It won't be long before they start to avoid you. You'll be an outcast in Lake Eden."
"You're right, Mother." Hannah winked at Andrea. "I hate to cut this short, but I've got to go. People are starting to leave to avoid me, and I don't want to hurt the Comer Tavern's business. You have a nice evening, now."
Andrea took the phone and clicked it off. "Larry Kruger's in the clear. When Norman was attacked, he was eating coconut cake in Mother's kitchen. I'm sorry I handed the phone to you, but if I'd told Mother, she would have given me a lecture."
"That's okay. I forgive you," Hannah said good-naturedly. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think Mr. Fifty Percent is the only suspect we have left."
"You're right."
"We've got to find out who he is. Connie Mac knew, but she's dead. And Alan knew, but he's not talking now, either. Paul would know, but he won't be back until tomorrow."
"Wait a second." Andrea looked thoughtful. "If we could get into Alan's files, we might be able to tell who Mr. Fifty Percent is without asking anybody. All we have to do is look for a contract that gives someone fifty percent."
"But his files would be in his office. And his office is in Minneapolis."
"That's his permanent office, but I'll bet he's got another office here."
"What makes you think that?"
"Because Alan lived in Minneapolis and the roads were really bad last night. If he had driven all the way there, he would have stayed over and come back this morning."
"You've got a point," Hannah said, grabbing her note- book and flipping through it. "Alan and Kurt left the banquet at eight forty-five. We saw them leave. But Sally told me they walked into the bar at the inn at eleven. There's no way they could have driven to Minneapolis, held a press conference, and gotten back here by eleven. You're right, Andrea. Alan must have a local office."
"So am I a genius, or what?" Andrea asked, preening a bit.
"Absolutely. It must have been the fish."