-29- Hannah glanced at her watch in the dim light of the bar, and then she nudged Andrea. "Twenty minutes to show time. Where's Janie?"
"She's collecting the key from Sally and she's supposed to meet us in the lobby in five minutes. Let's leave now, Hannah. I'm getting nervous just sitting here."
"What do you have to be nervous about?"
"I'm out of practice. I haven't screamed in years." Hannah almost laughed, assuming that her sister was joking, but Andrea did look very nervous. "Don't worry. Screaming is like riding a bicycle. Once you learn how, you never forget."
"Did you just make that up?"
"Yes," Hannah admitted, "but don't forget that you've got Janie to help you. You said she was the second-best screamer in your drama class."
Hannah left money to pay for their half-finished Cokes, and they left the bar for the lobby. She'd used Andrea's cell phone to make three calls on their way back to the inn. The first had been to Janie, who'd confirmed that Alan had used a small room in the back of the boutique as his office. He was the only one who'd had a key, but Janie was sure that his key ring was still in his room. Janie had worked with Alan long enough to learn his habits, and she knew he never took all of his keys when he went out on his walks. He just slipped his room key off the ring and carried it in his jacket pocket.
Hannah's second call had been to Sally to ask if she could go up to Alan's room to retrieve his keys. Sally had been willing, but she'd told Hannah that Bill and Mike had stationed Rick Murphy outside Alan's door and that no one was allowed inside. This had prompted Hannah's third call; to Sally's mother, Francine. They had to create a diversion to lure Rick away from his post so that Hannah could get in. Ezekiel's ghost would do the trick, and Francine had agreed to make a special appearance.
"I hope this works," Andrea said, entering the lobby and perching on the arm of an overstuffed chair.
"It will. If you and Janie scream loud enough, Rick will come running. You've got to keep him with you long enough for me to dash in Alan's room, find the keys, and get back out."
"If I have to, I'll faint," Andrea declared. "I used to be the best fake fainter in drama class, too."
"Whatever it takes. Janie thinks Alan's keys are in his top dresser drawer. She says that's where he usually kept them."
"How does she know that?"
"He sent her up to get them last week, when he forgot them. He told her they were in his top dresser drawer, under his handkerchiefs."
"I'm here," Janie called out, hurrying across the lobby and thrusting two keys into Hannah's hand. "The key with the tag is for Alan's room and the other one is for mine. My room is right next-door to his."
Hannah nodded, dropping the keys into her pocket. "I'd better get up there right now. Bring Andrea to your room I when it's over. If I'm lucky, I'll be there with Alan's keys."
The waiting was tense, and Hannah paced the floor of r Janie's room. It was now five minutes to showtime, and for someone who wasn't in the actual performance, she had a bad case of stage fright. The butterflies in her stomach felt as big as buzzards, and she hoped she wouldn't blow it. She was taking a big risk. If Mike found out that she'd gone into Alan's room after he'd declared it off limits, he'd lock her up for the rest of her natural life. Come to think about it, her natural lifespan might not be so natural if Mike got really mad at her.
Three minutes to show time. Hannah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She wanted to be with Francine so that she could control what time the ghost appeared at the end of the hall. She also wanted to be with Andrea and Janie, to tell them when to scream and how loud. She wanted to be with Bill and Mike to keep them away from the second floor, and she wanted to be outside Alan's door with Rick, encouraging him to abandon his post and investigate the source of the commotion. Hannah wanted to be everywhere, but she was stuck here, where she also wanted to be, so that she could sneak into Alan's room and grab the keys. At times like this, she wished she could split like an amoeba and be everywhere at once.
One minute to show time. Hannah took out Alan's key and grasped it tightly, peering through the peephole in Janie's door. She counted down the seconds, as nervous as an astronaut on a first launch, and held her breath while she waited for the action. And then she heard the sweetest sound in the world.
Two bloodcurdling, high-pitched screams rent the air. A man yelled out, the screaming went on, and Hannah heard footsteps pounding down the hallway. It took a five full seconds, but then she saw Rick Murphy, the youngest deputy on the force, rushing past Janie's door on his way toward the source of the screaming.
Hannah opened the door and stepped out. There was a crowd milling around at the end of the hallway, and she could see someone down on the carpet. It was probably Andrea in a fake faint, but she didn't have time to confirm it. With fingers that shook slightly, Hannah sidled up to Alan's door and inserted the key in the lock. A second later, she was inside with the door closed securely behind her.
The clock was ticking. Rick could be back any second. She had to find Alan's key ring and get out. Hannah raced for the dresser and pulled out the top drawer, feeling frantically under the stack of clean handkerchiefs. No keys. Had Mike and Bill already taken them, or. . .
Hannah raced for the black coat that was draped over a chair. Sally had mentioned that Alan had been wearing a black coat when he'd come back from press conference. She thrust her hand into the pocket, drew out a clean hand- kerchief, one black leather glove. . . and the key ring!
The commotion in the hallway had decreased in volume as Hannah tossed Alan's coat back onto the chair. She sped for the door, opening it a crack to glance out. Rick was still at the end of the hallway, leaning over a woman's body. As Hannah slipped out and sidled back to Janie's room, she realized that there was a big hole in her master plan. If Mile and Bill ever realized that Alan's keys were missing, she'd need an alibi.
Her mind racing, Hannah considered the alternatives. Several people had seen her with Andrea earlier, and they might mention that she hadn't been at her sister's side. She had to convince everyone in the crowd surrounding Andrea that she'd been there when the ghost had appeared.
Hannah ran into Janie's room and filled a glass with water. Then she ran back out, shouting to the people at the end of the hall. "It's all right! I'm coming!"
Several people stepped back as she approached, and Hannah caught her first glimpse of Andrea. Her sister was stretched out on the floor, completely motionless. Not even her eyelids were quivering, and for one brief moment, Hannah wondered if Andrea truly had fainted. Then she remembered the time that her sister had played a comatose woman in a perfectly dreadful play written by Jordan High's drama teacher. Andrea was acting, and she was great at it.
"Stand back," Hannah ordered, holding her glass of water aloft. "I'll bring her out of it."
Andrea still didn't move a muscle, and Hannah figured that an Academy Award was in order. Of course, Andrea probably expected a cold washcloth on her brow, or a dose of pretend smelling salts. With a silent apology to her sister, Hannah upended the glass and doused Andrea's face with the water.
Andrea gasped and then started to sputter as she saw Hannah bending over her. Her eyes were blazing, and Hannah knew she had to say something before Andrea ruined her best performance. "I'm sorry, Andrea. It was the only way we could think of to bring you back to consciousness."
"I . . . I fainted?" Andrea asked, slipping right back into character like a trooper. "What happened? I don't remember a thing."
Janie leaned over her solicitously. "We saw the ghost and you screamed. And then you crumpled to the floor and passed out."
"And I ran to Janie's room for water." Hannah added her bit to the story.
"Just rest for a minute," Rick Murphy advised. "I'll go get a chair."
Andrea shook her head. "I think I'd rather lie down. I hate to trouble you, but could you help me to Janie's room?"
"Sure. No problem." Rick took her arm and helped her up. "Just lean on me."
Andrea smiled up at him and her lower lip quivered slightly. "Thanks, Rick. I'm so glad you were here and not another deputy. You won't tell Bill, will you? This is so embarrassing."
"Well . . ."
"Please? I really did think I saw the ghost. I swear there was something down there at the end of the hall, but it was probably just my imagination. You know how Bill is. If he finds out I thought I saw a ghost and fainted, he'll tease me about it for the rest of my life. Can't it be our secret?"
Rick grinned. "Okay, as long as you're sure you're not hurt. As far as I know, it's not a crime to think you saw a ghost."
* * *
The moment Janie's door had closed behind them, Andrea turned to glare at Hannah. "What got into you, Hannah? You didn't have to actually douse me with water!"
"Yes, I did. Rick was standing right there. He would have known something was fishy if I hadn't."
"Well. . . maybe, but you didn't have to enjoy it. And don't bother to deny it. I know you did. It's just like the water fights we used to have at the lake. I always got soaked, and half the time, you didn't have a drop ? "
"Here, Andrea," Janie interrupted, tossing her a towel. "You'd better wipe your face. You can wear one of my sweaters. It'll be too big, but at least it'll be dry. And I've got a hair dryer you can use."
Andrea did not look in good humor, and Hannah knew it was time to mend fences. "You're an incredible actress, Andrea. I really thought you'd fainted."
"You did?" Andrea looked slightly appeased. "You're not just saying that?"
"No. And your screaming was perfect. I knew it was coming, but I jumped anyway. I really thought somebody was getting murdered out there."
Andrea gave a little smile. "I told you I'd do my part. Did you get the keys?"
"Yes, thanks to you." Hannah held them up for her sister's inspection. "They weren't in the drawer and I had to search for them. If you hadn't pretended to faint, Rick might have caught me."
"Well, all's well that ends well. Do I have time to dry my hair?"
"Absolutely. It's cold out there and I don't want you to go out with a wet head."
After Andrea had retreated to the bathroom, the phone rang. Janie answered it and then held it out to Hannah. "It's Sally, for you."
"Hello?" Hannah answered.
?Hi, Hannah," Sally sounded amused. "I heard it went really well. Did you get the keys?"
"Sure did."
"Great. I'm filling in on the switchboard, and your neighbor, Mrs. Canfield, is on the line for you. Do you want me to put her through?"
"Yes, please." Hannah crossed her fingers as she waited for Sally to put through the call. She'd told Mrs. Canfield to call her when Greg came home.
"Hannah?" Mrs. Canfield's voice was shaking slightly. "Greg still isn't home and I'm worried sick. Do you think I should call the sheriff?"
"I don't think that's necessary, Mrs. Canfield. I'm sure he'll be home soon."
"I hope so! I'm just so nervous and I. . . . I wanted to talk to someone about it. Could you come down to see me when you get home?"
Hannah came very close to groaning out loud. She'd been looking forward to curling up with Moishe and watching some mindless television, but she couldn't let Mrs. Canfield down. "Sure, but I have to make a trip to the mall first. It might be pretty late."
"That's all right. I'm so worried about Greg, I won't be able to sleep a wink."
"Okay, Mrs. Canfield. The minute I get home, I'll come straight to your place."
"You're a darling, Hannah," Mrs. Canfield said, and she sounded relieved. "I'll see you later, then."
"What's up?" Janie asked when Hannah had hung up the phone.
"My neighbor's worried about her grandson. He's going through a rough time and she just wants to talk." Hannah picked up the key ring and handed it to Janie. "Do you know which one of these keys is for the boutique?"
One by one, Hannah and Janie examined the keys on Alan's key ring. Janie compared them with hers, and they marked the ones Hannah would need with a felt-tipped pen.
Janie had just finished sketching the layout of the boutique when Andrea emerged from the bathroom.
Hannah glanced up at her sister and her mouth dropped open in surprise. Janie's sweater was miles too big for Andrea, but she'd rolled up the sleeves and belted it in with the long scarf she'd been wearing around her neck. Her hair was pulled up in a loose knot at the top of her head and she looked fabulous.
"What?" Andrea asked, taking in Hannah's startled expression.
"How did you do that? You look gorgeous."
"No, I don't. You're just trying to make me feel better."
"I'm serious, Andrea. You look great."
"Well. . . I always make an effort. Aren't you going to comb your hair before we go?"
Hannah reached up to pat her hair. It felt all right to her. "Why should I?"
"Somebody might see you."
"Who? The mall's closed and all we're doing is breaking into Alan's office."
"But we could run into someone."
"I hope not," Hannah said. "And if we do, I don't think anybody at the sheriff's department is going to care if my hair isn't perfect for my mug shot."