<19>
“You’re a really good dancer,” Michelle said, as Norman led her back to the table.
“I took lessons. I didn’t want Hannah to turn me down when I asked her to dance.”
Hannah laughed, her good mood at the beginning of the evening fully restored. It was wonderful to know that Lake Eden hadn’t been the scene of another murder. Now she could relax and have fun for the rest of the evening. “I’m no Pavlova, Norman. There was a good reason why Mother didn’t name me Grace.”
“I’ll check on that right after I dance with your other younger sister.” Norman held his hand out to Andrea. “Are you up to it?”
Andrea smiled. “I love to dance, but . . . I don’t think so tonight. I’m feeling extremely awkward and extremely full. I must have eaten twenty desserts.”
“Close,” Hannah mumbled under her breath adding up the desserts she’d seen Andrea consume. It was at least a half-dozen, and that was probably the tip of the iceberg. “You’re feeling all right, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine. It’s just that I’m a little tired, and my feet are swelling .I’ll sit here and watch you, and put my feet up on your chair.”
“I’ll get my down jacket and you can put your feet up on that,” Michelle said. “you’ll be more comfortable that way.”
Norman held out his hand and Hannah took it, but she turned back for one more question before she went off to the dance floor. “You don’t think anything‘s going to happen while we’re gone, do you?”
“Oh, I think so,” Andrea said. And then she laughed at the shocked expression on Hannah’s face. “It’s not what you’re thinking. You’re going to enjoy dancing with Norman, that’s all I meant.”
When they got to the dance floor, Kirby and the jazz ensemble were playing “Moon River,” and Hannah snuggled up to Norman as they danced. For once, she didn’t have the urge to lead, a residual effect of having taught Andrea to dance. Andrea hadn’t wanted to get mixed up, and Hannah always had to be the “boy.”
Norman was warm and steady, a perfect partner for dancing cheek to cheek. Of course cheek to cheek was also chin to shoulder, which didn’t sound even remotely as romantic, and it was also chest to . . .
“Excuse me.” A deep, achingly familiar voice interrupted the thoughts she probably shouldn’t have been thinking away. Norman turned her around and pulled back slightly, and Hannah found herself face to face with Mike, except that it was her face to his chin, because he was taller.
“You want to cut in?” Norman asked, and Hannah thought he looked just a tiny bit jealous.
“No,” Mike said, and then he smiled at Hannah. “Not that I wouldn’t like to, but I’m still on the job. I just came over to tell Hannah that Bill and I are taking Babs Dubinski to the station.”
“You’re not going to charge her, are you?”
“No. We’re just going to take her formal videotape statement. We won’t charge her unless the results of Doc’s autopsy prove that her account of Brandi’s death couldn’t be accurate.”
“That’s good news,” Norman said, squeezing Hannah’s hand. “Thanks for telling us, Mike.”
“No problem. You guys did all with legwork for me, and I appreciate it.”
Hannah clamped her lips together so that she wouldn’t blurt out what was on her mind. What was Mike talking about? They’d done a lot more than legwork. They had solved the whole case for him!
“Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that Shirley and Martin are following us in Shirley’s car, and Earl Flensburg’s leading the way in the county snowplow.”
“You’re not taking your Hummer?” Hannah was surprised.
“No. She can go through just about anything, so I want her to stay out front in case anyone needs to leave.”
Hannah grinned. “You shouldn’t anthropomorphize inanimate objects.”
“Huh?”
“Your Hummer. She won’t like it.”
Mike looked blank, but Norman caught on right away. He started to chuckle, but he held it in. Since his arms were still around Hannah, she felt as if she were riding out an earthquake.
“Whatever,” Mike waved her comment away. “The point is, Earl won’t be back for at least an hour and you can use her if there’s some kind of emergency.”
Hannah couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Mike’s Hummer was his baby. He must trust her a lot to let her drive his powerful new toy.
“Here.” Mike dropped the keys in her hand. “I’m putting her in your hands, Hannah, and I’m trusting your judgment. If someone has to leave, look around for a guy who knows how to handle her.”
Hannah’s blood pressure began to rise. She should find a guy who knew how to handle his Hummer? She was so angry, it felt as if her eyes were burning smoldering circles into his back as he strode off across the dance floor. Mike Kingston was tall, handsome, unbelievably attractive, and bout as sexist as a man could get.
“What?” Norman asked, noticing Hannah’s intent expression. “I thought that was a very generous thing Mike did. Everybody in town knows how he loves his Hummer.”
“Sure, he loves it. And sure, it was generous. I’m sure the guy I choose to drive it will think so, too!”
“Oh,” Norman said, leaving it at that, but Hannah knew he understood. “Let’s finish our dance. I love to dance with you.”
“I love to dance with you, too.” Hannah smiled as Norman pulled her close into his arms and they moved smoothly across when someone tapped her on the shoulder.
It was Andrea, and Hannah turned to greet her sister. “Hi, Andrea. Did you change your mind about dancing?”
“No. I don’t want to cut in. I just came out here to tell you it’s time.”
Hannah stared at her sister for a moment in absolute disbelief. Then she asked, “Do you mean what I think you mean?”
“I mean exactly what you think I mean. And I think we’d better hurry.”