A bit reluctantly, Hannah climbed out of the Jacuzzi. Her skin was beginning to turn very pink and she knew she’d been under the jets of hot water long enough, but she wanted to stay there for the rest of her life, and not think of Chef Duquesne’s murder at all. Unfortunately, she simply had to figure out who’d killed him. She needed to do it for Michelle, who’d found him, for Brooke, who was a suspect, and for herself, simply because she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving a murder case unsolved.
The towels were warm, and Hannah snuggled into hers, wrapping it tightly around her body. Leave it to her mother to have the very best luxury towels that money could buy! She let Delores lead them all inside and down the hallway to the bedroom that she used for an office. And over to the window that looked out onto the city street.
One glance out the window and Hannah knew why Delores had brought them there. “City Hall!” she exclaimed. “Were you in here that night, Mother? And if you were, what did you see?”
“I saw Mayor Bascomb’s car pull up at ten-thirty. And I saw it leave at eleven o’ clock.”
Hannah gave her youngest sister a look that said, Don’t make a comment right now. If you do, it’ll take forever for Mother to tell us what she knows.
Michelle must have caught her unspoken message, because she said nothing. Just as Hannah had hoped, Delores continued her story.
“As you can see, I have a great view of the mayor’s office from here. And although I can’t see into his office from this floor, I can see when the lights go on and off, and when the curtains are pulled.”
“You were looking out the window that night?” Andrea asked.
“Yes. I always look out that window when I’m searching my mind for a word or phrase I need for my books, or when I just want to rest my eyes. Doc was gone and I couldn’t sleep, so I worked late. There was an emergency appendectomy at the hospital, and he went because he knew the patient. His new intern had only done the procedure a dozen or so times. I decided to finish a chapter in my newest book, and I was here, working on the computer.”
“And you saw . . .” Hannah prompted.
“Ricky-Ticky’s car pull up at ten-thirty. Then someone pulled the curtains in his office. I didn’t see any more until the lights went out and Mayor Bascomb’s car left at eleven o’clock.”
“Speed racer,” Michelle said, under her breath.
“Then his car came back at midnight,” Delores continued, either not hearing Michelle’s comment or deliberately refusing to acknowledge it. “He was in his office until twelve-fifteen, and then the curtains were opened, the lights went back out, and a few minutes later, he drove away.”
“You’re right, Mother. That clears him,” Hannah said.
“I’m really sorry to hear that,” Michelle said, giving a heartfelt sigh. “He was number one in my book.”
“Michelle!” Delores looked shocked. “He’s our mayor!”
Michelle shrugged. “I know, Mother. That’s my problem. He’s our mayor!”
Just then, the doorbell rang and Delores gestured toward the large bedroom at the side of the penthouse that her daughters had used for a changing room. “Go change out of your bathing suits, girls. Our guests are here and I want all three of you to enjoy the evening.”
Chapter Twenty-nine
The evening had been enjoyable and the night’s sleep had been even more so. Hannah was energized and excited as they arrived at the Lake Eden Inn for the final night of the competition.
“Ready?” Michelle asked.
“I’m ready. I just hope we chose the right recipe.”
“What’s better than apple pie?” Michelle asked her.
“Absolutely nothing. It’s a really good pie.”
“And it’s an American tradition. Not only that, we’re pleasing everyone by making it two ways.” Michelle smiled. “It’s going to be wonderful, Hannah.”
“The toppings are really good,” Hannah said. “The judges are bound to like one of them, maybe all of them, but especially your ice cream. You make incredibly good ice cream, Michelle.”
Michelle looked proud. “It was good, wasn’t it?”
“I’ll say! I got hungry in the middle of the night so I got up and had a bowlful.”
Michelle laughed. “No wonder there was only half a container left! We had the rest on our pancakes this morning, you know.”
“You added it to the batter?”
“No. I added the leftover pureed bananas to the batter. The ice cream was mixed in the whipped cream on top.”
“No wonder it was so good! I just hope that the apple pie isn’t too ordinary. Everyone else will probably make fancier desserts.”
“Maybe, but that doesn’t matter. You’re right going with the apple pie, Hannah. Just wait and see.”
It was time for the judging, and Hannah was a bundle of nerves.
“Smile,” Michelle said, giving her a nudge with her elbow.
“I can’t. My face is frozen.”
“Then thaw it quick and freeze it again in a smile. The cameras are panning the cooking stages, and you look scared to death. ”
Somehow Hannah managed to change her panicked expression to a smile. She held it, fixed in place, until the camera moved on. “Will this never end?” she asked, not expecting an answer.