Michelle laughed. “That could cause real panic at a wedding reception. A lot of people are afraid of mice.”
“Do you think we should have Sally set traps, just in case?” Ross asked her.
At first Hannah wasn’t sure how to answer. She thought he was teasing her, but she wasn’t entirely sure. Then she saw the twinkle in his eyes and she shook her head. “No, let’s let the shrews run wild. Then you can film it and air the footage on KCOW. If Stephanie Bascomb lifts her skirts and climbs up on a table, it’ll be an overnight sensation.”
“Or even better, maybe you can get Mayor Bascomb cowering behind one of Sally’s artificial trees in the dining room,” Michelle suggested. “That ought to increase viewer numbers for KCOW.”
“Mother’s afraid of mice, too,” Hannah pointed out. “Maybe we should take Moishe along to the reception. He’s a very good mouser. I had to take him to Mother’s house once, to catch a mouse in her spare bedroom.”
Ross laughed. “Loose shrews and enough cats to catch them. That sounds like the beginning of a comedy to me. Now, who or what is going to catch the cats?”
“Dogs,” Hannah answered. “Mother can gather up all the dogs on her block and drive them out to the reception.”
“And who or what is going to catch the dogs?” Ross carried it further.
“Their owners,” Michelle answered quickly. “They’ll be there anyway. Everyone in Lake Eden is coming to your wedding and your reception.”
“It’s going to be that big?” Ross asked Hannah.
“I’m afraid so. Mother only knows one way to throw a party. She doesn’t want to take the chance that she’ll leave someone out and cause hurt feelings. So, to make sure that doesn’t happen, she sends invitations to everyone she knows.”
“And some she doesn’t,” Michelle added, flashing a grin at Hannah. “You should have seen Hannah’s high school graduation party. There were kids there that none of us had ever seen before.”
There was a knock on the door, and Ross reached out to give Hannah a quick hug. “Go ahead and do what you have to do in the kitchen. I’ll greet the gang and let them in.”
Just as soon as coats had been removed, hands had been washed, and wine and beer had been poured, Ross and Hannah, Lonnie and Michelle, and Norman and Mike took seats around Hannah’s big dining room table. As they passed the paté, conversation flowed. Norman had brought his cat, Cuddles, to play with Moishe and the two cats were prowling around, exploring every room in the condo, looking for anything that might provide feline entertainment.
Hannah noticed that at first Norman seemed a bit tense, but then Ross began to tell him about the new remote control cameras he’d bought for the studio at KCOW, and Norman visibly relaxed.
“You’re taping the basketball game tonight at the high school, aren’t you?” Hannah asked Ross, even though she knew he’d already gone there to set up his equipment.
“Yes, but it’s not taped, Hannah. We’re doing a live feed.” Ross turned to Norman. “I don’t suppose you’d like to come and help out, would you?”
A broad smile spread across Norman’s face. “Sure! I’ll be glad to come.”
“Then we’ll leave together, right after dinner. I still have a couple of things I have to set up before the game.”
“Fine by me,” Norman agreed.
Michelle, who was sitting next to Hannah, gave her a gentle poke in the ribs. Hannah turned to look at her and Michelle raised her eyebrows.
“Let’s dish up the stew,” Hannah said, knowing exactly what her sister meant. Michelle wanted to talk to her alone in the kitchen.
They waited, leaning against the counter, until the conversation around the table began again. Then Michelle turned to Hannah. “Do you think that was a ruse to get Norman to leave when Ross did?”
“Oh! I didn’t even think of that!” Hannah exclaimed, keeping her voice low so that no one around the table in the dining room could hear her. “Do you think that’s what Ross was doing?”
“Could be. And if that’s so, Ross is pretty darn sneaky!”