“Thanks, Michelle. How about coffee? Are we serving it tomorrow night?”
“I think we’d better. It’s become almost a tradition with the judges. Let’s pick our things in the truck and then see if Sally has anything left on her breakfast buffet. Maybe we’ll run into someone we need to see.”
Hannah smiled. “Like Loren, or Rodney. We haven’t had a chance to talk to them. If we’re lucky, they’ll come down from their rooms at different times and we can catch them alone.”
Michelle picked up the ice cream bowl and carried it to their designated freezer.
“Lock it after you put it in,” Hannah reminded her. “I don’t trust Gloria not to tamper with our ingredients.”
“I agree, and I will. We have to interview her, too . . . don’t we?”
“Yes. I need to know where Gloria was between one and three in the morning on the night that Chef Duquesne was murdered. And I need a timetable for Mayor Bascomb, too. That means I have four suspects left to interview and only three days to do it. Gloria, Loren, and Rodney will probably leave on Sunday for home.”
“Then we’ll save Mayor Bascomb for last,” Michelle decided. “He’s not going anywhere. Come on, Hannah. Let’s hurry and load up those pies, then we’ll come back for Sally’s buffet. Just looking at them is too much for me. I’m practically starving to death.”
Hannah laughed. “After four Blue Banana Muffins?”
“Yes. I wonder if Sally’s got waffles this morning. I could do with a couple of those. And maybe an omelet or eggs Benedict on the side. I really like Sally’s hollandaise.”
Hannah turned around to stare at her youngest sister. Michelle had a perfect figure and she ate every time she got hungry. The same was true of Andrea and Delores. It made Hannah wish that she’d inherited the same metabolism, or body type, or whatever it was that allowed her mother and sisters to eat anytime they wanted and still not gain an ounce.
“Uh-oh!” Michelle said as they walked into the dining room and surveyed Sally’s breakfast buffet.
Hannah turned to her in surprise. “What’s wrong?”
“Loren and Rodney. They’re sitting together at that corner table. What are we going to do now?”
“We’ll go with our original plan. I’ll talk to Rodney and you’ll talk to Loren. And then, when you’re talking to Loren, notice something on his plate and say you didn’t see whatever dish it was. Ask him where he got it and I’ll bet he’ll offer to show you.”
“You’re probably right. Loren seems like a gentleman. And when I get him alone, I’ll be able to ask him if he spent the whole night with Brooke.”
“Yes, if you can figure out how to do it.”
“I already figured that out. All I have to do is ask him to alibi Brooke for the time of the murder and he’ll say he was with her if he was.”
“How are you going to know if he’s protecting her, or telling the truth?”
“Easy. He’ll be uncomfortable if he has to lie for Brooke. He’ll do it, but it’ll show on his face.”
“Okay. That sounds like a plan to me. Do you think you can give me a few minutes alone with Rodney?”
“That’s easy. Brooke just walked in with her assistant and they took a table near the front. I’ll point that out to Loren and we’ll walk over to say hello.”
Their plan worked like a charm, and five minutes later, Hannah was alone with Rodney while Michelle and Loren went off to find Sally’s corned beef hash. “Did you practice for tomorrow yet?” Hannah asked him.
“Not yet. I’ve got the kitchen from twelve to one-thirty. How about you?”
“Michelle and I just got through. I had to put things away in the cooler, though. Michelle hasn’t been able to go in there since she found Chef Duquesne. It really bothers her.”
“That’s understandable. From what I heard, it can’t have been a pretty sight.”
“I guess the police aren’t getting anywhere with their investigation. At least that’s what I heard. Were you in the hotel when Chef Duquesne was murdered?”
“What time was that?”
“Between one and three in the morning.”
“Actually . . . no. I was so excited about tying for first place with you in the cake challenge, I couldn’t sleep. I went for a drive around the lake. You live in a pretty place, Hannah.”
“Yes, I do. You ought to see the lake in the summer. It’s just lovely. What time did you get back from your drive?”
Rodney stared at her for a moment. “Why all the questions? You don’t suspect me of killing him, do you?”
“Of course not. Why would you? You took first place with that incredible cake of yours.”
“True. He wasn’t very nice to some of the other contestants, though. As I remember, Gloria really didn’t do very well that night.”