Christmas Caramel Murder (5 page)

“Wait up a second, Lisa,” Hannah said. “Someone dropped something red in the snow and I want to see what it is.”

“I see it. It looks like cloth.”

“It's probably nothing but a mitten or a scarf, but whoever lost it might want it back.”

“I can go with you.”

“Better not. It's outside the plowed area and the snow's deep out there. It could go right over your ankle boots.”

Hannah waded into the area that hadn't been plowed, heading straight toward the red object. As she got closer, she could see that Lisa had been right. It was something made of red cloth.

“It's a Santa hat!” Hannah called out to Lisa. “And there's something else here, too. Hold on and I'll see what it is.”

As she waded even farther into the ditch, Hannah began to feel increasingly anxious. The anxious, uneasy feeling had nothing to do with the cold or the snow. There was something wrong, very wrong.

Hannah's first instinct was to turn around and retrace her steps up the side of the ditch and into the bright lights and safe haven of the parking lot. But she couldn't seem to turn around without knowing what had given her that anxious, uneasy feeling, and her need to know pulled her even deeper into the ditch.

The moon cast a cold, blue light over the surface of the snow. There were icicles with their sharp, lethal points hanging from the stark black branches of the trees. Hannah shuddered. She'd always felt menaced whenever she had to pass under icicles, but the trees with their glittering daggers dotted the sides of the ditch. There was no other path she could take to get to the second object she'd seen.

As she neared the bottom of the ditch, her heart was racing and Hannah was breathing in painful gasps. This wasn't from the exertion of wading through deep snow. It was fear of something she had yet to discover.

Her boot hit something beneath the snow, and Hannah barely managed to maintain her balance. She reached down to uncover the object that had tripped her, and her gloved fingers drew it out of the snow. She stood there staring for a moment, puzzled by the sight of one of the reusable lunch bags that Lisa had given to Herb for Christmas. Each lunch bag was a different color, and they all had Herb's name embroidered on the side in bold black letters.

There was something inside the bag, and Hannah made sure the contents didn't fall out as she flipped it over so that she could see the other side. A chill ran through her. The lunch bag was definitely Herb's. She could read his name quite clearly in the cold, blue moonlight. But why was Herb's lunch bag buried in the snow near the bottom of the ditch?

A possible explanation occurred to Hannah. Herb could have disliked the lunch that Lisa had packed for him and, quite literally, ditched it before he'd gone inside to eat lunch. This was possible, but very unlikely. Herb told everyone who would listen about the wonderful lunches his wife made for him and how much he enjoyed them. And even if he hadn't felt like eating this particular day's lunch and had thrown it out, Herb would have kept the lunch bag to take home to Lisa.

Her curiosity aroused, Hannah opened the lunch bag and peeked inside. There was no sandwich, or fruit, or cookies. The only thing left in the bag was homemade candy wrapped in waxed paper. Lisa's caramels. And Herb had told Lisa that he loved them. Why had he eaten part of his lunch and then thrown away his personalized lunch bag containing Lisa's caramels?

Hannah's mind was working on this new puzzle when she spotted something else only a few feet away. As she stared at the bulky, snow-covered mound, the anxious, uneasy feeling in her stomach began to intensify. She thrust the lunch bag in the pocket of her parka. She'd dispose of it later. There was no way she was going to let Lisa see what had happened to her caramels. Lisa would be devastated by the fact that Herb had lied to her by saying he liked her caramels and then throwing them away.

As Hannah stepped toward the mound in the snow, she had a very unwelcome thought. It was human-sized. “No!” she gasped as an awful suspicion took root in her mind. “It can't be!” she exclaimed, aloud.

“Hannah? Are you all right?” Lisa's voice floated down to her from above.

“I'm okay. I'm just . . .” Hannah thought fast. There was no way she was going to alarm Lisa before she found out what was in that mound of snow. “I'm just winded and I have to catch my breath. The snow is really deep down here.”

Hannah was amazed at how strong and steady her voice was. Perhaps she should join the Lake Eden Players. It seemed as if she could act, since she felt just the opposite of strong and steady. “I'm just going to check out one more thing while I'm down here, and then I'll climb back up.”

As she approached the hump of snow, Hannah realized that the anxious feeling in her stomach was what Mike had called her
slaydar
, her uncanny penchant for finding murder victims.
Please let it be wrong this time
, Hannah's mind begged, but that sick, sinking feeling grew with each step she took toward the snow-covered mound.

“Please not Herb!” she whispered as she brushed off a layer of snow with her gloves. She swept another layer to the side, and then another, until she had uncovered a cold, dead body that made her give an audible gasp of shock.

“What did you find, Hannah?” Lisa called out from the top of the ditch.

Hannah swallowed hard, and somehow she managed to form the words she needed to say. “Call Mike!”

“Mike? You mean . . . oh, no!”

“Yes!” Hannah answered, and then she swallowed again. “Tell him to get out here right away!”

“I will. Right now. Are you all right?”

“Yes. Hurry, Lisa. Tell him I'll stay where I am until he gets here.”

Hannah listened as Lisa made the call. Her words were succinct and she sounded in control. Hannah was very grateful that Lisa had pulled herself together. The ditch was deep, and even though she had her cell phone with her, she might not have been able to get reception down there.

“He said to hang on, he'll be right there. Who . . .” Lisa stopped in mid-question and gave a little sob. “Who is it, Hannah?”

“Phyllis. Phyllis Bates.”

“Is she . . . uh . . . is she . . . dead?”

Hannah glanced down at the cold, motionless body that had been very alive in a sexy Mrs. Santa costume not even two hours ago. Her eyes swept up to the damage that had been done to Phyllis's head, and she swallowed hard again. “Yes, Lisa. Phyllis is dead.”

W
hen Hannah unlocked the door to her condo, she stepped back three paces and braced herself. Then she leaned forward, pushed open the door, and waited for the feline missile that was about to launch itself in her direction. She waited . . . and waited . . . and then the orange-and-white missile hurtled into her arms.

“Moishe! Where were you?” Hannah asked, carrying her cat in to place him in his favorite spot on the top of the couch.

“Sorry,” her sister Michelle said, rushing out of the guest bedroom. “I was just showing Moishe his new cat toy, and we didn't hear you unlock the door.”

“Michelle!” Hannah greeted her youngest sister with a big hug. “How did you get here?”

Michelle laughed. “If you'd checked your text messages, you'd know. Mother picked me up at the bus station and dropped me off here two hours ago. I hope you don't mind that I used the key you gave me and came inside.”

“Why should I mind? That's why I gave you that key in the first place.” Hannah knew she probably looked a little crazy, but she couldn't seem to stop smiling. Seeing Michelle making herself at home in the condo was like basking in the sunshine. “I'm so glad you're here!”

“Uh-oh, this sounds like trouble!” Michelle said, hurrying to the kitchen to take the glass of white wine she'd poured in preparation for Hannah's return from the top shelf in the refrigerator. “Sit down, kick off your boots, and tell me all about it.”

Hannah peeled off her parka, kicked off her boots on the rug by the door, and took a seat on her old couch. “Just for starters, Phyllis Bates is dead.”

“Mayor Bascomb's new squeeze?”

Hannah nodded. “That's right. I found her in the ditch behind the Corner Tavern parking lot.”

“Murdered?”

“Oh, yes. As far as I know, people don't usually bash in their own heads as a preferred method of suicide.”

It was clear that Michelle was attempting to control herself, but it didn't work. She laughed. “That's what I love about you, Hannah. You don't mince words.”

“Well . . . perhaps that was a bit insensitive, but it's true.”

“Yes, it's insensitive, but it was funny. And you found her?”

“Who else?” Hannah removed the plastic wrap from the top of the wineglass and took a sip. “I have slaydar, remember?”

“How could I forget? Mike says that all the time. Is he coming over tonight to take your statement?”

“That's what he said. Do I have any food in the house?”

“You do now. I brought some groceries with me on the bus, and I can make supper. The only thing I forgot was the Thousand Island dressing, but I guess I could get along without it.”

“You don't have to get along without it.”

Michelle smiled. “Great! Do you have some in the refrigerator?”

“No, but I have everything you need to make it. All it is is mayonnaise mixed with ketchup and sweet pickle relish.”

“How much?”

“Just mix it to taste. It'll be exactly the same as the bottled dressing. What are you planning to make?”

“Grilled Ham and Double Cheese Sandwiches.”

“That sounds like a really good sandwich!”

“It is. I made them for my housemates last night, and they said they loved them.”

Hannah smiled. “I'm sure they did. You're a good cook, Michelle.”

“Thanks. I'll make two for Mike and one for me. Do you want me to make one for you?”

“I'd love to try one, but I already ate a double cheeseburger, an order and a half of fries with bleu cheese dressing, and a slice of Chocolate Coffee Cake.”

“Will you at least taste a corner of mine?”

“Of course I will. What kind of bread do you use?”

“Rye. There's a bakery near us, and they make really good breads.”

“It sounds wonderful, and I almost wish I hadn't eaten. But I was
really
hungry.”

“It only takes a few minutes to make them, so I won't start until Mike gets here. I'm experimenting with quick meals. One of my roommates is getting married right after graduation, and I want to give her a whole folder of easy, quick suppers. Her boyfriend's a teacher, and that's what she'll be when she graduates.”

“That sounds like a great wedding gift, Michelle.”

Michelle looked pleased. “I thought it would be better than monogrammed sheets or a set of fancy towels she'd only get out when company was coming.”

After Michelle had gone into the kitchen, Hannah changed to her favorite wintertime at-home outfit which consisted of forest-green sweatpants, an oversized sweatshirt of the same color, and fur-lined slippers. Then she sat down on the couch again, picked up her wineglass, and took another sip. The Cookie Jar was doing good business, she'd finished her Christmas shopping early this year, and Michelle was in town. Life in Lake Eden was very good if you didn't consider the murder rate.

* * *

The knock on the door came twenty minutes later, and Michelle got up to answer it. “Good thing I decided to put together a double batch,” she said as she saw that Lonnie was with Mike.

“A double batch of what?” Mike asked, sniffing the air as he walked into the living room. “Whatever it is, it smells great!”

“Michelle baked cookies earlier,” Hannah told him, getting up to greet them, “and she's making Grilled Ham and Double Cheese Sandwiches.” She turned to smile at Lonnie. “Hi, Lonnie. I guess you two guys are working late tonight.”

“We're waiting for Doc to finish the autopsy,” Mike explained. “And I have to complete your statement. After that, we're through.”

“Except for being on call,” Lonnie added. “We're on call twenty-four-seven during homicide investigations.”

“Do you want to interview Hannah now?” Michelle asked Mike. “Or would you rather wait until after you eat?”

“Now. I've got most of what I need, and it shouldn't take more than ten minutes.” Mike walked over to the couch, sat down, and patted the cushion next to him. “Come over here, Hannah. Lonnie can keep Michelle company in the kitchen.”

Hannah took a seat on the cushion next to Mike. “What else do you need to know?”

“I need answers to a couple of questions that occurred to me after you'd left. Did you see the body from the top of the ditch?”

“No. The ditch is quite deep, and it was too dark to see much of anything. I just happened to notice something red in the snow, and I went to see what it was.”

“Did you think it was blood?”

“No, not at all. Both Lisa and I could see that it was something made of cloth. I thought it was a mitten, or a glove, or maybe a scarf. And since it wasn't that far from the lip of the ditch, I told Lisa that I was going to climb down to get it.”

“You told me that earlier, but you didn't tell me why.”

For a moment, Hannah was puzzled. “Why what?”

“Why did you go down to get it?”

“Oh. Because somebody had obviously lost whatever it was and I thought they might have wanted it back.”

Mike smiled at her. “That figures. You're just a helpful person by nature. Why didn't Lisa go with you?”

“She would have, but the snow was deep and she was wearing ankle boots. I had my regular boots on and they're knee-highs. It was a good thing, too. The snow was really deep down there.”

“And the cloth you spotted was . . . ?”

“A Santa hat. I picked it up and I intended to climb right back up when I saw something else.”

“The body?”

“Actually . . . no. I hadn't seen that yet. It was at the bottom of the ditch. I thought I'd spotted something else, but I couldn't find it again when I got down there. But I did find something else quite near the bottom.”

“What was that?”

“I'll tell you, but it's something very . . .” Hannah paused, searching for the right word. “Let's just say that it was something very sensitive.”

“Something sensitive in what way?”

“Well . . .” Hannah paused again and took a moment to formulate her answer. “Look, Mike . . . do you really have to put what I tell you in your report?”

“That depends on whether or not it has anything to do with the investigation.”

“But if it's just personal and it doesn't have anything to do with the murder, then you don't have to put it in your report, do you?”

“I'll have to make up my own mind on that, Hannah. And I'll do that
after
you tell me what it was.”

Hannah sighed deeply. She wished she'd never mentioned that second object, but she had and now she was obligated to tell Mike.

“Hannah?”

“Yes. I know. I have to tell you. But first, I have to know if you really like Lisa.”

Mike reared back in surprise. “Of course I like Lisa! She's like a younger sister to me.”

“Okay. How about Herb? Do you like Herb?”

The puzzled expression on Mike's face didn't change with this new question. “Sure, I do. Herb's a regular guy. What's this all about, Hannah?”

“It's complicated.” Hannah took a moment to phrase her answer. “Lisa's worried that Herb was getting a little too close and personal with Phyllis Bates, now that Mayor Bascomb reassigned her to Herb's office. Herb's been coming home really late almost every night, and Lisa knows he's not at work because she drove past his office and his car wasn't there.”

“Okay. As far as I know, Herb's crazy about Lisa and I don't believe he'd get involved with another woman, but go on.”

“Lisa made chocolate caramels last night and gave some to Herb in his lunch bag.”

“That's nice, but what does that have to do with Phyllis Bates?”

“I'll tell you, but please be careful with this. If it gets out, it could cause a lot of trouble between Lisa and Herb.”

“Okay. That's enough salad. Let's get to the main course. Spit it out, Hannah.”

“The object I found was Herb's lunch bag. It was one of the reusable, personalized ones that Lisa gave him as a present. The lunch was gone, but the caramels were still there. I'm hoping that Herb was saving them for later, Phyllis grabbed Herb's lunch bag after he left the office, and Herb had nothing to do with the fact that she had it with her when she was killed.”

“So you want me to sit on that piece of information until I find out if Herb has an alibi?”

Hannah nodded gratefully. “Yes, that's it exactly. Please, Mike . . . I just can't believe that Herb could kill anyone.”

“Of course you can't, but both of us know that the most unlikely people can kill if they believe the circumstances warrant it.”

“I know you're right, but I still can't believe it.”

Mike reached out to slip an arm around Hannah's shoulders. “Okay. Just think about this for a minute. Say Herb
is
having a fling with Phyllis and Phyllis is threatening to tell Lisa about it unless he does something for her. And whatever that something is, Herb can't do it. He doesn't want to lose Lisa. He loves her. But Herb knows that Phyllis is the type of woman to make good on her threat and wreck his marriage. Herb's caught in a vise, and it's getting tighter with each passing day. He's desperate and he can see only one way out of it. He has to neutralize the threat.”

Hannah shivered and Mike pulled her a bit closer. “By killing Phyllis before she can talk to Lisa?”

“Yes. You said that Lisa was with you when you found the body. Do you know where she was
before
she met you at the Corner Tavern?”

“Yes. You know that Herb's playing Santa and Mayor Bascomb appointed Phyllis as Mrs. Claus, don't you?” Mike nodded, and Hannah continued. “Lisa and I went to the rehearsal to pick up the Christmas gift bags we're filling with candy for the children. We sat down in the back of the auditorium and watched the last few minutes of the play. And then it was time for Herb and Phyllis to come onstage.”

“Lisa wanted to watch Herb with Phyllis?”

Hannah nodded. “And that turned out to be a really bad idea. Tory Bascomb directed Phyllis to give Herb a stage kiss right before the final curtain, but Phyllis really kissed him. I mean,
really
kissed him. It was obvious to everyone who saw it that there was nothing staged about that kiss!”

“Go on.”

“Lisa and I were sitting in the back, and we saw what everyone else saw. Naturally, Lisa was upset and she ran out of the auditorium. I caught her on the way to the parking lot, and since I didn't want her to go straight home when she was that upset, we went back to The Cookie Jar and we worked for a while. Then I suggested hamburgers at the Corner Tavern, and Lisa agreed. She said she had to go home to feed the dogs and let them out in the yard for a while before she could go out to eat, but she promised to meet me at the Corner Tavern just as soon as she could.”

“Do you know what time you and Lisa left The Cookie Jar?”

“Yes. I looked at the clock before we went out the door. It was only a couple of minutes after nine.”

“And what time did Lisa get to the Corner Tavern?”

“I don't remember. I went out there right away and sat at the bar for a while, waiting for a table in the dining room. I didn't look at my watch when Lisa got there, but Bonnie Surma was sitting next to me and she might remember.”

“Okay. Give me your best estimate.”

“Maybe ten o'clock or a little before that. I know we didn't leave the Corner Tavern until eleven. The receipt was time-stamped.”