Devil's Food Cake Murder (29 page)

“You and Andrea are going out there to talk to Lenny. Mother and I are going undercover to see what information we can learn about Lenny. We planned it all out this afternoon.”

“But…how is that going to work when we’re all going out in Mother’s car?”

“We’re not. There’s been a change of plans. Mother’s coming out here to pick us up, but you’re going to drive her car and drop us off at Bud Hauge’s place. Mother and I are borrowing his new truck.”

Hannah couldn’t help but be suspicious. “Mother put you up to this, didn’t she?”

“Yes, but I didn’t take much convincing. I think it’ll be fun. I’ve never gone undercover with Mother before.”

Hannah sighed. There wasn’t much she could do about it at this late date. Delores was due to arrive in less than ten minutes. “All right. Go ahead. But you have to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

“Remember the Karaoke contest Mother and Carrie entered at The Moosehead in Anoka?”

“Of course I remember. They sang Bye Bye Love and they were awful.”

“Exactly. I want you to promise me that you won’t let Mother sing.”

“Ready?” Andrea said as Hannah pulled into the parking lot at the Eagle and parked in the back row between a blue pickup truck and a black Ford with one door bashed in.

“I’m ready.” Hannah got out and found her sister just standing there staring at the red neon sign that hung on the outside of the building, buzzing and blinking irregularly. The last time they’d come out here, they’d noticed that the manufacturer of the sign had left out the “A” in “eagle.” The sign had read EGLE the last time Hannah had been here, but weather and age had taken their toll, and the sign had since gone through another transformation. The “L” in “eagle” had burned out and only the first “E,” the “G,” and the final “E” remained. It now read EGE with a strange gap between the letters.

“I wonder if they’re ever going to fix that sign,” Andrea mused.

“I doubt it. All the regulars know the name of this place and they don’t have any reasons to advertise. It’s not like it’s a major tourist attraction.”

Andrea laughed and her breath came out in a little white cloud. It was a cold evening, although not as cold as the night before.

“Let’s go,” Hannah said, picking up the bag of cookies she’d brought for Lenny and locking her mother’s sedan before they headed across the snowy parking lot to the front door. “I want to get inside before Michelle and Mother get here.”

“So that people won’t suspect that we’re together?”

“No, so that I won’t have to look at Mother’s outfit again.”

“What’s wrong with Mother’s outfit?” Andrea asked.

“You’ll see,” Hannah said with a laugh. She’d picked up Andrea after she’d dropped Michelle and Delores at Bud Hauge’s house, and Andrea had no idea what their mother was wearing.

As Hannah opened the door and held it for her sister, a cloud of warmth, a blast of country-western music, and the sound of raucous laughter greeted them. The smell was the same as it had been on their previous visit, one part spilled beer, one part too many people whose personal hygiene was questionable, and three parts something Hannah didn’t want to attempt to identify.

“They’re grilling again,” Andrea gestured toward the area near the back door where portable charcoal grills had been set up to supply hamburgers and cheeseburgers. “Isn’t that illegal?”

“I think so. Ask Bill when you get home, but don’t say anything now. We don’t want to get kicked out for being snitches.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. There’s two barstools together on the far end.”

Andrea led the way to the stools, and they took a seat. That was a bit difficult because the woman on the stool next to Hannah was much larger than the circumference of her stool. Andrea moved her stool as far as she could to the wall, and Hannah managed somehow to squeeze in.

“What are you drinking?” Andrea asked.

“White wine, but I’m not going to drink it. I’m just going to spill a little on the floor now and then.”

“But won’t someone notice?”

“Take a look at the floor.”

Andrea looked down and made a face. “Good point. I think I’ll have the same. Lenny must be on break. The only person behind the bar is a woman.”

“Hello, ladies,” the waitress came over to them. “What can I get you tonight?”

“What kind of wine do you serve?” Andrea asked her.

“We’ve got white, red, and rosy. Name your poison.”

“We’ll each have a glass of white wine,” Hannah said, before Andrea could ask what brand it was, or correct the woman’s pronunciation.

The waitress was back almost immediately with two wine glasses filled with what Hannah hoped was white wine. She wasn’t, however, about to find out, and she only pretended to sip.

“Thanks,” Hannah said. “How much is that, please? We’ll pay as we go tonight.”

“Six-fifty apiece,” the woman said, waiting until Hannah had handed her a twenty-dollar bill. “You want change?”

“Just the five, please,” Hannah said, managing to keep the pleasant tone in her voice. No way was she going to tip the woman seven dollars for two glasses of wine that probably came out of a box!

Andrea took a sip of her wine and made a face. “This tastes like turpentine smells. And now that I think about it, it smells like turpentine, too.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Hannah said, toying with the stem of her glass. “I hope Lenny gets back from his break soon. I want to ask him some questions and get out of here.”

“I see Michelle,” Andrea said, gesturing toward the tables that ringed the dance floor. “The guys must have picked up on her right away, because she’s already dancing.”

Hannah caught sight of her sister in the arms of a tall guy wearing a plaid shirt. He looked fairly normal, and that was good. But then she saw Delores. “Uh-oh! Look at Mother!”

“Where? I don’t see her.”

“She’s dancing with a really big man. He’s got to be six-four at least. He’s wearing a red shirt, and he’s got a beard.”

Andrea was silent for a moment. “Okay. I see him, but…that’s Mother?!”

“That’s Mother.”

“But…what is she wearing?”

“Just a little something she picked up at the mall,” Hannah said with a grin.

Delores had outdone herself in the bad taste department. Their mother was dressed in shiny black leather pants with a fringe running down the outside of the legs. Her form-fitting top was also of shiny black leather and several large rhinestone butterflies flitted across the front. Bright red lipstick, long red nails, a fake blond wig, and black high-heeled boots completed the outfit.

“I don’t believe it!” Andrea breathed, looking a bit ill. “You’re wrong, Hannah. There’s no way Mother got an outfit like that at the mall.”

“Oh, yes she did. Michelle told me she rented it from the costume shop.”

“But who would wear a costume like that? And why?”

Hannah shrugged. “Halloween?” she guessed. “Or maybe Dominatrix Day? I really don’t know. The only thing I do know is I wish she’d worn something else.”

“Me, too. I know mothers can disown children. But can children disown mothers?”

Hannah laughed. “You know you don’t mean that. Mother looks as if she’s having fun pretending to be someone else. We’d better help Michelle keep an eye on her.”

“Right. I don’t like the looks of that guy she’s dancing with, but so far he’s behaving. I’ve got Bill’s number on speed dial just in case there’s trouble. I just wish Lenny would …” Andrea stopped speaking and nudged Hannah. “Lenny’s back. The office door just opened, and Lenny’s coming out. He’s carrying something.”

Hannah turned to see Lenny heading for the other end of the bar. He was an average-looking guy who might have bordered on handsome if he’d lost twenty pounds, ditched the ragged sideburns, and gotten a good haircut. “It looks like some kind of a box. It’s long and rounded on the ends, and it’s covered with blue velvet.”

“It’s a jewelry case, the kind jewelers use for expensive necklaces,” Andrea told her. “When Bill gave me pearls last Christmas, they came in a velvet box just like that.”

As they watched, Lenny carried the box over to a man at the other end of the bar who opened it, glanced inside, and nodded. The man handed Lenny some folded bills which Lenny counted, and then Lenny shook his hand. The man, who was wearing a quilted parka vest, thrust the jewelry box in his inside pocket, and then he headed out the door.

“What was that about?” Andrea asked.

“I’m not sure, but the guy in the black cowboy shirt just handed Lenny some kind of ticket and a wad of money. And now Lenny’s going back into the office again.”

This time Lenny didn’t stay in the office for long, and when he came out, he was carrying a blue velvet ring box.

“Here you go,” he said handing it to the guy in the cowboy shirt. “You got this back just in time for her birthday.”

The ticket, the money, and the phrase you got this back clicked together in Hannah’s mind. “Do you think Lenny’s running a pawnshop out of the office?” she asked Andrea.

“That’s exactly what I think he’s doing. And that’s why he locks the office.”

“I wonder what type of things he has in there. So far all we’ve seen is jewelry, and …” Hannah stopped speaking as Andrea grabbed her arm. “What is it?”

“What if it’s more than a pawnshop? What if Lenny fences stolen goods, too? And what if he’s got some of the jewelry from that robbery in the Cities?”

Hannah shook her head. “That doesn’t track. It’s much too rich for Lenny’s blood. He can’t afford to fence anything that expensive.”

“Okay, so let’s say he didn’t fence it. Let’s say he’s just keeping it for the robbers and charging them storage while they look for a buyer. Does that track for you?”

“It’s better, but I still don’t think that Lenny could …”

“Shh!” Andrea hushed her. “Lenny’s coming this way! You’ve got to get a look in that office, Hannah. Some of the jewelry could be there, and then Bill would get credit for recovering it.”

“Okay, I’ll do my best,” Hannah promised, and then she pasted a smile on her face.

“Ladies.” Lenny slapped down two napkins and moved their wine glasses on top of them. “I see that Silky forgot to give you napkins. Can I get you another drink as an apology?”

“Only if you pour this out and fill our glasses with ginger ale,” Hannah said, smiling at him. “I’m sorry I missed you at the coffee shop today. I was in the kitchen baking.”

Lenny looked puzzled for a moment, and then he smiled back. “Hannah. I didn’t expect to see you out here. Don’t you like the high-quality white wine we serve?”

Hannah shook her head and leaned forward so no one else at the bar could hear. “It’s awful. What kind is it anyway?”

“I don’t know. It comes in a white box with a blue stripe, and it says High-quality White Wine on it.” Lenny laughed at his own joke, and Hannah joined in. “What brings you way out here?” he asked her.

“This,” Hannah answered, setting the bag of cookies she’d brought on the bar. “You left before I could give these to you. It’s a new recipe I got from my friend, Edwina Gadsby, and I’m trying it out with my customers. They’re called Chocolate-Covered Raisin Cookies.”

Lenny cocked his head. “Edwina Gadsby. That name’s familiar.”

“It should be. Her folks owned the Lake Eden movie theater until it burned down when I started high school.”

“Right! They called it The Great Gadsby, and they had matinees on Saturday for half price.” Lenny looked thoughtful. “Are the chocolate-covered raisins in the recipe like the Raisinets we used to buy at the candy counter?”

“They’re not only like them, they are them. Florence ordered Raisinets for me at the Red Owl, and that’s what I used in these cookies.”

“Then I’m going to like these a lot. Thanks, Hannah. I’d better put these away so my waitresses can’t snag them all. I think I’ll lock them up in the office.”

“That reminds me,” Hannah said quickly. “Do you have a phone in the office that I can use? I forgot to charge my cell phone and I need to make a private call.”

“Sure. I’ll unlock it.”

“Great! Is it okay if I close the office door so I can hear better? It’s really noisy in here.”

“Fine with me, but if you think this is noisy, you should hear it on Saturday night.” Lenny motioned to her. “Come with me.”

Hannah slid off her stool and brushed close to Andrea. “Distract him when he gets back,” she said. “You can ask him about the gold dollar.”

CHOCOLATE-COVERED RAISIN COOKIES

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Hannah’s 1st Note: Edwina says that while her grandmother made a delicious oatmeal raisin cookie, she decided it was time to try an updated more “extreme” version. Her additions were: chewy chocolate-covered raisins, instant butterscotch pudding mix, and butterscotch chips. The result was definitely not her grandmother’s oatmeal raisin cookie!

1 cup salted butter, softened (2 sticks, 8 ounces, 1/2 pound)

1 small package (makes 4 half-cups) butterscotch instant pudding mix (NOT sugar-free)***

1/2 cup white (granulated) sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

1 egg, beaten (just whip it up in a glass with a fork)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)

1 and 1/2 cups quick rolled oats (not instant—I used Quaker’s Quick 1-minute)

1 cup chocolate-covered raisins (I used Nestle Raisinets, an 11-ounce bag. There was about 1/4 cup left, but not for very long!)

1 cup butterscotch chips (a 6-ounce package)

*** - If you can’t find butterscotch instant pudding mix, you can use vanilla instant pudding mix, the kind that makes 4 half-cup servings. You can also use a 3.5 ounce package (also makes 4 half-cup servings) of butterscotch-flavored Jell-O Cook & Serve, but NOT the sugar-free kind.

Hannah’s 2nd Note: You can mix these cookies up by hand, but it’s a lot easier with an electric mixer.

Mix the softened butter, dry pudding mix, white sugar, and brown sugar together. Beat them until they’re light and fluffy.