for the kitchen at a run was strong. But equally strong was the awareness of her civic duty. Brandi didn’t stab herself, and that meant murder. And disturbing a crime scene by removing the murder weapon was a big no-no. “Sorry, Edna. . . I can’t bring it in.”
“Why not?”
“Because Brandi’s got it.” And with that said, Hannah turned and headed back to the kitchen to explain.
Chapter 10
Once she’d told Edna what had happened and sworn her to secrecy, Hannah went back into the banquet room and tapped Mike on the shoulder.
“Hi, Hannah,” Mike said, smiling up at her. “How are the desserts coming?”
“The desserts are fine. The dessert knife isn’t. You need to come with me. there’s something you have to know.”
“Now?” Mike asked, looking down longingly at his helping of Sauerbraten.
“Right now,” Hannah said, practically dragging him from his chair. “I’ll have Edna save your plate for you. Take your jacket.”
“We’re going outside?”
“Just smile, Mike. I don’t want anyone to think there’s something wrong.”
“But there is something wrong?”
“Oh, yes,” Hannah confirmed it, leading him into the kitchen and handing his plate to Edna. “Will you save this for Mike? And can I borrow your parka?”
“ ‘Course,” Edna said, slipping Mike’s plate into the microwave and gesturing toward the stool that held her parka.
“Another murder in the pantry?” Mike asked, as Hannah opened the pantry door.
“No.”
“Good! For a second there, I thought history was repeating itself. So there’s no dead body this time?”
“I didn’t say that.” Hannah opened the delivery door and grabbed Mike’s arm. “There’s a dead body, but this time it’s in the parking lot.”
Things moved fast once Mike took charge of the crime scene. He used Hannah as an errand girl, sending her in for Doc Knight, who was just finishing a double helping of Esther’s Meatloaf.
Doc took his time examining the body, and then he looked up at Mike. “Okay. I’m through for now.”
“Time of death?” Mike asked, flipping open this notebook.
“I’d say no longer than thirty minutes ago, give or take ten.”
“Is it murder?” Hannah asked, moving slightly closer. She’d been standing as far away as she could while Doc examined Brandi’s body.
Doc looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. “Well, it’s certainly not a suicide.”
“Why’s that?”
“A woman who intends to kill herself doesn’t usually choose to do it with an antique cake knife on the coldest night of the year in a parking lot.”
“Too bad it’s snowing,” Mike said, staring down at the drift that was beginning to pile up around Brandi’s body. “Any tracks the killer left are long gone by now. At least we know one thing for certain.”
“What’s that?” Doc Knight asked.
“The killer went back inside after he stabbed Brandi.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped open for a second and then she closed it with an audible clack. “How do you know that?”
“There’s no way anybody drove over that snowdrift at the exit. It’s just too deep. And if they’d tried to walk over it, they would have sunk down to their eyeballs. I’m almost positive that nobody has come or gone from this lot since I got back.”
“But how do you know for certain that Brandi was alive when you got back here?” Hannah posed the important question.
“I was looking around for you and I noticed her.”
Hannah wasn’t sure whether she should be flattered, or angry. Mike had just admitted he’d been looking for her, but he’d noticed Brandi. Was that a plus or a minus in the grand scheme of things?
“Uh-oh,” Doc Knight said, reaching for the cell phone in his pocket. “They weren’t supposed to call me unless it was an emergency.”
Hannah and Mike stood there trying to pretend they weren’t listening as Doc Knight took the call. Of course they couldn’t help but hear what he said. Other than the occasional
“Why not?”
“Because Brandi’s got it.” And with that said, Hannah turned and headed back to the kitchen to explain.
Chapter 10
Once she’d told Edna what had happened and sworn her to secrecy, Hannah went back into the banquet room and tapped Mike on the shoulder.
“Hi, Hannah,” Mike said, smiling up at her. “How are the desserts coming?”
“The desserts are fine. The dessert knife isn’t. You need to come with me. there’s something you have to know.”
“Now?” Mike asked, looking down longingly at his helping of Sauerbraten.
“Right now,” Hannah said, practically dragging him from his chair. “I’ll have Edna save your plate for you. Take your jacket.”
“We’re going outside?”
“Just smile, Mike. I don’t want anyone to think there’s something wrong.”
“But there is something wrong?”
“Oh, yes,” Hannah confirmed it, leading him into the kitchen and handing his plate to Edna. “Will you save this for Mike? And can I borrow your parka?”
“ ‘Course,” Edna said, slipping Mike’s plate into the microwave and gesturing toward the stool that held her parka.
“Another murder in the pantry?” Mike asked, as Hannah opened the pantry door.
“No.”
“Good! For a second there, I thought history was repeating itself. So there’s no dead body this time?”
“I didn’t say that.” Hannah opened the delivery door and grabbed Mike’s arm. “There’s a dead body, but this time it’s in the parking lot.”
Things moved fast once Mike took charge of the crime scene. He used Hannah as an errand girl, sending her in for Doc Knight, who was just finishing a double helping of Esther’s Meatloaf.
Doc took his time examining the body, and then he looked up at Mike. “Okay. I’m through for now.”
“Time of death?” Mike asked, flipping open this notebook.
“I’d say no longer than thirty minutes ago, give or take ten.”
“Is it murder?” Hannah asked, moving slightly closer. She’d been standing as far away as she could while Doc examined Brandi’s body.
Doc looked over at her and raised his eyebrows. “Well, it’s certainly not a suicide.”
“Why’s that?”
“A woman who intends to kill herself doesn’t usually choose to do it with an antique cake knife on the coldest night of the year in a parking lot.”
“Too bad it’s snowing,” Mike said, staring down at the drift that was beginning to pile up around Brandi’s body. “Any tracks the killer left are long gone by now. At least we know one thing for certain.”
“What’s that?” Doc Knight asked.
“The killer went back inside after he stabbed Brandi.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped open for a second and then she closed it with an audible clack. “How do you know that?”
“There’s no way anybody drove over that snowdrift at the exit. It’s just too deep. And if they’d tried to walk over it, they would have sunk down to their eyeballs. I’m almost positive that nobody has come or gone from this lot since I got back.”
“But how do you know for certain that Brandi was alive when you got back here?” Hannah posed the important question.
“I was looking around for you and I noticed her.”
Hannah wasn’t sure whether she should be flattered, or angry. Mike had just admitted he’d been looking for her, but he’d noticed Brandi. Was that a plus or a minus in the grand scheme of things?
“Uh-oh,” Doc Knight said, reaching for the cell phone in his pocket. “They weren’t supposed to call me unless it was an emergency.”
Hannah and Mike stood there trying to pretend they weren’t listening as Doc Knight took the call. Of course they couldn’t help but hear what he said. Other than the occasional
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