Part 20 (2/2)
”That's nice. Have you seen it yet?”
”I saw it last night. It's going to be spectacular, Hannah. Andrea really had a great idea.”
”She did?” Hannah felt her curiosity rise. ”What colors are they using?”
Lisa shook her head. ”I can't tell you. I've been sworn to secrecy about everything. Andrea and Janice don't want you to know anything about it until the day of the parade.”
Hannah gave up. Lisa could keep a secret better than anyone she knew and it was a lost cause.
”Hi, Hannah.” Andrea popped through the front door of The Cookie Jar just as Hannah had finished refilling the coffee mugs. ”I've got great news. Danielle Watson is back in town. She looks absolutely wonderful, much better than she did when she was married to the coach.”
”I'm really glad to hear that.” Hannah knew she'd never forget how terrified Danielle had been when everyone in town thought she'd killed her husband. ”Is she back for a visit?”
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”No, for good.”
”Really? I thought you sold her house for her when she went to stay with her mother in Florida.”
”I did. Danielle said there were too many unhappy memories and she didn't want to keep it. Now that she's back, she's looking for a condo. Are there any units for sale in your complex? There's nothing listed, but sometimes people try to sell on their own.”
Hannah tried to think of any likely candidates. ”You could try Mrs. Wozniac. Her sister's husband died and she was talking about moving in with her.”
”Thanks. That's a good lead.” Andrea pulled out her leather-bound appointment book and jotted down the name. ”Anybody else?”
”Not that I know of, but check with Sue Plotnik. Phil's president of the homeowners' a.s.sociation and n.o.body can put up a For Sale sign without his approval.”
”That's another good lead. Have you ever thought of going into real estate, Hannah?”
”Never.” Hannah knew she'd better change the subject before Andrea tried to recruit her. ”Is Danielle going to look for a job in town?”
”Not exactly. She's opening a dance studio and I found the perfect spot for her. I showed her the loft above Red Owl Grocery and she rented it on the spot. She absolutely fell in love with the high windows and the hardwood floor. And that reminds me, did you know that Red Owl used to be a big grocery chain? The chain went under, but our store pet.i.tioned the board of directors and got permission to keep the name.”
”That's interesting. When is Danielle going to open for business?”
”In September, right after school starts. She said it wouldn't take much work to convert the loft. All she needs to do is resurface the floor, install floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and decorate it.”
LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 185.
”Good for her.” Hannah was pleased.
”I'm just glad I thought to show it to her. It's been on the books for over three months and I thought I'd never get it rented. I really hope Danielle can make a good living teaching dance in Lake Eden and it won't end up on the books again.”
Hannah clamped her lips shut. She knew that Danielle could afford to run her studio at a loss, but Danielle's finances were her own personal business.
”I just popped in for a minute. I've got a million things to do before Tracey gets out of preschool. You're going to the dinner tonight, aren't you?”
”What dinner?”
”At the lake cottage. We're all invited. I wonder why Mother hasn't called you yet.”
Hannah experienced a fleeting moment of relief. Perhaps Delores had forgotten. Then she wouldn't have to put her diet to the test again tonight. But Delores never forgot things like that.
”She'll call,” Hannah said, as certain of that as she was of the sun rising in the morning. ”She's probably nursing a sore ear from all those phone calls she's been making about Rhonda.”
”I'm back.” Lisa came in from the kitchen with a smile on her face. ”They're having a ball down at Kiddie Korner. Janice really had a great idea involving the seniors. The kids don't seem to notice that some of them have failing memories.”
”Kids that age are very accepting. If we could just get them to keep that att.i.tude, it might be a kinder world.”
”You said it!” Lisa said with a sigh, but she immediately brightened. ”Janice is talking about making this a regular thing. She said that if the seniors could spend one afternoon a week with them, it would be good for both groups.”
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”I think she's right. Some of Tracey's cla.s.smates don't have grandparents in the area. And the seniors have the same problem in reverse.”
Lisa moved behind the counter and began to make a fresh urn of coffee. ”Did any new orders come in while I was gone?”
”Just one. Donna Lempke's throwing a sweet-sixteen party for her daughter and she wanted to know if we could make ice cream sandwiches.”
”Can we?”
”I told her we could. Remember how soft the Pecan Chews got the last time we baked them?”
”I remember. They tasted great, though.”
”I think it was the humidity. It's still just as humid, so I thought we'd bake another batch. We'll sandwich vanilla ice cream between them, wrap them individually, and freeze them.”
”Let's do half vanilla and half chocolate,” Lisa suggested. ”Then people can choose.”
”That's a good idea. If they turn out really well, we'll add them to the summer cookie menu. In weather like this people might like something frozen.”
”Do you want me to start on them now?”
”Not quite yet. I have someone I need to see. Could you man the counter for an hour?”
”Sure. Does it have anything to do with-” Lisa stopped and glanced around her, but the customers at the tables were busy with their own conversations ”-with Rhonda's murder?”
”Yes. I'll be back as soon as I can.”
”Take as long as you need. I told you I'd run the shop while you investigated. Is there anything I can do while I'm waiting on our customers?”
Hannah thought about that for a moment. ”Nothing specific, but keep your eyes open and be the invisible coffee mug filler.”
”That actually works,” Lisa said with a laugh. ”They just go right on talking like I'm not even there.”
LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 187.
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