Part 25 (2/2)
For a moment Hannah thought she'd blown it, because Bill gave her one of those ”Just who do you think you are?” looks. But he must have decided to cut her some slack because he proceeded to read Judith her rights.
”How did you know I was here?” Hannah asked when Bill had finished with the legalities.
”I got your message about the rental car folder and I drove out to DelRay to talk to Del. He said he hadn't seen you and I figured that you must be here. I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner, but it looks like you handled it just fine. Maybe I can take a few lessons from you.”
”Whatever,” Hannah said modestly. She wasn't about to admit that she'd been saved by a combination of serendipity, fortuity, and blind dumb luck.
The next few minutes seemed to fly by in a rush. Backup arrived to take Judith into custody, Bill took Hannah's statement in the Woodleys' ma.s.sive kitchen, and Judith's sitting room was roped off with yellow crime-scene tape. Hannah warned Bill to tell the deputies to be careful with the tea set; it actually was was a priceless antique. Then Bill walked her out into the crisp night air she'd never thought she'd enjoy again. a priceless antique. Then Bill walked her out into the crisp night air she'd never thought she'd enjoy again.
The night was incredibly peaceful. Gentle snowflakes were falling and it seemed a fitting end to a day that had been filled with confusion, frustration, fear, and finally a sense of a job well done. Hannah was about to climb into her Suburban when she remembered what she'd seen on the counter in the Woodleys' kitchen. ”I forgot something, Bill. I'll be right back.”
Hannah raced back into the house and headed straight for the kitchen. There it was: her white bakery bag with the red plastic handles and ”The Cookie Jar” printed on the side in gold letters. She s.n.a.t.c.hed it up and ran back outside again.
”These are for you.” Hannah was breathless as she handed the bag to Bill. ”They're my best cookies, Pecan Chews.”
Bill looked both surprised and pleased. ”Thanks, Hannah. Why did you leave them inside?”
”I used them as an excuse to see Judith.” Hannah laughed and the echo of her own laughter sounded wonderful to her ears. ”I gave them to her as a hostess gift, but I don't think she's going to be doing much entertaining where she's going to end up.”
Epilogue.
It wasn't bad as family parties went and Hannah was pleasantly surprised. Norman had gone out to the sheriff's department open house and he'd offered to help Bill move Mike Kingston into his new apartment. Naturally, Bill had asked him to come back to the house for pizza with them and now they were all sitting around Andrea and Bill's dining room table, munching pizza, the salad Delores had brought, and Hannah's contribution, two pans of her Lovely Lemon Bar Cookies. She'd told everyone she thought it was appropriate to bring bars because Judith Woodley was behind them at last.
Something else had happened that made this night into a celebration. Sheriff Grant had promoted Bill to detective and he'd decided that Bill should be Mike's partner. Mike was still Bill's supervisor, but they would be working together on cases. Of course Sheriff Grant didn't know anything about Hannah's part in solving the double-homicide, and neither did Mike. Hannah had told Bill that she wanted all of the credit to go to him.
There was another thing to celebrate and it concerned Andrea's career. Bill had decided that since Tracey loved preschool so much, it would be a shame to take her away from the friends she'd made. And since Tracey would be spending her days at Kiddie Korner, Andrea could keep right on selling real estate.
”Time for bed, Tracey.” Andrea sounded relaxed and happy as she turned to her daughter. ”You've got school tomorrow.”
”Okay, Mommy. I can take the detective bear that Mike gave me, can't I?”
”Sure, you can,” Bill answered her.
”But it's a collectible,” Delores objected. ”What if one of Tracey's friends gets it dirty?”
Mike shrugged. ”Then it'll get dirty. Let her take it, Andrea. It's not much of a present for Tracey if she can't play with it.”
”You're right.” Andrea smiled at him and then she turned to Tracey. ”You can take it, honey. It's okay.”
Hannah watched the exchange and it made her feel good. Perhaps Andrea was becoming a little less materialistic. She certainly was becoming more maternal. Tracey had called her ”Mommy,” and Andrea hadn't objected to the label.
After Tracey had kissed everyone good night and left to go upstairs with Andrea, Delores motioned to Hannah. ”Could you help me dress another salad, dear? We're running out.”
”Sure.” Hannah followed Delores into the kitchen, but the moment they were out of earshot, she took her mother's arm. ”Spill it, Mother.”
”Spill what, what, dear?” dear?”
”The reason you wanted to get me alone. We weren't running out of salad. The bowl was half full.”
”You always were the smart one.” Delores laughed. ”I just wanted to know how you felt with two men competing for you.”
Hannah reared back on her heels and gave her mother a look that would wither baby grapes on the vine. ”Are you crazy, Mother? Norman isn't interested in me that way. We're friends, but that's as far as it goes. And Mike Kingston certainly isn't. He's just being polite to his new partner's sister-in-law.”
”I don't think so.” Delores didn't seem at all swayed by that argument. ”Norman told Carrie that you're the first girl he's felt comfortable with in years.”
”That's nice, but it doesn't spell romance. Norman's just as comfortable around Andrea. As a matter of fact, I think he's even more more comfortable around her. They were huddled together in the living room for a long time, discussing what color Andrea should choose for her new carpet.” comfortable around her. They were huddled together in the living room for a long time, discussing what color Andrea should choose for her new carpet.”
”But Andrea's married,” Delores pointed out, ”and you're not.”
Hannah couldn't resist teasing her mother. ”That's true. Do you think that Norman would feel even more comfortable around me if I got married?”
”That's not what I mean and you know it!” Delores sounded as outraged as she could, given the fact she had to keep her voice down.
”Sorry, Mother. It's just that you're always trying to push me into marriage. I've told you before, I'm perfectly happy being single.”
”That'll change when you meet the right man.” Delores seemed very certain. ”I think you've already met him and you just haven't realized it yet. Norman's a very good catch.”
”You make him sound like a trout.”
”It fits, dear.” Delores looked highly amused. ”Norman's swallowed the bait. Now all you have to do is reel him in.”
Hannah laughed at the mental picture that popped into her head, and Delores joined in. When they stopped laughing, Hannah gently admonished her. ”If you stop trying to set me up with every man in town, we'll get along much better. You've already got a grandchild and she's perfect. And your son-in-law just solved a double homicide and got promoted to detective. Let's just have a good time tonight and celebrate all the good things that have happened.”
”You're right, Hannah,” Delores agreed. ”But I still think both of those men are competing for you.”
There was no stopping Delores, and Hannah was almost ready to give up the fight, but not before she fired a parting shot. ”If they're competing for me, why hasn't either one of them asked me out?”
”Oh, they will.” Delores sounded very confident. ”Before the night's over, you'll have two dates.”
”You think so?”
”Want to bet?”
”I don't know. What's in it for me when I win?”
”If you win,” Delores corrected her. you win,” Delores corrected her.
”All right, if if I win.” I win.”
”I'll buy you a new outfit. Claire has a stunning green silk suit that'll look just lovely on you.”
Hannah had seen the green silk in Claire's window and Delores was right: It was stunning. ”You'll never win this bet, Mother, but just for form's sake, what do you want if you you win?” win?”
”I want you to stop wearing those awful old tennis shoes. They're disgusting!”
<script>