door.
“Yes, it does.” Hannah began to smile as she stepped into the huge lobby with its massive wooden beams and gigantic rock fireplace. The scent in the air was mouth-watering. It was tantalizingly spicy, and under the spice she could detect a hint of chocolate. It had to be Sally’s Chicken Mole, one of her favorite dishes.
“Come on, Andrea. Let’s head for the bar.” Hannah set off at a fast pace for the wood-paneled bar that also served as the dining room. “If the buffet is still out, I’ll treat you to lunch.”
Chapter Seven
The moment they entered the bar, Hannah spotted Sally Laughlin. She was hard to miss with her bright orange maternity top. The Laughlins’s first child would be born in January, and Sally was sitting on a barstool with her feet elevated on a neighboring stool. The buffet table was still out, and Hannah turned to Andrea. “Just wait until you taste Sally’s Chicken Mole. It’s fantastic.”
“I’ve never even heard of Chicken Mole before. What is it?”
“It’s Mexican cuisine, chicken baked in a dark chocolate sauce with lots of spices.”
“Chicken and chocolate?” Andrea shuddered. “That doesn’t sound very appetizing.”
“But it is. Just try it and see.” Hannah bit back a grin. She should have remembered that Andrea wasn’t very adventuresome when it came to food. Last Thanksgiving, Hannah had added red bell peppers and water chestnuts to the turkey stuffing, and Andrea had refused to try it.
“Come on, Andrea. Let’s go say hello to Sally. I think Doc Knight is wrong about her due date. She looks like she’s almost ready to pop.”
Andrea looked as if she might object to that turn of phrase, but once she caught sight of Sally, she forgot to tell Hannah to be more tactful. “I hope having all these guests isn’t too much for her. She doesn’t look very comfortable.”
“Hi there.” Sally’s face lit up in a smile as they approached her barstool. “I’m just taking a break. What are you girls doing way out here?”
“We came for the Chicken Mole,” Hannah answered, before Andrea could say anything.
“Then go fill your plates and come back here. You can tell me all the local gossip.”
“And you can tell us all the gossip about your guests.” Andrea seized the opportunity and jumped into the conversation. “I live hearing about people from out of town.”
Hannah waited until they’d walked over to the buffet table and then she turned to Andrea. “That was good, Andrea.”
“What was good?” Andrea picked up a plate and dished out a helping of spinach salad.
“That bit about how you love to hear about people from out of town.”
“Oh, that.”
Andrea dismissed it with a wave of the salad tongs. “I just thought Sally would be more likely to talk to us if we said we were interested. I just wish you hadn’t said we came for the Chicken Mole.”
“Why not?”
“Because now I’ll have to take some, and since we’ll be sitting at the bar with Sally, I’ll have to eat it.”
“Relax, you’ll like it.” Hannah patted her on the shoulder. “And think of how much fun you’ll have telling Tracey about it.”
“That’s what you always used to say when you made supper and it didn’t turn out right. This is really exotic. Andrea. Try some so you can tell all your friends about it.”
Hannah winced. Andrea was wise to her, and whatever she said would only make matters worse. She watched her sister take a small helping of the mole and a large helping of macaroni and cheese in silence. She wasn’t about to make the mistake of telling Andrea that Sally’s macaroni and cheese didn’t come out of a blue box.
Once their plates were filled, Hannah led the way back to the bar and they climbed up on stools next to Sally. Hannah was amused when Andrea tried her Chicken Mole first. When she’d been a kid, she’d done the same thing with her vegetables.
Andrea chewed thoughtfully and then she smiled at Sally. “This is wonderful, Sally. I wasn’t sure I’d like chicken and chocolate, but I do.”
“Thanks. The guests all raved about it, too. Buffet food is pretty standard, but I try to do one unusual dish every day to keep them interested.”
“Are they a pretty good crowd?” Hannah asked, forging the way for discussion about the guests.
“Super. Of course, some of the contestants are a little nervous. It’s a pretty big deal, you know.”
“How about the three ladies who were eliminated last night?” Hannah asked. “I know I probably shouldn’t say it under the circumstances, but I bet they weren’t exactly happy with what Boyd Watson said on television.”
“That’s an understatement!” Sally laughed. “They were hopping mad when they got back here, but the lady who won was so nice about it, they calmed down and had a good time at the party.”
“Then all three ladies were at the party?” Andrea asked, catching Hannah’s line of questioning perfectly.
“They were here and so were their families, so you ca forget about them.”
“Forget about them?” Hannah tried for a perfectly innocent look.
“Come on, Hannah.” Sally reached out to squeeze her arm. “I know why you’re asking, and I wondered how long it would take you. I figured you’d make small talk for at least five minutes, but I was wrong.”
Hannah was impressed. Sally was quick. “I’m no good at small talk. I’m better off just jumping right in with both feet.”
“How is Boyd’s wife? It must have been an awful shock.”
“It was.” Hannah decided to confide in Sally. “And to make matters worse, she’s the prime suspect.”
Sally slid her feet off the barstool and sat up a little straighter. “She didn’t do it, did she?”
“No, and Andrea and I are hoping to prove that she didn’t. If I tell you something, will you promise not to repeat it?”
“You can count on me. I only met Danielle once, but I liked her. And she certainly didn’t seem like the type to murder her husband. I’ve got to say that I didn’t like him, though. They drove out here for dinner last summer, and all he could do was complain. After they left, Dick said he felt sorry for her. We only had to put up with him for a couple of hours, but she was stuck with him for a lifetime.”
“A short lifetime,” Hannah pointed out. “Danielle had good reason to kill Boyd and that’s part of the problem. But we do have a possible lead.”
“What is it?”
“Danielle told me that Boyd got a phone call from a woman on Tuesday around noon. It was a local call, and Danielle didn’t recognize the woman’s voice, but she said that Boyd was really angry after he’d talked to her. We thought it might have been one of your guests.”
Sally thought about it for a minute, then she nodded. “That’s certainly possible. Almost everyone checked in before noon, and there was nothing scheduled until the banquet at seven.”
“This woman had some sort of speech impediment,” Andrea told her. “Danielle said she slurred her words, but she didn’t seem drunk.”
Sally shook her head. “I haven’t noticed anyone with a problem like that, but I’m not sure I’ve met all the guests. Why don’t you do a little table-hopping after you finish your lunch? This crowd always sticks around for the dessert buffet.”
“That’s not surprising,” Hannah remarked, “since most of them are entered in the bake-off. Maybe they’re hoping to pick up a few pointers from you.”
Sally seemed pleased as she slid from her stool. “I’ve got to run. Dick’s in the kitchen filling the eclairs, and I have to put on the chocolate frosting. What are you baking on television tonight, Hannah?”
“Apricot Bread Pudding.”
“Oh, good. Another recipe for my files. I had the station fax me your Pound Plus Cake recipe, and I baked four batches last night. Do you think I can serve it with canned peaches, since strawberries are so expensive?”
“Absolutely. You can use any canned or frozen fruit.”
Sally gave her a little salute. “Thanks, Hannah. I’ll be the first one to call the station after I watch you tonight.”
