Fudge Cupcake Murder

Hannah opened the grocery bag and pulled out a bottle. She held her hand over the label and asked, 'Does this look familiar?'

    'That bottle looks just like the ones Beatrice brought in when she was testing salad dressings.'

    'And where did Beatrice say she got the bottles?'

    'From her mother-in-law's basement. And she also said that Alma had lots of them and Ted thought she was crazy for bringing them home.'

    'Turns out that Beatrice was brilliant for bringing them home. I never would have guessed Alma's secret ingredient if I hadn't seen those bottles.'

    'You mean you know what it is?' Lisa looked excited when Hannah nodded.

    'If I'm right, this is it.'

    Lisa took the bottle and looked at the label. 'Raspberry syrup? That's got to be it, Hannah! And it explains why Alma put a raspberry on top of the cupcakes. You and Edna both thought that it would be a thick liquid and syrup is thick. And Beatrice said they tasted fruity.'

    'She also said that they tasted German and they're very big on chocolate and raspberry in Europe.'

    'You've got it, Hannah. I don't think I ever would have figured it out.'

    'You would have if Florence had gotten a hold of you,' Hannah said, smiling at her partner. 'But let's not crow too much until we test it. Do you want to do it, or shall I?'

    'You do it. I'll stay out here since I'm in costume.'

    'And that reminds me…' Hannah grinned as she handed Lisa the white bag from the drugstore. 'This ought to fix that tail of yours.'

    'A sling?' Lisa asked, looking dumbfounded as she drew it out of the bag.

    'A sling and a bandage. You know how Moishe's tail is bent at the tip?' Hannah waited until Lisa nodded. 'Doctor Bob said it's common for street cats to break the tips of their tails.'

    'So you want me to break my tail?'

    'Yes. Just bend it at the tip and bandage it. Then you can put it in a sling that hangs around your neck and it won't get in your way.'

    'Those cupcakes smell wonderful!' Lisa sighed in longing as she opened the swinging door between the kitchen and the coffee shop. 'You frosted them, too?'

    'I thought I should. This has to be a complete test.'

    'Of course it does. And I really love that fudge frosting. You want me to taste a cupcake, don't you?'

    'Help yourself. I'm so sure this is it, I baked a double batch.'

    Lisa made a beeline for the bakers' rack and grabbed a cupcake. Her mouth headed for the frosting like a child bobbing for an apple and, in keeping with her costume, she practically purred as she tasted it. 'This frosting is so good, Hannah.'

    'I know. I licked out the pan. Do you want me to take a turn up front while you eat your cupcake?'

    Lisa shook her head. 'There's nobody there. We haven't had a customer for the past thirty minutes.'

    Hannah considered what Lisa had said. Almost everybody in town was getting ready for Halloween and there wouldn't be many customers for the remainder of the afternoon. It was silly for both of them to stay here, especially when Hannah knew that Lisa was itching to go down to the community center and help her father and the seniors put the finishing touches on the decorations for the Halloween party.

    'Here you go, Lisa,' Hannah put six cupcakes into a takeout box and handed it to Lisa. 'Take off your apron and get out of here.'

    Lisa caught Hannah's meaning immediately and she began to grin. 'You're kicking me out?'

    'I am. There's no reason why both of us should be bored, and I have to stay here to make some phone calls anyway.'

    'Well, if you're sure you don't mind…”

    'I don't mind,' Hannah said. 'Go help your dad decorate.'

    'I will.' Lisa looked very pleased as she picked up the cupcake box. 'Do you want me to take the Halloween cookies?'

    'I'll bring them when I come with Tracey. If you take them, the kids will just get into them early.'

    'Okay. See you tonight, Hannah. I'll be the cat with the broken tail and Herb's going to be an outhouse.'

    'An outhouse?' Hannah repeated, not sure she'd heard Lisa correctly.

    'That's right. He made his costume himself. It's a big box with the bottom cut out and holes in the sides for his arms. The box goes up to the top of his head and he's got a toy rooster he's gluing on the top.'

    Hannah tried to imagine it, but she couldn't quite do it. 'If his head's in the box, how does he see?'

    'He made cutouts of a moon and stars and he looks through those. A lot of outhouses have those for ventilation. But that's not the best thing.'

    Hannah was almost afraid to ask, 'What's the best thing?'

    'He rigged it so the door opens. And when we dance, I'm going to open the door and step in. Isn't it just great, Hannah? I really think he's going to win the prize.'

    'Great,' Hannah said, and she gave a little wave as Lisa went out the back door. If Herb didn't win the prize for best costume, he certainly should get points for the strangest.

    Hannah glanced out the plate glass window and sighed. It was four o'clock in the afternoon and the only customer she'd had was Freddy Sawyer. Doc Knight had placed an order for four-dozen Halloween cookies so that Freddy could dress up in a Superman costume and pass them out to the nurses and patients tonight.

    A Siberian husky on a leash trotted past the window and Hannah watched for the owner. It seemed to take a very long time and, for a moment, Hannah thought perhaps someone was playing a Halloween joke. Then Eleanor Cox came into view, holding the handle of a retractable leash. She waved at Hannah, Hannah waved back, and that was Hannah's only excitement for the next fifteen minutes.

    Time had never gone so slowly. Hannah decided she should do something more constructive than count the birds that landed in the huge pine across the street, and she reached for the phone. Beatrice hadn't been home the last time she'd called to invite her to taste the cupcakes, but perhaps she'd returned by now.

    After ten rings, Hannah disconnected the call and punched in her youngest sister's number. Since she was having no luck reaching Beatrice, she might as well try Michelle again. The phone rang once, twice, and then Michelle answered.

    'Michelle?' Hannah asked, hardly daring to believe her good luck. 'I'm really glad I caught you.'

    'Hi, Hannah. What's up?'

    'It's Lonnie. I tried everywhere, but I can't find him.'

    There was a long silence and when she spoke again, Michelle sounded wary. 'Why do you need to find Lonnie?'

    'I found his incident report in Sheriff Grant's briefcase and I think it might have something to do with the murder.'

    'What murder?!'

    Hannah froze for an instant. Was it possible that Michelle hadn't heard? 'You know about Sheriff Grant, don't you?'

    'What about Sheriff Grant?'

    'Somebody killed him last Monday night. They hit him over the head and toppled him into a Dumpster in the Jordan High parking lot. I found him when I carried out the garbage from my cooking class.'

    Michelle gulped so loudly Hannah could hear it over the phone. 'That's just awful! And it happened last Monday night?'

    'That's right. And Mike suspended Bill because Bill was a suspect, but we managed to clear him and he's back on the job.'

    'I really don't believe this, Hannah.' Michelle gave a huffy sigh. 'I'm less than a hundred miles away, and nobody bothers to tell me anything! Are you sure you didn't leave anything out?'

    'Just one thing. Doc Knight ordered Andrea to stay home with her feet up and she's going crazy.'

    'This is surreal, Hannah. Mother called me last night and she didn't say a word about anything! She just