Strawberry Shortcake Murder

Chapter Twelve

Norman stepped into the kitchen. “Hannah? Your prints are ready.”

“Oh, good. I can hardly wait to see how they turned out.” Hannah gave Mrs. Beeseman the most innocent smile she could muster. Norman had suggested that she go down and have coffee with his mother and Mrs. Beeseman to practice a little damage control. “It’s been nice talking to you, Mrs. Beeseman. And you too, Mrs. Rhodes.”

Hannah got up from her chair to follow Norman out of the room and up the stairs. When she was sure they were out of earshot, she asked, “What did we get?”

“Four prints. One of them is good, but I couldn’t do much with the other three.”

“Only four? What about the rest of the roll?”

“It was blank. Lucy must have rewound the film once she got what she wanted.”

Norman opened the door to the darkroom and Hannah stepped in. the prints were arranged on the counter opposite the sink.

“I put them in order,” Norman explained. “The one of Sally Laughlin at the Lake Eden Inn was taken first.”

Hannah stared down at the picture of Sally. She was removing a tray of stuffed mushrooms from one of her ovens at the inn. Then she moved on to the second print and started to frown. The lighting was poor, and she couldn’t make out much in the background. “What is it?”

“I’m not sure. It looks like some kind of a building. There’s a car,” Norman pointed it out, “and two men. I tried to lighten it up a little, but I didn’t have much success. Lucy used existing light instead of her flash.”

Hannah examined the third print. The two men were a bit more visible. While they’d appeared to be standing and talking in the earlier picture, in this one they had assumed a more adversarial stance. She peered down in silence for a moment, then asked, “Do you think the one facing the camera could be Boyd Watson?”

“It’s difficult to tell. There just isn’t enough light.”

Hannah moved on to the final print. The man whose back was to the camera was raising his right arm. There was something in his hand, but Hannah couldn’t quite make it out. She stared at it for a moment, then she gasped.

“What is it?” Norman looked anxious.

“This is a picture of Boyd Watson’s murder!”

“Are you sure?”

“No, but it makes sense if you think about it.” Hannah took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Her heart was pounding so fast, she felt slightly woozy. “I told you about the third car that Mrs. Kalick saw. She thought it was Felicia Berger and her boyfriend, but this changes everything.”

“You think it was Lucy?”

“Yes. She must have parked her car and followed Boyd and his killer down the alley on foot. That’s the only way she could have taken these pictures.”

Norman moved closer to examine the print again. “You could be on to something, Hannah. It would explain why Lucy didn’t use her flash. She didn’t want Boyd and his killer to know she was there. Unfortunately, it’s all speculation.”

“What do you mean?”

“These photos don’t really prove anything. No one can identify the two men. It’s just too dark. They could be anyone in town, or out of town, for that matter. And the background doesn’t help us pin down the location. All we can see are two men and a car, and we can’t even tell what kind of car it is.”

Hannah frowned. “But I’m sure it’s Boyd’s garage.”

“I think you’re right, but we can’t prove it. These prints could have been taken anywhere. We don’t even know when they were taken.”

“There’s no date on the film?”

“No. if Lucy had a date-stamp feature on her camera, she didn’t use it. We can’t even prove she took them the night of Boyd’s murder. We can ask her, but I don’t think she’s dumb enough to admit that she witnessed a murder and didn’t report it.”

Hannah thought about it for a minute. “You’re right, Norman. Lucy won’t tell us anything. And I can’t run out to the sheriff’s station with these prints. Even if I tell them I found that film in Lucy’s desk, it’ll be my word against hers, and that’s a wash.”

“But Andrea was there. She can swear that the film was in Lucy’s desk.”

Hannah sighed deeply. “That won’t work, either. I can’t involve her, and it’s not just Bill’s reaction I’m worried about. Even if Mike and Bill manage to identify Boyd’s killer from the evidence we found, the whole thing could be thrown out of court.”

“You’re right, Hannah. Some smart lawyer for the defense could argue that since the illegal search of Lucy’s apartment was performed by the wife and sister-in-law of a detective assigned to the case, it’s tainted.”

“Fruit of the poisoned tree.” Hannah repeated a phrase she’d learned from an episode of Law & Order. “I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place, Norman.”

“Maybe not.” Norman looked thoughtful. “If we can identify the killer without involving Lucy, you might be able to find new evidence. And if Bill and Mike would have discovered it eventually, without the help of Lucy’s photos, it’ll stand up in court.”

Hannah was impressed. “That’s brilliant, Norman.”

“I watch Law & Order, too. So all we have to do is identify the killer and go on from there.”

“Right.” Hannah sighed deeply. “The killer’s back is to the camera, and the prints are so dark, we can’t recognize anything about him. We can’t prove where the pictures were taken because there’s not enough light to see the background. And we don’t even know, for sure, when the photos were taken. This should be a snap, Norman.”

“That’s what I like about you, Hannah. You always have such a positive attitude.”

Norman laughed, and Hannah glanced at him in surprise before she joined in. Usually people hated it when she was sarcastic, but Norman just gave it right back to her in kind. She glanced down at the counter again, examining each of the pictures in turn. And then she got an idea. “Wait a second. Can we prove that the picture of Sally came first?”

“Of course. The negatives are numbered.”

“Then we know that Lucy took the pictures of them murder after that shot of Sally. That gives us one end of a time frame. All I have to do is ask Sally when she made stuffed mushrooms, and we’ll know when Lucy took her picture.”

“That could narrow it down,” Norman agreed. “Let’s just hope that stuffed mushrooms aren’t a regular item on Sally’s menu.”

Hannah groaned. “Thanks for raining on my parade, Norman. I didn’t even think of that.”

“I aim to please.” Norman picked up the last print, the one they assumed was the murder picture. “I just noticed something.”

“What?”

“When the killer raised his arm, his coat sleeve pulled back. See this little spot of light here?”

Hannah nodded. “What is it?”

“I think it’s his cuff link. It must have caught the light from the moon, and it’s clearer than the rest of the print. Sometimes cuff links have initials. Do you want me to try to blow it up?”

“You’re a genius, Norman!” Hannah was so excited, she threw her arms around Norman and kissed him on the cheek. Norman looked slightly startled, but he hugged her back.

Hannah sat on her stool while Norman enlarged that section of the negative. He was right. When the print came up, it was like magic.

“Let me dry it. It’ll only take a minute.” Norman flicked on the bright light and led the way to something he said was his print dryer, a huge metal drum with a shiny surface.

“How long will it take?”

“Just a couple of minutes. This is a commercial drum dryer, and it’s fast. I picked it up from a studio in Seattle when the owner retired.” Norman stuck the wet print face-down against the metal drum. “When the print slides off, it’s dry.”

The shiny drum started to revolve like a Ferris wheel, and Hannah watched until the print fell off and landed in the canvas sling below the dryer. “Can I pick it up now?”

“Yes. Bring it over to the counter, and let’s take a good look at it. I think we may have something, Hannah.”

Hannah carried the print to the counter, and her heart raced as she examined it. The killer’s cuff link was distinctive, a side view of a horse’s head with something that looked like a diamond for the eye. “That’s an antique design.”

“How do you know that?”

“Mother collects antique jewelry, and she’s got all sorts of reference books. Let’s get back to the clinic, Norman. I’m going to hop in the truck and drive out to Sally’s to find out about those stuffed mushrooms. And then I’m going to track down Lucy and have a little talk with her.”

“Careful, Hannah,” Norman warned her. “You can’t ask her about the photos.”

“I know, but we can talk about antique jewelry. And I can mention that Mother’s interested in buying a pair of antique cuff links with horse heads on them.”

“Won’t that tip her off?”

“How could it? If I catch her before she goes back to her apartment, she won’t know that her film is missing. She never got a chance to develop it, and she doesn’t know that she got a clear picture of the killer’s cuff link. Don’t forget that we had to blow it up to see it.”

Norman thought about it for a minute. “You’re right. It would have been just a speck of light through the viewfinder.”

“I figure that if Lucy tailed him all the way to Boyd’s house, she could have noticed his cuff links. If she did, she might tell me his name.”

“You think Lucy would actually tell you the name of the killer?”

“Why not?” Hannah shrugged. “She always brags about being so observant, and that’ll give her a chance to show off. She’ll never suspect that I know the man with the antique cuff links is Boyd’s killer.”

“It could work, I guess.” Norman sounded doubtful.

“It’s worth a shot.” Hannah cleared her throat and looked Norman straight in the eye. “About that envelope I gave you… I just want you to know that I put it in my pocket the moment I found it. And I didn’t take it out until I handed it to you.”

“I’m surprised you’re still alive, Hannah.”

“Of course I’m alive.” Hannah was puzzled by his abrupt change of subject. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I thought your curiosity would have killed you by now.” Norman laughed. And then he put his arms around her and gave her a big hug.

* * *

Hannah whizzed past the park and approached Jordan High at thirty miles an hour. The streets were deserted, she wasn’t driving recklessly, and it was a real treat to speed through town.

“You’d better slow down, Hannah. You’re five miles over the limit.”

“I know.” Hannah flashed her sister a saucy grin. “But Herb Beeseman’s guarding the door at the auditorium, and he can’t give me a speeding ticket.”

“Knowing Herb, he’s probably set up a speed trap. I heard that the city council voted to use the proceeds from this month’s traffic violations for the children’s Christmas party.”

Hannah considered it for a split second, then lifted her foot from the accelerator. “You could be right. And Mother will never let me live it down if I get a ticket, especially when I gave her such a rough time about hers.”

“Are you sure Lucy’s at the school?”

“No, but Rod told me she was working on a story about today’s bake-off contestants. The way I see it, there are only two places she could be.”

“The school, or the inn?”

“That’s right. If Lucy’s not at the school, she’ll be out at Sally’s. And we have to go there anyway to find out when she served those stuffed mushrooms.”

They rode in silence for another few blocks, then Hannah noticed that Andrea was shivering. “Sorry about the heater. I’ve got it cranked up all the way, but this is all the heat it puts out.”

“It’s okay. I’m not that cold.”

“Then why did you shiver?”

“Because I’ve been thinking about those murder pictures. This might be completely off the wall, Hannah, but something just occurred to me.”

“What?” Hannah turned into the teachers’ parking lot and found a space near the kitchen door. She’d shown the prints to Andrea, and Andrea had agreed that they looked like pictures of Boyd’s murder.

“Why didn’t Lucy turn her film over to Bill and Mike? If I got close enough to a murderer to take his picture, I’d head for the sheriff’s station as fast as I could.”

“So would I. But Lucy didn’t do that. What’s your point?”

“That roll of film was with her other blackmail stuff, right?”

“Extortion stuff,” Hannah corrected her.

“Okay, extortion stuff. But it was there in the secret drawer.”

“Right.” Hannah shut off the engine and turned to stare at Andrea. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that maybe Lucy is planning to blackmail Boyd’s killer.”

Hannah’s mouth dropped open. That possibility had never even crossed her mind. She didn’t think it had occurred to Norman either. He would have said something.

“It was just a thought.” Andrea sounded very defensive. “I’m just throwing things out for you to consider.”

Hannah was silent for a long moment and then she let her breath out in a whoosh. “That’s not as weird as it sounds, Andrea. I think you could be on to something.”

“You do?” Andrea looked very surprised. “But Lucy ought to know that blackmailing a murderer is too dangerous.”

“Maybe, but her confidence level has got to be high right about now. She’s got a new car, a new wardrobe, a bunch of money, and Norman is doing her caps for free. Lucy may figure it’s time to move on to something bigger that’ll net her a lot more profit.”

“But that’s… crazy!”

Hannah just nodded and left it at that.

Andrea stared at her a moment, then she sighed. “You’re right. We both know Lucy’s crazy for sneaking around and taking those pictures in the first place. But do you really think she’s that crazy?”

“I don’t know.” Hannah opened her door and motioned for Andrea to get out of the truck. “But I think we’d better find Lucy. I don’t’ know how we’re going to warn her off without mentioning that stash of evidence we confiscated, but we’ve go to try. If she puts the bite on Boyd’s killer, she’ll be in more trouble than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.”