Read Online Sugar Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Joanne Fluke
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Hummer?” Andrea looked delighted when Hannah nodded. “That’s just great! Tracey said it was bumpy, and it might work as well as Lisa’s mother’s horseback ride!”
Chapter 7
Hannah stood up as Edna motioned to her from the kitchen door. It was time to set out the salad, soup, and bread course. “Nice to meet you, Brandi. Sorry I can’t stay, but I have to help set out the next course. Andrea?”
“Yes?”
“You wanted to check on that Jell-O salad, didn’t you?”
“Jell-O . . .” Andrea looked blank for a split second and then realization dawned. “Yes! Thanks for reminding me.” She turned to Martin and Brandi. “It was nice chatting with you, Brandi. And congratulations, Martin. I wish you two all the best.”
Hannah heard her sister give a relieved sigh as they stepped away from the table. She’d been sitting with the newlyweds for over thirty minutes, and that was above and beyond. She turned to say thank you for helping out, but that thought vanished when she noticed the shocked expression on Andrea’s face.
“What’s the matter?”
“Hot Stuff. And That’s got to be Silver Fox.”
“What?” Hannah grabbed her sister’s arm. Did pregnant women start spouting nonsense when they went into labor? She really should have read one of the pamphlets Andrea had given her about childbirth.
“Hot Stuff.” Andrea pointed toward an older couple at one of the long tables. “That’s Vera Olsen’s screen name. Don’t you remember the e-mail she was answering when we were searching her attic apartment?”
“Right.” Hannah felt a wave of relief sluice down from the top of her head to her toes. Andrea wasn’t in labor and she wasn’t crazy. She was talking about Vera’s on-line romance with a man who called himself Silver Fox.
“Vera looks fabulous. She’s lost weight and had her hair streaked. I think she might have had a lift, too.”
Hannah glanced over at Vera. Andrea was always right when it came to noticing appearance enhancements and she could spot a facelift or a new hairstyle from a block away. “You’re right. Vera looks a lot younger.
“Do you think he’s Silver Fox?”
“I think so.” Hannah tried to recall the photo she’d seen on the computer screen. If she remember correctly, the handsome older man sitting beside Vera bore a close resemblance to the picture of Silver Fox standing at the helm of his boat.
“He’s certainly dressed well. That’s a cashmere vest and an Armani suit. And his hair’s been styled by someone really good. Not only that, his manicure is perfect.”
“Silver Fox has a manicure?” Hannah squinted, but there was no way she could match her sister’s eagle eye for spotting nuances of personal grooming.
“Manicures aren’t just for women, you know. Big executives make appointments for manicurists to come to their offices. I bet that’s what he is.”
“A manicurist?” Hannah asked, knowing that wasn’t what her sister meant, but unable to resist teasing her a bit.
“Of course he’s not a manicurist! He’s got to be someone with a big, important . . . “ Andrea stopped in mid-thought and made a strangled sound.
Hannah tightened her grip on her sister’s arm. “Is there something wrong? Do you want to sit down? Is it the baby?”
“None of the above. And stop holding my arm in that death grip. I’m going to bruise.”
“Sorry.” Hannah dropped Andrea’s arm, but she kept her hand at the ready, just in case. “Why did you make that sound?”
“Just take a look at Vera’s finger and you’ll understand.”
Hannah took a look and made an identical strangled sound as she spotted the glittering diamond ring on Vera’s third finger left hand. It was easy to see, perhaps because Vera was using her left hand to wave to everyone she knew. “Does that mean Vera’s engaged?”
“I think so. I’m going to try to find out.”
The sisters parted ways at the food tables. Andrea headed for the section where Vera and
Chapter 7
Hannah stood up as Edna motioned to her from the kitchen door. It was time to set out the salad, soup, and bread course. “Nice to meet you, Brandi. Sorry I can’t stay, but I have to help set out the next course. Andrea?”
“Yes?”
“You wanted to check on that Jell-O salad, didn’t you?”
“Jell-O . . .” Andrea looked blank for a split second and then realization dawned. “Yes! Thanks for reminding me.” She turned to Martin and Brandi. “It was nice chatting with you, Brandi. And congratulations, Martin. I wish you two all the best.”
Hannah heard her sister give a relieved sigh as they stepped away from the table. She’d been sitting with the newlyweds for over thirty minutes, and that was above and beyond. She turned to say thank you for helping out, but that thought vanished when she noticed the shocked expression on Andrea’s face.
“What’s the matter?”
“Hot Stuff. And That’s got to be Silver Fox.”
“What?” Hannah grabbed her sister’s arm. Did pregnant women start spouting nonsense when they went into labor? She really should have read one of the pamphlets Andrea had given her about childbirth.
“Hot Stuff.” Andrea pointed toward an older couple at one of the long tables. “That’s Vera Olsen’s screen name. Don’t you remember the e-mail she was answering when we were searching her attic apartment?”
“Right.” Hannah felt a wave of relief sluice down from the top of her head to her toes. Andrea wasn’t in labor and she wasn’t crazy. She was talking about Vera’s on-line romance with a man who called himself Silver Fox.
“Vera looks fabulous. She’s lost weight and had her hair streaked. I think she might have had a lift, too.”
Hannah glanced over at Vera. Andrea was always right when it came to noticing appearance enhancements and she could spot a facelift or a new hairstyle from a block away. “You’re right. Vera looks a lot younger.
“Do you think he’s Silver Fox?”
“I think so.” Hannah tried to recall the photo she’d seen on the computer screen. If she remember correctly, the handsome older man sitting beside Vera bore a close resemblance to the picture of Silver Fox standing at the helm of his boat.
“He’s certainly dressed well. That’s a cashmere vest and an Armani suit. And his hair’s been styled by someone really good. Not only that, his manicure is perfect.”
“Silver Fox has a manicure?” Hannah squinted, but there was no way she could match her sister’s eagle eye for spotting nuances of personal grooming.
“Manicures aren’t just for women, you know. Big executives make appointments for manicurists to come to their offices. I bet that’s what he is.”
“A manicurist?” Hannah asked, knowing that wasn’t what her sister meant, but unable to resist teasing her a bit.
“Of course he’s not a manicurist! He’s got to be someone with a big, important . . . “ Andrea stopped in mid-thought and made a strangled sound.
Hannah tightened her grip on her sister’s arm. “Is there something wrong? Do you want to sit down? Is it the baby?”
“None of the above. And stop holding my arm in that death grip. I’m going to bruise.”
“Sorry.” Hannah dropped Andrea’s arm, but she kept her hand at the ready, just in case. “Why did you make that sound?”
“Just take a look at Vera’s finger and you’ll understand.”
Hannah took a look and made an identical strangled sound as she spotted the glittering diamond ring on Vera’s third finger left hand. It was easy to see, perhaps because Vera was using her left hand to wave to everyone she knew. “Does that mean Vera’s engaged?”
“I think so. I’m going to try to find out.”
The sisters parted ways at the food tables. Andrea headed for the section where Vera and
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