Kee Patterbee - Hannah Starvling 03 - The Priest Who Ate a Poison Petit Fore (21 page)

There was a brief time of awkward silence between the older woman and the younger sleuth. Wormwood’s awkward, lingering smile unnerved Hannah, reminding her that at some point she might have to face the same with Hym. Although in all probability it would be far in the future, something about the comment struck a chord with her. The idea that she might somehow be separated from her new husband sent chills down her spine. She stiffened and took a step back before responding in a manner meant to redirect the conversation.

“You know this place in and out then, I take it.”

Wormwood gave a quizzical smile. “I do.”

Hannah pointed to the stack of candies. “Is this and the store they come from the only place to get these?”

The woman gestured no. “They’re pretty much exclusive to Happiness, but you can find them all over the place around the community: the store, Spur of the Moment, of course, here, the restaurant downtown called Rod’’s, and the pharmacy. I think even Colonel Hawthorne sells them at the Vets museum.” Wormwood gave a gingered laugh. “But between you and me, I think he buys and eats most of them himself.”” She straightened her work apron with the word Happiness embroidered across it. The large letters were emblazoned in a rainbow of colors.

“
Pristine,”
Hannah noted and added to her file on the woman. Taking the small shop in, she noticed no other forms of candy. “Is this the only kind you sell?”

“Pretty much. We used to have the usual kinds. Candy bars, chews, and such, but after a while, everyone seemed to prefer these. It just made sense to sell them and let everyone get the others from the vending machines.”

Another broad smile mounted Wormwood’s face. “Would you like to take some to Dr. York? She loves them. They might make her feel better.”

Hannah stiffened at the woman’s words. She knew the older lady meant nothing by the sentiment, but the thought sent another chill down her spine. “You say she likes them?”

“Oh, yes, she comes in here every few weeks it seems and buys a small box.”

Hannah turned back to examine the stacked boxes. She found that some held specific types of candies: petit fours, fudge, and other small treats. Others were of a mixed variety. One kind in particular caught her attention.
Lemon cake petit fours. Small box. For the Reverend
, Hannah thought as a smile ran across her face. She picked up a box of that variety. ““These?” she inquired, holding up a box.

Wormwood pointed to the stacks of boxes on the display table and wiggled her finger. “No. Just a mixed assortment like those on the left.”

Again, Hannah stiffened. She set the box down and picked up the small box. It was the same as the one she found in Victoria West’s room earlier that day. Thoughts rushed her mind. So much so, she had to close her eyes to slow the speed at which they came. After a second, she steadied herself enough to produce a pleasant face. She laid the box on the counter and paid for it.

Wormwood cocked her head a slight bit to the right as she rang up the sale. “Are you alright, dear? You’ve gone a bit pale.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, just worried about my friend. Hope she gets the chance to enjoy these.”

“I’m sure she will. Her husband’s looking after her now. He’’s a fine doctor. Both are. Quite generous with their patients. If you’re suffering, they’re the ones to see. Everyone here just loves them, and of course, I’’m sure the good Reverend is doing all he can for his granddaughter as well. It’s just part of his nature now to help, isn’t it? I’’m sure you’re aware, he’s quite fond of her. All this must be a terrible burden. He must be suffering so.”

“He is.”

“Would you like this gift wrapped? I may be getting older but I can still wrap things up with the best of them. It gives it that personal touch.”

“That won’t be necessary, but thanks anyway. You have a good day. I’m sure I’’ll see you around.”

“Oh, I’m sure you will, dear,” the woman said.

Moments later, Hannah was in the cafeteria with bag in hand. As she stood in line at the deli counter section waiting for her order, she could not help staring at the box. A great deal of what Wormwood said played repeatedly in her mind.
Comes in every few weeks and buys a box. Mixed variety. If you’re suffering, they’re the ones to see.
Her hand came to cover her mouth.
Obvious things
again played through her thoughts. In an instant, doubts came to her. She wondered if she had been overlooking the obvious. Though she had considered Susan as an accomplice to Calvin, she now wondered if it were the reverse. If, perhaps, he were submissive to her. If he were aiding her somehow. Susan bought the candy. The same sweets that Hannah had found in Wessel’s office. She was in the victim’s rooms in every case, albeit along with her husband. The same type box she found in West’s room where Susan collapsed. Could she have, by accident, eaten a poisoned petite four or piece of fudge left for West? Perhaps she knew that with Holmes at her side, she had a good chance at survival and ate one on purpose. Thereby, any suspicion would be offset. It would be a bold move. A risky one,
but anyone unstable enough to poison might be willing,
she considered. The question Hannah had to answer was would it be one Susan would take.
A question for Hym.
The idea made her wince. Given his resistance to her considerations of Calvin, she knew full on any such consideration of Mudbug would be more so. She sighed and paid little attention as the man behind the counter handed her two sacks.

“Well, this is going to suck,” she mumbled half aloud thinking the situation over.

The older man behind the counter produced an incredulous face. “It’s not so bad. I mean, its hospital deli but its still deli fresh. I guarantee.”

The man’s comment brought Hannah to the moment. She sized him up.
Late 60s. 5’10” to 5’11”, Heavy set. Grey hair with remaining hints of black. Dark eyes
. Hannah blushed. “Oh, no, sorry. I wasn’t… I mean, I’m sure it is. I was thinking about something else.””

The man smirked. “Eh, forget about it. It happens about two or three times a week anyways. No big deal.”

New York Bronx Italian accent
, she added to her profile.

She glanced behind the man at his mounted menu. In the lower corner, spelled out in small letters, were ‘we cater.’

A thought crossed Hannah’s mind. “You cater. Can I ask you a question about that business?”

“Insult my food, then you want to ask me a question. You got to love the south.” The man gave a gregarious laugh. “Sure, sweetheart, why not. Ask away.”

“I assume you serve your food on platters.”

“Sure. How else would we?”

“If someone wanted to prank someone or surprise them, say put a ring in a piece or something nasty like jelly in a pastrami roll up, how would you make sure the person they wanted to get it, got it?”

The man shrugged. “Like a wedding proposal or something like that?” He scratched the back of his head. “Don’’t know. You’d have to either dose them all, which would be pretty expensive if it were a proposal given all them rings. Or hand them that one in particular, maybe on a separate plate or something.” He studied the sleuth. “You thinking of joking on someone, cause that’s a strange question?”

Hannah grinned. “I’m a strange girl.”

Taking in her top hat, the man nodded. “Yeah, I kind of got that. You have yourself a nice day now, lady.”

“You do the same.” With that, Hannah headed back.

Chapter Eighteen

When Hannah arrived back in the waiting area, she found Hym sitting alone, head thrust back against the wall, and sleeping. She awoke him with a kiss on the forehead.

“Hey you,” she said, offering her husband one of the deli bags. “Where’s the Reverend?”

“Back with Mudbug. She hasn’t woken yet but they think she’ll recover.” Hym looked at Hannah with a concerned expression. “They’re testing for long term damage.”

Hannah took in his pain and nodded.
He’s hurting
. “Is she awake?”

Hym shook his head. “Not yet, but Calvin said that was normal.” He ran his hand over his head and through his hair. “As if any of this is normal.”” He reached in the bag and removed a sandwich, a soda, and some chips. Studying the sandwich as he did so, he looked over it toward Hannah. “So, where are you now? I know you’ve been thinking it over. Still thinking Calvin?””

Hannah shrugged. She was not sure she wanted to breach her considerations of Susan with Hym just yet. It would upset him further, even though both he and she had agreed to the terms of the investigation. Yet, another part of her felt that keeping secrets now that they were married was wrong. She decided to approach the subject from a distance. “Among others. There’’s a lot to consider, and I won’t know much for sure until after I talk with Rhoades. Which reminds me, I need to call Cate and keep her updated.” Taking one of Hym’s chips, she examined it as she talked. “Are you going to call Magdalen? I’m sure she’d want to know.”

“Already have. She’s coming down.”

“How?”

“Rent a car I guess. She didn’t say. Just that she would get here.”

“What about Hazelnut?”

“Your grandparents will look after her. She’ll be fine.”

Hannah acknowledged with a few bobs of her head. “Gigantor will love having her around. Casper, not so much,” she said, recalling Gran and Papa Jay’s dog and cat. She glanced over to Hym. “Sorry for all this. This is not how I imagined our honeymoon.”

Hym half laughed. “It’s pretty much dead on what I expected.”

The sleuth reached out to swat at her husband’s arm. “Oh, you, come here,” she said, reaching out to pull him by the shirt toward her. She shared a kiss with him. Leaning back, she added, “It’s coming, mister, and when we get there, boy, are you going to get it.”

“That’s the plan,” Hym said with a grin.

Hannah’s mouth fell open with a mixture of amusement and shock. “You are a bad man,” she summed up with a grin. “A bad, bad man indeed.”

*****

After chatting with Hym and waiting for Whipson to return, Hannah fell asleep on her husbands shoulder. When she awoke, it was just before four in the afternoon. The Reverend was just settling into a chair opposite the two, with the help of Calvin. Hannah rubbed her eyes and yawned before stretching. “How is she?”

Calvin gave a concerned but appreciative look. “Still not awake but she’s stable for now.” He paused and took a long, slow breath before letting it go. ““She appears to have sustained some damage to her heart. That friend, the cardiologist I told you about is flying back in early from vacation. When he gives the all clear, we’re transporting her to University of Alabama in Birmingham Medical Center. He has a friend, a surgeon, who’ll oversee the implantation of an internal cardioverter defibrillator. It’s a device to regulate her heart and uh…” He leaned back with a worrisome expression as he ran his hand over his jaw. “Well, it’ll be there if this happens again.”

Hannah leaned forward in her seat, placing her elbows on her knees. She peered straight at Calvin. “Do you expect it to happen again?”

The physician gave a noncommittal shrug. “I didn’t expect it to happen now. I guess no one does, but she’s been fine otherwise. We had ourselves checked out just last month for insurance purposes.” He glanced between the Reverend, Hym, and Hannah. “And we were trying for a baby.” He turned to look to Whipson. ““We wanted to let you know before…” His words trailed off as tear welled in his eyes.

Whipson reached over, took hold of his grandson-in-law’s hand, and smiled, but he said nothing. Instead, he swallowed hard and cleared his throat.

Hannah watched every minute detail of the exchange.
Real
, she commented to herself. It was at that moment that she would follow her instincts. Her ‘gut’ as Gran called it.
Calvin is not involved
, she determined,
but what about his wife.
Again, she reconsidered what she had briefly pondered.

It seemed nearly impossible that Susan would poison herself just to throw off an investigation. Then again, she had not only heard of stranger things, she had borne witness to it. In her brief time with FBI, she was part of a kidnapping investigation. All evidence suggested that the victim, a young wife, was first targeted, and then taken. Every detail seemed in place. Every clue leading right toward where it should. When the victim’s wealthy husband refused the ransom demand, a finger showed up at his office within hours. Tests concluded that it belong to his wife. He paid thereafter. Once the ransom delivery concluded, her kidnapper returned her as promised. Within weeks of the incident, the wife filed for divorce, citing her husband’s reluctance to pay upfront as a sign that he did not care. While everyone else found this reasonable, Hannah again followed her instincts. It did not feel right to her. Her gut suggested something was amiss. She dug deeper and in time exposed the whole affair as an elaborate plan between the purported victim and her lover. Their downfall was the unexpected refusal of the husband to pay. In desperation, the two decided to remove a finger. This was not in exchange for a $1,000,000 dollar ransom, but for her half of the divorce settlement. It amounted to about $10 million dollars. Before, the woman had determined that she could not get nearly that much because of the limited time married to the man. However, after his refusal to meet the demands of the ‘kidnapper’, she felt she had a greater chance of things going her way. Her lover, being an attorney, believed he could sway the court, under the given situation.