Coconut Layer Cake Murder Read online

  Books by Joanne Fluke

  Hannah Swensen Mysteries

  CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER

  STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE MURDER

  BLUEBERRY MUFFIN MURDER

  LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER

  FUDGE CUPCAKE MURDER

  SUGAR COOKIE MURDER

  PEACH COBBLER MURDER

  CHERRY CHEESECAKE MURDER

  KEY LIME PIE MURDER

  CANDY CANE MURDER

  CARROT CAKE MURDER

  CREAM PUFF MURDER

  PLUM PUDDING MURDER

  APPLE TURNOVER MURDER

  DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE MURDER

  GINGERBREAD COOKIE MURDER

  CINNAMON ROLL MURDER

  RED VELVET CUPCAKE MURDER

  BLACKBERRY PIE MURDER

  DOUBLE FUDGE BROWNIE MURDER

  WEDDING CAKE MURDER

  CHRISTMAS CARAMEL MURDER

  BANANA CREAM PIE MURDER

  RASPBERRY DANISH MURDER

  CHRISTMAS CAKE MURDER

  CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE MURDER

  JOANNE FLUKE’S LAKE EDEN COOKBOOK

  Suspense Novels

  VIDEO KILL

  WINTER CHILL

  DEAD GIVEAWAY

  THE OTHER CHILD

  COLD JUDGMENT

  FATAL IDENTITY

  FINAL APPEAL

  VENGEANCE IS MINE

  EYES

  WICKED

  DEADLY MEMORIES

  THE STEPCHILD

  Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

  COCONUT LAYER CAKE MURDER

  JOANNE FLUKE

  KENSINGTON BOOKS

  www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Dedication

  Acknowledgments

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Chapter Twenty-two

  Chapter Twenty-three

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Chapter Twenty-five

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chapter Twenty-seven

  Baking Conversion Chart

  Teaser chapter

  KENSINGTON BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2020 by H.L. Swensen, Inc.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  Kensington and the K logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  Library of Congress Card Catalogue Number: 2019951384

  ISBN: 978-1-4967-1889-1

  First Kensington Hardcover Edition: March 2020

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-3237-8 (signed edition)

  ISBN-13: 1-4967-3237-5 (signed edition)

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4967-1891-4 (e-book)

  ISBN-10: 1-4967-1891-7 (e-book)

  This book is for Megatronic.

  Acknowledgments

  Many thanks to my extended family for encouraging me to get back to writing when I bogged down. I wish I had enough ovens to bake each of you a Coconut Layer Cake.

  Hugs to Trudi Nash for recipe suggestions and for always being willing to talk about cooking and baking. And thanks to Trudi’s husband, David, who encourages her to attend book events with me despite the fact that he has to cook for himself while she’s gone.

  Thank you to my friends and neighbors: Mel & Kurt, Lyn & Bill, Gina, Dee Appleton, Jay, Richard Jordan, Laura Levine, the real Nancy and Heiti, Dan, Mark & Mandy at Faux Library, Daryl and her staff at Groves Accountancy, Gene and Ron at SDSA, the crew at the Safari Room, and everyone at Homestreet Bank.

  Hugs to my Minnesota friends: Lois & Neal, Bev & Jim, Val, Ruthann, Lowell, Dorothy & Sister Sue, and Mary & Jim.

  A big hug for John Scognamiglio, the best editor I could possibly have. There are times when you have the patience of a saint!

  Hugs for Meg Ruley and the staff at the Jane Rotrosen Agency for their constant support and sage advice.

  Thanks to all the wonderful folks at Kensington Books who keep Hannah sleuthing and baking yummy goodies.

  Thanks to Robin in production, who catches my goofs and corrects them.

  And thank you to Larissa for working on my behalf in publicity.

  Thanks to Hiro Kimura for his incredibly delicious artwork. I get hungry every time I glance at the cover of a Hannah book!

  Thank you to Lou Malcangi at Kensington for designing all of Hannah’s gorgeous book covers. They’re simply delightful.

  Thanks to John at Placed4Success for Hannah’s movie and TV placements, his presence on Hannah’s social media platforms, the countless hours he spends helping me, and for believing that it’s what a son should do. (If you meet John, please don’t tell him that not all sons work as hard as he does for their mothers.)

  Thanks to Rudy for managing my website at www.JoanneFluke.com and for giving support to Hannah’s social media. And thanks to Tami for assisting with social media and helping to update the website.

  Hugs to Kathy Allen for testing and tasting Hannah’s recipes, and for never even mentioning that she wasn’t fond of coconut!

  And thanks to Kathy’s friends and family for helping with events and for taste testing.

  A big hug to JQ for helping Hannah and me for so many years.

  Kudos to Beth and her phalanx of sewing machines for her gorgeous embroidery on our hats, visors, aprons, and tote bags.

  Thank you to food stylist, friend, and media guide Lois Brown for her expertise with the launch parties at Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, AZ, and baking for the TV food segments I do at KPNX in Phoenix.

  Thanks also to Destry, the lovely, totally unflappable producer and host of Arizona Midday.

  Hugs to Debbie Risinger and everyone else on Team Swensen.

  Thank you to Dr. Rahhal, Dr. Josephson, Dr. and Cathy Line, Dr. Levy, Dr. Koslowski, and Drs. Ashley and Lee for answering my book-related medical and dental questions.

  Hugs to all the Hannah fans who read the books, share their family recipes, post on my Facebook page, Joanne Fluke Author, and enjoy the photos of Sven, my bear-footed dessert chef.

  Chapter One

  Hannah Swensen was just taking the last pan of Cocoa Crisp Cookies out of her industrial oven when her partner, Lisa Beeseman, pushed open the swinging door that separated The Cookie Jar coffee shop from the kitchen. “There’s a phone call for you, Hannah. It’s Doc Knight, and he says he needs to talk to you.”

  “Thanks, Lisa.” Hannah shoved the pan of cookies on a shelf in the bakers rack and hurried across the kitchen to grab the phone. Her heart was pounding hard, and it wasn’t from her dash across the floor. She’d been waiting for Doc’s call for two days now, and he was finally ready to give her the results of her test.

  “Hello?” she said breathlessly.

  “Hi, honey.” Doc’s voice was warm and Hannah wondered what that meant. “Can you come out to the hospital now? I need to se
e you.”

  “I . . . yes, of course I can. But . . .”

  “I just got the results of your tests,” Doc interrupted what was bound to be a question from his stepdaughter. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, then. When you get to the hospital, come straight to my office. I’ll be waiting for you.”

  There was a click as Doc ended the call. It was clear he wouldn’t answer any of her questions over the phone. Hannah was frowning as she replaced the receiver in the cradle. Couldn’t Doc just tell her what she wanted to know? All she needed was a simple yes or no answer . . . unless there was something else wrong that he’d discovered from her lab test results.

  You don’t need any new worries, her rational mind told her.

  Of course you don’t, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing else wrong, her suspicious mind insisted. It could be anything. Hepatitis, a blood infection, an incurable disease that you picked up from traveling on your honeymoon . . .

  The only way she’d find out was to see Doc in person and Hannah knew it. She hurried across the kitchen and grabbed her parka from the rack by the back door. She didn’t want to speculate about any more dire possibilities. They were endless. She’d just tell Lisa that she was leaving, get in her cookie truck, and drive to the hospital to hear what Doc had to tell her.

  During her uneventful drive to Doc’s Lake Eden Hospital, Hannah did her best to think positive thoughts. She pulled into the parking lot, parked in the visitors’ section, and rushed in without taking advantage of the electric sockets on the posts in front of each parking spot to plug in the block heater in her truck.

  “Hi, Hannah,” the volunteer at the receptionist’s desk greeted her as she came in. “Doc’s waiting for you in his office.”

  “Thank you.” Hannah signed the visitors book and hoped she didn’t look as anxious as she felt as she walked down the hall. When she reached Doc’s office, she took a deep breath for courage and opened the door.

  “Hello, Hannah. He’s in the inner office,” Doc’s secretary, Vonnie, told her. “Go right in.”

  Hannah thanked her and opened the door. She found Doc sitting at his desk, riffling through a stack of medical journals.

  “Sit down, Hannah,” Doc said, gesturing toward the chair in front of his desk. “No, you’re not pregnant.”

  The news hit her like a blow between the eyes. “I’m not?” she managed a response.

  “No, the sample we took was conclusive.”

  Hannah leaned back in the chair and grasped the arms tightly. “I . . . I don’t know if I’m supposed to be devastated or relieved.”

  “Of course you don’t. If I had to guess, I think you’re a little bit of both.”

  “Yes,” Hannah said past the lump that was forming in her throat. “But, Doc . . . something’s wrong.”

  “Yes, it is. It’s stress.”

  “Stress?” Hannah stared at him in shock.

  “Yes, stress can take a toll on the human body, and you’ve been under extreme stress ever since Ross left Lake Eden. Stress throws off your body clock, plays havoc with your nervous system, and mimics symptoms of diseases you never believed you could contract. Every day someone comes in here believing that they’re having a coronary event and it turns out to be a panic attack.”

  “But, Doc . . . I don’t feel that stressed.”

  “Perhaps you don’t think so, but believe me, you’re stressed. And eventually, extreme stress will manifest itself in actual disease. That’s why your mother and I have decided that you’re going to take a little vacation.”

  “Vacation?” Hannah repeated the word. Her mind was spinning and she couldn’t seem to think of anything else to say.

  “That’s right. Your mother got a call from Lynne Larchmont yesterday. Lynne made an offer on Tory Bascomb’s condo, and the mayor and Stephanie accepted it.”

  Hannah blinked several times, trying to process this new, surprising information. “That’s . . . great.”

  “Exactly what your mother said. And once she told me about it, I urged her to call Lynne back and tell her that you two will fly out to Los Angeles to help Lynne get things packed up for the movers.”

  “You mean . . . Mother and me?”

  Doc nodded. “Precisely. I made the plane reservations for both of you last night. You’ll be at Lynne’s house by the end of the week.”

  “But . . .” Hannah stopped talking when Doc held up his hand.

  “I know that Friday is Valentine’s Day, but I’ve already talked to Marge and Nancy, and they’d promised to fill in for you at The Cookie Jar. Lisa assures me that they can handle anything that might come up, Michelle has agreed to stay at your condo with Moishe to oversee the work that’s being done there, and Cyril will drive you to the airport in one of his limos.”

  Hannah just stared at him blankly. It seemed that Doc had thought of everything.

  “Here,” Doc said, handing her a prescription blank. “I’ve prescribed a vacation and you will go. I won’t listen to any objections. You’re my patient and you’ll follow my recommendation. And besides, I love you, Hannah.”

  Tears sprang to Hannah’s eyes. There was no doubt in her mind that Doc loved her. She gave a little nod, and then she managed a smile.

  “Good!” Doc got up and walked around his desk to give her a hug. “There’s another factor, too.”

  Hannah stared at him with some trepidation. “What’s that?”

  “You’re not the only one who needs a vacation.”

  Hannah took a moment to digest that comment. “You mean . . . you’re going to Los Angeles with us?”

  “No, but your mother’s going. And that means I get a vacation. You’re doing me a big favor, Hannah.”

  Hannah couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter. This wasn’t the first time she’d been delighted that her mother had married Doc.

  Doc smiled, and then his expression sobered. “You have no idea how worried your mother has been about you. It’ll do her a world of good to spend some time in California with you and Lynne. And, to be perfectly honest, it’s going to be a lot less stressful around here with both of you gone.”

  “Mother’s been that worried?”

  “Yes. You’ll go, won’t you, Hannah?”

  “I . . .” Hannah dipped her head in a nod. “Yes, if you really think I should.”

  “I do. Helping Lynne pack will give you something else to think about, not to mention that your mother will be fascinated with the lifestyle in California. Lynne told her that she lives in a place called Brentwood and quite a few celebrities live there. Your mother doesn’t think I know, but she has several subscriptions to those celebrity, tell-all magazines. And that’s our secret, okay?”

  “Okay,” Hannah agreed. Perhaps it would be best to get away and gain a new perspective.

  “Lynne’s very excited about moving here to Lake Eden, Hannah. She said she’s looking forward to being around real friends.”

  Hannah began to smile. “Well . . . in that case . . . What time do we leave?”

  “On Friday morning. Get things settled with your crew at The Cookie Jar and then meet with Michelle. She can bring you whatever you need from the condo.”

  Quite unexpectedly, Hannah felt a surge of excitement. The world suddenly seemed less dreary, even though the skies were gray and overcast and snow was predicted. “Thank you, Doc,” she said. “I’m going to drive over to Mother’s and ask her advice on what I should pack.”

  Chapter Two

  “Wake up, Hannah.”

  Hannah awoke with a jolt as she heard her mother’s voice. “I’m too tired to go to school,” she protested.

  Delores laughed and so did someone else. And then a voice that Hannah didn’t recognize said, “Your mother ordered coffee for you. Better wake up and drink it before it gets cold.”

  Hannah’s eyes flew open and she focused on a tray table with a cup of coffee. She picked it up, took a sip, and saw the stewardess standing in the aisle of the plane. “Sorry,” she
apologized. “For a minute there, I didn’t know where I was.”

  “Drink this and I’ll bring you another cup before I close down the kitchen,” the stewardess told her. “We’ll be landing in less than half an hour.”

  “Landing in Los Angeles?” Hannah turned to address her mother, who was sitting in the window seat.

  “That’s right. You slept the entire way, Hannah. You must have been really tired.”

  “I must have been,” Hannah agreed, finishing her coffee and handing the cup to the stewardess.

  “I’ll bring you two more cups,” the stewardess decided, noticing that Hannah was having some difficulty keeping her eyes open.

  Two more cups of coffee later, Hannah felt almost awake. She leaned forward to look out the window and smiled as she spotted what looked like miniature cars on the freeway below. The freeway disappeared a few moments later and there was nothing but blue below them. They must be circling over the Pacific Ocean, waiting for their turn to land.

  There was a grinding noise and a jarring bump as the pilot lowered the landing gear. They were over land again now and the city streets were laid out in a grid below. As Hannah watched, the buildings grew larger and she knew that they were descending. And then the buildings disappeared and asphalt runways appeared. They flew over one of the runways, the ground came up toward the belly of the plane, and there was a jolt as the wheels touched down. They bounced up and then settled back down again, this time meeting the runway smoothly and taxiing toward the airport buildings.