“That’s right,” Lonnie said, and then he turned to Michelle, who was wearing shorts, with a grin. “You’ve got the legs, I’ve got the badge, and Hannah’s got the brains. With the three of us working together, we’re bound to figure everything out.”

Hannah was halfway through the first chapter of a mystery that Kitty had sent her when Rick came down the hall again. “You’ve got another visitor, Hannah. It’s Norman. Should I tell him you want to see him?”

“Oh, yes!” Hannah said, and then she hoped she hadn’t sounded too eager. Rick and Lonnie’s mother, Bridget Murphy, was a member of the Lake Eden Gossip Hotline. “I’d like to see him, Rick. Thank you very much.”

Hannah just had time to run the hairbrush Kitty had sent through her hair and put a smile on her face before Rick arrived with Norman. “Here he is,” Rick said, and then he turned back to Norman. “Sorry Norman, but I’ll have to lock you in with Hannah.”

“That’s okay. I don’t mind being locked in with Hannah. Anyone else, maybe. But with Hannah, it’s just fine.”

Oh, boy! Hannah thought. This’ll get on the gossip hotline in no time flat. But did she really care if it did? Norman had paid her a compliment and she should accept it as such.

“How are you doing, Hannah?” Norman asked, sitting down on the cot next to her, slipping his arm around her to pull her close, and not even glancing at Rick as he locked the door and left.

“I’m all right.” Hannah heard the slight tremor in her voice and hoped she wouldn’t break into tears. Norman’s arm felt so good around her.

“Don’t lie to me, Hannah. I’ve been in jail and I know. It’s no fun being locked up in a cell and not being able to get out.”

“This cell is better than the others,” Hannah said, trying to shed a good light on it.

“Maybe, but you’re still locked in. Take a deep breath and try to remember that it’s only for three days.”

“I know. And now it’s not even three days anymore. It’s only two days and three nights.”

“And when you wake up, it’ll be only two days and two nights. Then you’ll be out and back where you belong. Do you want to come and stay with me when you get out on bail? I’ve got the cats at our house and it would be a transition.”

Our house. Norman was still calling it our house. He still wanted her even though she was now, technically, a jailbird. Idly, she wondered if there was anything that would make Norman not want her. And she decided that there probably wasn’t.

“Hannah?”

Norman was waiting for an answer and Hannah turned to smile at him. “Maybe,” she said, leaving her options open. “You took Moishe to your place?”

“Yes. Moishe was a little anxious when you didn’t come back to the condo with me, and he yowled when I tried to put Cuddles in her carrier. That’s when I decided to take him home with me and I put them both in his carrier. By the way, it’s big enough for both of them. And don’t worry. I called Michelle on her cell phone and told her what I was doing.”