“I don’t remember. I went out there right away and sat at the bar for a while, waiting for a table in the dining room. I didn’t look at my watch when Lisa got there, but Bonnie Surma was sitting next to me and she might remember.”

“Okay. Give me your best estimate.”

“Maybe ten o’clock or a little before that. I know we didn’t leave the Corner Tavern until eleven. The receipt was time-stamped.”

“Do you still have the receipt?”

“Yes. It’s in my purse. I’ll get it for you. But I don’t understand why you need . . .” Hannah stopped in mid-sentence as the full implication of Mike’s questioning hit her. “Do you think that Lisa killed Phyllis?”

“Anything’s possible when jealousy is a motive. But no, I don’t think that Lisa killed her. I just know that I have to clear her, especially because her car was parked in the back row of the parking lot and that’s about where Phyllis would have tumbled down the ditch.”

“The sandwiches are ready!” Michelle called out from the kitchen. “Are you ready to eat, Mike?”

“I’m ready,” Mike said, giving Hannah a little hug before he stood up to go to the table. “Don’t worry, Hannah. I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

Hannah went to the table, tasted a corner of Michelle’s sandwich, and pronounced it excellent. Then she sat there while the others ate and the conversation flowed around her. She made a comment once in a while, just so that no one would notice that she was preoccupied, and she gave a sigh of relief when the evening was over and Michelle went to bed.

Once the condo was silent, Hannah sat on the couch in the darkness with Moishe purring on her lap. She thought about everything that had happened during the day. Yes, even though it was unlikely, it was possible that Herb had killed Phyllis. And even though she felt like a traitor for admitting it, it was also possible that Lisa’s temper had flared when she’d seen Phyllis in the parking lot, and she’d struck out with whatever hard object had been at hand.

Hannah shivered and bent over to hug Moishe. His purr was comforting, and she was glad he was keeping her company tonight. Phyllis had craved being the center of attention. She had gloried in causing trouble because it made her feel sexy and powerful. This time, Phyllis had caused trouble for two of Hannah’s best friends, her partner, Lisa, and her former high school classmate, Herb. What Phyllis had done was far-reaching. It might have wrecked Lisa and Herb’s marriage, and that made Hannah angry and sad at the same time. Perhaps it was a lucky thing that Phyllis wasn’t here, sitting next to Hannah on the couch right now.