someone was angry enough to disable her car. And if they were angry enough to do this to her car, perhaps they were angry enough to kill her!”
They were all silent for a moment. It was a sobering thought. And then Norman turned to Cyril. “Did one of your mechanics tow Darcy’s car here?”
“No, the auto club did it and I saw it come in. They used a flatbed tow truck. Darcy was driving her father’s SUV, and it can’t be towed by a regular tow truck.”
“Did the person who towed it in look under the hood?”
Cyril shook his head. “Darcy told them to just bring it here, that I’d worked on it before and I’d know what was wrong.”
“Do you know where the car was when the auto club picked it up?”
“Yes, the guy from the auto club was complaining about that. The car was in the employees’ parking lot at DelRay Manufacturing. That’s where Darcy worked.”
Hannah and Norman exchanged glances. The first thing they had to do was find out if the employees’ parking lot was accessible to the public. If it wasn’t, whoever had disabled Darcy’s car must have worked at DelRay.
“Do you know which shift Darcy worked?” Hannah asked Cyril.
“It must have been the day shift. The auto club towing service brought her car in at about six-thirty in the evening.”
“Is there anything else you can tell us that might help in the investigation into Darcy’s murder?” Norman followed up.
“Nothing that I can think of at the moment.”
“If you think of anything . . . anything at all, please call us,” Hannah told him.
“I will.”
Hannah stood up. “We’ll let you get back to work, then. Thanks for talking to us, Cyril.”
“Will you keep me informed?” Cyril asked, standing up to shake Norman’s hand. He turned to Hannah, gave her a hug, and sighed as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders. “May the road rise up to meet you, and may the wind be always at your back.”
It was almost like one of Reverend Bob’s benedictions and Hannah felt tears come to her eyes.
“Thank you, Cyril,” she managed to say.
Norman reached out to place his hand on Cyril’s shoulder. “May the sun shine warm upon your face, the rains fall soft upon your fields,” he said, “and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.”
Cyril looked at Norman in surprise. “How did you know that? You’re not Irish, are you?”
Norman shook his head. “Not me, but my best friend in Seattle was another dentist named Sean O’Connor. He told me his family was Shanty Irish.”
“You say he was your best friend?”
Norman nodded. “We still get together every time we go to dental conventions. Sean knows the best Irish pubs in every city.”
“Sounds like a fine fellow,” Cyril said, beginning to smile. “I knew there was something about you I liked, besides the fact you fixed my teeth without hurting me.”
GEORGIA PEACH CAKE
Preheat oven to 325°F., rack in the middle position.
Cake Batter Ingredients:
1 cup softened, salted butter (2 sticks, 8 ounces, ½ pound)
2 cups white (granulated) sugar
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground is best, of course)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
½ cup peach jam
3 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
1 cup buttermilk (or whipping cream)
This cake is made in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan, either metal or glass. To prepare your cake pan, either spray it with Pam or another nonstick cooking or baking spray, or generously butter the bottom and sides of the pan.
Hannah’s 1st Note: If Lisa and I are making this cake for catering, we use disposable foil cake pans. You can do this if you plan to give it to someone or take it to a potluck dinner. That way you won’t have to ask for the cake pan back.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: The following instructions are for an electric mixer. You can also mix this cake by hand in a large bowl, but it will take a strong beating arm to do it.
To Make the Cake Batter:
Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. With the mixer running at MEDIUM speed, beat the butter for a minute or two.
With the mixer still running at MEDIUM speed, sprinkle in the white (granulated) sugar, beating as you sprinkle. Mix the butter and the sugar together until they form into a light, fluffy