Chapter Two
It wasn’t the way that Hannah preferred to attract new clientele, but she had to admit that finding Ron’s body had been good for business. The Cookie Jar was jam-packed with customers. Some of them were even standing while they munched their cookies, and every one of them wanted her opinion on what had happened to Ron LaSalle.
Hannah looked up as the bell tinkled and Andrea came in. She looked mad enough to kill and Hannah sighed.
“We have to talk!” Andrea slipped around the counter and grabbed her arm. “Now, Hannah!”
“I can’t talk to you now, Andrea. I have customers.”
“‘Ghouls’ is more like it!” Andrea spoke in an undertone, surveying the crowd that was eyeing them curiously. She gave a tight little smile, a mere turning up of her lips that wouldn’t have fooled anyone with its sincerity, and her grip tightened on Hannah’s arm. “Call Lisa to handle the counter and take a break. It’s important, Hannah!”
Hannah nodded. Andrea looked terribly upset. “Okay. Go tell Lisa to come up here and I’ll join you back in the bakery.”
The switch was accomplished quickly, and once she’d slipped back to the bakery, Hannah found her sister perched on a stool at the work island in the center of the room. Andrea was staring at the ovens as if she’d just encountered a hibernating grizzly, and Hannah was alarmed. “Is there something wrong with the ovens?”
“Not exactly. Lisa said that the timer’s about to go off and the cookies have to come out. You know I don’t bake, Hannah.”
“I’ll do it.” Hannah grinned as she handed her sister an individual carton of orange juice. Her sister would be more at home in a foreign country than she was in a kitchen. Andrea’s culinary efforts were always disasters. Until she’d gone back to work and hired someone to come in to cook the meals, the Todd family had eaten nothing but microwave dinners.
Hannah grabbed a pair of oven mitts and removed the trays from the ovens. She replaced them with the unbaked Oatmeal Raisin Crisps that Lisa had prepared and then she pulled up a second stool and joined her sister at the work island. “What’s wrong, Andrea?”
“It’s Tracey. Janice Cox just paged me from Kiddie Korner. She said Tracey’s telling all of her classmates that she saw Ron’s body.”
“That’s true—she did.”
“How could you, Hannah?” Andrea looked positively betrayed. “Tracey’s impressionable, just like me. It’s liable to scar her psyche for life!”
Hannah reached out and opened the carton of orange juice, slipping the little plastic straw inside. “Take a sip, Andrea. You look faint. And try to relax.”
“How can I relax when you exposed my daughter to a murder victim?”
“I didn’t expose her. Bill did. And all Tracey saw was the body bag. They were loading it into the coroner’s van when he took her over to the preschool.”
“Then she didn’t actually see Ron.”
“Not unless she has X-ray vision. You can ask Bill about it. He’s still out in the alley securing the crime scene.”
“I’ll talk to him later.” Andrea took a sip of her orange juice and a little color came back into her cheeks. “I’m sorry, Hannah. I should have known that you wouldn’t do anything to hurt Tracey. Sometimes I think that you’re a better mother to her than I am.”
Hannah bit her tongue. This wasn’t the time to give Andrea a lecture about how to raise her daughter. “Tracey loves you, Andrea.”
“I know, but motherhood doesn’t come naturally to me. That’s why I hired the best baby-sitters I could find and went to work. I thought that if I had a real career, it would make Bill and Tracey proud of me, but it’s just not working out the way I hoped it would.”
Hannah nodded, recognizing the real reason behind her sister’s unusual candor. “Your sale fell through?”
“Yes. He decided the property wasn’t right for him. And when I offered to show him some of my other listings, he wouldn’t even look. I really wanted that carpet, Hannah. It was gorgeous and it would have given my bedroom a whole new look.”
“Next time, Andrea.” Hannah gave her an encouraging smile. “You’re a good salesman.”
“Not good enough to convince Mr. Harris. I can usually spot a Looky-Lou a mile off, but I’m beginning to think that he was never serious about buying the old Peterson place.”
Hannah got up to hand her a Chocolate Chip Crunch that was still slightly warm from the oven. Andrea had always loved Chocolate Chip Crunches and Hannah made a mental note to remind Bill not to mention that Ron had been eating them right before he died. “Eat this, Andrea. You’ll feel better with a little chocolate in your system.”
“Maybe.” Andrea took a bite of the cookie and gave a small smile. “I just love these cookies, Hannah. Do you remember the first time you made them for me?”
“I remember,” Hannah answered with a smile. It had been a rainy day in September and Andrea had stayed after school for cheerleading tryouts. Since there’d never been a freshman cheerleader on the varsity squad, Hannah hadn’t held out much hope that Andrea would make it. So Hannah had rushed home from school to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies for her sister, hoping to take the sting out of Andrea’s disappointment, but she hadn’t checked to make sure she had all the ingredients before she’d started to mix up the dough. The oatmeal canister had been empty and Hannah had crushed up some Corn Flakes as a substitute. The resulting cookies had been wonderful, Andrea had made the cheerleading squad, and she’d raved about Hannah’s Chocolate Chip Crunches ever since.
“I guess there was no real way of knowing that he was just window-shopping.” Andrea took another bite of her cookie and sighed. “He seemed like a real buyer. Even Al Percy thought so. I mean, we didn’t even have to solicit him. He came to us!”
Hannah realized that it might be good for Andrea to talk about her disappointment. “How long ago was that?”
“Three weeks ago on Tuesday. He said he really liked the house, that it had a sense of history about it. I took him inside and he was even more impressed.”
“But you couldn’t get him to make an offer?”
“No, he said he needed to work out some details first. I figured that it was just an excuse and I wrote him off. Sometimes people don’t like to say no and they give you some sort of lame excuse. I really didn’t think I’d hear from him again, but he called me last week and said he was still interested.”
Hannah decided that some sisterly comfort was in order. “Maybe he really wanted to buy, but he couldn’t afford it.”
“I don’t think so. He told me that money wasn’t the problem, that he’d just decided it wouldn’t suit him. And then he got into his rental car and drove away.”
“He was driving a rental?”
“Yes, he said he didn’t want to damage his Jaguar by driving it over gravel roads. For all I know, he doesn’t even have a Jaguar. If I ever see a man in a rug again, I’m not going to believe a single word he says! A man who lies about having hair will lie about anything.”
Hannah laughed and went to take the Oatmeal Raisin Chews out of the ovens. When she turned, her sister was standing up to go.
“I’ve got to run,” Andrea announced. “Mother told me that Mrs. Robbins is thinking about moving to the Lakeview Senior Apartments. I thought I’d drop in for a visit and see if I can convince her to list her house with me.”
Hannah immediately felt better. Andrea seemed to have recovered her self-confidence.
“I’ll just say hello to Bill and see if he can pick Tracey up after preschool. And I suppose I’d better find something to take to Mrs. Robbins. It’s not very neighborly to arrive empty-handed.”
“Take these. They’re her favorites.” Hannah filled one of her special cookie bags with a half-dozen Molasses Crackles. The bags looked like miniature shopping bags and they had red handles with “The Cookie Jar” stamped in gold lettering on the front.
“This is really sweet of you.” Andrea sounded grateful. “I don’t say it enough, but you’re a wonderful sister. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t come back when Dad died. Mother was a basket case and Michelle didn’t know what to do with her. I tried to run back and forth, but Tracey was just a baby and I just couldn’t keep it up. All I could think of was calling you and begging you to come home to bail us all out.”
Hannah gave Andrea a quick hug. “You did the right thing. I’m the big sister and you were practically a newlywed. It was my responsibility to help.”
“But sometimes I feel really guilty about calling you. You had your own life and you gave it all up for us.”
Hannah turned away to hide the sudden moisture that sprang to her eyes. Perhaps losing a sale was good for Andrea. She’d never been this appreciative before. “You don’t have to feel guilty, Andrea. Coming home wasn’t a sacrifice on my part. I was having doubts about teaching and I really wanted to do something different.”
“But you were so close to getting your doctorate. You could have been a professor by now at a really good university.”
“Maybe.” Hannah shrugged, conceding the point. “But baking cookies is a lot more fun than giving a lecture on iambic pentameter or being stuck in a deadly dull faculty meeting. And you know how much I love The Cookie Jar.”
“Then you’re happy here in Lake Eden?”
“My business is great, I’ve got my own place, and I don’t have to live with Mother. What could be better?”
Andrea started to smile. “There’s something to that, especially the part about not living with Mother. But what about romance?”
“Don’t push it, Andrea.” Hannah gave her a warning look. “If the right man comes along, that’s great. And if he doesn’t, that’s fine too. I’m perfectly content to live by myself.”
“Okay, if you’re sure.” Andrea looked very relieved as she headed for the door.
“I’m sure. Good luck with Mrs. Robbins.”
“I’ll need it.” Andrea turned back with a grin. “If she starts bragging about her son, the doctor, I’ll probably throw up.”
Hannah knew exactly what her sister meant. Mrs. Robbins had come into her cookie shop last week, full of praise about her son, the doctor. According to his mother, Dr. Jerry Robbins was about to discover the cure for multiple sclerosis, cancer, and the common cold all in one fell swoop.
“I need to ask you some questions, Hannah.” Bill stuck his head into the coffee shop and motioned to her.
“Sure, Bill.” Hannah handed her apron to Lisa, grabbed two mugs of strong black coffee, and followed him into the back room. On the way, she admired the way his tan uniform shirt fit smoothly over his broad shoulders. Bill had been a football player in high school, never as famous as Ron LaSalle, but he’d helped to win his share of games. Now his waist was thicker, the result of too many chocolate-covered doughnuts from the Quick Stop on his commute to the sheriff’s station, but he was still a handsome man.
“Thanks for the coffee, Hannah.” Bill plunked down on a stool and cupped both hands around his mug of coffee. “It’s getting cold out there.”
“I can tell. You look positively blue around the gills. Did you find out anything?”
“Not much. The driver’s window was open. Ron must have stopped his truck and rolled down the window to talk to his killer.”
Hannah thought about that for a moment. “He wouldn’t have rolled down his window if he thought that he was in any danger.”
“Probably not,” Bill agreed. “Whoever it was took him completely by surprise.”
“Do you have any suspects?”
“Not yet. And unless we can find a witness, the only clue we’ll have is the bullet. It’ll go to ballistics right after the autopsy.”
Hannah winced at the mention of the autopsy. To take her mind off the fact that Doc Knight would have to cut Ron open, she asked another question. “You don’t have to tell anyone that he was eating one of my cookies when he died, do you? It might put people off, if you know what I mean.”
“No problem.” Bill looked amused for the first time that morning. “Your cookies had nothing to do with it. Ron was shot.”
“I wish I’d found him sooner, Bill. I could have called for an ambulance.”
“That wouldn’t have done any good. It looked like the bullet hit his heart. I won’t know for sure until the doc gets through with him, but I think he died instantly.”
“That’s good.” Hannah nodded, and then she realized what she’d said. “I mean, that’s not good, but I’m glad it was over quickly.”
Bill opened his notebook. “I want you to tell me everything that happened this morning, Hannah, even if you don’t think it’s important.”
“You got it.” Hannah waited until Bill had picked up his pen and then she told him everything, from the time she’d first seen Ron at the dairy to the moment she’d discovered his body. She gave Bill the exact time that she had gone out through the rear door of the bakery, and the time that she’d come back in to call the sheriff’s office.
“You make a good witness,” Bill complimented her. “Is that all?”
“I think Tracey may have been the last person to see Ron alive. She said she was waiting for Andrea to pick up some papers at the realty office when Ron drove by in his truck. She waved at him, he waved back, and then she watched him turn at my corner. That must have been close to eight because Andrea and Tracey came into the coffee shop right after I opened and…” Hannah stopped speaking and began to frown.
“What is it, Hannah?” Bill picked up his pen again. “You just thought of something, didn’t you?”
“Yes. If Tracey saw Ron at eight, he was already twenty-five minutes behind schedule.”
“How do you know that?”
“Ron was supposed to be here at seven thirty-five. He delivers to the school and then he comes straight here. I’ve been on his route since I opened this place and he’s never been more than a minute late.”
“And that’s why you went out in the alley to look for his truck?”
“Not exactly. We thought he’d broken down. Tracey said she heard his truck backfire right after he turned into the…” Hannah stopped in midsentence, her eyes widening in shock. “Tracey heard it, Bill. She thought it was a backfire, but she must have heard the shot that killed Ron!”
Bill’s lips tightened and Hannah knew what he was thinking. It was terrifying to think that Tracey had come so close to the scene of a murder. “I’d better get out to the dairy and tell Max Turner what’s happened,” he said.
“Max isn’t there. Ron told me that he was leaving for the Tri-State Buttermakers’ Convention this morning. It’s in Wisconsin and I think it lasts for a week. If I were you, I’d talk to Betty Jackson. She’s Max’s secretary and she’ll know how to reach him.”
“Good idea.” Bill drained his coffee mug and set it down. “This case is really important to me, Hannah. I passed the detective’s test last week and Sheriff Grant put me in charge.”
“Then you’ve been promoted?” Hannah started to smile.
“Not yet. Sheriff Grant has to sign off on it, but I’m pretty sure he will, if I do a good job. This promotion would be good for us. I’d be making more money and Andrea wouldn’t have to work.”
“That’s wonderful, Bill.” Hannah was genuinely pleased for him.
“You don’t think it’s wrong to use Ron’s murder as a springboard to my promotion?”
“Absolutely not.” Hannah shook her head. “Somebody’s got to catch Ron’s killer. If you do it and if you get a promotion, it’s only what you deserve.”
“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better?”
“Me? I never say what I don’t mean, not when it’s important. You should know that by now!”
Bill grinned, relaxing a bit. “You’re right. It’s like Andrea says: Tact isn’t really one of your long suits.”
“True.” Hannah conceded the point with a smile, but it still stung a little. She thought she’d been very tactful with Andrea over the years. There had been countless occasions when she could have cheerfully strangled her sister, and she hadn’t.
“There’s one other thing, Hannah.” Bill cleared his throat. “I hate to ask, but people tend to talk to you and you know almost everyone in town. Will you call me if you hear anything you think I should know?”
“Of course I will.”
“Thanks. Just keep your eyes and your ears open. If Ron’s killer is local, he’s bound to say or do something to give himself away. We just have to be smart enough to pick up on it.”
Hannah nodded. Then she noticed that Bill was eyeing the trays of Oatmeal Raisin Crisps with longing and she got up to fill a bag for him. “Don’t eat all these cookies in one sitting, Bill. You’re getting a roll around your waist.”
After Bill left, Hannah thought about what she’d said. Andrea was right. She had no tact. A tactful person wouldn’t have mentioned the roll around Bill’s waist. It wasn’t her place to criticize Andrea’s husband.
As she walked back through the swinging door and took her place behind the counter, Hannah realized that she’d committed an even more serious sisterly infraction. She’d just promised to help Bill solve a murder case that might end up putting Andrea right out of a job.
Chocolate Chip Crunch Cookies
Preheat oven to 375° F, rack in the middle position.
1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 beaten eggs (you can beat them up with a fork)
2? cups flour (not sifted)
2 cups crushed corn flakes (just crush them with you hands)
1 to 2 cup chocolate chips
Melt butter, add the sugars and stir. Add soda, salt, vanilla, and beaten eggs. Mix well. Then add flour and stir it in. Add crushed corn flakes and chocolate chips and mix it all thoroughly.
Form dough into walnut-sized balls with your fingers and place on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard sheet. Press them down slightly with a floured or greased spatula.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove to a wire rack until they’re completely cool. (The rack is important—it makes them crisp.)
Yield: 6 to 8 dozen, depending on cookie size.
(These cookies have been Andrea’s favorites since high school.)
Hannah’s Note: If these cookies spread out too much in the oven, reduce temp. to 350° F. and do not flatten before baking.