“I’m almost sure he won’t. Once he gets his money, he’ll be long gone. Mike told Ross that he couldn’t guarantee his safety, and that’s probably why Ross drove all night so that he could arrive so early this morning.”
“You mean he wanted to get here before anyone in town was awake?”
“Yes. And he wanted to get here while I was alone at The Cookie Jar.”
“That’s scary,” Lisa said, but she was clearly relieved that Hannah didn’t think Ross would come back for the movie festival. “I really hope he won’t be back here. Herb was pretty hot under the collar about how Ross treated you, and Aunt Nancy said that Heiti felt the same way. Everyone’s on your side, Hannah. And they all think that what Ross did to you was horrible.”
Hannah frowned slightly. She really didn’t want to talk about Ross anymore. It was best to change the subject, so she gestured toward the box. “Take a look at what Michelle and I baked.”
Lisa lifted the cover on the large box and her eyes widened as she saw what was inside. “You two must have baked the entire time!”
“It was something to do and it made us feel better. Between the two of us, we came up with quite a few new recipes.”
“What are these cookies?” Lisa pointed to a row of cookies in the middle of the box.
“We’re calling them Chocolate Mint Cookies. Grab a cup of coffee and try one. I want to find out what you think of them.”
Lisa got up and headed for the coffeepot. In less than a minute, she was back with her coffee.
“Go ahead,” Hannah invited. “I already had one when we baked them, but I think I’ll have another.”
“They smell nice and minty,” Lisa remarked, choosing a cookie from the box and taking a bite. “Mmmm!”
“That sounds like you approve.”
Lisa nodded and took a sip of coffee. “I love the combination of chocolate and mint. They’re wonderful, Hannah!”
“Thank you. Do you think we should offer them on our takeout list of cookies for Valentine’s Day?”
“Yes, but only after you let people sample them today. You know everyone who comes in likes to critique our cookies. And not just because they get a free cookie. I think our customers really like it when we ask for their opinion.”
“I’ll bake more this morning and we can test them out on the customers today. How about your Pink Grapefruit Cake and the White Chocolate Brownies?”
“We can test those, too. I brought in the rest of the Pink Grapefruit Cake and the brownies. You test those and if you like them, I’ll bake the cake when I take my lunch break.”
“But then you won’t get lunch.”
“Yes, I will. I can order a hamburger and fries from Rose at the café and run down to get it while the cake is baking. And after I eat, I can bake the brownies.”
There was a knock at the back door and Hannah got up from her stool. “It’s Mother,” she told Lisa. “I’ll go let her in.”
“Four knocks in rapid succession, polite, but insistent,” Lisa said. “I can recognize her knock now, but I still have problems with Norman’s knock.”
“That’s because he changes it deliberately. He likes to try to fool me, but I’m right more often than I’m wrong.”
“Oh, good! You’re in this morning!” Delores greeted Hannah the moment she opened the door. Then she stepped in, wiped her boots on the rug Hannah kept by the door in the winter, stepped out of her boots and replaced them with slippers, and handed Hannah her parka to hang from a hook just inside the door. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m fine. Lisa and I were just having coffee. Would you like to join us?”
“That would be lovely.” Delores followed Hannah to the work station, took a stool next to Lisa, and noticed the box of cookies. “What are these? They look divine!”
“They’re Chocolate Mint Cookies,” Hannah told her.
“I haven’t had these before, have I?”
Hannah shook her head. “No, Michelle and I came up with the recipe and we baked them yesterday, just in time to invite Earl for coffee and cookies before he plowed us out. Try one, Mother. I’d like to know what you think of them.”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Delores said with a laugh, reaching for a cookie and taking a bite, “I absolutely love the combination of chocolate and mint. These are fabulous, dear! You’re going to serve them here, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” Lisa answered, reaching for another cookie. “Our customers are going to love them.”
Delores turned to Hannah. “What did you think of the mayor’s news, Hannah?”
“It’s exciting. They’re going to do the interviews with the movie people right here at The Cookie Jar. It’ll be fun to see some of the movie people again, and they’re even going to interview some of the locals who were in Crisis in Cherrywood.”
“Will they interview Tracey?” Delores asked.
“I think so. She had a big role in the movie.”
“How about you, Hannah?” Lisa wanted to know.
“I doubt it. My part wasn’t that big. I’m hoping that Lynne and Tom will fly in for the festival. It would be good to see them again.”
“Stephanie Bascomb told me that she’s keeping a list of the people who are coming in for the festival,” Delores told them. “I’ll ask her if Lynne and Tom are on it.”
“Thanks, Mother. I really would like to know. I tried calling Lynne last night to ask her if she was coming, but she wasn’t home.”
“Stephanie’s coming over this afternoon for coffee. She invited herself and of course I agreed. You should drop by, Hannah. I’ll ask her to bring the list with her.”
“I would, but it’s our first day back and . . .”
“Go ahead, Hannah,” Lisa interrupted the excuse that Hannah was about to give. “Aunt Nancy will be here, and Marge and Dad are coming, too. We can handle things here.”
“Wonderful!” Delores said quickly. “Hannah can help me think of something to serve. Stephanie loves appetizers, and I hate to serve crackers and cheese every time she comes for coffee.”
Hannah knew when she was beaten and she put on a smile for her mother’s benefit. There were usually strings attached to her mother’s invitations and she should have expected it. “I’ll bring some cookies and if Florence has grapes, I’ll make frozen grapes.”
“Frozen grapes?” Delores looked puzzled. “I haven’t had those before.”
“It’s a new recipe I’ve been meaning to try. If Florence has any seedless grapes, I’ll make those. And I’ll bring some of Aunt Kitty’s Jamaican Rum Balls, too.”
“Stephanie loves those! I had some left over from Christmas Eve and we had them with champagne.”
Delores finished her cookie, drank the last of her coffee, and stood up to go. “I’ll see you about three-thirty then, dear. That way we’ll be all ready when Stephanie gets there at four.”
“Before you go, I need to know whether Stephanie prefers vodka or tequila.”
Delores looked confused. “I’m not sure, dear. She did mention that she sometimes drinks vodka tonics in the summer, though.”
“Good enough. And we know she likes champagne.”
“Oh, yes. Expensive champagne. The last time she came over for coffee, I had to open a second bottle of Perrier Jouet. But you’re not planning to bring champagne or vodka, are you, dear?”
“No, but I need them for the grapes. They’re marinated in a mixture of Prosecco and tequila, but I’ll substitute champagne and vodka.”
“Oooh! That sounds lethal!” Delores looked slightly worried. “You may have to drive Stephanie home, dear.”
Hannah laughed. “Or I’ll leave her with you to sleep it off.”
Delores looked properly horrified. “You wouldn’t . . . would you, dear?”
“No, I was joking, Mother. Are you going to Granny’s Attic this morning?”
“Yes, Carrie’s meeting me there and we’re going to price some antiques that Luanne found at an estate sale in Brow-erville. I’m sure they’re wonderful. Luanne has a very good eye for a bargain.”
Once Delores had left, Lisa turned to Hannah. “Sounds like Luanne is doing very well working for your mother and Carrie. She’s managing the store now, isn’t she?”
“Yes, and she’s also their accountant. She finished her last class right before Christmas.”