“Good. Did Ross sound desperate when he asked you to come to see me and get the money?”
Hannah nodded. “Yes, he called me on my cell phone last night and I could hear it in his voice.”
“What do you think he’s going to say when you tell him that I wouldn’t give you the money and that he has to come in here to sign a withdrawal slip to request it?”
“I . . . I’m not sure, but I know he’s not going to be happy!”
Doug closed his eyes and Hannah knew that he was deep in thought. When he opened them again, he had a slight smile on his face. “Do you mind if I go out to the sheriff’s station to see Mike? I have an idea that might work.”
“What is it?”
“Bait Ross with something that you don’t think he’ll go for.”
Hannah was surprised at Doug’s response. “But what would that be?”
“Suggest that he write a check to his wife. She can deposit it in her account and Lake Eden First Mercantile Bank will honor it immediately.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I’ll approve it myself.”
“But . . . what if he says that he doesn’t want to do that?”
“Then give him the alternative.”
“What’s the alternative?”
Instead of telling her, Doug posed another question. “It’s clear to me that Ross is afraid of someone who might harm him, perhaps even kill him unless Ross gives him the money. Do you think that’s the case?”
“Yes.”
“Then we have to set a trap to get Ross. If the only way he’s communicating with you is by phone calls, we’ll never get the truth out of him. We’ll have to set a trap to get him here in person so that Mike can question him.”
“How can we do that?”
“When you suggest that he write a check to his wife and he gives you some sort of excuse for not doing that, tell him that you talked to me about withdrawing the money and that I was perfectly willing to do that.”
“But . . . I don’t have the money.”
“True. Tell Ross that I’ll get the money and give it to you, but I need his signature in to withdraw an amount that large. Promise him that I’ll fill out the withdrawal slip ahead of time and have it all ready for him. Then all he has to do it zip in here, sign it, and leave. Tell him I said I was sorry for the inconvenience, but that it’s a banking regulation.”
“Is it?” Hannah asked him.
“It will be.”
Hannah took a moment to think about Doug’s plan. “Do you think that Ross will agree to that?”
“Yes, if it’s the only way he can get the money. I’m almost sure that Ross would rather dash in here on Monday to sign a withdrawal slip, than risk telling whoever he owes that he can’t pay his debt.”
“You’re probably right, Doug. If Mike agrees to your plan, it’s certainly worth a try,” Hannah decided, finishing her coffee and standing up. “Thanks a lot, Doug. I really appreciate your help. Will you call Mike and tell him what we’re planning to do?”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll go out to the sheriff’s station and talk to Mike personally. If this works and Ross comes in to the bank, we’ll figure out what’s going on here. And then you can get back to leading a normal life.”
WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
2 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
? cup powdered sugar (No need to sift unless it’s got big lumps.)
? teaspoon baking soda ? teaspoon salt 1 cup white (granulated) sugar 1 cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
? cup salted butter (1 and ? sticks, 6 ounces)
6 ounces white baking chocolate squares (I used Baker’s)
1 and ? teaspoons vanilla extract 3 large eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
2 cups white chocolate chips or vanilla baking chips (an 11-ounce bag will do—I used Nestlé)
? cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
Line a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with heavy-duty foil. Spray the foil with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside to wait for its yummy contents.
Place the flour, powdered sugar, baking soda, salt, white sugar, and brown sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on LOW speed until they are thoroughly combined.
Place the stick and a half of salted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. (I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup.)
Break the white chocolate baking squares in pieces and place them on top of the butter.
Heat on HIGH in the microwave for 1 minute and then stir with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. (If you don’t have one, you really need to buy one. They’re not expensive and they’re dishwasher safe. You’ll use it a lot!)
If the white chocolate squares are not melted, take the spatula out of the bowl and return the bowl to the microwave. Heat the butter and chocolate mixture for an additional minute.
Let the bowl sit in the microwave for 1 more minute and then take it out and stir it with the heat-resistant spatula again. If you can stir it smooth, let it sit on the counter to cool for at least 5 minutes. If you can’t stir it smooth, heat it in increments of 30 seconds, letting it sit in the microwave for 1 minute after each increment, until you can stir it smooth.
Hannah’s 1st Note: You can also do this on the stovetop over LOW heat, but make sure to stir it constantly so it won’t scorch.
Stir the vanilla extract into the melted butter and white chocolate mixture. Let it continue to cool on the counter.
Add the eggs to your mixer bowl and beat together at MEDIUM speed until they are thoroughly incorporated.
Feel the bowl with the white chocolate and butter mixture. If it’s so hot it might scramble the eggs by adding it now, wait a few minutes until it’s cool enough to add.
Turn the mixer down to LOW speed and slowly pour the white chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract mixture into the mixer bowl. Mix this until it’s combined, but do not over-beat.
Roughly chop the white chocolate chips into smaller pieces. (I used my food processor with the steel blade in an on-and-off motion.)
Take the bowl out of the mixer and fold in the pieces of white chocolate chips by hand. (You can use the same heat-resistant spatula that you used earlier.)
If you choose to use the pecans, stir them in now.
Scoop the batter into your prepared pan. It will be very thick. Use the same rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and get every wonderful bit of tasty batter into the cake pan.
Smooth the batter out with your impeccably clean hands and then press it down evenly with the back of a metal spatula. Make sure the batter gets into the corners of the pan.
Bake your White Chocolate Brownies in your preheated oven at 350 degrees F. for exactly 23 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! If you do, you’ll end up with dry brownies.
When you take your brownies out of the oven, set them on a cold stove burner or a wire rack to cool.
When the White Chocolate Brownies are cool, frost them with White Chocolate Fudge Frosting. (Recipe follows.)
WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE FROSTING
This recipe is made in the microwave.
2 Tablespoons (1 ounce, ? stick) salted butter 2 cups white chocolate chips or vanilla baking chips (I used Nestlé)
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk—I used Eagle Brand)
Place the butter in the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl. (I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup.)
Place the white chocolate chips on top of the butter.
Pour in the 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk.
Heat on HIGH for 1 minute. Then remove from the microwave and stir with a heat-resistant rubber spatula.
Return the bowl to the microwave and heat for another minute.
Let the bowl sit in the microwave for 1 minute and then take it out (careful—it may be hot!) and set it on the counter. Attempt to stir it smooth with the heat-resistant spatula.