Apple Turnover Murder (Hannah Swensen, #13)(13)

“I have another treat, too,” Stephanie said. “I snagged the most wonderful person to be the host.”

“Not Samantha Summerfield!” Lisa looked astounded.

“No. She’ll be commenting from the audience during the first half of the show, but her driver is picking her up during intermission. It’s Bradford Ramsey. He agreed right away when I asked him to host the show. He told me he really loves performing in front of an audience and he’s very eager to help our charities.”

“That’s nice of him,” Lisa commented.

“He seems like a great guy,” Mayor Bascomb gave his opinion.

Hannah said nothing. Instead, she busied herself by adding more cookies to the plate on the table. Bradford was neither a nice man nor a great guy, and she knew that for a fact. He was a skunk, a snake, and a lying, cheating, totally unredeemable jerk. To think that she’d once been in love with him was even worse than embarrassing. The less the mayor, Stephanie, and Lisa knew about her unhappy past with Bradford Ramsey, the better!





Chapter Four


“Tell me you know how to make chocolate sugar cookies and apple turnovers, “Hannah said to Lisa the moment the door had closed behind the mayor and Stephanie.

“I know how to make chocolate sugar cookies. I found a recipe in one of Mom’s boxes and I made them for Herb’s birthday. Everybody really loved them.” “Great. How about apple turnovers?” “I don’t know how to make apple turnovers.” Hannah let out a groan that would have awakened a hibernating bear. “But you promised Stephanie we’d make them.”

“I know. Don’t worry, Hannah. Marge makes the best apple turnovers I’ve ever tasted, and she told me it’s easier than making pies. She baked over a hundred for our family reunion last year.”

Hannah began to feel better immediately. Lisa’s mother-in-law was an excellent cook and baker who never did anything fancy. She’d grown up on wholesome home-cooked meals and if she’d baked that many apple turnovers, it couldn’t be that difficult to do.

“Will Marge teach us how to make them?” Hannah asked.

“I’m sure she will. I’ll give her a call right now and ask. Knowing Marge, she’ll probably offer to help us bake them and talk Aunt Patsy into coming along, too.”

“That would be great. I’d feel a lot more confident if somebody knew what they were doing.”

“Me too.” Lisa gave a little smile. “Now I want you to stop worrying about the recipes and the baking, and think of all the money we’re going to make on a gazillion apple turnovers!”

It was two in the afternoon and everything was coming up roses. Or at least it was coming up daisies, Hannah amended the old adage. There still weren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done to her satisfaction, but Marge and Patsy had offered to help with the turnovers. They’d even suggested a plan. Since Marge’s turnovers froze beautifully, they were going to start baking them tonight, right after The Cookie Jar closed for business. Jack, who’d convinced Marge that he was the fastest apple peeler in Minnesota history, would come with them to operate the old-fashioned apple peeler, corer, and slicer that his grandmother had used in her farm kitchen. Hannah would leave once everyone had arrived and drive to her condo to check on the cats and go out to The Corner Tavern with Mike, who’d stopped in at The Cookie Jar to tell her that no one had broken into Norman’s house. What his neighbor had thought was a burglar was actually only a burned out lightbulb that Mike had replaced.

“I’ve got something for you to taste,” Lisa called out, emerging from the kitchen with a plate of cookies.

“Chocolate Sugar Cookies?” Hannah guessed, gazing down at the sparkling grains of sugar on the dark chocolate cookies.

“Right. I called Dad and he read the recipe to me over the phone. I just thought I’d try them to make sure they were as good as I remembered.”

Hannah bit into one of the still-warm cookies and gave a little sigh of contentment. She was about to take another bite when Jon Walker, the local druggist who’d come in for his early afternoon break, tapped her arm to get her attention.

“How about us?” he asked, making a sweeping gesture that included everyone seated at the counter. “We’ll help you test those cookies.”

Both Hannah and Lisa laughed. Their customers were always ready to critique new cookies. “Here you go,” Lisa said, passing the plate to Jon so that he could distribute them.

Stan Kramer, Hannah’s accountant, was the first to comment. “Good crunch,” he said.

“They’re nice and buttery,” Bertie Straub, owner of Lake Eden’s beauty parlor, the Cut ’n Curl, gave her assessment.

“And the chocolate is just right,” Jon said. “It’s dark, and sweet and …”

“Yummy!” Hannah finished the sentence for him.

Father Coultas, who was sitting at the end of the counter, gave Lisa the high sign. “I’d give it a ten out of ten,” he said. “You’ll bring some to our next bake sale, won’t you, Lisa?”

Just then the bell on the front door tinkled and Andrea stepped in. As usual, she could have stepped off the cover of a fashion magazine. Her makeup was perfect, and her shining blond hair was caught up in a barrette, a hairstyle that exposed the back of her slender neck and was perfect for a warm summer day. She was wearing a mint green dress with a full skirt that was decorated with wide black rickrack around the collar and hem. A black leather belt with a rickrack design nipped in Andrea’s slim waist, and black leather sandals with tiny heels completed the outfit.