Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1)(23)

“Ron was late and he didn’t have time to take me home until later. I went along on his home delivery route and then we went back to the dairy and he loaded up for his commercial customers. I only went to one commercial place with him. Right after we stocked the school cooler, he dropped me off at home.”

“What time did Ron bring you home?”

“It was seven-twenty. I looked at my watch before I got out of his truck. I figured that my neighbors might be up by then, so I ducked in the alley and went in through the garage.”

“Do you think you would have noticed if anyone was following Ron’s truck?”

“I don’t know.” Danielle looked frightened. “I’ve been thinking about it all day, but I don’t remember seeing anyone behind us.”

Hannah leaned forward. If Danielle knew where Ron had been planning to go when he’d dropped her off, it could be very helpful. “Think hard, Danielle. Did Ron say anything about where he was going when he left you?”

“He didn’t say anything except goodbye,” Danielle’s voice quavered and she dabbed at her eyes again. “I tried to talk him into going to the dentist for his tooth, but I don’t think he did. Ron had this thing about being totally reliable and making his deliveries on time.”

Hannah’s eyebrows shot up. “His tooth? What was wrong with his tooth?”

“I think it was cracked. He got into a fight with one of the casino bouncers when he tried to hand out some pamphlets inside. His jaw was all swollen up and it was hurting him a lot. I made him put ice on it. That’s good for the swelling.”

Hannah flashed back to the last time she’d seen Ron alive. He’d been standing by his truck, cupping the side of his face. She’d thought that he looked pensive, but he could have been holding his hand over a cracked tooth. “Was Ron’s cracked tooth on the left side, Danielle?”

“Yes!” Danielle gasped and stared at Hannah as if she’d just pulled a rabbit out of a hat. “How did you know?”

“I saw him loading the truck when I drove to work this morning and he was cupping the left side of his jaw. But I didn’t see you.”

“That’s because I was scrunched down in the seat. I didn’t want anyone to spot me with Ron and get the wrong idea.”

That made sense. Hannah knew the local gossips would have had a heyday if they’d seen Danielle with Ron. “Can you describe the bouncer who hit Ron?”

“I wasn’t there. It happened about an hour before I got to the casino. I think you could find him, though. Ron told me he landed a couple of good punches and he was pretty sure he gave the guy a black eye.”

“And that’s all you know?”

“That’s everything, Hannah.” Danielle gave a deep sigh. “You don’t have to tell Bill about this, do you? Boyd thinks I was home all night and I really don’t want him to find out.”

Hannah made one of her lightning decisions and she hoped she wouldn’t regret it. “I’ll tell Bill what happened, but I’m not going to use your name, Danielle. There’s no reason he has to know.”

“Oh, thank you, Hannah! You don’t know how much I appreciate this. I wanted to say something sooner, but—”

“I understand,” Hannah interrupted her. “You couldn’t say anything without letting Boyd know that you were with Ron.”

Danielle dipped her head in a nod. She still looked beautiful, even though her makeup was smudged and her eyelashes were stuck together in clumps from the tears she’d shed. Hannah was amazed at the difference between them. Every time she cried, which wasn’t often, her nose turned as red as the light on top of Bill’s cruiser and the skin around her eyes puffed up. It was pretty clear that when they’d handed out the gorgeous genes, women like Danielle and Andrea had stolen her share.

“Take a couple of minutes and fix your makeup.” Hannah gave her a bracing smile. “Your mascara really is running now.”

Danielle looked scared again. “But Boyd’ll come looking for me if I’m not out soon.”

“I’ll find him and tell him that you got a piece of dust in your eye.” Hannah helped her up and propelled her toward the mirror. “Don’t worry, Danielle. Your secret is safe with me.”



“I know, Moishe. I was gone a long time.” Hannah scooped up the orange blur that hurled itself at her ankles when she opened her condo door. That action seemed to appease the needy feline because he started to rumble, deep in his throat. He licked her hand and Hannah laughed. “I’m home to stay now. Just let me make one phone call and then we’ll have our bedtime snack and hit the pillows.”

Moishe followed her out to the kitchen and watched as she poured herself a glass of white wine from the green gallon jug of Chablis that sat in the bottom of her refrigerator. It was far from fine wine and Hannah knew the difference, but it was cheaper than Sominex or Bayer P.M. She opened the cupboard to grab one of the antique dessert dishes that her mother had given her as a Christmas present and filled it with Moishe’s favorite brand of vanilla yogurt. Her mother would be horrified to learn that the only one who’d ever used one of the cut-glass dessert dishes was the cat who’d shredded her stockings.

“Okay, we’re all set.” Hannah clicked off the kitchen light and let Moishe precede her into the living room. He hopped up on the coffee table and waited for Hannah to set down the dessert dish. “You can start, Moishe. I’ll drink my wine while I talk to Bill.”