Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1)(30)

Hannah had just hung up when Lisa stuck her head around the side of the swinging door. “Your sister’s here, Hannah.”

“Send her back here with two mugs of coffee,” Hannah instructed, walking to the counter to pile a half-dozen White Chocolate Supremes on a plate. There weren’t many left and she suspected that Lisa’s new recipe had been a success. Then she sat down on a stool and wondered what new crisis had brought Andrea to The Cookie Jar for the second day in a row.

“Hi, Hannah,” Andrea greeted her. “Here’s your coffee.” She plunked down the two mugs of coffee, saw the cookies, and grabbed one before she even sat down. “These new cookies are heavenly. Everybody’s raving about them and they’re all sold out up front. Lisa gave me the last one while I was waiting for you.”

Hannah smiled. “I’m really glad they went over so well. Lisa worked a long time on the recipe.”

“They’re Lisa’s?” Andrea looked surprised. “That’s funny. She didn’t say a word about it to me.”

“She wouldn’t. Lisa’s still a little shy about her baking.”

“Well, she doesn’t have to be. These are winners.” Andrea reached for another cookie.

“What brings you in, Andrea?” Hannah mentally prepared herself for another sibling crisis. “I just got off the phone with Bill and he sounded fine. Tracey’s okay, isn’t she?”

“Tracey’s fine. Everything’s fine. I don’t have another showing until three and I just dropped in to say hello.”

Hannah raised her eyebrows. Andrea never just dropped in. “I’m busy tonight, but I can be home by eight-thirty. Is that too late to drop Tracey off?”

“Why would I want to drop Tracey off?” Andrea looked confused. “What are you talking about, Hannah?”

“You don’t need a sitter tonight?”

“No.” A dull flush rose to Andrea’s cheeks. “I’ve really been taking advantage of you, haven’t I?”

“Of course not.” Hannah shook her head. “I enjoy spending time with Tracey. She’s a great kid.”

“I know, but when I came in, you just assumed that I needed something. I’m not a very good sister, Hannah. I take and I take, but I never give back.”

Hannah was uncomfortable. This was getting altogether too serious to suit her. “Oh yeah? You urged me to open The Cookie Jar. I’d call that giving back in spades.”

“You’re right. I did suggest it.” Andrea looked pleased for a moment. “But I really should do more for you, Hannah. You help me out all the time and I never know how to return the favor. If you’d just ask me for something, I’d do it.”

Suddenly Hannah had a brilliant thought. “That’s about to change. If you really want to do something for me, you can come along with me to the dentist. My appointment’s at one.”

“Of course I’ll come, but I didn’t know you were afraid to go to the dentist.”

“Believe me, I am,” Hannah said with a grin, “especially when the dentist is Norman Rhodes.”

Andrea’s mouth dropped open. “But Mother said she tried to set you up with him! Why are you letting him work on your teeth?”

“I’m not. Right before Ron was killed, he had an appointment with Norman. I called him this morning and he confirmed that he’d seen Ron, but he refused to discuss it on the phone. He said he’d tell me all about it if I met him for lunch at his office.”

Andrea lifted her eyebrows. “Very sneaky. And you’re afraid that he’s using this opportunity to put the moves on you?”

“No, that’s not it. He seemed genuinely nice on the phone, but I don’t really want to be alone with him.”

“Why not? Unless…” Andrea stopped speaking and her eyes widened. “Do you think Norman’s a suspect?”

Hannah shrugged. “No, but I can’t entirely rule that out. Norman was one of the last people to see Ron alive, and I won’t know if he’s got an alibi until I ask him.”

“I’ll go with you,” Andrea agreed quickly. “He can’t try anything with both of us there. And while you’re having lunch and grilling him about Ron, I’ll snoop around to see if I can find any evidence.”

“Uh…maybe that’s not such a good idea, Andrea.”

“Why? I’m a great snooper, Hannah. I used to snoop through Mother’s things all the time and she never knew I did it. Besides, I’ll be helping Bill, and a wife’s supposed to help her husband.”

“It could be risky, Andrea.”

“Not if we work out a time schedule and stick to it. How long do you think you can keep him occupied?”

Hannah considered it seriously. “No more than twenty minutes.”

“I’ve got to have longer than that. How about thirty?”

“Twenty-five and not a second more,” Hannah said firmly. “I’ll tell him I want to eat lunch in his office and your time starts the instant that I close the door.”

“Okay. We’ll synchronize our watches before we go in and I promise I won’t get caught.”

“I hope not. I think it’s illegal.” Hannah was already beginning to regret asking Andrea to go along.