Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1)(60)

“What is it?” Andrea whispered. “What’s in there, Hannah?”

Hannah climbed down, trying not to look as shocked as she felt. “Max’s car is still there.”

“If his car is there, he’s got to be home!” Andrea was so astonished, she forgot to whisper. “Let’s get out of here, Hannah!”

Hannah’s instinct to flee was every bit as powerful as her sister’s, but her sense of duty took over. “We can’t just leave. If Max is inside, he could be sick, or injured, or…even worse.”

Andrea gasped, and Hannah knew she’d understood the reference to “even worse.”

“Don’t be a fool, Hannah. Let’s go get Bill.”

“You go. The keys are in the ignition. I’m going in to check on Max.”

“B-But…” Andrea started to stammer, and Hannah knew she was scared spitless. “I can’t leave you here alone, Hannah. What if Max is dead and his killer is inside?”

“If Max is dead, his killer is long gone. Be reasonable, Andrea. If you killed someone, would you stay in the house with him for two whole days?”

“No,” Andrea admitted. “But I just can’t help feeling that something really bad is going to happen. Remember Charlie Manson?”

“That was California. Just stay here and be a lookout for me. If you see any headlights coming down the driveway, ring Max’s doorbell.”

“No way, Hannah. I don’t want to say here alone.”

“Then come with me.” Hannah knew they were wasting precious time. “Make up your mind, Andrea. I’m going in.”

“I’ll come with you. It’s better than staying out here by myself. How are we going to get in?”

“I don’t know yet.” Hannah stepped back to survey the house. There wasn’t any easy way inside. “I guess I’m going to have to break a window.”

“Don’t do that. Bill says lots of people leave the door that connects their garage to their house open and that’s how burglars get in. Maybe Max left his unlocked.”

“That’s great, but how are we going to get in Max’s garage without a clicker? He’s got an automatic garage-door opener. I saw the hardware when I looked inside.”

“I know how.” Andrea sounded very proud of herself. “I watched Bill do it once, when our clicker didn’t work. He pulled up really hard on the door handle and it slid up a couple of inches, just enough for me to wiggle through. I think we could do it if we lift together.”

“It’s worth a try. Let’s find something to prop it open after we lift it.”

“How about those boxes?” Andrea pointed to the pile of old-fashioned wooden milk boxes that were stacked at the side of Max’s driveway.

“They’ll do.” Hannah walked over to retrieve a milk box. She positioned it next to her foot and then she grasped the handle of the garage door. “Come over here and help me lift. If we can get it open, I’ll kick the milk box under with my foot.”

It took a couple of tries, but they managed to lift the door almost a foot. Hannah propped it open with the milk box and stepped back to eyeball the opening. “It’s pretty small. I don’t think I can get under there.”

“I can.” Andrea sounded frightened, but she managed to give Hannah a grin. “I’m only a size five. Just hand me a flashlight when I get inside.”

Hannah watched as her sister stretched out on the driveway at the corner of the door, where the opening was larger, and began to wiggle through. Andrea hadn’t wanted to break in, but here she was, inching her way inside the dark garage.

“Okay, I’m in.” Andrea stuck her hand out of the opening. “Give me the flashlight.”

Hannah handed her the flashlight and watched the light grow fainter as Andrea moved deeper into the garage. A few moments later, the garage door slid smoothly open and Hannah stepped inside.

“Hannah?” Andrea motioned her over to Max’s car with the beam of her flashlight. “I think you’d better look at this.”

For a minute Hannah didn’t know what her sister was talking about. Max’s new Cadillac looked perfectly all right to her. But then she noticed that there was a see-through garment bag hanging on the hook in the backseat. Two suitcases were standing near the truck, as if someone had planned to stow them inside later, and a briefcase sat open on the passenger seat.

“Max was packing his car, but he didn’t finish.” Andrea gestured toward the suitcases.

“Because something or somebody stopped him,” Hannah stated the obvious conclusion. Max had intended to go to the Buttermakers’ Convention. His suits were hanging in the garment bag, his suitcases were ready to stash in the trunk, and his briefcase was on the seat. “Turn on the garage light, Andrea.”

Once the garage was flooded with light, Hannah walked around the Cadillac and opened the passenger door. She glanced down at Max’s briefcase and took a deep breath. Max’s wallet was inside and she picked it up.

“Do you really think you should snoop through his personal things?”

Hannah turned to give her sister a long, level look. “Why not? It didn’t seem to bother you in Norman’s office.”

Andrea’s cheeks turned a dull red and she snapped her mouth shut. She didn’t say a word as Hannah opened the wallet and counted the bills inside.