Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1)(65)

Andrea didn’t answer and Hannah frowned. “Andrea? You knew the Birchums, didn’t you? They lived right next to the fire station, and Frank used to own the lumberyard before the Hedins took it over. Do you remember when they left town?”

There was no answer and Hannah turned to see what her sister was doing. Andrea was standing near the door and she seemed rooted to the spot. There was a glazed look in her eyes and she was staring off into the far corner of the room.

“Andrea?” Hannah walked over to take her sister’s arm. She gave it a gentle shake, but Andrea didn’t seem to notice. “You’re scaring me, Andrea. Talk to me!”

But Andrea didn’t say a word. She just shuddered and stared off into the far corner with an expression of horror on her face. Hannah swiveled around and looked in the direction of her sister’s fixated gaze. No wonder Andrea was speechless. There was a pair of feet sticking out from behind one of the shelves of file boxes!

“Stay right here.” Hannah realized how unnecessary that warning was, but she couldn’t think of anything else to say. “I’ll go over and check it out.”

Even though Hannah expected the worst, the sight that greeted her was still a shock. It was Max, and he was on his back. There was a hole, very similar to the one she’d seen in Ron’s Cozy Cow Dairy shirt, in the center of Max’s chest. And his eyes were wide-open and staring up at nothing, just as Ron’s had been.

Max was dead. Hannah didn’t need a doctor to tell her that. The blood on his shirt had dried thoroughly, and Hannah assumed that he’d been dead for quite a while, probably since shortly after his meeting on Wednesday morning.

Hannah walked back to her sister and took her arm. There wasn’t any pleasant way to tell her. “It’s Max and he’s dead. Let’s go and find Bill.”

“Bill.” Andrea managed to choke out his name.

“Right. Come on, Andrea. I’ll drive out to the accident scene and we’ll find him. How about Tracey? Do you need to get home to her?”

Andrea shook her head. It was a jerky, almost automatic kind of motion, but Hannah was relieved. At least she was responding. “With Lucy. Overnight. At the farm.”

“Good.” Hannah understood what Andrea was trying to say. Lucy Dunwright was Andrea’s friend, and her daughter, Karen, was Tracey’s age. Tracey was spending the night with Karen at the family farm.

Hannah glanced over at the safe and made one of her snap decisions, the kind that frequently got her into trouble. This was a crime scene and all of Max’s papers would be taken as evidence. Hannah knew that she shouldn’t touch anything, but Norman had told them how embarrassed his mother would be if anyone found out about the loan papers they’d signed with Max. Their loan had been paid off more than five years ago. The date was right on the papers. It had nothing to do with the crime and there was no reason why anyone else had to know about it.

It only took a second to grab the file and stuff it inside the front of her jacket. Hannah collected her flashlight and then she went over to take Andrea’s hand. “Come on, Andrea. We’re leaving now.”

Andrea was in shock and the sooner they got out of here, the better. Hannah pulled her into Max’s office and guided her around the perimeter of the carpet and out the door. They walked back the way they’d come, across the large open space and out the back entrance. Hannah led the way to her Suburban and opened the passenger door. She tucked Andrea inside, walked around, and slid in.

“Eat another cookie, Andrea.” Hannah plunked the bag on her sister’s lap. “It’ll help.”

Andrea reached into the bag and took out a cookie. She stared at it for a second and then she took a bite. Hannah started the engine and drove out of the parking lot, turning onto the highway and heading for the interstate. Bill shouldn’t be that hard to find. She could hear sirens in the distance and all she had to do was head toward the sound.

They’d driven about five miles when Andrea made a strange chortling sound. Hannah turned to stare at her and reached out to pat her arm. “Just take it easy, Andrea. I can see flashing lights up ahead. We’ll be there in a minute.”

Andrea nodded, and then she made the sound again. Hannah realized that it was a chuckle, and as she listened, it turned into a fairly normal-sounding giggle. “What is it, Andrea? You’re not getting hysterical on me, are you?”

“No.” Andrea giggled again. “I really do feel much better. I hate to say it, but maybe you’re right. It could be the chocolate.”

“Chocolate helps.” Hannah stated her theory again, about how the caffeine and the endorphins in chocolate calmed nerves, heightened awareness, and provided a sense of well-being. And then her thoughts turned to Bill and how furious he’d be when she told him that they’d broken into Max’s house, searched the dairy, and found Max’s body.

“Andrea?” Hannah turned to her sister. “I think I need a dose of my own medicine. Hand me one of those cookies.”





Chocolate-Covered Cherry Delights




Preheat oven to 350 F, rack in the middle position.

1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

2 cups white sugar

2 eggs

? teaspoon baking powder

? teaspoon baking soda

? teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla