Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen #1)(73)

Bill shook his head. “No, but I saw his picture in the personnel file. He looks like a nice guy. I told you about his wife, didn’t I?”

“You said she died and that’s why he wanted to move here.”

“Well, I found out more. She was a nurse and she was shot on her way home from Hennepin County General. Two rival gangs mixed it up and she got caught in the crossfire. But that’s not the worst of it. She was four months pregnant with their first baby.”

“That’s awful!” Hannah shivered. “Did they catch the shooter?”

“Of course they did. They had the whole squad working on it. But the first time they tried him, he got off on a technicality. Somebody messed up with a search warrant, and the judge threw the case out of court.”

“They tried him a second time?” Hannah didn’t understand what Bill was saying. Wasn’t that double jeopardy?

“They nailed him on a different murder. Mike and his partner worked the case themselves. They made sure that everything was done by the book and they got a conviction. The guy’s doing a life sentence with no parole.”

“That’s good. But I bet this Mike Kingston is going to be a real stickler for police procedure.”

“Sounds like it. He’s going to be my new supervisor and I’m really going to have to watch it around him. Andrea’s going to help me go over all my reports tonight to make sure they’re perfect.”

“I’ll help, too, if you need me,” Hannah offered quickly. “When does he start?”

“First thing Monday morning. He already rented an apartment and he drove his U-Haul down early this morning. I’m off tomorrow, and I’m going to help him move in.”

Hannah couldn’t resist teasing him a little. “You figure that hauling boxes and lifting a few brewskis together will help your working relationship?”

“It can’t hurt. When we’re through, we’re going to come back to my place for dinner.”

“Andrea is cooking?” Hannah’s eyebrows shot up. Her sister was the only person she knew who couldn’t even make decent instant coffee.

“No way!” Bill chuckled. “We’re sending out for pizzas. Why don’t you drive out and join us? You don’t have anything else going for tomorrow night, do you?”

“Well, I was planning to…” Hannah’s mind spun into overdrive, searching for an excuse.

“Come on, Hannah. Maybe you can get some insights into his character and pass them along to me.”

Bill put on the look that Hannah had never been able to resist—the one she privately called begging basset hound. She gave a long sigh and then she caved in. “Okay. I’ll bring dessert.”

“Thanks, Hannah.” Bill looked properly grateful. “Just make sure you don’t mention the case. I don’t want Mike to know that I recruited a civilian to help me.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t say anything.”

Bill headed toward the door. He was about to open it when he turned to grin at her. “I forgot to tell you that Delores is coming out tomorrow night. She wants to meet Mike.”

Hannah’s eyes narrowed as the door closed behind Bill. Things were beginning to add up. There was the remark Delores had made about how Hannah wouldn’t be able to attract any man except a homicide detective if she kept on finding bodies. There was the way that Bill had told her all about Mike’s background, painting him as a man with a deep sorrow that was bound to tug at any woman’s heartstrings. Added to all that was the way that Bill had practically begged her to join them for pizza so that she could pass along any useful insights into Mike’s character. Right. Sure.

Hannah sighed deeply and marched over to turn the “Closed” sign to “Open.” Bill had set her up and he’d done it like a pro. There was only one conclusion that she could draw. Bill had been taking a crash course in matchmaking from his wife and his mother-in-law.





Chapter Twenty-Two




Two minutes after she’d flipped the sign to “Open,” Hannah’s regulars began to come in. She chatted, poured coffee, and fetched cookies for two solid hours without a break. The news had leaked out and everyone she served wanted to know what she knew about Max’s murder and how it related to Ron’s.

“Do you think it’s the same killer, Hannah?” Bertie Straub looked anxious as she munched a Molasses Crackle. She’d walked down from the Cut ’n Curl to get the latest news for her blue-haired customers, who were gossiping under the gleaming metal heads of the dryers.

“It’s got to be. How could we have two killers in a town the size of Lake Eden?”

“Did you discover Max’s body?” Bertie lowered her voice and glanced around to make sure no one was listening. “You can tell me, Hannah. I promise I won’t repeat it to a soul.”

Hannah had all she could do to keep a solemn expression. Telling Bertie would be tantamount to calling KCOW’s talk line and broadcasting it over the radio waves. “I can’t say yes or no, Bertie. All the facts are a part of the ongoing investigation.”

“You did! I can tell by the look on your face!” Bertie gave a theatrical shiver and Hannah wondered if she’d joined The Lake Eden Players. “Was it terrible, Hannah?”