Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)(49)

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“Apricot Coffee Cake,” Michelle responded to Hannah’s unspoken question. “I knew that baking something good would wake you up.”

“It’s smells wonderful, Michelle,” Hannah said, heading straight for the kitchen coffeepot to get her first cup of eyeopening java. “How long have you been awake?”

“A couple of hours. I tested recipes and my Apricot Coffee Cake is just one of them. I’ve already packed up the others and we’ll try them when we get to The Cookie Jar.”

“I didn’t see Lonnie in the living room,” Hannah said, and then she wished she hadn’t mentioned it. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry into your personal life.”

Michelle laughed. “You didn’t. He got up when I did and headed for home to change clothes and take a shower. He told me that he’d be back before breakfast.”

Hannah carried her full coffee mug to the kitchen table that, according to Delores, would be an antique in less than ten years. A moment later, Michelle joined her at the table with her own mug of fresh coffee. “Would you like me to take an Apricot Coffee Cake over to Marguerite and Clara? I baked four of them.”

“That would be lovely, but you’d better check to see if they’re up yet. They always open the curtains in their living room to let me know that they’re awake for the day.”

“And I’d better do it before Mike gets out of the shower,” Michelle said with a smile. “Right?”

“Right!” Hannah watched as Michelle wrapped one of the coffee cakes on the cooling rack in aluminum foil and carried it to the living room to check on the status of their neighbors’ curtains.

“They’re up,” Michelle reported. “I’ll be right back, Hannah.”

When Michelle left, Hannah took a deep swallow of her favorite wake-up beverage and smiled as she looked out of the kitchen window. One of the arc lights that bordered the condo complex was casting shadows on the snow, and she wondered whether Clara had completed her assignment for painting class by finishing her photos of shadows. She was still thinking about Clara’s assignment and how much work it would be to take photos every two hours of the shadows falling in a particular spot, when she heard the door open and Michelle came back to her chair at the table.

“It’s cold out there,” Michelle said, picking up her mug of coffee and holding it in both hands. “Clara answered the door and she said to tell you that she had a few more photos to take of the pine tree.”

“That’s good.” Hannah wondered again if Michelle had possibly read her mind. “I was just thinking about that.”

“So was I, so I asked her. Remember how Great-grandma Elsa used to say, Great minds think alike?”

“I do. And she always used to follow it up with, And fools seldom differ.”

“That’s right! I’d forgotten all about that part!” Michelle took a swallow of her coffee and stood up. “I’m going to make my bed before Mike comes in for his breakfast. Have another cup of coffee, Hannah. It’ll only take me a minute or two and then, when Lonnie gets here, we’ll all have breakfast.”

“Do you want me to make some scrambled eggs and sausage?” Hannah asked her.

“Sure, if you don’t mind. Otherwise, just wait until I come back and I’ll do it.”

Hannah had just put the sausage on to cook and was whipping up eggs with a little cream in a bowl on the counter when Mike came into the kitchen.

“How are you this morning?” he asked.

“I’m fine, Mike. I know I slept better because you were here.”

Mike grinned his famous sexy grin. “That’s good. It’s probably because you felt safe.”

“That’s probably right,” Hannah told him, not mentioning the fact that delicious food and good wine might have had a bit to do with it.

“The year before she died, my wife got me a bumper sticker. It said, Feel safe at night. Sleep with a cop.”

Hannah laughed. She couldn’t help herself. It was funny. “Your wife had a sense of humor.”

“Yes, she did. And so do you, Hannah.”

Warning bells went off in Hannah’s mind. Mike was comparing her to his wife. Should she be a bit worried about that?

“Something sure smells good,” Mike commented, taking a deep breath of the Apricot Coffee Cake – scented air. “What is it?”

“Michelle baked a coffee cake with apricots.”

“But that’s not all. I smell sausage.”

“Yes, you do. And pretty soon you’ll smell scrambled eggs with cheese.”

Just then the doorbell chimed and Mike turned to head for the living room. “That’s probably Lonnie,” he called back over his shoulder. “Go ahead and cook. I’ll get it.”

Hannah gave a fleeting thought to whether or not Mike would peer through the peephole before he opened the door, something he never failed to remind her to do. Then she concentrated on melting butter in her largest frying pan and grating some sharp cheddar to flavor her scrambled eggs.

“Hi, Hannah,” Lonnie greeted her as he followed Mike back to the kitchen. “Where’s Michelle?”

“Making her bed and getting dressed. She’ll be out here in a minute, Lonnie.”