Chocolate Cream Pie Murder (Hannah Swensen #24)(51)

Chapter Thirteen


It was morning and Hannah had just finished taking the last pan of Molasses Walnut Drop Cookies out of the oven when Lisa hurried into the kitchen. “Doug just called you, Hannah. He’d like to see you and Mike down at the bank at nine.”

Hannah was surprised at the request. Had Ross somehow managed to intimidate Doug into giving him the money? “Did Doug tell you why he wanted to see me?”

“No, he just asked me to pass on the message and said he’d explain everything when he saw you.”

“I’ll call Doug and tell him you’ll be there,” Mike offered, getting up from his stool at the work station. “And I’ll ask him what this is about if you want me to.”

“Yes, please do that. Doug’s never asked me to come in before and I know my business account isn’t overdrawn. Neither is my personal account, so I know it can’t be anything like that. And since he wants to see you, too, it’s got to be about Ross.”

“I’ll see what more I can find out,” Mike promised, slipping into his parka and going out the back kitchen door to make the call.

“What did you bake, Hannah?” Lisa asked after Mike left.

“Molasses Walnut Drop Cookies. Mike tasted some from the first batch and told me that they were way too good to serve at The Cookie Jar.”

Lisa laughed. “Because Mike wanted them all for himself?”

“That’s probably right. He was on his second plateful when you came in from the coffee shop to tell me about Doug’s call. Mike really gobbled those cookies before I could frost them with Brown Powdered Sugar Glaze.”

“Did Michelle leave?” Lisa asked.

“Yes. She went to Jordan High. She had some papers to grade before class on Monday and she has tryouts for the play this afternoon.”

“How does she like teaching?”

“She loves it, especially the drama classes. She told me a couple of days ago that she thought she wanted to go into teaching.”

“If she does that, she can settle down right here in Lake Eden with the rest of the family and get married.”

“Well . . . I’m not sure about the married part, but maybe. I don’t think Michelle is ready for marriage yet.”

“Does she still have dreams of making it on Broadway?”

Hannah shook her head. “I don’t think so. Michelle’s realistic. She’s just trying out various things to see which ones she likes best. And it seems that teaching high school is at the top of her list right now.”

“That’s good,” Lisa said, heading back to the swinging door that separated the kitchen from the coffee shop. “Let me know when those cookies are cool enough and we’ll test them on our customers.”

“I will.” Hannah turned back to her cookie baking once Lisa had left. And that was when a dreadful possibility occurred to her concerning Doug’s call. What if Ross had somehow managed to get into the bank and he was there right now with Doug, holding Doug hostage? And what if this was part of a trap that Ross had set for Mike and her?

“Please tell me I’m paranoid,” Hannah said aloud, sinking down on a stool and holding her head in her hands.

“Paranoid about what?” Mike said, coming back into the kitchen just in time to hear Hannah’s comment.

“I was thinking about Doug’s call and why he wants to see us at the bank. I know this will probably sound crazy, but I was worried that maybe Ross was there and he forced Doug into calling to lure both of us there.”

Mike shook his head. “That doesn’t sound crazy to me. It sounds careful, which is exactly what you should be. And I don’t think you’re paranoid, Hannah. I think you have good cause to be afraid of Ross. He’s not the man either of us thought he was.”

Hannah gave a long, heartfelt sigh. “I know. I realize that now. You’re going to the bank with me, then?”

“You bet your . . .” Mike stopped speaking and Hannah waited, wondering what word he’d substitute for the one he’d been about to use. “You bet your boots,” Mike said.

Hannah smiled and accepted the substitution. “Did you ask Doug why he wants to see us?”

“Yes, but he wouldn’t tell me anything. He just said it was a personal matter that he needed to discuss with you.”

“Okay,” Hannah said, even though she still had no idea why she’d been summoned to the bank. “I guess we’ll find out when we get there.”

*

Hannah settled back in the chair in front of Doug’s desk as he made a cup of cappuccino for her. Mike had stayed in the lobby of the bank when Doug had asked to see her alone. Hannah knew that Mike was on the job, watching the entrance and the traffic on Main Street outside to make sure that Ross didn’t pay a surprise visit to Lake Eden.

“I love the way you make this coffee,” Hannah told Doug. This was the second time in as many days that she’d had a cup of cappuccino and she especially liked the way that Doug prepared it with frothy milk over the coffee and a sprinkling of sweet chocolate on the top.

“Here you go, Hannah,” Doug said, carrying his own cup of espresso to his desk and sitting down in his leather chair. “Do you want one of these cookies you brought?”

“No, thanks. I sneaked several before they were completely cool. Go ahead, Doug. Try them and tell me what you think.”