Cinnamon Roll Murder (Hannah Swensen, #15)(75)

“Just let me repeat Andrea’s words when we walked into The Cookie Jar this afternoon. She said, Mission accomplished .”

“Good work. Look, Hannah. I can do something to rush this through our DNA lab. And I can pick up the sample tonight.”

“Thanks Mike, but we’ve got it covered. Doc Knight has a friend at a DNA lab, and he’s driving the samples there tomorrow. His friend is going to expedite the whole thing.”

“That’s a relief! I was going to offer to run it through the police DNA lab, but I’d be risking my job on a civilian matter like that.”

“But you still would have done it?”

“Sure I would have done it. Norman’s my friend and there are some things more important than jobs.”

“You’re a good guy, Mike.”

Mike chuckled. “Only some of the time. And when I’m bad, I’m really bad. But that’s part of my appeal ... right, Hannah?”

“Maybe.” Hannah began to smile. Mike was attractive when he was being slightly wicked, and he was slightly wicked a lot of the time. She was just getting ready to say goodbye and take a look in Norman’s freezer and refrigerator to figure out what they could serve to two very hungry detectives when Norman walked back into the room.

“Hi, Norman,” she said, holding out her cell phone. “Mike’s on my cell phone. He wants to know if he can come over with Lonnie.”

Norman grabbed the cell phone and greeted Mike. “What’s your ETA?” he asked. He listened for a moment or two, and then he laughed. “That’s fine. I’ll start thawing the steaks and see what the girls can put together. See you in about forty-five then.”





Chapter Twenty-Four


Precisely forty minutes later, Hannah took a pan of Cheese and Green Chilies Biscuits out of the oven.

“Those smell great!” Norman said, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “I just want to lean over you and sniff.”

“I’m leaving now. I’m too young to hear things like this,” Michelle said with a perfectly deadpan expression.

Both Hannah and Norman started to laugh. They laughed so hard, Michelle just had to join in. When they’d calmed down a bit, Michelle said, “They do smell good, Hannah. And this is an experiment?”

“Yes. Shall we cut one in thirds and try it before Lonnie and Mike get here?”

“Best idea I’ve heard all night,” Norman said, watching as Hannah cut a biscuit in three pieces and buttered them.

Michelle was the first to taste hers. “Mmmm,” she said. “I think I just burned my lip, but it was worth it.”

“Excellent!” Norman pronounced, wolfing down another bite.

“Oh, boy!” Hannah said, knowing that it might be impolite to praise her own baking, but unable to keep her enjoyment nonverbal. The richness of the cheese and the mild heat of the green chilies were perfect with the flaky biscuits.

“What did you do for a salad, Michelle?” Norman asked her. “I know I didn’t have any lettuce.”

“You didn’t have any cabbage either, so I made Carrot Slaw.”

“Carrot Slaw?” Hannah stared at her sister, intrigued. “What’s in it?”

Michelle gave a little shrug. “Anything I could find in Norman’s refrigerator and freezer that I thought would go with carrots.”

“Can we taste it?” Hannah asked.

“Sure. I want to taste it, too. I have absolutely no idea how it turned out.”

Hannah and Norman watched while Michelle put servings of her Carrot Slaw in small bowls. “Here you go,” she said, passing the bowls around. “Tell me what you think.”

Hannah smiled as she tasted a bite. Michelle had a natural sense of food combinations and the salad was wonderful. “Crunchy, salty, sweet ... it’s great, Michelle. I’ve never had anything like it before.”

“I thought it should work, but I wasn’t completely sure.”

“Well, I’m sure it worked,” Norman gave his approval. “There’s a pad of paper in the drawer next to the sink. Write down what’s in it before you forget. You don’t want to lose this recipe.”

Michelle had just finished jotting down the ingredients and the dressing when the doorbell rang. “That must be Lonnie and Mike,” she said. “I’ll go let them in.”

“And I’ll put on the steaks,” Norman said, getting up to don a chef’s apron.

Hannah felt a warm glow when she saw the apron. It said FOOD BY NORMAN on the front in block letters, and it was the one she’d given him the first time he’d barbecued at the Fourth of July celebration at Eden Lake. “You still have the apron,” she said.

“Of course I do. You gave it to me. I’ll never give it up.”

Their eyes locked and a wealth of emotions welled up in Norman. Hannah could tell that because the same emotions were welling up in her. He knew it shouldn’t end like this. She knew it shouldn’t end like this. There was too much history, too much laughter, too much love to separate them forever.

“Hey, you two!” Mike burst into the kitchen. “What’s cooking? I’m hungry as a bear.”

“You’d better be,” Hannah warned him. “I just made eleven huge Cheese and Green Chiles Biscuits.”