Cream Puff Murder (Hannah Swensen, #11)(34)

“Actually, it was more awful for Ronni.”

“I guess that’s true, but I don’t really care about Ronni. I care about you.” Lisa reached out to touch her arm. “You need some chocolate, Hannah. There’s a pan of Brownies Plus cooling on the kitchen counter. Go have one.”

Hannah was sorely tempted. She loved Brownies Plus, and chocolate would certainly make her feel better. But better sense prevailed and she shook her head. “I’d love to have one, but I won’t. There’s no way Ronni Ward’s going to spoil my diet…dead or alive.”

“Okay, but at least go back and have a cup of coffee. I’ll open up the coffee shop. The news hasn’t broken on KCOW yet, but when it does we’ll be crowded.”

Hannah sighed as she headed to the kitchen. Lisa was right. They would be chock full of customers when the news broke. And every one of them would want to know all about how Hannah had found Ronni’s body. At least this time she wouldn’t be asked, or even allowed, to investigate. Mike would be so upset, he’d want to catch Ronni’s killer himself. And if what she’d heard about Ronni’s flirtations was true, she had no doubt that at least sixty percent of the Winnetka County sheriff’s deputies would feel the same way.



Hannah was grating carrots for the Carrot Cake Cookies she’d decided to bake. Baking always made her feel better, and finding Ronni’s body in the Jacuzzi hadn’t exactly started her day on a high note.

Since she couldn’t use her food processor to grate carrots as finely as she needed them, Hannah was doing it by hand. Her tool was a standard, four-sided box grater, and it took a while to grate enough. She was only halfway through when there was a knock on the back door.

“Mother,” Hannah muttered, coming close to grating her knuckle right along with her favorite root vegetable. Delores had probably heard about Ronni’s death, but that wouldn’t be her main concern. Delores would be much more upset about Hannah’s finding another body.

“Might as well face her now,” Hannah said, even though there was no one to hear her. She put down her grater and the half-done carrot, wiped her hands on a towel, and hurried to open the back door.

“Hi, Hannah.”

Hannah blinked, and then she smiled. “Hi, Norman. Why didn’t you come in the front way?”

“Because I didn’t want anyone to see me. Let me in. I’m on a mission.”

Hannah stepped aside, and Norman came in. They parted ways three steps inside. He headed for the work island and sat down on a stool, while she headed for the kitchen coffee pot to pour him a mug.

“What’s all this about a mission?” she asked, delivering the java along with two Brownies Plus on a napkin.

“In a minute.” Norman took a bite of his brownie and a sip of coffee. “These are the best brownies I ever had!”

“Thanks. They’re Diana Dickerson’s recipe.” Even though she was brimming with curiosity, Hannah waited until Norman had eaten both brownies and reduced the coffee in his mug by half. “The mission?” she reminded him.

“Somebody told me your slay-dar is working overtime.”

“My what?”

“Slay-dar. It’s like radar, except that you find murder victims.”

“Cute,” Hannah said, being entirely truthful. It was a cute thing to say. “So you heard the news on KCOW?”

“Not exactly. Mike just left my dental clinic, and he told me all about it. He wants me to tell you that Bill’s put him on leave until Ronni’s murder is solved.”

Hannah just stared at Norman for a moment. Then she shook her head. “I don’t understand. Mike’s the head detective. Bill needs him to solve the case…doesn’t he?”

“He does, but Mike can’t work it. It’s in the rulebook. You can’t be assigned a case where you have…uh…a personal relationship with the victim.”

“Personal relationship,” Hannah repeated. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

Norman took a sip of his coffee. When he answered, he looked down at the mug, not at her. “I don’t know. Mike didn’t volunteer that information, and I didn’t ask.”

Right. Sure, Hannah’s mind said, and that’s why you won’t meet my eyes. Norman was a terrible liar. His mother, Carrie, had mentioned it numerous times. She said that even as a little boy, he looked guilty when he wasn’t telling the truth. And here he was, trying to lie to her to spare her the steamy details.

“You know more than you’re telling me,” Hannah said, facing him squarely. “But don’t you know that if you tell me about Ronni and Mike’s relationship, I’ll probably think less of Mike?”

“I know that,” Norman said quickly, and then he looked a bit chagrined. “If there’s anything in the details to warrant it, that is.”

Hannah grinned. Norman had almost fallen into a trap, but he’d caught himself in time. “Okay. But if I think less of Mike, I’ll probably gravitate your way.” She stopped and frowned as a most unwelcome thought occurred to her. “You two are still in a kind of competition for me…aren’t you?”

“I can’t speak for Mike, but I am. It’s just that…” his voice trailed off.

“What?” Hannah prodded him.