Fudge Cupcake Murder (Hannah Swensen, #5)(12)

Hannah reached out to pat her sister's hand again. "We've got to prove that Bill stayed at home last night. Maybe one of your neighbors saw him. All it takes is one person who passed by the house and spotted him inside at the critical time."

"I know. I already thought of that. I called everyone on the block this morning, but no one saw Bill."

Hannah watched as Andrea twisted a paper napkin into a rope. Was she imagining that it was made of hemp and it was tightening around Mike's neck? Mike had been a friend, a confidant, and practically a member of the family. Hannah could understand why her sister felt betrayed.

"Will you help, Hannah?"

"Of course I will. Don't worry, Andrea."

"I can't help it! The future looked so rosy yesterday. The new poll was out and Bill had a really good chance of beating Sheriff Grant in the election. But now that Sheriff Grant's been murdered, everything's changed for the worse. Now, by the time Little Billy is born, Bill might not have a job. And if Mike gets his way, he could be in jail for murder!"

Hannah shook her head. "That'll never happen. I promise it won't."

"But how do you know?"

"I won't let it happen. Go home, Andrea. Bill's got to be feeling pretty rotten and none of this is his fault. That means he's going to need some tender loving care. I'll come over right after my catering job and we'll work out a game plan to clear him."

"Okay." Andrea looked relieved that Hannah had given her something constructive to do. "What time is your catering?"

"At noon. I should be at your house by one-thirty at the latest."

"Perfect." Andrea levered herself to her feet. "I'll make us lunch. We'll have toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches."

"Sounds good to me," Hannah said. Andrea was the world's worst cook, but making toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwiches didn't require a high level of culinary expertise.



The rest of the morning was busy and space in the coffee shop was limited to standing room only. It took both Hannah and Lisa to wait on the crowd until the predictable lull came at shortly past eleven, when most Lake Eden residents decided it was too late for a morning cookie and too early for a lunch cookie. The moment the last patron had gone out the door, Hannah motioned Lisa over to their favorite booth in the back and told her about Bill's suspension.

"You're kidding!" Lisa gasped, her eyes wide with surprise. "Mike actually suspects Bill?"

"That's what Andrea says. And it must be true because he put Bill on suspension."

"But that's… that's… that's ridiculous!" Lisa sputtered.

"Of course it is. I can't help hoping this is all a huge misunderstanding. But if it isn't…"

"You're going to solve the case and clear Bill," Lisa interrupted. "Of course you will. What else can you do? You'll save him, Hannah."

Hannah laughed. "You make me sound like Superwoman."

"I guess," Lisa gave a slightly sheepish grin, "but you're good at investigating murders, Hannah. Everybody says so. And I don't want you to give a second thought to business. I'll take care of The Cookie Jar."

Hannah reached out to pat her partner on the back. "I know you will. Sometimes you're just too good to be true, Lisa. Nobody can be that nice. I keep wondering if you don't have some kind of perfectly dreadful secret vice."

"Like what?" Lisa looked intrigued.

"I don't know. Give me a little time and I'll come up with something. In the meantime, see if you can figure out what Beatrice Koester's missing ingredient is. She called me again his morning, all worried that Alma's recipe won't go in the cookbook."

"I'll work on it," Lisa promised. "I tried marshmallow cream last night, but that turned out to be a big gooey mess. Do you want me to help you load up?"

"Load up?"

"For the catering," Lisa explained. "You're due there in less than an hour."

Hannah thunked her forehead with the heel of her hand. "Right. For a second there, I forgot all about it."

"That's not surprising. You have a lot on your mind."

"True," Hannah gave Lisa a smile. "I guess it's a really good thing that I live in a small town."

"Why's that?"

"Because even when I don't know what I'm doing, somebody else always does."



Hannah had just stashed the last box of cookies inside her truck when Mike pulled up next to her and got out of his cruiser. He looked so handsome she had all she could do not to rush into his arms. But as much as she might like him to put his arms around her and kiss her, and she'd like that a whole lot, she had to remember that this was the man who had suspended Bill and practically accused him of murder.

Mike took one look at her expression. "What's the matter? You look like someone just took away your favorite toy."

"That figures," Hannah muttered under her breath. She still wanted Mike. Nothing could change that. But family loyalty came first. "How dare you suspend Bill! It's preposterous!"

"You heard?"

"You bet I heard!"

"I didn't want to suspend him, Hannah, but I had to. Try to look at it from my point of view. Bill had a motive. Sheriff Grant was his opponent in the election and several people heard them arguing before Bill left the station last night. You know Barbara Donnelly, don't you? Sheriff Grant's secretary?"