by Joanne Fluke
“In real-estate-speak, cozy means small?”
“That’s right. And spacious means medium-sized.”
Andrea started with the refrigerator while Hannah checked the cupboards. It was quickly evident that Bradford Ramsey hadn’t done much cooking since food supplies were almost nonexistent. Hannah found a box of crackers, several cans of soup, two boxes of natural grain, heart-healthy cereal, and a jar of instant coffee. “Anything?” she asked, turning to her sister.
“Not really.” Andrea shut the refrigerator door. “A dozen eggs, milk with an expired date, and some dried-out cheddar cheese.”
The living room was next, and it yielded equally unsatisfying results. There was nothing but dust under the cushions of the couch and chair, and only books on the bookshelf. It was surprising how little evidence there was to indicate that a living, breathing, human being had called this home.
Hannah left Andrea to go through the second bookcase and went ahead to the bathroom. There wasn’t much to look at in the shower besides a bar of soap and a razor. The medicine cabinet didn’t yield much either, only a bottle of Pepto Bismol and a half-empty tin of throat lozenges. If Bradford had been dealing illicit drugs for extra cash, he certainly hadn’t stashed any in his medicine cabinet!
After the obligatory peek into the watery depths of the toilet tank simply because she’d once seen it in a movie, Hannah emerged from the room frowning. There was a matching frown on Andrea’s face. So far their search had been fruitless.
“The bedroom?” Andrea whispered.
“Yes. I’ll go in first and check out the windows.”
When Hannah entered the bedroom, she saw that the curtains were already drawn. She parted them enough to look out and realized the reason they’d been closed. The window looked out on an ivy-covered brick wall that formed the side of the hallway leading to the indoor spa and swimming pool. The only view was of the wall, and although Bradford had probably kept the curtains open during the day for the sunlight that would shine in, it made sense to close them at night rather than look out at the darkness.
“If you shut the door, you can turn on the lights in here,” Hannah said, motioning Andrea into the room. This window faces a blank wall.”
Andrea flicked the wall switch and a large lamp on the dresser turned on. Hannah walked over to turn on the other two lamps, one on either side of the bed, and then she turned to find Andrea just staring at the room.
“What’s the matter?” Hannah asked her.
“It’s just a bedroom.”
“You sound disappointed.”
“I am. I thought it would be more … exciting.”
Hannah was amused, but she didn’t dare show it. There were times when Andrea wasn’t very worldly, but that could be because she’d married Bill right out of high school and she’d never left Lake Eden for any length of time.
“Let’s see what we can find,” Hannah directed. “Why don’t you start with his dresser drawers.”
“Ooh! I love to go through people’s drawers. You never know what secrets you’ll find.”
Hannah laughed. Perhaps Andrea would find something. People did hide things in dresser drawers. “Have fun. While you’re doing that, I’ll check the closet.”
It was an eerie feeling going through a dead man’s clothing, especially a dead man you’d known. Hannah checked the upper shelf, but nothing was there. And the only thing on the floor was a large shoe tree with pairs of shoes neatly arranged on its tubular holders. The clothes were neatly hung on hangers, and there was nothing of interest that she could see.
“Hannah?” Andrea called her softly from the bedroom.
“Yes?”
“Come out here quick! I think I found something!”
Hannah hurried out of the closet. She found Andrea sitting on the edge of Bradford’s bed holding something that glittered brightly in her hand. “What is it?”
“An earring. I think it’s sapphire with diamonds all around it. It’s not costume jewelry. I know the real thing when I see it.”
Hannah looked down at the earring that rested on her sister’s palm. “Where was it?” she asked.
“On the floor behind the headboard. I got down on the rug to look under the bed and I spotted it. Have you ever seen anything like it before?”
Hannah drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes,” she said. “I have.”
“Who do you think … what’s that?!” Andrea grabbed Hannah’s arm and pointed toward the living room.
There was a swishing sound as the outside door opened, and a click as it shut again. Someone had come into Bradford’s apartment!
“Quick! Under the bed!” Andrea whispered, but Hannah grabbed her arm and pulled her the other way.
“The closet,” she whispered, opening the door and shoving Andrea inside. A second later, she joined her sister in the walk-in closet and not a moment too soon, for they heard footfalls on the carpet coming toward the bedroom.
“The earring,” Andrea breathed, passing it to Hannah in a rush, almost like they’d done in the games of Hot Potato they used to play with their grandparents. The only difference was that this time there wasn’t any music … only the sound of someone walking into the bedroom and stopping by the bed.
The door to the closet was louvered and Hannah moved to a better position. She could barely make out a woman bent over at the waist, peering under the bed. She might not have known who it was if she hadn’t seen that outfit earlier.
“Can you see who it is?” Andrea whispered, close to Hannah’s ear.
“Stephanie Bascomb. Take a deep breath and stay right here. I’m going out to confront the first lady of Lake Eden.”
There was an audible gasp from Andrea, but Hannah didn’t worry about that. As Stephanie straightened up and whirled to face the closet, Hannah pushed the door open and stepped out, shutting it behind her so that Andrea would remain hidden.
“Hannah!” Stephanie exclaimed, her hand fluttering toward her throat. “What are you doing here?”
Hannah didn’t bother to answer. She just crossed the floor to Stephanie and held out her hand. Then she opened it so Stephanie could see the earring. “Looking for this?” she asked.
“Yes! But it’s not what you think. I lost it on Monday afternoon when Bradford and I met to discuss the talent show.”
Hannah raised her eyebrows. “Really?”
“We had to work out the order of the contestants, and how long he should speak, and things like that.”
Hannah had the urge to ask Stephanie how her earring had gotten into the bedroom if all they’d done was discuss the talent show, but she didn’t. It really wasn’t any business of hers.
“So …” Stephanie stopped and swallowed with difficulty. “Could I please have my earring now?”
“Of course.” Hannah waited until she visibly relaxed before she threw in the condition she’d decided should be invoked. “But first you have to tell me where you were between the time the curtain went down after the first act on Wednesday night and the time the police went backstage.”
Stephanie’s mouth dropped open. “Surely you don’t think that I would ever …”
“No, I don’t think you did,” Hannah interrupted her. “But I still need to know exactly where you were during intermission.”
Stephanie thought for a second. “I left my seat with Richard and we walked back to the lobby. We stood in line for coffee and turnovers, and then we joined Stan and Lolly Kramer, and Al and Sally Percy. They’re some of our biggest supporters, you know.”
“Were you with them until the gong sounded to signal the end of intermission?”
“Heavens, no! Richard and I made the rounds. We talked to your mother and Bud Hauge.” Stephanie paused and frowned slightly. “She’s not really interested in him … is she?”
“Bud’s an old friend, I think.”
“That’s what I thought, since I saw her with Doc Knight at the Blackjack table tonight. He’s a much better catch
.”
“I don’t think Mother is looking to catch anything other than a good night’s sleep. Let’s get back to Wednesday night. Did you talk to anyone after you left Mother and Bud?”
“Hal and Rose MacDermott. And after we left them, we talked to Howie and Kitty Levine. Then we went on to George and Pam Baxter, Eleanor and Otis Cox, and Lorna Kusak.”
“Who else?”
“That was it. The gong rang and we went back in to sit down.”
“And you sat there with Mayor Bascomb until the authorities came?”
“That’s right. I never left my seat.” Stephanie gave an exasperated sigh. “Could I please have my earring back now?”
“Certainly.” Hannah held out her hand and Stephanie snatched up the earring. “By the way … how did you get into Bradford’s apartment tonight?”
“I still had his key.”
“You still had his key?”
The color fled from Stephanie’s face. She knew she’d incriminated herself, and Hannah could almost see the wheels turning in her mind, looking for the perfect excuse. “That’s right. He gave me his extra key,” she said. “I told him I thought I’d lost my earring in his apartment, and he told me to drive out and get it after the talent show was over. He said he was going out with friends and he wouldn’t be back until late.”
Quick thinking, Hannah thought. I almost believe you. But all she said was, “I see.”
“Well … if there’s nothing else …” Stephanie took two steps toward the door, but then she turned. “I hope you won’t mention this to anyone.”
“I won’t,” Hannah said. And then when Stephanie had made a quick exit from the bedroom, she added under her breath, “Not if your alibi checks out.”
“I was so scared, I could barely breathe,” Andrea confided as they walked down the hallway and took the elevator to the ground floor. “I thought for sure she’d seen me.”
“When I came out of the closet, she was too shocked to look for anyone else. And I blocked the doorway with my body until I’d shut the door.”
“Thanks!”
“You’re welcome. I didn’t think the sheriff’s wife should be seen skulking around in a murder victim’s apartment.”
“You’re right. Especially by the mayor’s wife!” Andrea began to frown. “I wonder why she didn’t ask why you were there.”
“She was so busy trying to cover her you-know-what, she probably didn’t even think of it.”
They walked out the door in silence and hurried to the parking lot, where Hannah had parked her cookie truck. Once they’d climbed in, Andrea turned to her sister. “That was a little too close for comfort. My heart’s beating a hundred miles a minute.”
“Hold on a second.” Hannah got out of the truck and went around the back. When she came back, she was carrying a paper plate filled with cookies.
“For me?” Andrea asked when Hannah handed them to her.
“For you. I was going to give them to Norman as a thank you for taking me to Casino Night, but then he got that phone call and he left so fast, I forgot.”
“Norman’s loss, my gain.” Andrea glanced down at the cookies and smiled. “What kind are they?”
“They’re Sun Moon Cookies. Have you ever heard anyone call the sun a big orange ball in the sky?”
“Yes, I have.”
“These are orange-flavored sugar cookies. That’s to remind you of the sun. After they’re baked, half of each cookie is dipped in chocolate.”
“So it’s dark like it is when the moon shines at night?”
“Exactly right. Try one and see how you like them.”
Hannah started the truck and drove down the hill from the college as Andrea peeled off the plastic wrap covering the cookie plate. She took a cookie and held it up. “I suppose I should start with the sun part,” she said.
“Whatever. It’s your cookie.”
Andrea took a bite of the white part of the cookie and made a little sound of enjoyment. “I love the way your sugar cookies crunch,” she said. “And the orange is wonderful. It’s very refreshing.”
“Try the chocolate part next,” Hannah urged her.
Andrea turned the cookie around and took a bite. She chewed and gave a little groan of enjoyment that was louder than the preceding one. “The moon part is just great!” she exclaimed. “These are wonderful cookies, Hannah!”
“Thanks.” Hannah turned at the base of the hill to follow the access road that led to the highway. “Do you think we should sell these at The Cookie Jar?”
“Definitely! I think they’re one of your best cookies.”
“We’ll have to charge the same as we do for frosted cookies.”
“People won’t mind that once they taste them. I’ll think I’ll try the sunset next.”
“The sunset?”
Andrea chuckled. “That’s what I’m calling the part of the cookie that’s halfway between the moon and the sun. I’m going to take a bite right where the chocolate part meets the white part.”
“Okay …” Hannah said, hiding a grin. It was pretty clear that the chocolate had put her sister in a playful mood, or perhaps it was just relief at getting out of a potentially damaging situation. If she had to choose, Hannah would bet on the chocolate.
“Perfect!” Andrea exclaimed once she’d taken a bite and swallowed. “Sunset is very tasty.”
“How about sunrise?” Hannah asked, deciding to get into the spirit of things.
Andrea laughed. “I’ll just have to find out, won’t I?”
There was a crunch as Andrea took a huge bite on the other side of the cookie. “I’d say sunrise is equal in goodness to sunset.”
“Glad to hear it,” Hannah said, stepping on the gas as she merged onto the highway.
“Bill’s just going to love these.” Andrea glanced down at the cookies on her lap. “And so will Tracey, and Bethie, and Grandma McCann.” She reached down to open the plastic wrap again and took out another cookie. “If there’s any left by the time I get home, that is.”
SUN MOON COOKIES
DO NOT preheat oven. Dough must chill before baking.
2 cups melted butter (4 sticks, one pound)
2 cups powdered sugar (not sifted)
1 cup white (granulated) sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar (critical!)
1 teaspoon salt
4¼ cups flour (not sifted—just scoop it up and level it off with a knife.)
½ cup white sugar in a small bowl (for later)
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 3 minutes on HIGH.
Add the sugars to the melted butter and mix. Let the mixture cool to room temperature on the counter.
When it’s not so hot it’ll cook the eggs, mix them in, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
Add the orange extract, orange zest, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well.
Add the flour in half-cup increments, mixing after each addition. (You don’t have to be exact about measuring—just guesstimate—it won’t come out even anyway.)
Chill the dough for at least one hour. (Overnight is fine.)
Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. and place the rack in the middle of the oven.
Use your hands to roll the dough in one-inch balls. Roll the dough balls in a bowl containing the last half-cup of white sugar.
Place the dough balls on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet. Flatten the dough balls with a greased spatula (or the palm of your impeccably clean hand).
Bake at 325 degrees F. for 10 to 15 minutes. (They should have a tinge of gold on the top.) Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then remove them to a rack to finish cooling.
When the cookies are completely cool, prepare them for dipping by laying out sheets of waxed paper on your counter, enough to hold all the cookies you baked.
Make the Chocolate Dip.
Chocolate Dip:
2 cups chocolate chips (12 ounces)
1 stick butter (½ cup, ¼ pound)
Melt the chips and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 90 seconds. Stir to make sure the chips are melted. If they’re not, heat in 20-second increments until you can stir them smooth.
Dip the cookies, one by one, so that half of the cookie is chocolate coated. (The half you hold will not be chocolate coated, naturally!) Place them back on the wax paper to dry.
Yield: Approximately 10 dozen (depending on cookie size) pretty and tasty cookies. Yum!
Chapter Twenty-One
It was almost ten by the time Hannah and Andrea got back from the college. “Back to Casino Night?” Hannah asked. “Or would you rather go home?”
Andrea glanced down at the cookies in her lap. “Home,” she said. “I’ve got four cookies left and that’s just enough for the family.”
Hannah bit back a startled burst of laughter. There had been a dozen cookies on the plate when she’d handed it to Andrea, and her sister had eaten two-thirds of them.
Andrea and Bill lived only a few blocks from the school, and after Hannah had dropped off her sister, she took a run past the school parking lot. She drove up and down the rows, but Doc Knight’s vehicle was gone. She also kept a sharp eye out for her mother’s sedan, since Delores could have met Doc Knight at the school, but that wasn’t parked in any of the spots, either.
Should she call her mother, or shouldn’t she? That was the question. Hannah debated it for all of ten seconds before she decided to drive past her mother’s house to assess the situation.
There weren’t that many variables. It had been years since she’d taken a logic class, but Hannah was fairly confident that she could come up with all the possibilities. If Doc Knight’s vehicle was parked outside on the street, it meant one of two things … either he was inside with De-lores after driving her home from Casino Night, or he had parked there earlier and they had taken her mother’s sedan. One glance in the window of the garage would tell her if this was the case. And if her mother’s car was gone, Hannah would know that Delores had driven somewhere with Doc and no one was home.
