Double Fudge Brownie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 18)

by Fluke, Joanne

  “That makes a lot of sense.”

  “I know. I figured I’d try it tonight.” Hannah added Baggies with bacon bits, freshly grated parmesan, and croutons, and put it on top of the lettuce. Then she covered it all with plastic wrap and stuck it in the bottom of the refrigerator.

  The doorbell rang and Michelle glanced at the clock. “That’ll be Andrea and Tracey . . . unless Ross bombed on his interview and came straight over here.”

  Hannah shook her head. “Ross didn’t bomb on his interview,” she said, heading to the door to open it. “He wants the job so he can move here.” She opened the door and smiled when she saw Andrea and Tracey. “Hi, you two. Come on in.”

  “Can we please go in the kitchen, Aunt Hannah?” Tracey asked in tandem with her first step into the condo. “You said you had something special to show me.”

  “And I do. I’ll show you right now if your mother and Aunt Michelle will set the table.”

  “Fine with me,” Michelle said. “I’m through in the kitchen and it’s all yours.”

  Andrea handed Michelle the bulky package she was carrying. “I’ll help you, Michelle. Put this somewhere safe, will you, please? It’s a floral centerpiece for the table. Grandma McCann is bringing the applesauce.”

  Hannah walked to the kitchen with Tracey at her heels. The first thing Tracey did was open the drawer with aprons, take out one, and hold it out to Hannah. “Is this one okay for me to wear, Aunt Hannah?”

  “Of course. That’s the one I bought for you, Tracey.”

  “What are we baking?” Tracey asked, slipping into the child-size, cobbler apron and going to the sink to wash her hands.

  “We’re not baking anything. We’re making Pop in Your Mouth Chocolate Candy.”

  “No baking?” Tracey looked a bit disappointed.

  “No baking,” Hannah repeated, “but we’re going to heat some chocolate in the microwave after we make the candy balls and we’ll dip them in the chocolate.”

  “Oh, good. I love to use the microwave. Grandma McCann taught me how.”

  “That’s good,” Hannah said, and she meant it. Andrea was almost a total non-cook and non-baker. The only exceptions were her Jell-O molds and her whippersnapper cookies.

  “Oreos?” Tracey asked, spotting the familiar package on the counter. “Are they in the Pop in Your Mouth Chocolate Candy, Aunt Hannah?”

  “They are and I’ll want you to crush them for me. Do you know how to use a rolling pin?”

  “Sure. Grandma McCann lets me crush the graham crackers she uses for pie crusts.”

  “Good.” Hannah handed her niece a rolling pin and a freezer-weight closable plastic bag. “Put one row of Oreos in here and then crush them with the rolling pin.”

  “As small as I crush graham cracker crumbs?”

  “Yes. That small.”

  “Okay, Aunt Hannah, but wouldn’t it be easier with the food processor?”

  “It would be. But you’re not allowed to use the food processor alone at home . . . are you?”

  “No. Both Mom and Grandma McCann say the blade is too sharp. But if you set it up for me, I know how to pulse it.”

  “All right then,” Hannah walked over to the counter and pulled the food processor into position. She attached the steel blade, plugged it into the outlet, and motioned to Tracey. “Are you allowed to put in the graham crackers for Grandma McCann?”

  “Yes, as long as I drop them in one at a time, and don’t get anywhere near the blade. Grandma McCann watches me like a hawk.”

  “Then so will I.”

  Hannah watched as Tracey opened the package and dropped the Oreos into the bowl of the food processor. “I think that’s enough,” she said when the bowl was about a third full. “The Oreos are stickier than graham crackers and I don’t want to put in too many.”

  “Exactly right.” Hannah put on the top and stepped aside to let Tracey stand in front of the machine. “Go ahead, Tracey. Pulse it.”

  Tracey pulsed the cookies until she was satisfied and then she turned to Hannah. “Do you have a plastic spatula, Aunt Hannah? I’m not allowed to reach inside with my fingers, but I can stir things up a little with a spatula.”

  Hannah reached into the container of plastic utensils that sat on the counter and removed the type of spatula that Tracey wanted. “Here you go, honey. Check it to make sure there aren’t any big chunks.”

  Tracey removed the top of the food processor and checked. “It looks fine to me. Do you want to check, Aunt Hannah?”

  “No. You checked and that’s good enough for me. I’ll take out the blade and you can dump the crumbs in a bowl. And then we’ll do another batch.”

  It didn’t take long for Tracey to convert all of the sandwich cookies to sticky crumbs. When they were in the mixing bowl, Tracey turned to her aunt. “What’s next, Aunt Hannah?”

  Hannah went to the refrigerator and got a package of brick cream cheese. She opened it, put the cream cheese in a microwave-safe container, softened it in the microwave, and added it to the mixing bowl with the crumbs. “Stir it all up with a wooden spoon, Tracey. Make sure it’s well mixed.”

  Tracey stirred the mixture until it was a homogenous mass. “I’m done,” she reported.

  “Now we have to cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator for at least three hours.”

  “But will it be ready when the company comes?”

  “No. You’ll take it home with you when you leave tonight. But I staged this recipe for you so you’ll be able to have candy for everyone to taste.”

  “Oh, good!” Tracey sounded relieved as she carried her bowl to the refrigerator. She slipped it on a shelf and turned to Hannah. “Where do I find the stages?”

  “The first stage is in that blue bowl on the second shelf. “It’s been chilling for you. Bring it over to the counter and I’ll show you what to do.”

  In very little time, Hannah had showed her niece how to roll balls with the chilled mixture, place them in a single layer in a wax paper-lined cake pan, and stick toothpicks in each of the balls.”

  “I’m done,” Tracey said, sticking in the last toothpick. “What now?”

  “Now put the balls in the refrigerator and take them home with you when you leave tonight. You can put them in your refrigerator at home and have Grandma McCann help you finish them when you come home from school tomorrow.”

  “Okay. But what do we do here? You said I’d have candy to give to the dinner guests.”

  “You will. I rolled balls from my first stage this morning, so the second stage is ready to be dipped. Do you like things dipped in chocolate?”

  “You’re teasing, Aunt Hannah. You know I do! And so does Bethie. Do I get to dip yours now?”

  “You do. There’s a box of balls with toothpicks in place on the top shelf of the refrigerator. We’ll melt the chocolate and then we’ll get them out.”

  “Okay.” Tracey watched with interest while Hannah put a cup of chocolate chips in a Pyrex measuring cup and melted them in the microwave. She stirred the chips smooth and then she carried the measuring cup to the counter.

  “Shall I get out your box of balls?” Tracey asked.

  “Just as soon as you put wax paper in another box.” Hannah indicated the empty box she’d placed on the counter. “The wax paper is in the third drawer down under the silverware.”

  Once the box was ready, Hannah and Tracey dipped the balls in the melted chocolate and placed them on the wax paper. “Put the box in the refrigerator, Tracey.”

  Tracey carried the box to the refrigerator and placed it on a shelf. When she came back to the counter, she looked very proud of herself. “I did it. It was easy, but you told me exactly what to do. You’ll give me a copy of the recipe, won’t you?”

  “Of course. You saw how many balls we made and I know our guests won’t eat them all. What are you going to do with the leftovers?”

  Tracey thought about that for a moment. “I think I’ll give them to Daddy to take in to
work tomorrow . . . as long as Mom doesn’t eat them in the middle of the night. She loves chocolate almost as much at Grandma Delores does!”

  POP IN YOUR MOUTH CHOCOLATE CANDY

  Do Not Preheat Oven—This Is a No Bake Recipe!

  1 package Oreo Cookies (14.3 ounces by weight—about 36 sandwich cookies)

  8 ounces brick-style cream cheese (not whipped—I used Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

  1 cup (6-ounce by weight package) semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Nestle)

  Hannah’s 1st Note: This recipe is from Rhonda, who earmarked it for Tracey.

  Crush the Oreo cookies with the steel blade in a food processor or by placing them in a ziplock freezer bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.

  Unwrap the cream cheese and soften it by placing it in a microwave-safe bowl and heating it on HIGH for 1 minute.

  Add the crushed Oreo cookies to the bowl and mix them up thoroughly.

  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least one hour so that the mixture will firm up. (Longer than one hour is fine, too.)

  Using impeccably clean hands, roll pop-in-your-mouth size balls from the cookie and cream cheese mixture.

  Stick a toothpick into each ball and place the completed balls on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. (The toothpicks will make it easier for you to dip the balls in melted chocolate chips once they’ve firmed up in the refrigerator again.)

  Place the cookie sheet with the Pop in Your Mouth Chocolate Candy in the refrigerator for another 1 to 2 hours. (Overnight is even better.)

  Once your balls have chilled again and you’re ready to dip them in chocolate, place one cup of chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. (I used a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.)

  Heat the chocolate chips on HIGH for 1 minute. Let them sit in the microwave for an additional minute and then stir to see if the chocolate chips are melted. If they’re not, continue to heat in 20-second increments until they are.

  Take the cookie sheet with the balls out of the refrigerator and set it on the counter. Using the toothpicks as handles, dip the balls, one by one, in the melted chocolate and then return them to the cookie sheet. Work quickly so that the balls do not soften.

  If you want to decorate the balls with sprinkles, sprinkle them on while the chocolate coating is still wet.

  Return the cookie sheet with the Pop in Your Mouth Chocolate Candy to the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

  When you’re ready to serve, remove the candy from the refrigerator, arrange the balls on a pretty plate or platter, and remove the toothpicks.

  Hannah’s 2nd Note: If you plan to serve these at a party, use pretty toothpicks when you make the balls and leave them in place so that your guests will have a way to pick them up off the platter without getting chocolate on their fingers.

  Yield: Approximately 100 Pop in Your Mouth Chocolate Candies depending on the size of the balls.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Hannah knew it wasn’t physically possible, but she was willing to testify that she felt her heart jump up to her throat when the knock came at her door. “I’ll get it,” she gasped, and raced to the door to answer it.

  “Hannah!” Ross stood on her landing, smiling and holding out his arms.

  She wasn’t aware of moving, but she must have stepped forward because before Hannah could draw another breath, she was standing on the landing with Ross, his arms clasped tightly around her. “You’re here,” she said breathlessly.

  Her sarcastic mind countered, What an idiotic thing to say! Of course he’s here. You’re standing on the landing with him.

  Hannah didn’t give it another thought. She simply raised her face to his and kissed him.

  Bells rang, birds chirped, strains of beautiful music floated through the air, and Hannah felt warm all over. Her mind told her how ridiculous her thoughts were, but she ignored it and ceased to think of anything except how wonderful it was to be in Ross’s arms again. The kiss seemed to last forever, or at least until a female voice interrupted.

  “Hey, Hannah!” Michelle roused her older sister from the fantasy that was no longer a fantasy. “Are you going to stand there kissing all afternoon? Or are you going to invite Ross in?”

  Hannah blushed. She’d forgotten that she had people waiting inside. “Come in, Ross. Michelle’s here, but you already know that. And so are Andrea and Tracey. I guess I got a little . . . distracted.”

  “Me, too.” Ross chuckled and slipped his arm around her shoulders. And then he said quietly, so no one else could hear, “I’ve been dreaming about this moment ever since I left you at the airport in Las Vegas.”

  “Uncle Ross!” Tracey raced up to him. “You’re here!”

  “Rrrrrow!” Moishe yowled, following her.

  “I’m so glad you’re back!” Tracey said, hugging Ross. “We had so much fun the last time you were here.”

  “We did,” Ross said, picking her up to give her a hug. “You’ve got to be at least a foot taller than the last time I saw you.”

  “Almost, but not quite. Grandma McCann says I’m growing like a weed. Is that a good thing?”

  “Sure. Weeds are plants and some of them are really pretty. Have you ever seen a milkweed pod? They’re beautiful.”

  Tracey thought about that for a moment while Ross reached down to pet Moishe, who was rubbing up against his legs.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a milkweed pod,” Tracey told him.

  “Maybe we can go looking for some this weekend. I’m pretty sure your Aunt Hannah knows of some good places to look.”

  “I do,” Hannah said quickly. “I’ve seen some by Eden Lake. Cattails, too.”

  “Rrroww!” Moishe let out a yowl, and everyone laughed.

  “Not real ones, Moishe,” Tracey told him. “We’re talking about the plant variety.”

  The dinner was going very well and Hannah could hardly wait until everyone left. She chided herself internally for her impatience to be alone with Ross, and concentrated on being a good hostess. Thank goodness no one seemed upset that Ross was in Lake Eden! Mike and Norman appeared to be very happy to see him, and Hannah hoped that their acceptance would continue if they guessed that she was in love with him.

  As it turned out, they hadn’t needed any distractions. The green-eyed monster had not put in an appearance and everyone was getting along famously. Perhaps she was being a bit unrealistic, but it gave Hannah hope that she could remain friends with Mike and Norman even if her relationship with Ross intensified in the way she hoped it would.

  “I’ll help you put on the coffee, Hannah,” Andrea said once they’d finished the salad, which had worked well, and eaten their main course of pork chops, peppers, and potatoes.

  “Thanks,” Hannah said quickly. Either Andrea had gotten a bit of dust in her left eye and was trying to blink it out, or she was attempting to send her a signal.

  “What is it?” Hannah asked, when they were alone in the kitchen and the conversation had resumed at the table.

  “Here,” Andrea said, pulling a sheaf of papers from the shoulder bag purse she’d carried into the kitchen and handing them to Hannah. “The top one is Mike’s report on Chad Norton.”

  “How did you get these?”

  “I ran them through the scanner this morning while Bill was in the shower.” Andrea looked very proud of herself. “He always brings paperwork home with him when the detectives are working on a big case. I saved the files to my computer and I printed them out after Bill left.”

  “Very smart and very sneaky,” Hannah complimented her.

  “Thanks. I was going to give them to you earlier, but then you got busy baking with Tracey, and then Ross came, and there wasn’t any time I could get you alone. I figured you could go over them with Michelle after everyone’s left.”

  “That’s exactly what I’ll do.” Hannah placed the papers on the top shelf of her cupboard. “Does Bill think Chad did it?”

  “Not anymore. Mike
cleared him. It’s all in the report. Chad was on the phone to his boss when Judge Colfax was killed.”

  Hannah used a word she would never have used if Tracey had been in the kitchen. “I was almost hoping he was guilty.”

  “Bill felt the same way,” Andrea said. “And so did everyone else at the station. They all think that Chad is an arrogant. . .” she stopped and grinned, “another word that starts with an a. I’m sure you know what I mean.”

  Hannah laughed. “Of course I do. You meant arrogant attorney. Or perhaps, arrogant assistant DA.”

  “Right,” Andrea said with a laugh, just as Tracey came into the kitchen, followed by Ross.

  “Norman says to tell you that Cuddles has that look in her eyes again,” Ross reported. “What does that mean?”

  “I told him that it meant feet up, Aunt Hannah, but Uncle Ross didn’t get it,” Tracey tried to explain. “You’d better tell him.”

  “I’ll do better than that,” Hannah promised. “I’ll show him.” She motioned to the platter of cake she’d just sliced and the tray of coffee cups. “Will you carry the tray with the cups, Ross? I’ll bring the coffee, Tracey can carry the cream and sugar, and Andrea can take the cake.”

  “I always did take the cake,” Andrea quipped, following them to the table.

  They actually managed to eat a little cake and take several sips of coffee before Hannah heard kitty footfalls coming down the hallway. “Feet up!” she warned, steadying her coffee cup and picking up the carafe. Those who knew the drill lifted or steadied anything on the table that might fall as Moishe raced into the room, followed closely by Cuddles, who was chasing him.