Raspberry Danish Murder Page 6

Process the cup of quick-cooking oats with the steel blade in your food processor or grind them in a grinder. You should end up with ¾ cup of finely ground oats.

  Add the ground oats to your bowl and mix them in thoroughly.

  Measure out 1 and ½ cups of frozen mixed berries. Cut the large berries into several pieces while they are still frozen and place them in a small bowl.

  Sprinkle in the nutmeg, cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar. Mix them into the frozen fruit until everything is evenly combined.

  Fill the muffin cups one-third full with the muffin batter. If the batter is too sticky, first dip the spoon or scooper in water so that the batter will slide right off.

  Spoon half of the berries on top of the muffin batter in the cups, dividing it between all the muffins as evenly as you can.

  Spoon muffin batter over the fruit, filling each muffin cup ¾ full.

  Add the rest of the mixed berries on top, dividing them between the muffins as evenly as you can.

  Bake your Mixed Berry Muffins at 375 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean with no muffin batter clinging to it.

  Place the muffin pans on a cold stovetop burner or a wire rack and cool for at least 10 minutes. Then either tip them out of the muffin cups or lift them out by their cupcake papers.

  Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool to slightly above room temperature.

  Place the muffins on a pretty platter and serve them with plenty of soft butter. They can also be cooled completely, covered with foil or plastic wrap, and reheated in the microwave for later enjoyment.

  Yield: 12 to 18 delicious muffins that everyone will love.

  CHILI-CHEESE OMELET SQUARES

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

  2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (I like to use sharp

  cheddar)

  4-ounce can chopped green chilies (I used Ortega)

  2 cups shredded Havarti cheese (Monterey Jack will

  also work)

  1 and ¼ cups whole milk or half-and-half

  3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

  ½ teaspoon salt

  ¼ teaspoon cumin powder

  3 large eggs

  8-ounce can tomato sauce

  ¼ teaspoon chili powder

  Prepare an 8-inch square pan with sides 2 inches high by spraying it with Pam or another non-stick cooking spray.

  Layer half of the shredded cheddar cheese in the bottom of the pan.

  Drain the chopped green chilies and sprinkle half of them over the cheddar cheese.

  Sprinkle half of the shredded Havarti or Jack cheese over the chilies.

  Repeat, using the rest of the cheeses and the green chilies.

  Pour the milk into a bowl. Sprinkle the flour, salt, and cumin powder on top of the milk.

  Crack the eggs and mix them into the bowl. Beat the eggs until you have a smooth, fluffy mixture and the ingredients are well-combined.

  Pour the egg mixture into your prepared pan.

  Bake your Chili-Cheese Omelet Squares for 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

  Take the pan out of the oven and place it on a wire rack on the counter.

  Cool the omelet for 10 minutes before cutting and serving it.

  While you are waiting for your omelet to cool, pour the tomato sauce into a microwave-safe container.

  Stir in the chili powder and heat the mixture on HIGH for 1 to 2 minutes or until it is bubbling hot.

  Cut your Chili-Cheese Omelet Squares into 8 pieces and serve it with the tomato-chili sauce.

  Yield: 8 tasty servings

  Hannah’s Note: If you invite Mike for breakfast, be sure to put Slap ‘Ya Mama hot sauce on the table for him.

  Michelle’s Note: When I make this for my roommates at college, I always double the recipe and use a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan. We like leftovers because we can reheat them in the microwave.

  Chapter Six

  “We need to bake, Hannah,” Michelle said as they stepped into the kitchen at The Cookie Jar. “Baking always calms us down.”

  “That’s true. And I have a new cookie I want to try. Do you have rehearsals today?”

  “Yes, I have two rehearsals, back-to-back. We’re going to run through the junior play at noon, and the Lake Eden players come in at two. At least their rehearsal is shorter and I should be back here by three-fifteen.” Michelle moved a little closer. “I can cancel both rehearsals if you need me here, Hannah.”

  Hannah shook her head. “No, Michelle. Thanks for offering, but I’m like you. . . . I’m better off if I stay really busy.”

  “Okay, but I’ll have my cell with me. Just call if you need me and I’ll come straight back here. I want to work with you in the kitchen, though. I don’t want to work in the coffee shop.”

  For a moment, Hannah was puzzled, and then she thought she understood. “Is Lisa going to tell the murder story?”

  “Yes. I sent her a text last night and said I’d tell her all about it when I saw her in the morning.”

  “Are you sure you want to do that?”

  “I’m sure. I certainly don’t want to listen when Lisa tells the story, though.”

  Hannah began to frown as an unwelcome thought crossed her mind. “I want you to be completely honest with me, Michelle. Are you encouraging Lisa to tell the story because you think it’ll increase our cookie sales?”

  “That’s part of it,” Michelle admitted. “But Lisa loves to tell stories and everyone’s going to want to know the details anyway. If they don’t get them from Lisa, they’ll find out about the video and ask us.”

  Hannah gave a reluctant nod. “You’re probably right. But it may be really difficult for you to fill Lisa in on the details.”

  There was silence for a moment, and then Michelle sighed. “You’re right. It will be difficult, but it may be cathartic. And if I talk about it, I might not have any more nightmares like the ones I had last night.”

  “Okay then.” Hannah gave a slight nod. “Do what you think is best, Michelle. But if you decide that you really don’t want Lisa to tell the story, I’m sure she’ll understand.”

  “She will. That’s exactly what she said to me in her text message last night. There’s only one thing I’m wondering about. Do you think I should show Lisa the video?”

  Hannah took a moment to think about that. Then she shook her head.

  “Okay. I already decided that I wasn’t going to tell Lisa what Mike brought up this morning.”

  “You mean that P.K. might not have been the intended victim?”

  “Exactly. I thought it might interfere with our investigation.” Michelle stopped speaking and looked up at Hannah. “We are going to investigate, aren’t we?”

  “Yes.”

  “And we’re going to investigate both possibilities . . . aren’t we?”

  “Yes, but I’m not sure how we’ll find out if Ross was the intended victim since no one knows where he is.”

  “You’ll find a way. You’re really good at investigating murders.”

  “Thanks.” Hannah turned to look at the kitchen coffeepot and saw that the green light was on. “The coffee’s ready, Michelle. Let’s have a cup and then we’ll bake. If Lisa tells the story today, we’ll need as many cookies as we can make.”

  “I know.”

  Hannah got up to pour two cups of coffee and carried them over to the work station. “What shall we bake first?” she asked as she took the stool across from her sister.

  “I’ve got a bar cookie recipe that Aunt Nancy gave me the last time I came home from college. She said it belonged to Heiti’s mother, and I’m dying to try it.”

  “Don’t say dying,” Hannah told her. “There’s already been enough of that around Lake Eden.”

  * * *

  Hannah was just taking the last pan of bar cookies she’d baked from the oven when someone knocked on the kitchen door. Michelle was in the coffee shop, giving Lisa the ba
ckground for the story that she would tell after their customers came in, so Hannah rushed to let her visitor in the back door.

  “Hi, Mike,” she said even before she checked to make sure that it was him.

  “How did you know it was me?”

  “I know your knock.”

  “My knock is different than everyone else’s?”

  “Yes,” Hannah said, choosing not to elaborate. She didn’t want to say that Mike’s knock was rapid and authoritative. It practically screamed, It’s the police. Open the door! Now!

  “Something sure smells good in here,” Mike told her, hanging his uniform parka on one of the hooks by the back door.

  “I know. Michelle and I have been baking. Sit down and I’ll get you a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies.”

  “Great! I’m starving!”

  There was an amazed expression on Hannah’s face as she went to pour Mike’s coffee. Two hours ago, he’d been sitting at her kitchen table, inhaling the breakfast that Michelle had made.

  He’s a bottomless pit, she thought, but didn’t say it. Instead, she said, “Here’s your coffee,” and set it down in front of him. “I’ll cut some bar cookies for you.”

  “What kind are they?”

  “Blueberry Shortbread Bar Cookies. We’ve made them before. It’s one of Aunt Nancy’s recipes.”

  “Then they’re bound to be good. Aunt Nancy’s recipes are always great. And if you and Michelle baked them, that’s another plus.”

  “Thanks,” Hannah said, going to the bakers rack to remove a pan of bar cookies. “It’ll just take me a minute to cut these.”

  “I think I can wait, but I’ve got to warn you. My stomach’s already growling.”

  Of course it is. With you, it’s a permanent affliction, Hannah thought to herself as she tipped the bar cookies out of the pan and began to cut them into brownie-sized pieces. “How many do you want?” she asked.

  “I could eat the whole pan if you’d let me.”

  Hannah laughed. It was the answer she’d been expecting. “I’ll give you eight for now. Just ask if you want more. How’s that?”

  “Fine with me.”

  Hannah waited until Mike had eaten two of the bar cookies and then she got up to refill his coffee cup. She sat back down on her stool, but she simply couldn’t wait any longer to ask what he’d found out at KCOW Television.

  “So what did they tell you about the candy?” she asked him.

  Mike gave a loud sigh. “Nothing definitive. The receptionist was out the day the mail room brought up the candy and a temp accepted the package.”

  “Did it come by mail?”

  “Yes, and the mail room handles a lot of mail. I asked and no one there even remembers it. Since it was a prepaid mailer and it didn’t look personal, it’s entirely possible it could have been sitting in the mail room for a while before someone took it upstairs.”

  “Does the temp remember the day it came in?”

  “Yes. She asked and someone said to put it on Ross’s desk.”

  “Why were they putting things on Ross’s desk when he wasn’t there?”

  “Because everyone thought he’d be back any day. No one knew that Ross had disappeared. They all thought that he was out in the field taping something for their special programming.”

  “Who told them that?”

  “P.K. He was covering for Ross. And you and your family substantiated that story by telling everyone in town that Ross was out on location.”

  Hannah groaned. “So you still don’t know if Ross or P.K. was the intended victim.”

  “That’s right. And that’s the problem, Hannah. The temp remembers that the mailer had a return address, but it was the address of the candy company’s corporate headquarters. When I called to check with the candy company, they told me that their stores provide pre-paid mailers to any customers who buy two-pound boxes if the customer asks for one. At some point, someone must have thrown away the mailer, but I don’t know when. The cleaning crew empties the trash every night and it’s collected three times a week. Paper trash is recycled daily, so now there’s no trace of it.”

  “Sounds like you’ve had a frustrating morning so far.”

  “That’s right. I still have no idea when that candy was mailed and when it arrived at KCOW. That avenue’s a dead end, Hannah.”

  Hannah began to frown. “So what you’re telling me is that since you can’t pin down the arrival of the candy, you can’t identify the intended victim.”

  “Right.”

  “And that means you have to investigate anyone who might have had a reason to kill either Ross or P.K.”

  “Exactly. I’ll need to ask you some questions about Ross’s background, Hannah. I’ve got to find out if there’s anyone who might have wanted to kill him and why. And since Michelle was P.K.’s friend, I’ll need to ask her if he told her anything that might suggest a motive for his murder. Is it okay if I drop by the condo to see both of you tonight?”

  Hannah made up her mind instantly. “Of course. Come by for dinner at seven and bring Lonnie with you. I’ll invite Norman, too. He spent time with Ross and P.K. when they worked together covering sports events at Jordan High. Norman may know something personal about Ross or P.K. that could help.”

  “Great.” Mike stood up and grabbed a paper napkin. He dumped the remaining bar cookies inside and folded it into a packet. “I’ll take these with me to eat on the way out to the sheriff’s station. That’s okay, isn’t it?”

  “Of course it’s okay.”

  “Thanks, Hannah. I’ll see you tonight.”

  When Mike had left, Hannah sat back down at the work station for the space of several seconds, and then she jumped up. Lisa could handle opening the coffee shop alone while Michelle baked in the kitchen. She had to get over to Florence’s Red Owl Grocery to pick up something she could put in the slow cooker for dinner!

  Chapter Seven

  Hannah had just returned to The Cookie Jar after buying the ingredients for Jambalaya and was driving back to the condo to start their dinner when Michelle came through the swinging restaurant-style door that separated the kitchen from the coffee shop.

  “Oh, good! You’re back,” she greeted Hannah. “Lisa says to tell you that you had two calls while you were gone. One was from Cyril Murphy at the garage. He wants you to call him about Ross’s car.”

  “I hope it’s good news and it’s still in fairly good shape. How about the second call?”

  “It was from Sally at the Lake Eden Inn, and she told Lisa that it was important.”

  “Thanks, Michelle. I’ll call Sally first and then I’ll talk to Cyril.”

  “There’s one other thing. Andrea’s out front and she wants to talk to you. Should I send her back now, or wait until you’ve returned your calls?”

  “Send her back now. I need to talk to her anyway. I’ll give her a cup of coffee and a couple of cookies and then I’ll make my calls.”

  A phrase their great-grandmother Elsa had been fond of saying popped into Hannah’s head. “It never rains, but it pours,” she said, smiling at Michelle.

  Michelle looked at her blankly for a moment, and then she began to smile back. “I don’t exactly remember it, but that sounds like Great-Grandma Elsa.”

  “You’re right.”

  “It means that everything happens at once, doesn’t it?”

  “It does,” Hannah said, and then she glanced at the clock. “Today, that’s a good thing.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Andrea arrived in time to take you to your rehearsals. I’ll make sure she leaves in about thirty minutes.”

  “Great! I looked at the thermometer and it’s really cold out there. But that’s not the only good thing about Andrea coming in.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s brought her new whippersnapper cookies for you to taste. She gave a sample to Lisa, Aunt Nancy, and me, and I know you’ll like them. They’re really good!”

  “I’m su
re they are. Andrea loves to make whippersnappers. Go tell her to come back here and I’ll taste one before I make my calls. And if Lisa starts telling the story, just come back here with Andrea and me.”

  Hannah had just poured a cup of coffee for her sister when Andrea breezed through the swinging door. She was carrying a plastic container, and she set it down on the stainless steel surface of the work station. She was wearing a powder blue cashmere sweater and skirt that looked stunning with her shining blond hair. Andrea was the perfect picture of the highly successful real estate agent that she actually was.

  “You look lovely, Andrea,” Hannah complimented her.

  “Thanks.”

  Hannah somehow managed to keep the amused smile off her face. Usually, when someone received a compliment, they responded with a return compliment in kind. Of course, Hannah couldn’t really fault Andrea for not returning the compliment, since she was wearing a pair of old jeans, a green sweater that had seen better days, and her voluminous white chef’s apron.

  “I brought you something,” Andrea said, motioning toward the container. “I baked a new whippersnapper cookie.”

  “Your reputation has preceded you.”

  “What?”

  “Your whippersnappers. Michelle already told me that I was going to love them.” Even though she wasn’t really hungry, Hannah’s mouth started to water as Andrea took off the lid and the scent of pineapple wafted through the air. “They smell delicious,” she said.