Part 16 (2/2)

”I sure wish I hadn't overheard that conversation,” Herb said. ”I just wanted you to know that I'm not going to say a word about it to anybody, and that includes Lisa and the authorities.”

Hannah reached out to pat his hand. ”Thanks, Herb. I already told Mike all about it, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it to anyone else. It's...well...it's embarra.s.sing.”

”We've all got embarra.s.sing things in our past,” Herb said, giving her hand a little squeeze. ”There are a couple of things that happened to me way back when that I'd rather Lisa wouldn't know about.”

”I understand. I wouldn't want Mich.e.l.le to know about that conversation I had with Bradford Ramsey, either.”

”She won't hear it from me.” Herb took a sip of his coffee, and then he chuckled. ”Lisa's all excited about telling the story of how you found the professor. I think I married a frustrated actress.”

”Who's a frustrated actress?” Lisa arrived at their table and plunked down her coffee cup. ”I'm just glad you're here early, Hannah. Now you can give me some tidbits, and I can make up the rest.”

Hannah smiled at her partner. She was surprised that the Lake Eden Players, their amateur theater group, hadn't waged an active campaign to recruit Lisa for their leading lady.

”I was still in the dressing room when I realized that it was time for the second act to start,” Hannah told her. And then she proceeded to tell Lisa the details.

”Perfect!” Lisa exclaimed when Hannah was through. ”Just hide out in the kitchen and I'll handle all the questions about the murder. We're going to sell a gazillion cookies today!”

”I'm sure you're right,” Hannah said. And then she wondered how Bradford would have felt to know that he was worth at least five times his weight in cookies.

BREAKFAST IN A m.u.f.fIN.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

2 cups all-purpose flour (no need to sift) 1 heaping Tablespoon white (granulated) sugar teaspoon salt 2 and teaspoons baking powder 3 large eggs 1 cup whole milk or light cream (I used milk) cup melted b.u.t.ter (1 stick, 4 ounces, pound) 12 strips of bacon, fully cooked 12 small or medium eggs cup shredded cheddar, Swiss, or jack cheese (I used sharp cheddar) Hannah's 1st Note: Before you start these m.u.f.fins, you must decide which type you want to make. You can use a regular 12-cup m.u.f.fin pan, or a jumbo pan that makes 6 m.u.f.fins.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Stir them all up together with a fork until they're evenly combined.

Break the 3 large eggs into a medium-sized bowl and whip them up with a wire whisk.

Add the milk and whisk it in.

Add the melted b.u.t.ter and mix well.

Make a well in the bowl with the flour mixture. Dump the liquid mixture into the well and mix it all up with a spoon until everything is well moistened. (This batter is supposed to be lumpy-don't stir it smooth.) Mich.e.l.le's Note: I forgot once and mixed the shredded cheese into the batter. The m.u.f.fins didn't look as nice, but they tasted every bit as good.

Grease (or spray with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray) a pan with 12 m.u.f.fin cups, or a jumbo m.u.f.fin pan with 6 cups.

Give the batter a final stir, and then put a spoonful of batter in the bottom of the cups, enough to cover the bottom.

Form one strip of cooked bacon into a circle that'll fit inside your m.u.f.fin cup. Press it down in the batter like a little circular fence. Do the same for the other m.u.f.fin cups.

Crack and separate a medium-size egg. Put the white into a bowl so that you can make Angel Kiss Cookies, Angel Pillow Cookies, or an egg white omelet later. Slide the yolk inside the little bacon corral you just made. (If the yolk breaks, don't despair-it'll still taste good.) Do the same for the other m.u.f.fin cups.

Hannah's 2nd Note: If you're making jumbo m.u.f.fins, use 2 strips of bacon and two egg yolks for each m.u.f.fin.

Divide the remaining batter among the partially-filled m.u.f.fin cups, just spooning it in on top. These m.u.f.fins don't rise a lot, so they can be filled almost up to the top.

Sprinkle the grated cheese on the tops.

Place your m.u.f.fin tin on a drip pan (just in case) and put it into the oven.

Bake the regular m.u.f.fins at 400 degrees F. for 25 minutes. Bake the jumbo m.u.f.fins at 375 degrees F. for the same amount of time, 25 minutes.

Yield: 12 regular or 6 jumbo m.u.f.fins that look very pretty when you slice them in half.

Hannah's 3rd Note: These m.u.f.fins can be reheated in the microwave and they're almost as good as they are right out of the oven.

Chapter Seventeen.

Marge pushed through the swinging door to the coffee shop, and Hannah heard part of Lisa's rendition. Her partner was telling their customers the tale of how Hannah had found the professor's body.

”Professor Ramsey?” Hannah asked softly, but the only sounds she heard were the rustling of people fanning themselves with their programs, a low murmuring as they speculated on why intermission was lasting so long, and an occasional cough from the victim of a summer cold.

Lisa paused, and Hannah couldn't help but smile. Her young partner was a great storyteller.

”Wake up, Professor Ramsey” Lisa went on. ”It's time for the second act!” Hannah's voice was a little louder, cutting through the noise behind the velvet curtain so that he could hear her. But again, he did not answer. She walked forward, right up to the chair where he was sitting and took hold of his shoulder with her fingers.

Hannah heard several gasps from the audience. They knew what was coming.

His shoulder was cold, but Hannah decided that was due to the powerful air-conditioning system they used on the stage to combat the heat from the white hot lights. She gave a little shake with her hand and leaned close to his ear. ”Wake up! Everybody's waiting for you!”

He did not wake, and Hannah shook his shoulder again, a bit harder. And then harder still until...to her horror...he toppled from the chair like a rag doll, arms and legs flopping helplessly to land on the stage in a tangled heap.

”Poor Hannah!” someone exclaimed. Hannah was almost positive it was Bertie Straub.

”Shhh!” someone else warned. ”Go on, Lisa.”

Hannah's hands flew to her mouth to m.u.f.fle her startled gasp. What was wrong with Professor Ramsey? Could he possibly be drunk? But there was no smell of strong spirits emanating from his open mouth as he lay there perfectly still, perfectly unmoving, perfectly silent. Hannah glanced down at him, horrified. And then she knew...

The door swung closed behind Marge and Lisa's recital was cut short. Hannah chuckled so hard, she had to sit down at a stool at the workstation. Between the murder mysteries Lisa had been reading on the nights Herb worked late, and her natural flair for the dramatic, they really ought to sell tickets instead of cookies.

She'd just taken the last sheet of cookies from the oven when there was a knock on the back door. Hannah slid the cookies onto the baker's rack, wiped her hands on a towel, and went to the back door to open it.

”Hannah.” It was Mike and he looked a bit contrite. ”I know you're working, but I really need to talk to you for a minute.”

Hannah smiled and ushered him to a seat at the workstation. ”Coffee?” she asked.

”Only if you have time.”

”I've got plenty of time. Lisa's out there performing a solo play called, Hannah Finds the Professor's Body, Marge is dis.h.i.+ng up cookies by the dozen, Jack is going around with the coffee carafe, and Patsy's running the cash register.”

Mike laughed and shook his head, but he sobered when Hannah brought him a mug of coffee and two cookies. ”What are these?” he asked, indicating the cookies. ”They've got little holes all over them.”

<script>