Part 21 (1/2)

”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 s.h.i.+nes 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 refres.h.i.+ng.”

”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 b.u.t.ter (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 4 cups flour (not sifted-just scoop it up and level it off with a knife.) cup white sugar in a small bowl (for later) Melt the b.u.t.ter in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 3 minutes on HIGH.

Add the sugars to the melted b.u.t.ter 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 b.a.l.l.s. Roll the dough b.a.l.l.s in a bowl containing the last half-cup of white sugar.

Place the dough b.a.l.l.s on a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a standard-size sheet. Flatten the dough b.a.l.l.s 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 b.u.t.ter ( cup, pound) Melt the chips and the b.u.t.ter 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!