Part 30 (2/2)

”We'll both walk her to the front door,” Bill said, getting to his feet. ”It's the least we can do for all those cookies.”

Hannah felt a little strange as Bill took her left arm and Mike took her right. And she felt even stranger as they walked down the hallway toward the desk at the entrance. If anyone had been waiting in the plastic chairs in the lobby, she might have felt the need to explain that she wasn't under arrest, that the detective on her left was her brother-in-law and the man on her right was her date for Sat.u.r.day night.

b.u.t.tER-SCOTCHIES.

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

1 cup b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, pound-melted) (2 sticks, pound-melted)1 cup brown sugar1 cup white (granulated) (granulated) sugar sugar2 eggs-beaten (just beat them up in a gla.s.s with a fork) (just beat them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)1 teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda teaspoon salt1 teaspoon vanilla extract2 cups flour (don't sift-pack it down in the cup) (don't sift-pack it down in the cup)2 cups b.u.t.terscotch chips (an 11-ounch package will do just fine) (an 11-ounch package will do just fine)1 cups rolled oats (uncooked oatmeal-I used (uncooked oatmeal-I usedQuaker's Quick 1-Minute rolled oats)Melt the b.u.t.ter in large microwave-safe bowl. (About 90 seconds on HIGH.) (About 90 seconds on HIGH.) Add the sugars and let it cool a bit. Then add the beaten eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract. Add the sugars and let it cool a bit. Then add the beaten eggs, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract.Mix in the flour and then the b.u.t.terscotch chips. Add the rolled oats and mix in thoroughly. Let the dough rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes to allow the b.u.t.ter to solidify.You can either drop this dough by rounded teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet, 12 to a sheet, or roll the dough in b.a.l.l.s with your hands and place them on the cookie sheet, pus.h.i.+ng them down just a bit so they won't roll off on their way to the oven. (I prefer rolling the dough b.a.l.l.s-the cookies turn out nice and round.) (I prefer rolling the dough b.a.l.l.s-the cookies turn out nice and round.)Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.These freeze really well if you roll them in foil and put them in a freezer bag.Yield: This recipe makes approximately 8 to 9 dozen cookies, depending on cookie size.Hannah's Note: Mother's friend Carrie just loves these when I use one cup of b.u.t.terscotch chips and one cup of milk chocolate chips.

Chapter Six.

”Okay, so what's going on with Lisa's aunt?”

”Andrea?”

”That's right. Bill just called and told me you brought him some goodies. And while you were there, you told him that Lisa's cousin ran away from home. Is that true?”

”Well, actually...”

”I didn't think so, especially when Bill said you asked him some questions about underage runaways. So where are you keeping her?”

Hannah glanced over at Candy, who was helping Lisa transfer several pans of freshly baked cookies to the gla.s.s jars they used for display. When the phone had rung at seven-thirty in the morning, she'd answered it a.s.suming that it was her mother. Instead it was Andrea with a mouthful of questions.

”Right here.” Hannah gave a little sigh. She thought she'd done a fine job of convincing Bill and Mike that her questions were purely theoretical. ”Bill's on to me?”

”No, Bill's not on to you. I'm I'm the one who's on to you. You never could fool me, Hannah.” the one who's on to you. You never could fool me, Hannah.”

”Not even second-hand?”

”Not even then. So what gives?”

Hannah sighed and stretched the phone cord out so that she could step into the coffee shop for more privacy. Even at a young age, Andrea had always known when Hannah was trying to pull the wool over her eyes. At the same time, Andrea was fiercely loyal to her family. If Hannah told her about Candy and asked her to keep it a secret, Andrea wouldn't say a word to anyone.

”Two nights ago, a homeless girl broke into my shop to get out of the cold. I left her some food last night and managed to catch her. I told her she could stay here and I promised that I wouldn't call the cops. I'm pretty sure she ran away from home.”

”And she's underage?” Andrea asked.

”Norman and I both think so.”

”Norman saw her?”

”We had a date last night and he helped me catch her.”

”Some date!”

Hannah chuckled. ”Well, that wasn't all all we did. We went out to dinner first.” we did. We went out to dinner first.”

”Good. At least it wasn't a total waste. So what are you planning to do with her?”

”Keep her and try to find her mother. She said her father's dead and that rang true.”

”You're going to try to do it by yourself?”

”Yes. If I turn her over to the authorities, they'll just put her in the county home.”

”That's true.” Andrea gave a little sigh that smacked of resignation to Hannah. ”Okay, I'll help you. It's almost like a murder and we already know we're good at solving those.”

”How is it like a murder?” Hannah asked, torn between wanting a peek into her sister's thought processes, and believing that she was better off not knowing.

”Instead of looking for a killer, we'll be looking for a mother.”

”Right,” Hannah said, wis.h.i.+ng she hadn't asked. ”Don't forget that you're married to a sheriff's detective and I'm harboring a runaway. Are you sure you want to get involved?”

”Of course I do! I have to save you from yourself. There's no way you can get any information because you can't lie. You've never been any good at it.”

Hannah didn't bother to deny it, since her sister was right.

”I, on the other hand, am an expert liar!”

Again, Hannah was mute. She didn't want to get into an argument about whether expertise in something that was morally reprehensible should give Andrea bragging rights.

”Just let me take care of everything. I'll stop by to see the girl after I get my hair done. And you should watch her around Tracey.”

”She's a nice girl, Andrea. She wouldn't hurt Tracey.”

”You underestimate me, Hannah. That isn't why I said you should watch her. If she's really good with Tracey, it might mean she's used to being around kids that age. And that might mean she's got a younger brother or sister.”

”You're absolutely right.” Hannah knew it was time to eat a little crow. ”Good thinking.”

”Thank you. I'm good at these things.”

”You certainly are.” Hannah decided that const.i.tuted her last bite of crow. ”Don't forget to be careful what you say when you meet her. You can't let on that you know she's a runaway, or she'll bolt and we'll never see her again.”

”Right. What cover story are you going to use about why she's there at The Cookie Jar?”

”I haven't come up with one yet.”

”Then you should let me do it. I'm better at cover stories than you are. Let's say she's Ellen's youngest sister.”

”Ellen?”

”Ellen Wagner, your old college roommate. You introduced me when we drove up for your graduation.”

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