by Joanne Fluke
“Come and taste one. So far, everyone likes them, but your opinion matters the most to me.”
Hannah was pleased. As far as she was concerned, what Andrea had just told her was even better than a return compliment.
“If they taste as good as they smell, I’m sure I’m going to love them.” Hannah walked over and plucked a cookie from the container. “They’re pretty, Andrea. I like the cherry on top.”
“Thanks. They looked a little plain, and I thought they needed something for color.”
“Well, you picked the right something. Half a maraschino cherry always reminds me of holidays or special occasions.” Hannah bit into the cookie and smiled as the flavor she’d smelled became a reality. “Oh, my!” she said.
“Does that mean you like them?”
“I love them! What do you call them?”
“Pineapple Raisin Whippersnapper Cookies. I start with a spice cake mix and add the Cool Whip, crushed pineapple, and golden raisins.”
“Will you give me the exact recipe? I know our customers will love them. They love all of your whippersnapper cookies.”
Andrea looked extremely pleased even though Hannah had told her that before. “Then I guess that it’s a really good thing I have more cookies in the car. I’ll go get them before I leave, and you can try them out on your customers.”
“That’ll be fun. I’ll be happy to pay you for the cookies, Andrea.”
“Don’t be silly!” Andrea waved away Hannah’s offer. “Consider it a favor. You do lots of things for me.”
“I do?”
“Yes. The biggest favor is that you’re teaching Tracey to bake. And I think Bethie’s old enough to have a small part in it.”
“Oh, good!” Hannah said. It was the one thing that she could do for Tracey and Bethie that Andrea or Grandma McCann didn’t have the time or the inclination to do.
“I wish you would give me more so I could do for you,” Andrea said. “Sometimes I feel like I take and take from you, and I never give back.”
An idea flashed like lightning through Hannah’s mind and she gasped aloud. There was something that Andrea could do for her!
“What is it?” Andrea looked concerned.
“I just thought of something that only you could do for me. But I’m not sure that you have the time.”
“I’ll make the time. What is it, Hannah?”
“I want you to investigate a murder.”
“But you do that.”
“I know, but I can’t investigate this one. People wouldn’t tell me the truth.”
“Are you talking about P.K.’s murder?”
“No. This investigation is about Ross.”
Andrea’s mouth dropped open. “Ross is dead?!”
“No! Or at least I don’t think he is. It’s just that Mike doesn’t know whether the drugged candy in Ross’s desk was meant for Ross, or for P.K. And that means Mike has to investigate both possibilities in order to catch the killer.”
Andrea thought about that for a moment, and then she nodded. “I get it. I knew that P.K. ate drugged candy. Mother saw the autopsy report when Doc’s secretary typed it up this morning. She called to tell me about it and she said to tell you when I got here. But it sounds as if you already knew.”
“Mike told me.”
“He’s sharing information this time?”
“He told me that when he described his meeting he had with the KCOW office staff. The candy was addressed to Ross’s office number so a temporary receptionist took it to his office.”
“I get it!” Andrea said. “I knew that P.K. was using Ross’s office, but I didn’t even consider that the candy might have been intended for Ross!”
The two sisters were quiet for a moment, and then Andrea reached out for Hannah’s hand. “That’s just awful, Hannah! How can you live with the knowledge that someone might have been trying to murder your husband?”
“What choice do I have? The reality is that it could have happened that way. I need to find out if it’s true. And that’s where you come in.”
“I see. You can’t question people about Ross because he’s your new husband and nobody would admit it if they had a grudge against him. Tell me exactly what you want me to do, and I’ll do it.”
“Thanks, Andrea. Can you stick around while I make a couple of calls? Then we can talk about it.”
“Yes. I don’t have anything to do except pick Tracey up when school’s out for the day. Is there anything else you need?”
“Actually, yes. Could you give Michelle a ride to Jordan High for her rehearsals? It’s cold out there, and I don’t want her to have to walk.”
“I can do that, no problem.”
“Thanks. And don’t ever think that I don’t appreciate the fact that you’ve already helped me a lot.”
“How?”
“Just by loving me and being my sister.”
Andrea looked surprised, but then she smiled. It was a slow smile, almost as if the clouds had rolled back and the sun had peeked through. “Go make your calls, Hannah. I’ll run out to the car and get my second container of whippersnappers for your customers. Do you care if we pass them out right now?”
“Not at all. You can judge their reactions that way.”
“Okay. Then that’s exactly what I’ll do. Come out to get me when you finish your calls, and we’ll talk about exactly how you want me to investigate.”
* * *
When Andrea left the kitchen, Hannah walked to the phone. A few seconds later, she had Sally Laughlin on the phone. “Hi, Sally. It’s Hannah. Michelle told me you called and she said it was important. What’s up?”
“Did you see the article Rod ran in the Sunday Lake Eden Journal about the Holiday Gift Convention I’m going to hold in our convention center this weekend?”
“Yes. It sounds like a wonderful idea.”
“It’s even more wonderful than I thought. I checked the vendor roster this morning and we have almost a hundred.”
“Wow!” Hannah was impressed. Sally’s gift show was going to be larger than any convention they’d ever held at the Lake Eden Inn.
“They’re all selling Christmas and Thanksgiving decorations and gifts. Most of their items are handmade, and if they’re not, they’re personalized. I think the customers will appreciate that.”
“You’re right, and I’ll certainly be there. It’s hard to find gifts for Mother. If she likes something, she buys it for herself. I’m always looking for something new and different.”
“You’re exactly the kind of customer we want to attract. We’re competing with the Tri-County Mall and the catalogues. Our gifts and decorations have to be unique.”
“The paper said the convention starts on Friday and lasts through Sunday. That’s right, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Friday is the opening day and I think it’ll be big. Everyone’s very excited about it and the phone at the Inn has been ringing off the hook. Some of my vendors are already here, setting up their booths.”
“And they’re staying with you, of course. That’s good for your winter business, isn’t it?”
“You bet! This is a slow time of year for us, and it should bring in quite a few hotel guests. Anyone who’s not a vendor and stays at the Inn can get into the convention an hour before we open to the general public.”
“That’s very smart, Sally.”
“Thank you. There’s something else, too. Our vendor food service doesn’t start until tomorrow so they’ve all been eating in the restaurant or ordering from room service.”
“You have a food service just for the vendors?”
“Of course. We offer three meals a day in the dining room attached to the convention center. Brooke and Loren do a great job running it. They’re a really cute couple and sometimes I wonder when they’ll get around to getting married. All you have to do is look at them to know they’re in love.” Sally stopped speaking and gave a little laugh. “I bet you’re wondering why I called you.”
“Actually . . . yes. Michelle said it was important.”
“It is. Would you like to run a cookie booth on the three days of the convention? Brooke and Loren planned to do it, but we didn’t expect this many vendors and they’re going to have their hands full. They won’t have time to bake cookies, too.”
Hannah thought about it for a moment. It was a great business opportunity. “How much does it cost for the booth?”
“Absolutely nothing. All you have to do is set it up with cookies and coffee before we open the doors. Charge whatever you think is a good price.”
“But you’ll take a percentage of the profits, won’t you?”
“No. You’ll be doing me a favor, Hannah. We’re going to set up tables and chairs in the center of the convention hall so people can sit down and take a break. They’ll want a cup of coffee or tea to perk them up and something sweet to have with it. That’s what your booth will provide.”
Hannah didn’t hesitate. They were always looking for expansion, and this opportunity was a natural for them. “I’m in, Sally. Just let me check with Lisa and make sure that we have the personnel to do it. How many cookies do you think we might need every day?”
“As many as you sell per day at The Cookie Jar and perhaps a few more. You’ll be able to judge that after the first full day. Call me back and tell me if Lisa says it’s a go, Hannah. I really need you to do this and I think it’ll be good for The Cookie Jar, too.”
“I already know it would be good for us, but that’s a lot of extra cookies to bake.”
“What do you think, Hannah?” Sally prompted. “Can you handle selling cookies in two places?”
“I think so, but I’ll get back to you for sure within the hour,” Hannah promised. “If we can handle the extra volume, this could be a very good thing for both of us.”
PINEAPPLE RAISIN WHIPPERSNAPPER COOKIES
DO NOT preheat your oven yet. This dough needs to chill before baking.
8-ounce can crushed pineapple (I used Dole)
1 cup golden or regular raisins
Approximately ¼ cup water
1 box (approximately 18 ounces) spice cake mix, the kind that makes a 9-inch by 13-inch cake (I used Duncan Hines – 18.5 ounces net weight)
1 large egg, beaten (just whip it up in a glass with a fork)
2 cups Original Cool Whip, thawed (measure this – a tub of Cool Whip contains a little over 3 cups and that’s too much!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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½ cup powdered (confectioners’) sugar (you don’t have to sift it unless it’s old and has big lumps)
Small jar of maraschino cherries, drained and cut in
half vertically (optional for decorating your cookies)
Use a strainer to drain the pineapple.
Place the raisins in a microwave-safe measuring cup that is large enough to contain the raisins with room to spare for the water.
Pour the water over the raisins.
Hannah’s 1st Note: If you prefer, you can use rum instead of water.
Heat the raisins and the water for 1 minute on HIGH in the microwave. Let the cup sit in the microwave to plump the raisins for an additional minute.
Remove the cup to a folded towel or pot holder on the kitchen counter. Give the raisins a stir and then cool the cup to room temperature. DO NOT drain the raisins yet. Leave the liquid in the cup.
Pour HALF of the dry cake mix into a large mixing bowl.
Use a smaller bowl to mix the two cups of Cool Whip with the beaten egg and the vanilla extract. Stir gently with a rubber spatula until everything is combined.
Add the Cool Whip mixture to the cake mix in the large bowl. STIR VERY CAREFULLY with a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir only until everything is combined. You don’t want to stir all the air from the Cool Whip.
Pat the crushed pineapple dry with paper towels and then add it to the large mixing bowl.
Drain the raisins, pat them dry with paper towels, and add them to the large mixing bowl.
Sprinkle the rest of the cake mix on top of the fruit and gently fold everything together with the rubber spatula. Again, keep as much air in the batter as possible. Air is what will make your cookies soft and give them a meltin-your-mouth quality.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough for at least one hour in the refrigerator. It’s a little too sticky to form into balls without chilling it first.
Hannah’s 2nd Note: Lisa and I mix up this dough before we leave The Cookie Jar for the night and bake it when we come in to work the next morning.
When your cookie dough has chilled and you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F., and make sure the rack is in the middle position. DO NOT take your chilled cookie dough out of the refrigerator until after your oven has reached the proper temperature.
While your oven is preheating, prepare your cookie sheets by spraying them with Pam or another nonstick baking spray, or lining them with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar in a small, shallow bowl. You will be dropping cookie dough into this bowl to form dough balls and coating them with the powdered sugar.
When your oven is ready, take your dough out of the refrigerator. Using a teaspoon from your silverware drawer, drop the dough by rounded teaspoonful into the bowl with the powdered sugar. Roll the dough around with your fingers to form powdered sugar coated cookie dough balls.
Hannah’s 3rd Note: If you coat your fingers with powdered sugar first and then try to form the cookie dough into balls, it’s a lot easier to accomplish.
Place the coated cookie dough balls on your prepared cookie sheets, no more than 12 cookies to a standard-size sheet.
Hannah’s 4th Note: Work with only one cookie dough ball at a time. If you drop more than one in the bowl of powdered sugar, they’ll stick together. Also, make only as many cookie dough balls as you can bake at one time. Cover the remaining dough and return it to the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake more.
If you decide you want to decorate your cookies, press half of a maraschino cherry, rounded side up, on top of each cookie before you bake them.
Bake your Pineapple Raisin Whippersnapper Cookies at 350 degrees F., for 10 minutes. Let them cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes, and then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. (This is a lot easier if you line your cookie sheets with parchment paper—then you don’t need to lift the cookies one by one. All you have to do is grab one end of the parchment paper and pull it, cookies and all, onto the wire rack.)
Once the cookies are completely cool, store them between sheets of waxed paper in a cool, dry place. (Your refrigerator is cool, but it’s definitely not dry!)
Yield: 3 to 4 dozen soft, delicious spice and fruit cookies, depending on cookie size.
Chapter Eight
Hannah glanced at the bakers racks standing by the oven. They were almost empty, and that meant it was time to bake again. Lisa was telling her story about P.K., and customers were lining up to hear it. Some of them, like Grandma Knudson, the first lady of Holy Redeemer Lutheran Church, had been in the coffee shop for three performances. Grandma’s granddaughter-in-law, Claire Rodgers Knudson, had come in several minutes ago from her dress shop, and it looked as if Grandma would be staying for a fourth performance.
Once Hannah had explained what she wanted Andrea to do and Andrea had left with Michelle, Hannah had checked with Lisa, Aunt Nancy, and Marge. All three had agreed that Hannah should accept Sally’s offer and Hannah had called Sally back with the good news. She’d thought about returning Cyril’s call, but she decided that it could wait and that she would work on replenishing their cookie supply first.
Nothing in their thick volume of tried and true cookie recipes appealed to Hannah, and she decided to come up with a recipe for a new cookie. Their customers loved lemon, and there was no reason why she couldn’t combine their recipe for lemon cookies with their recipe for oatmeal cookies. A quick check of the pan
try and cooler assured her that she had all the ingredients she needed on hand. This was good, because she really didn’t have time to run out for missing ingredients. She collected everything she needed, quickly mixed up the cookie dough, and now she was waiting for her Oatmeal Lemon Cookies to come out of the oven.
There was a knock on the back kitchen door and Hannah glanced at the timer. There was one minute to go and she hurried to answer the door.
“Hi, Norman,” she greeted him and motioned him in. “I have just enough time to get you a cup of coffee before my new cookies come out of the oven.”
Norman hung his parka on a hook by the back door and took his usual seat at the work station. Hannah had just delivered his mug of coffee when the timer began to buzz. “Thanks, Hannah. You have perfect timing,” he told her.
“So do you. I was going to call you, but now you’re here. Hold on a second while I take the cookies out of the oven and brush on the topping.”
“Take your time,” Norman said as he picked up his mug of coffee.
When Hannah opened the oven door, the scent that rolled out caused her to smile. She breathed in deeply and took the first pan of golden brown cookies from the oven shelf.
The warm cookies had to be glazed immediately, and Hannah had already mixed up the glaze. She brushed the glaze on each pan of cookies before she slid the cookie sheets onto the bakers rack.