Fudge Cupcake Murder

pair of eyes.'

    'I know, and it's going to cost you.'

    'I figured that,' Hannah said, gesturing toward the rear of the truck. 'I've got a couple of dozen cookies back there.'

    'What kind are they?'

    'Surprise cookies. They were Lisa's idea and they're leftovers from the meeting I catered last night.'

    'What's the surprise?'

    'If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise.' Hannah reached back to get one of the bags and handed it to Andrea. 'Taste one and tell me if you like them.'

    Andrea bit into the cookie and smiled. 'This is good, Hannah, and I love the chewy part in the middle. Is it a chocolate-covered nut?'

    'It could be. Try another one. Lisa put at least a half-dozen different surprises in the middles.'

    'Mmm,' Andrea bit into another cookie. 'This one tastes like some kind of nougat. I like these, Hannah. They're fun because you don't know what you're going to get. How do you make them?'

    'Bridge mix.'

    'What?'

    'Bridge mix. You've had it before, Andrea. It's mixed kinds of chocolate candy in a bag. They've got it down at the Red Owl.'

    'I know exactly which candy you mean.'

    'Lisa says if they're out of bridge mix, you can use those miniature candy bars they have for Halloween. All you have to do is cut them up into pieces.'

    'Good idea,' Andrea said, taking another cookie. 'Did you decide on your cookies yet, Hannah?'

    'What cookies?' Hannah pulled up to the gates of Brookside Cemetery and parked outside the wrought iron fence. She could see Sheriff Grant's grave in the distance, but no one was there yet. The mourners were probably still at the school, paying their respects to Nettie.

    'The cookies you're going to bring to the Halloween party.'

    'Not yet,' Hannah said, mentally adding the Halloween cookies to her list of things to do. 'Are you sure you want to stay here by yourself?'

    'I'm sure.' Andrea clutched the bag of cookies a little tighter. 'I should be able to see the back of the crowd from here. Make sure you stand on the other side of the grave and then we'll have it covered.'

    'Good idea. Anything else?'

    'Yes. Do you think you can duck out before they say the final prayer? I don't want to be here when they lower the casket. I just hate that part.'

    'Me, too,' Hannah said, knowing that Andrea was thinking about their father and reaching out to give her a hug.

    Surprise Cookies

    Do NOT preheat the oven-dough must chill before baking

    1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)

    1 cup white sugar

    1/2 cup brown sugar

    2 beaten eggs (just whip them up with a fork) 1 teaspoon baking soda

    1/2 teaspoon salt

    1 teaspoon vanilla

    2 Tablespoons water (or coffee, if you have some left over from breakfast)

    3 cups flour (no need to sift)

    1 package bridge mix or assorted chocolate candies ***

    4 to 5 dozen walnut halves (or pecan halves)

    *** If I can't find bridge mix, I like to use chocolate wafers or Hershey's assorted miniature candy bars cut into four pieces. You can even use full size chocolate candy bars if you cut them up into small pieces.

    Melt the butter and mix in the sugars. Add the beaten eggs, baking soda, salt, vanilla, and water (or coffee). Add-the flour and mix thoroughly. Then chill the dough for at least an hour (overnight is fine, too).

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

    Scoop out a tablespoon of dough and form it around a chocolate wafer (or a piece of cut up candy bar). Place a walnut half (or pecan half) on top and place it on a greased baking sheet, 12 cookies to a standard sheet.

    Bake at 375 degrees F. for 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Cool on cookie sheet for two minutes and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

    Yield: 8 to 10 dozen, depending on cookie size.

    (When I use Hershey's miniatures, Mother always tries to guess which cookies have the Krackles bars inside. If she gets one with a piece of Mr. Goodbar, she passes it to me.)

Chapter Fourteen

    There was no one suspicious at graveside, unless Hannah wanted to count Bertie Straub, who stared at the casket throughout the short service without blinking. But Hannah knew that Bertie was probably trying to figure out what Nettie had spent on the funeral. Andrea didn't see anyone that struck a sour note either, and Hannah had kicked herself all the way home for even considering taking a tip from her mother.

    'Hi, Moishe,' Hannah called out, opening the door to her condo and bracing herself to receive the flying ball of orange and white fur that hurtled itself in her arms. She carried him in the kitchen, set him down by his food bowl, and filled it with the food he liked. Then she headed off to her bedroom to put on her usual Sunday attire.

    Five minutes later, dressed in jeans and an old pullover sweater, Hannah settled down on the couch to vegetate. She was a bit hungry, but that could wait. She wanted the mindless oblivion of a documentary on something of absolutely no interest to her. Then she could curl up and doze and perhaps catch up on some of the sleep she'd lost since Sheriff Grant had been killed.

    Hannah woke up to a ringing phone and an announcer's nasal voice describing the mating habits of the dung beetle. She reached out for the phone and said hello before she realized that she could have let the answering machine get it.

    'Oh, Hannah! I'm so glad you're home!'

    It was Andrea's voice and Hannah almost groaned out loud. She wasn't sure she had the patience to sympathize with another domestic crisis tonight. But sisterly concern took precedence over things like sleep, and food, and personal time at home. 'What's the matter, Andrea?'

    'Bill cleaned out the refrigerator while we were at Sheriff Grant's funeral and he threw out all my nail polish!'

    Hannah wondered if she should have her hearing checked. Or perhaps she was still asleep and this was