“Nothing’s changed, at least not yet. And actually ... I don’t think it will change. Since Bev’s not going to be cooking in the kitchen anyway, I’m not going to let her remodel it. It seems like a waste, doesn’t it?”
“It does to me.”
“Then we’re agreed. I’ll start in on that background check for Buddy Neiman if you don’t need me for anything else.”
“That’s fine. The first name on his driver’s license was Bernard so you might try that, too. It’s Bernard Alan Neiman.”
“Okay. I’ll be in my office.”
“I’ll bring you a fresh cup of coffee when it’s ready.” Hannah walked over to the espresso machine on the counter, poured in some bottled water, and flicked it on.
“That would be great! And ...” Norman paused to listen. “Was that a car horn I heard?”
“I think it was. And that means Michelle must be here. Let’s go help her bring in the cats!”
Hannah eyed the huge box of ingredients that Michelle carried into Norman’s kitchen. “Where did you get all that?”
“At the Red Owl.”
“They were open past eight at night?”
“I drove past on the off-chance Florence might be there, and she was in the back, unpacking some boxes. When I told her I needed lots of stuff, she was happy to let me shop.”
“Just look at all this!” Hannah started to pull ingredients from the box. “Cream cheese, peach jam, peach pie filling, white sugar, flour, baking soda, two pounds of salted butter, ground cinnamon, whole nutmeg, and a nutmeg grater?”
“That’s only the first layer. I’ve also got pecans, eggs, and sliced canned peaches. And in that second box over there,” Michelle pointed to another box, “I’ve got bran flakes, oatmeal, raisins, brown sugar, and vanilla. I figured Norman must have salt so I didn’t buy that.”
“This must have cost you a fortune!”
“Oh, it did. But that’s okay. I can afford it.”
“How? You don’t earn much working part-time at the college.”
Michelle laughed. “I can afford it because I charged it to Mother.”
“But ... but ...”
“You sound like a motorboat,” Michelle interrupted with the tease they’d used as children. “It’s okay, Hannah. Mother told me to charge all expenses to her. She wants us to break up Norman and Doctor Bev, and she also wants us to solve Buddy’s murder. She said it’s her assignment to us and she’s happy to pay for it.”
Hannah felt a little like a kid stealing money from her mother’s purse, something she’d never dreamed of doing when she was growing up. It made her very uncomfortable. “Maybe I should pay Mother back.”
“Absolutely not. It would only make her mad. Mother gave me her credit card and told me to use it. Besides, Mother can afford it. I can’t, and you can’t.”
“You’ve got a point.” Hannah gave a little shrug. “Okay. I’ll buy that. What kind of cookie are we going to make for Norman?”
“We’re making Peaches And Cream Cookies. I thought it all out when I was shopping in the store. They’re going to be soft, creamy, delicious cookies. Just wait and see.”
“You’re the boss on this one. I don’t think I’ve ever made peach cookies in my life.”
“There’s always a first time,” Michelle said, tossing Hannah a can of sliced peaches. “Open these and drain them, will you? I’m going to start softening the salted butter and the cream cheese.”
Thirty minutes later, Norman looked happier than Hannah had seen him look in several months. He was sitting at the kitchen table watching them mix up cookie dough, and Cuddles was in his lap. Hannah could hear her purring even over the whine of Norman’s stand mixer, and Moishe was purring too. Perhaps she was anthropomorphizing, but Hannah was convinced that her own cat was purring because he was happy to see his friend, Cuddles, so happy.
As Hannah watched, Cuddles jumped down from Norman’s lap and walked over to rub noses with Moishe. Then she turned, swished her tail, and wiggled her rear as she walked away.
“She wants Moishe to follow her,” Norman explained his cat’s actions. And to Hannah amazement, Moishe jumped up and padded after her.
“Where are they going?” Michelle asked.
“They’re going to check out the house to see if anything’s changed. And now that I put that silly table in the closet, they’re going to find out everything’s exactly the same. Cuddles is leading the way because she still considers it to be
There was a loud thump from the den and then a startled meow. A scant second later, there was the sound of running footfalls on the stairway Norman had built for Moishe before he’d adopted Cuddles.
“The chase is on,” Norman said. There was another loud thump and then the sound of footfalls running down the circular staircase.
“And the chase has picked up speed,” Hannah commented. “Any second now they’ll probably ... feet up everybody! Here they come!”
Hannah and Michelle hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter. Norman lifted his feet to the seat of a neighboring chair. They were just in time as the two cats rounded the corner into the kitchen and skidded across the tiles.
“Careful, guys!” Norman warned, but of course they didn’t listen. Norman didn’t speak cat and the cats didn’t speak caution. They slid past the refrigerator, rounded the center island on three paws, and ran smack dab into the cupboard under the sink.
“Rrrrow!” Moishe yowled, sounding dazed.
“Merrrowww,” Cuddles moaned, adding her voice to the complaint.
“Are they hurt?” Michelle asked, preparing to jump down from the counter.
“I really don’t think so,” Norman said with a chuckle, as the two cats shook their heads, regained their feet, and started to chase each other all over again. “Do they do this at your house?” he asked Hannah.
“Oh, yes. Every night.”
“But your place is so much smaller! How do they manage it?”
“They fly,” Hannah said, and left it at that.
PEACHES AND CREAM COOKIES
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
15 canned peach slices to garnish your cookies
1 and ? cups white
? cup
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
? teaspoon salt
