Cherry Cheesecake Murder by Joanne Fluke Read Free Book Online Page B

spatula, and offer more syrup and butter for those who want it. A half sandwich is one serving.
     
    Yield: 12 half-sandwich servings.
     
    Hannah’s Note: If you want to make this and you’re really in a pickle because you don’t have any fruit, try spreading the bread with a layer of fruit jam or marmalade. I haven’t tried this, but I’ll bet you a batch of my best cookies that it’ll work!

Chapter
Five
    N aturally, Hannah had been elected to serve the Fruit Pocket French Toast and she was glad she’d worn the pale lavender silk blouse Claire Rodgers had assured her would dress up any outfit, even a pair of black jeans and a black turtleneck sweater. The blouse had been expensive, but Claire had given Hannah her usual good-neighbor discount since Claire’s boutique, Beau Monde Fashions, was right next to Hannah’s shop.
    “This is a wonderful brunch dish, Hannah,” Delores came up to compliment her. “Have you made it before? It reminds me of something, but I’m not quite sure what it is.”
    “Grandma Ingrid’s Fruit Pocket French Toast, except she made it with apple slices.”
    “Of course!” Delores reached out to pat Hannah’s shoulder with one perfectly manicured hand. “It was always my favorite, but so rich! And extremely fattening, with all those carbs.” Delores leaned a little closer. “Better watch it, dear. I think you’ve gained a little around the hips. That blouse hides it really well, but still…when a woman gets to be a certain age, she has to be more conscientious about her diet.”
    Hannah managed to keep her polite smile in place, but she had the urge to upend the nearly empty pan with its residue of sticky caramel-maple syrup on top of her mother’s impeccably styled coiffeur.
    “Well! Enough about that. You’ve heard it all before.”
    Hannah looked up at her mother in surprise. Delores actually sounded a bit apologetic about her previous comment. But her next statement shattered that illusion.
    “You really ought to change to shoes, Hannah. Those boots don’t go with your outfit at all. And a little lipstick and makeup wouldn’t hurt.”
    “I don’t like to wear makeup.”
    “I know you don’t, but men notice things like that. They want a wife who’s well groomed, someone they can be proud to be seen with.”
    “You’re forgetting that two men proposed to me and I wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup at the time.”
    “Oh.” Delores frowned slightly. “Well…there is that. I’m sorry, dear. Truce?”
    “Truce,” Hannah agreed with a smile, squelching the nasty little voice in her head that whispered, I wouldn’t take your advice about men on a bet, Mother. Just look where it got you with Winthrop!
     
    Hannah had just filled her own plate and slid into a chair directly across from Mike and Norman when Michelle came rushing up. She was followed by a thirty-something guy with dark hair, and Hannah assumed he was one of the movie crew. He wasn’t leading-man handsome, but he was certainly good-looking in an intriguing way. His eyes were a bit too close together, but they were a brilliant blue that more than made up for the former defect. And they were framed with long, dark lashes that most women could achieve only with long minutes in front of the mirror and the very best lash-lengthening mascara. His mouth was generous, wide enough to match his nose, and his clean-shaven chin was strong. Definitely an attractive man, Hannah decided. Not really conventionally handsome, but eye-catching all the same.
    Michelle arrived at Hannah’s side and turned back to face the man who was following her. “This is my sister, Hannah. She owns the cookie shop that Mitch couldn’t stop talking about. And Hannah?” Michelle swiveled to give her oldest sister a smile. “This is Mr. Barton, the writer–producer of Crisis in Cherrywood .”
    Hannah gasped as the man smiled. He looked very different from the last time she’d seen him almost four years ago, but there was no