Peach Cobbler Murder by Joanne Fluke Read Free Book Online Page A

qualities I wanted, and that was the first taste that popped into my mind.”
    â€œIs that how you come up with new recipes?” Carrie wanted to know.
    â€œYes. I always start out thinking about what it should be and go from there. I decided that this topping should be halfway between a sugar cookie and a sweet biscuit.”
    â€œThat’s exactly what you got,” Marge said, plunging her spoon into the topping and smiling as it gave a satisfying crunch. “It’s just perfect, Hannah. Really.”
    â€œLet’s start the poll,” Herb suggested, taking out the small notebook he carried in his pocket to write down the license plate numbers of cars that failed to observe city traffic regulations. The first time a plate number appeared in Herb’s notebook, the owner got a warning. But if the plate number reappeared, Herb issued a ticket. “The three categories are better, the same, or not as good?” He turned to Lisa for confirmation.
    â€œThat’s right. Let’s start with you, Herb. What did you think?”
    â€œBetter. I’ll mark myself down.”
    â€œMike?” Lisa continued, going around the table in order.
    â€œA lot better.”
    Mike looked over at Hannah with a smile. Hannah smiled back politely, hoping he hadn’t heard her heart thudding in her chest. Mike might think that flattery could get him everywhere and perhaps it could with most women, but Hannah wasn’t about to melt down into a little puddle of gratitude every time he decided to pay attention to her.
    â€œIf theirs is a one, Hannah’s is a ten,” Bill said.
    â€œMuch, much better,” Delores said, turning to smile at Hannah. “The quilting club ladies are going to just love it, especially when I tell Regina that you got the idea for the topping from her coffee cake. It’s good of you to give her credit, dear. Some people wouldn’t, you know.”
    Hannah basked in her mother’s approval. It didn’t come that often and when it did, she enjoyed it immensely. Then she noticed that Delores had cleaned her bowl until it was practically spotless. For the woman who believed that it was polite to leave a few morsels on her plate, this was high praise indeed!
    One by one, Lisa went around the table and Herb jotted down the answers. The unanimous result was no surprise to anyone. Hannah’s peach cobbler won, hands-down, over Vanessa and Shawna Lee’s signature dessert.
    â€œYou might know it,” Bill said, as his cell phone chimed. He glanced down at the readout on the screen and frowned. “We’ve got to run, Hannah. There’s a three-car pileup out on the interstate.”
    That was the signal to break up the party. Winthrop left along with Bill and Mike, and Delores and Carrie pushed back their chairs.
    â€œWe left Luanne to run the store,” Carrie explained, “and she hasn’t had her break yet.”
    â€œThanks for coming.” Hannah smiled at both of them. “I’ll see you out.”
    Lisa put her hand on Hannah’s shoulder. “Sit. I’ll walk your mother and Carrie to the kitchen and give them the bowl of peach cobbler I set aside for Luanne.”
    Once Lisa was back, Hannah smiled at the friends who were left. “You’ve really been a big help. And as long as you think my peach cobbler is good just the way it is, I’ll write up the final version and put it in my recipe book.”
    â€œWhat are you going to call it, Aunt Hannah?” Tracey asked.
    â€œI haven’t even thought about that.” Hannah knew Tracey wouldn’t have broached the subject of naming the peach cobbler unless she had something in mind. “What do you think I should call it?”
    â€œMinnesota Peach Cobbler. That way people will know it’s from here, and not from someplace else.”
    â€œGood idea,” Hannah said, giving her niece a thumbs-up. The name was pure genius and it