Lemon Meringue Pie Murder Part 35

self. "He's been asking for pineapple cookies for ages and I came up with a new cookie bar recipe. They're called Pineapple Right-Side-Up Bars and they're in Sally's kitchen, along with my pizza cutter."

Norman looked puzzled. "Your pizza cutter?"

"It's something I learned from my college roommate. Cynthia always used a pizza cutter on pans of brownies. It works better man a knife."

"Hi, everybody!" Tracey called out, tugging at Andrea's hand to hurry her along toward the table. She was dressed in a pale blue silk dress with white lace around the sleeves and the hemline. "Look at me. I'm all dressed up for dinner."

"And you look just lovely," Delores said, patting the chair next to her.

"I know. Daddy told me I'm almost as pretty as Mommy. He's coming in a minute with Uncle Mike." Tracey climbed up in the chair next to Delores and grinned at everyone. "Hi, Uncle Norman."

Andrea pa.s.sed by the back of Hannah's chair on her way around the table, and Hannah pulled her down for a private word. "Tracey's calling everyone uncle again."

"I know. I taught her not to discriminate," Andrea whispered back and then she straightened up to address the whole table. "How many people are coming?"

"Twelve," Delores answered. "All of us, plus Lisa and Herb. And Lonnie is coming with Mich.e.l.le."

"We're here." Bill came up to the table with Mike. Both of them were wearing their uniforms and they looked very handsome.

"Sit right here, Bill." Delores gestured to a chair next to Andrea. "Mike? Take that place by Hannah."

Hannah maintained her pleasant expression, but she resolved to have a talk with her mother about the seating arrangements for these family gatherings. Her mother always sandwiched her in between Norman and Mike, and she was beginning to feel like peanut b.u.t.ter.

"Did you see Freddy this morning?" Andrea asked her.

LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 323.

"Yes, I did. I drove out to the hospital right after I delivered my cookies for the church bake sale." Hannah gave a small smile. Thanks to the layer of plastic wrap on top of her bowl, her dough had been intact and she'd baked her cookies early this morning. If she didn't tell, no one would ever guess what that batch of Mola.s.ses Crackles had been through. "Doc Knight says Freddy's going to make a full recovery. I was there when they took him off the respirator and the first thing he told us was that Jed had attacked him."

"Did he understand why?" Norman asked.

"He did after we explained it. Freddy said he hoped they'd lock Jed up for good so he couldn't hurt anyone else."

"That shouldn't be a problem," Mike said. "We got a full confession. And since we found the stolen money in Jed's truck, the only question now is who gets to prosecute him first, the Feds or us."

"Hi!" Lisa was grinning ear-to-ear as she approached the table with Herb. "I'm sorry we're late. We stopped at the hospital to see Freddy and he wanted to tell us all about his new job."

Herb pulled out a chair for Lisa, then took his place at the table. "Doc Knight found a job for Freddy at the hospital doing maintenance work and taking care of the grounds."

"There's Aunt Mich.e.l.le!" Tracey said, standing up to wave. "And Uncle Lonnie's with her."

Hannah laughed at the shocked expression on Andrea's face. It was clear her sister was now regretting teaching Tracey indiscriminate use of the term "uncle." It wasn't that Andrea disliked Lonnie, but she'd made it clear that she didn't approve of Mich.e.l.le dating anyone in law enforcement. She'd explained that it was all right for Hannah since she was older and more independent, but she felt that Mich.e.l.le should have a boyfriend with a less demanding job.

"Isn't it a beautiful evening?" Lisa asked, looking straight at Hannah and closing one eye in a wink. "I think this is the best night of my life. And there's even a full moon!"

Hannah stared hard at Lisa. Something was definitely 324.

wrong with her partner. Lisa's eyes were sparkling, her face was flushed, and she looked as if she'd been awarded the n.o.bel Prize, the Miss Universe crown, and an Olympic gold medal all at once. If Hannah hadn't known better, she might have suspected that Lisa was giddy on champagne, but the cork was still in the bottle.

"Are you okay, Lisa?" Hannah asked.

"I've never been more okay in my life!" Lisa gave a little giggle and reached for her water gla.s.s.

Hannah blinked. Lisa was holding her water gla.s.s awkwardly, with her finger held straight out as if it hurt. She was about to ask how she'd injured her hand and whether Doc Knight had given her pain pills when Andrea let out a gasp.

"Oh, my!" Andrea squealed and rushed over to hug Lisa. "Why didn't you say something sooner? This is just wonderful!"

Hannah regarded her sister with total amazement. Had everyone gone crazy? "What's wonderful?"

"This!" Andrea reached for Lisa's hand and held it aloft. "Lisa and Herb are engaged!"

Hannah laughed long and hard, even though she felt like total fool for not noticing the ring earlier. The champagne was opened, along with a bottle of sparkling apple juice for Tracey to share with Norman, who said that since he was driving, he'd pa.s.s on the champagne.

Congratulations flowed for several joyful minutes. Then Delores asked the question that was in everyone's mind. "When is the wedding?"

"On December thirty-first," Herb answered her, with a grin. "Lisa wanted to wait until the busy season was over at The Cookie Jar, but she still wanted me to get the tax break."

Hannah applauded. "Smart girl."

"Can I be in your wedding, Lisa?" Tracey asked. "I always wanted to be a flower girl."

Lisa reached over to give her a hug. "I was just going to LEMON MERINGUE PIE MURDER 325.

ask you if you'd be my flower girl. You're my first choice. I'd like to make this is a real family wedding."

"What a wonderful idea!" Delores clapped her hands. "Wouldn't it be delightful to make it a double wedding and have a real family affair?"

Hannah fumed as her mother turned to smile first at Norman and then at Mike. Delores was getting positively blatant. Silence fell as both men s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably and Hannah knew she had to do something.

"A double wedding would be wonderful," Hannah said, seizing the first idea that popped into her head and running with it, "but I really think that Mich.e.l.le should finish college before she gets married."

Mich.e.l.le looked startled for a split second, but then she caught on. "You won't get any argument from me. I want to get my degree before I settle down. That's all right with you, isn't it, Mother?"

"Of course it's all right! But, I didnt mean..."

Delores faltered and Hannah almost felt sorry for her... almost, but not quite. "I'll come up with a special wedding cookie for you, Lisa. Something spectacular."

"And I'll help you with the wedding," Andrea offered. "I just cleaned out my closet and I found all the plans I used for my wedding. And that reminds me ... I've got a package in the car for you, Hannah. Remember those summer slacks we bought last year?"

"Oh, yes." Hannah sighed. How could she forget? Those miserable slacks had prompted her diet.

"Well, we must have mixed them up when we took them out of my car. I don't know how, but I ended up with yours."

Hannah's mouth dropped open. "You mean the slacks I have belong to you? "

"That's right."

Hannah's head was still reeling when the waitress arrived to take their order. She wasn't overweight. She'd been dieting to try to fit into Andrea's slacks!

326.

"Could I take your order?" the waitress asked, pausing by Hannah's chair.

"Just one second," Hannah said, and she turned to Andrea again. "Are you absolutely positive the slacks I have are yours?"

"Of course I am. The pair I wound up with is much too big for me "

Hannah was grinning as she turned back to the waitress. "I'm skipping my salad and entr6e tonight. Just bring me the dessert cart and park it right here."

Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cookie Bars Preheat oven to 350 degrees E, with rack in middle position.

(Another recipe with a no-roll crust-don't you just love it?) 2 cups flour (no need to sift) 1 cup softened b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, ^2 pound) 1/2 cup white sugar 4 beaten eggs (just -whip them up with a fork) l/2 cup white sugar !/2 cup frozen concentrated pineapple juice l/2 cup drained crushed pineapple (if you have any left over, freeze it) l/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 tablespoons flour (that's *A cup-don't bother to sift) FIRST STEP: Dump pineapple in a strainer and let it drain while you do this step. Cream b.u.t.ter with sugar and add flour. Mix well. (You can also do this in a 327.

food processor with hard b.u.t.ter cut into chunks and the steel blade.) Spread mixture out in a greased 9 x 13 inch pan (that's a standard sheet cake pan), and press it down evenly with your hands.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven. (Don't turn off oven!) SECOND STEP: Mix eggs with sugar. Add pineapple concentrate, drained pineapple, and mix. Add salt and baking powder and stir it all up. Then add flour and mix thoroughly. (This will be runny-it'll set in the oven.) Pour this mixture on top of the pan you just baked and stick it back into the oven. Bake at 350 degrees F. for another 45-50 minutes. Then remove from oven.

Let cool thoroughly, then sprinkle a little powdered sugar on the top and cut into brownie-sized bars.

(Herb Beeseman loves these-it was the least I could do for him. Mother and Carrie love them too, 328.

but they like a double serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Marge Beeseman has refused to taste them, probably because she thinks she makes the best Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in the state of Minnesota and she doesn't relish any interference.) 329.

end.