“That sounds like a valid reason to go with what you were given,” Mike said, and then he handed her the bag he’d carried in with him. “Here,” he said. “I found this at the crime . . . I mean the scene of the accident.”

Hannah opened the bag and peered in. There was a metal pan inside. “What is it?”

“Looks like one of those pans you bake pies in to me. I thought you’d know what it was.”

“Can I take it out of the bag?”

“Sure, but you’d better use a napkin or something.”

“To preserve any fingerprints?”

Mike shook his head. “It was out in the rain. If there were any fingerprints, there won’t be any left now. I just didn’t want you to get your hands dirty, that’s all.”

Hannah grabbed a napkin and lifted the pan out of the bag. “You’re right,” she told him. “It’s a pie tin. There’s still some crust sticking to the bottom and . . .” She stopped and took the plate to the window to examine it in the sunlight. “Yes! There’s a little bit of some kind of berry sticking to the crust. This could have been from the blackberry pie that was stolen from Winnie’s window ledge.”

“If you’re right, Winnie’s pie was stolen by the dead man. There are coincidences in police work, but not all that many. And Doc said the man had a blackberry stain on his shirt. Do you think Winnie might recognize this pan so that we can confirm that the pie came from her?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. At least she’ll know if it’s the same size as hers.”

“They’re not all the same size?”

Hannah laughed. “No. Pie plates come in several sizes. And some are deep dish while others aren’t. They’re made of different materials, too. Some are metal, some are glass, and then there’s the disposable kind that are made of aluminum foil. This one doesn’t look expensive, and Winnie bakes a lot of pies. It’s possible that she has a whole set of these in her cupboard at the ranch.”

“Do you have more cookies to bake right now?” Mike asked her.

“No. Why?”

“I was thinking we could run out to Winnie’s and see if that pie pan is hers.”

“Okay. I can go with you.” Hannah was pleased. Mike could have gone by himself, but he’d asked her to come along.

“Do you have to tell anyone where you’re going?”

Hannah listened. Lisa was still talking to the audience and she didn’t want to disturb her. “Not really. I’ll just leave a note so Michelle and Lisa will know where I’ve gone.”