“I don’t know,” Hannah admitted. “All I do know is that I have to check out Max’s house.”

Andrea put the Volvo into gear. “You’re absolutely right. Your place first?”

“That’s right.”

They started off for Hannah’s condo complex. They’d only driven a mile or so when Andrea started to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Hannah asked.

“You. Checking out Max’s house won’t be dangerous at all. Max isn’t stupid. If he killed Ron he wouldn’t hole up there, just waiting for someone to put the pieces together and arrest him.”

“That’s true.”

Andrea took her eyes off the road to shoot her a curious glance. “Then why did you tell me that it could be dangerous?”

“Because Max’s house will be locked up tight, and Bill might just kill both of us if we get arrested for breaking and entering.”

Chapter Eighteen

Hannah turned off the highway and onto the access road that ran past the Cozy Cow Dairy. The huge cinderblock building was deserted this time of night and its white paint gleamed in the thousand-watt glow from the security lights that had been installed on poles around the perimeter. The security lights weren’t really necessary. No thief in his right mind would break into a dairy to steal butter or cream vats, but Hannah supposed that Max had gotten a break on his insurance by lighting the place up.

“It’s creepy out here at night.” Andrea’s voice was shaking slightly and Hannah suspected her sister was having second thoughts about demanding to come along. “Doesn’t Max have a night shift?”

“No. There’s nothing to do until the tanker trucks come in from the farms in the morning. Except for his deliverymen, nobody comes in until seven-thirty.”

“I feel silly, dressed like this.” Andrea glanced down at the black pullover sweatshirt and jeans that Hannah had insisted she wear. “Your jeans are too big for me. I had to roll the legs up three times and pin them at the waist. And this hooded sweatshirt smells like it came out of a trash bin. Why did we have to dress up like a couple of cat burglars, anyway? Max’s house is at least a half-mile from the road. There’s no way that anyone will spot us.”

“Sorry, Andrea. My wardrobe isn’t as extensive as yours. That’s all I had that would almost fit you, and I didn’t think you wanted to wear your party dress.”

Andrea let her breath out in a long sigh. “You’re right. I’m just a little nervous, that’s all. I keep thinking about how mad Bill’s going to be if we get caught.”

“We won’t. I told you before, if we have to break in, I’ll do it. And if worse comes to worst, you can tell him that you tried to stop me, but I wouldn’t listen.”

“That’ll go over like a lead balloon.” Andrea sighed again, and then she winced as they bumped over a rut in the road. “With all Max’s money, you’d think he’d have his driveway graded once in a while.”