“Can I really work, Aunt Hannah?” Tracey asked in her soft little voice, and Hannah gave her a reassuring smile.

“Yes, you can. I need someone to be my official taster. Lisa just baked a batch of Chocolate Chip Crunches and I need to know if they’re good enough to serve to my customers.”

“Did you say chocolate?” Andrea turned back at the door to frown at Hannah. “Tracey can’t have chocolate. It makes her hyperactive.”

Hannah nodded, but she gave Tracey a conspiratorial wink. “I’ll remember that, Andrea.”

“I’ll see you later, Tracey,” Andrea said and blew her daughter a kiss. “Don’t be any trouble for your aunt Hannah, okay?”

Tracey waited until the door had closed behind her mother and then she turned to Hannah. “What’s hyperactive, Aunt Hannah?”

“It’s another word for what kids do when they’re having fun.” Hannah came out from behind the counter and lifted Tracey off the stool. “Come on, honey. Let’s go in the back and see if those Chocolate Chip Crunches are cool enough for you to sample.”

Lisa was just slipping another tray of cookies into the oven when Hannah and Tracey came in. She gave Tracey a hug, handed her a cookie from the tray that was cooling on the rack, and turned to Hannah with a frown. “Ron hasn’t come in yet. Do you suppose he’s out sick?”

“Not unless it came on suddenly.” Hannah glanced at the clock on the wall. It was eight-fifteen and Ron was almost forty-five minutes late. “I saw him two hours ago when I drove past the dairy, and he looked just fine to me.”

“I saw him, too, Aunt Hannah.” Tracey tugged on Hannah’s arm.

“You did? When was that, Tracey?”

“The cow truck went by when I was waiting outside the realty office. Mr. LaSalle waved at me and he gave me a funny smile. And then Andrea came out with her papers and we came to see you.”

“Andrea?” Hannah looked down at her niece in surprise.

“She doesn’t like me to call her Mommy anymore because it’s a label and she hates labels,” Tracey did her best to explain. “I’m supposed to call her Andrea, just like everybody else.”

Hannah sighed. Perhaps it was time to have a talk with her sister about the responsibilities of motherhood. “Are you sure you saw the Cozy Cow truck, Tracey?”

“Yes, Aunt Hannah.” Tracey’s blond head bobbed up and down confidently. “It turned at your corner and went into the alley. And then I heard it make a loud bang, just like Daddy’s car. I knew it came from the cow truck because there weren’t any other cars.”

Hannah knew exactly what Tracey meant. Bill’s old Ford was on its last legs and it backfired every time he eased up on the gas. “Ron’s probably out there tinkering with his truck. I’ll go and see.”

“Can I come with, Aunt Hannah?”

“Stay with me, Tracey,” Lisa spoke up before Hannah could answer. “You can help me listen for the bell and wait on any customers that come into the coffee shop.”