What Mike had said tonight was true. Anyone was capable of murder under the right circumstances. Even Hannah Swensen.

GRILLED HAM AND DOUBLE CHEESE SANDWICHES

For each sandwich you will need:

2 slices of bread (Michelle used seedless rye. You could use any kind of bread you prefer.)

softened butter to spread on the outside of the bread and to put in the frying pan or grill if needed

Thousand Island dressing

1 slice of American cheese

1 fairly thick slice of fully cooked ham

1 slice of Swiss cheese

thin slices of sweet pickles, dill pickles, or sweet

onion (optional)

Butter two slices of bread. Place one slice, buttered side down, on a piece of wax paper. Spread the bread with a thin layer of Thousand Island dressing. This layer of dressing should not be too thick or your sandwich will get too “gloppy” when you fry it. (Feel free to add “gloppy” to your list of cooking terms.)

Place the slice of American cheese on top of the Thousand Island dressing you just spread.

Cut a slice of ham to fit the size of your bread and lay it on top of the American cheese.

Place thin slices of pickle or sweet onion on top of the ham if you decided to use them.

Place the slice of Swiss cheese on top.

Spread the top slice of bread with a thin layer of Thousand Island dressing.

Place the second slice of bread on top of the Swiss cheese, dressing side down.

Spread softened butter on top of your sandwich.

Make as many Grilled Ham and Double Cheese Sandwiches as you need for your guests.

Depending on how many sandwiches you made, put a helping or two of butter on your griddle or in your frying pan. Then preheat it at MEDIUM HIGH heat.

When the butter on the griddle or in the frying pan has melted and is preheated, fry your sandwiches, uncovered, until the bottom turns golden brown. (You can test this by lifting it with a spatula and peeking at the bottom.)

When one side is golden brown, flip the sandwich over, add more butter to the pan or griddle if needed, and fry the other side until it’s golden brown.

Remove the sandwiches from the frying pan or griddle, cut them into pieces with a sharp knife, arrange the pieces on a plate, and serve immediately.

This sandwich goes well with piping-hot mugs of soup or a generous helping of coleslaw.

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

“Dad!”

Hannah sat bolt upright in bed and stared at the familiar shape that had materialized at the foot of her bed. “What are you doing here? You’re . . . you’re . . . I thought that you were . . .” Unable to say that awful, final word, she fell silent, merely staring at her father.

“Dead? I am, but they let me come here to be your Ghost of Christmas Past tonight.”

“Then you’re a . . . a ghost?”