If you don’t have people sitting at your table waiting to eat breakfast, you can fry all your pancakes now and keep them warm until everyone comes to the table by separating them with layers of foil or paper towels, placing them in a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan, covering the pan loosely with another piece of foil, and keeping them in a warm oven set at the lowest temperature.

Serve with plenty of soft butter and your choice of honey, dark Karo syrup, or molasses. These Gingerbread Pancakes are also good buttered, spread with jam, and topped with a dollop of sour cream.

Chapter Six

Chapter Six

“Keep your eye on the time,” Hannah advised as she took another batch of cookies from the industrial oven at The Cookie Jar and placed the cookie sheets on shelves in the baker’s rack. “We have to get to Claire’s before Stephanie does, or our plan won’t work.”

“We’ve still got an hour,” Michelle replied. “And I’m ready with a batch of Angel Jellies that we can bake first.”

“Good, they’re a favorite out front. Which flavor?”

“Raspberry. You had a whole big jar of seedless raspberry jam.” Michelle stopped speaking and walked a bit closer to the swinging restaurant-type door that separated the kitchen from the coffee shop. “Lisa must be telling the story of the murder again. There’s not a peep from any of the customers out there, and we’ve been packed ever since we opened this morning.”

“I know. Everyone loves to hear Lisa tell stories. She keeps the customers mesmerized.”

“And eating cookies,” Michelle reminded her.

“That’s right. It makes me feel a little strange to say it, but Lake Eden murders are good for our business.”

Michelle raised up on tiptoe so she could see through the high window in the door. “She’s got them all on the edges of their seats. Babs Dubinski is leaning forward so far, it’s a wonder she doesn’t tip over. And Grandma Knudson has her hand cupped around her ear so she doesn’t miss a word. Lisa’s a great storyteller, Hannah. She really ought to try out for the Lake Eden Players. I’ll bet Tory Bascomb would love to have her.”

“Agreed. Lisa could be the star of every show. She’s a better actress than anyone else in town.”

The phone on the kitchen wall rang, and Michelle hurried to answer it. They’d promised to answer the phone while Lisa was performing.