“That’s good enough for me. Now I’d better get out there and hear what Mayor Bascomb has to say to me. And I’d better help you either clear him or finger him.”

Michelle and Hannah were silent for a moment after the swinging door had shut behind Lisa. Then Michelle shook her head. “Finger him? That dates back a couple of decades. Where did Lisa ever hear a phrase like that?”

“Dragnet. She told me that she watches reruns while she’s waiting for Herb to come home. He’s been working really late almost every night this month.”

“Do you think he’s really working?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

There was a knock on the back kitchen door, and Michelle turned to Hannah. “Mother?” she asked.

“No. Mother’s knock is more impatient and she generally knocks in threes.”

“Threes?”

“Yes. Knock-knock-knock. And then knock-knock-knock again. After that, she tries the door. And if it’s unlocked, she comes in.”

“How about Mike? He always checks in with you the day after a murder.”

“It’s not Mike. We heard him out front in the coffee shop.”

“Unless he left and walked around to the back door.”

“No.” Hannah shook her head. “It’s definitely not Mike. He always knocks like he’s serving a search warrant. It’s loud and demanding and staccato. I think it’s probably Norman. He’s got a firm knock, but it’s not as commanding as Mike’s and not as impatient as Mother’s. Go let him in, will you please? I’ll pour him a cup of coffee and get him settled at the workstation.”

ANGEL JELLIES

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F., rack in the center position.

(That’s two hundred and seventy-five degrees F., not a misprint.)

6 large eggs

¼ teaspoon cream of tartar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

2 Tablespoons ( cup) all-purpose flour (Pack it down when you measure it.)

a little flour in a small bowl for later

a small jar of seedless raspberry jam (or your favorite jam if you don’t like raspberry)

Hannah’s 1st Note: Make sure you use jam and not jelly in this recipe. I know the name is Angel Jellies, but that’s because “Angel Jams” didn’t sound as nice. I haven’t tried jelly, but there’s more liquid in jelly than in jam. Jam has pieces of fruit in it and although the liquid in jam will melt, those pieces of fruit won’t melt. Jelly could melt and leak out of the bottoms of the cookies as they bake, making them soggy.

Separate 6 large eggs and put the whites in one container and the yolks in another.

Cover the container with the yolks and put it in the refrigerator. You can use it to make yolk-rich scrambled eggs for breakfast in the morning, or a yolk-rich Chocolate Flan with Caramel Whipped Cream for dessert.