Hannah was sorely tempted. She loved Brownies Plus, and chocolate would certainly make her feel better. But better sense prevailed and she shook her head. “I’d love to have one, but I won’t. There’s no way Ronni Ward’s going to spoil my diet…dead or alive.”

“Okay, but at least go back and have a cup of coffee. I’ll open up the coffee shop. The news hasn’t broken on KCOW yet, but when it does we’ll be crowded.”

Hannah sighed as she headed to the kitchen. Lisa was right. They would be chock full of customers when the news broke. And every one of them would want to know all about how Hannah had found Ronni’s body. At least this time she wouldn’t be asked, or even allowed, to investigate. Mike would be so upset, he’d want to catch Ronni’s killer himself. And if what she’d heard about Ronni’s flirtations was true, she had no doubt that at least sixty percent of the Winnetka County sheriff’s deputies would feel the same way.

Hannah was grating carrots for the Carrot Cake Cookies she’d decided to bake. Baking always made her feel better, and finding Ronni’s body in the Jacuzzi hadn’t exactly started her day on a high note.

Since she couldn’t use her food processor to grate carrots as finely as she needed them, Hannah was doing it by hand. Her tool was a standard, four-sided box grater, and it took a while to grate enough. She was only halfway through when there was a knock on the back door.

“Mother,” Hannah muttered, coming close to grating her knuckle right along with her favorite root vegetable. Delores had probably heard about Ronni’s death, but that wouldn’t be her main concern. Delores would be much more upset about Hannah’s finding another body.

“Might as well face her now,” Hannah said, even though there was no one to hear her. She put down her grater and the half-done carrot, wiped her hands on a towel, and hurried to open the back door.

“Hi, Hannah.”

Hannah blinked, and then she smiled. “Hi, Norman. Why didn’t you come in the front way?”

“Because I didn’t want anyone to see me. Let me in. I’m on a mission.”

Hannah stepped aside, and Norman came in. They parted ways three steps inside. He headed for the work island and sat down on a stool, while she headed for the kitchen coffee pot to pour him a mug.

“What’s all this about a mission?” she asked, delivering the java along with two Brownies Plus on a napkin.

“In a minute.” Norman took a bite of his brownie and a sip of coffee. “These are the best brownies I ever had!”