only way he’s communicating with you is by phone calls, we’ll never get the truth out of him. We’ll have to set a trap to get him here in person so that Mike can question him.”
“How can we do that?”
“When you suggest that he write a check to his wife and he gives you some sort of excuse for not doing that, tell him that you talked to me about withdrawing the money and that I was perfectly willing to do that.”
“But . . . I don’t have the money.”
“True. Tell Ross that I’ll get the money and give it to you, but I need his signature in to withdraw an amount that large. Promise him that I’ll fill out the withdrawal slip ahead of time and have it all ready for him. Then all he has to do it zip in here, sign it, and leave. Tell him I said I was sorry for the inconvenience, but that it’s a banking regulation.”
“Is it?” Hannah asked him.
“It will be.”
Hannah took a moment to think about Doug’s plan. “Do you think that Ross will agree to that?”
“Yes, if it’s the only way he can get the money. I’m almost sure that Ross would rather dash in here on Monday to sign a withdrawal slip, than risk telling whoever he owes that he can’t pay his debt.”
“You’re probably right, Doug. If Mike agrees to your plan, it’s certainly worth a try,” Hannah decided, finishing her coffee and standing up. “Thanks a lot, Doug. I really appreciate your help. Will you call Mike and tell him what we’re planning to do?”
“I’ll do better than that. I’ll go out to the sheriff’s station and talk to Mike personally. If this works and Ross comes in to the bank, we’ll figure out what’s going on here. And then you can get back to leading a normal life.”
WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.
2 cups all-purpose flour (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
¼ cup powdered sugar (No need to sift unless it’s got big lumps.)
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup white (granulated) sugar
1 cup brown sugar (pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
¾ cup salted butter (1 and ½ sticks, 6 ounces)
6 ounces white baking chocolate squares (I used Baker’s)
1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten (just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
2 cups white chocolate chips or vanilla baking chips (an 11-ounce bag will do—I used Nestlé)
½ cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
Line a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with heavy-duty foil. Spray the foil with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside to wait for its yummy contents.
Place the flour, powdered sugar, baking soda, salt, white sugar, and brown sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on LOW speed until they are thoroughly combined.
Place the stick and a half of salted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. (I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup.)
Break the white chocolate baking squares in pieces and place them on top of the butter.
Heat on HIGH in the microwave for 1 minute and then stir with a heat-resistant rubber spatula. (If you don’t have one, you really need to buy one. They’re not expensive and they’re dishwasher safe. You’ll use it a lot!)
If the white chocolate squares are not melted, take the spatula out of the bowl and return the bowl to the microwave. Heat the butter and chocolate mixture for an additional minute.
Let the bowl sit in the microwave for 1 more minute and then take it out and stir it with the heat-resistant spatula again. If you can stir it smooth, let it sit on the counter to cool for at least 5 minutes. If you can’t stir it smooth, heat it in increments of 30 seconds, letting it sit in the microwave for 1 minute after each increment, until you can stir it smooth.
Hannah’s 1st Note: You can also do this on the stovetop over LOW heat, but make sure to stir it constantly so it won’t scorch.
Stir the vanilla extract into the melted butter and white chocolate mixture. Let it continue to cool on the counter.
Add the eggs to your mixer bowl and beat together at MEDIUM speed until they are thoroughly incorporated.
Feel the bowl with the white chocolate and butter mixture. If it’s so hot it might scramble the eggs by adding it now, wait a few minutes until it’s cool enough