Read Double Fudge Brownie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 18) Online

Authors: Joanne Fluke

Double Fudge Brownie Murder (Hannah Swensen series Book 18) (10 page)

DOUBLE FUDGE BROWNIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Jo Fluke’s Note: Last year, on a book tour for
Blackberry Pie Murder
, I asked anyone with a really good double fudge brownie recipe to please send it to me. I was overwhelmed with all the recipes Hannah fans sent. It took months to test them and I ate brownies until I didn’t think I could ever face another rich, chocolate confection. (I also gained over 5 pounds in the process, but I had a wonderfully delicious time!)

This recipe is Hannah’s combination of elements from all those incredible brownie recipes. If you sent a recipe to me, you’ll probably recognize some element of your recipe in this one.

Thank you all for making my winter so much fun! (And also so fattening, but we won’t talk about that.)
1 and ½ cups all-purpose flour
(pack it down in the cup when you measure it)
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
(I used Hershey’s)
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 semi-sweet chocolate
(I used Bakers)
1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs, beaten
(just whip them up in a glass with a fork)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
(I used Nestle)

Jo Fluke’s Note: Be careful when you buy semi-sweet chocolate baking squares. Bakers has repackaged. A box used to contain 8 ounces in one-ounce squares wrapped in white paper. The new box contains only 4 ounces and it takes 4 little squares to make one ounce.

Line a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan with heavy duty foil. Spray the foil with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

Place the flour, cocoa powder, 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 semi-sweet chocolate 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!)

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 1
^stNote: 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 into the melted butter and chocolate mixture. Let it continue to cool on the counter.

Add the eggs to your mixer bowl and beat everything together at MEDIUM speed until everything is incorporated.

Turn the mixer down to LOW speed and slowly pour the chocolate, butter, and vanilla extract mixture into the mixer bowl. Mix this until it’s combined, but do not over-beat.

Roughly chop the chocolate chips into smaller pieces.
(I used my food processor with the steel blade.)

Take the bowl out of the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips by hand.
(You can use the same heat-resistant spatula that you used earlier.)

Scoop the mixture into your prepared pan. The mixture will be very thick. Use the same rubber spatula to scrape the bowl and get every wonderful bit of yummy batter into the cake pan.

Smooth the batter out and then press it down evenly with the back of a metal spatula. Make sure the batter gets into the corners of the pan.

Bake your Double Fudge Brownies in your preheated oven at 350 degrees F. for exactly 23 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE! If you do, you’ll end up with dry brownies that taste like chocolate cake instead of chocolate fudge!

When you take your brownies out of the oven, set them on a cold stove burner or a wire rack to cool.

Hannah’s 2
^ndNote: My cake pan always has one square, the size of a brownie, missing when I make the frosting. I’m not going to admit to anything here. I think the brownie thief must have come into my kitchen to take one brownie when I wasn’t looking.

Make the Milk Chocolate Fudge Frosting.

Milk Chocolate Fudge Frosting:
2 Tablespoons
(
1 ounce
)
salted butter
2 cups milk chocolate chips (
I used Nestle Milk Chocolate Chips, the 11.5-ounce package
)
1 can (
14 ounces
) sweetened condensed milk (
NOT evaporated milk—I used Eagle Brand
)

Place the butter in the bottom of a microwave-safe bowl. (
I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup
)

Place the milk chocolate chips on top of the butter.

Pour in the 14-ounce can of sweetened, condensed milk.

Heat on HIGH for 1 minute. Then remove from the microwave and stir with a heat resistant rubber spatula.

Return the bowl to the microwave and heat for another minute.

Let the bowl sit in the microwave for 1 minute and then take it out (
careful—it may be hot to the touch!
) and set it on the counter. Attempt to stir it smooth with the heat-resistant spatula.

If you can stir the mixture smooth, you’re done. If you can’t stir it smooth, return the bowl to the microwave and heat on HIGH in 30-second increments followed by 1 minute standing time, until you can stir it smooth.

To frost your Double Fudge Brownies, simply pour the frosting over the top of your brownies, using the heat-resistant rubber spatula to smooth the frosting into the corners.

Give the microwave-safe bowl to your favorite person to scrape clean.
(If you’re alone when you’re baking these brownies, feel free to enjoy the frosting that’s clinging to the sides of the bowl all by yourself.)

Let the frosted brownies cool to room temperature until the frosting is “set”. Then cover with a sheet of foil and store them in a cool place.

Chapter Nine

H
owie used his gate card to enter the garage and he parked in the area that was set aside for lawyers. The sign read
COUNSELORS ONLY
and Hannah wondered why they still used the British term for lawyers. Did that make American lawyers feel superior? And how about Gil Surma, the counselor at Jordan High. Could he park there if he had to come to the courthouse for any . . . ?

“Hannah? Let’s go.”

Hannah’s thought process stopped in mid-sentence as she realized that Howie had turned off the ignition, gotten out of the car, and walked around to open her door. “Sorry,” she apologized, getting out of the car. “Why are we parking here instead of on the street?”

“Because it’s secure parking. Reporters aren’t allowed inside. And this door leads directly to the elevators.”

Hannah noticed Howie’s use of the plural. “There’s more than one elevator?”

“Yes, and the people around here are all up in arms about it. They say it’s a waste of taxpayer money, but we have to comply with the new state mandate. The second elevator is for handicapped judges and it was put in less than a year ago. It leads up to a specially equipped courtroom on the second floor and similarly equipped chambers on the third floor.”

“How does it work?” Hannah asked.

“It’s simple. The judge enters the elevator and locks his wheelchair down. The elevator goes up to the second and third floors. If he chooses the second floor, the rear door of the elevator opens and deposits him directly behind the judge’s bench. If he chooses to go to the third floor, the elevator takes him directly to his specially equipped chambers and he can wheel out directly to his desk.”

“That sounds very convenient.”

“It is, but this is an old courthouse. The whole thing had to be retrofitted and it cost a fortune.”

“I can imagine it did, but I’m sure the judges in wheelchairs are delighted with it. How many handicapped judges are assigned here?”

“A grand total of zero. There’s only one in the entire county judicial system and he’s at the Ramsey County Courthouse in St. Paul. That’s what the taxpayers are so upset about. Every single courthouse in the county system had to comply with the mandate, whether they had any handicapped judges or not.”

“Government,” Hannah said, and left it at that as Howie used his gate card again to open the interior door built into the garage wall. It led to a narrow hallway completely devoid of any decoration and painted an industrial green that Hannah recognized from school lunchrooms and bathrooms.

“Is this how they bring the prisoners in?” she asked, and then she immediately wished she hadn’t. She didn’t want to think about being a prisoner and having to reappear in court in this fashion.

“Yup.” Howie slipped his card in the slot by the elevator and the doors opened.

“But I didn’t come in this way when I came from jail for my bail hearing. They just parked on the street and brought me up the steps and in the front door.”

“That’s because you had preferential treatment. Bill knew you weren’t a flight risk.”

And Bill also knew that Andrea would never forgive him if he brought me in this way,
Hannah thought, but she didn’t say it. “I see,” she said instead, stepping into the small elevator.

When the elevator doors opened again, Hannah found herself stepping out into a small waiting room. Benches with metal loops sticking up every few feet were along one wall. Hannah had watched enough television cop shows to know why the loops were there. If inmates were handcuffed, one wrist would be released and the empty handcuff would be locked around the loop.

“Let’s sit at the table until they call us,” Howie said, leading the way to a table flanked by two wooden chairs, one on either side. He pointed to the chairs. “Any preference?”

“It doesn’t matter as long as one of them isn’t hooked up to two-twenty.”

Howie stared at her for an instant and then he burst into laughter. “Good. I’m glad you’ve got your sense of humor back. It’ll make things a lot easier.”

Hannah had just taken a seat when an official-looking man rushed in. He nodded to Hannah and then turned to Howie. “Good morning, Counselor,” he said, handing Howie a note. “Judge Colfax told me to give you this note the minute you came in.”

“Thanks, Dave.” Howie took the note, unfolded it quickly, and read it. Then he turned to Hannah. “Mr. Johansen is Judge Colfax’s clerk. Actually, Dave is Judge Flemming’s clerk, but he’s helping Judge Colfax while he’s here.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Johansen,” Hannah said, doing her best to smile.

“It’s Dave. I’m glad to meet you too, Miss Swensen.”

“It’s Hannah.”

Dave gave a little chuckle. “Most of the people I meet here aren’t this polite. It really
is
nice to meet you.” He turned to Howie. “Aren’t you going to tell her what’s in the note?”

“Yup. Just as soon as you two are through being polite.” Howie glanced down at the note again. “Judge Colfax has some pressing business he has to take care of. When that’s concluded, he wants to see us in his chambers.” Howie turned to Dave. “Any idea how long that’ll take?”

“No, but I’ll ask. All he did was tell me to bring you to the anteroom next to his chambers. He’ll call you in when he’s ready.”

“He didn’t tell you why he needed to see us?” Howie asked.

“No. He wasn’t . . .” Dave paused and Hannah could tell he was choosing his words carefully. “Let’s just say that Judge Colfax wasn’t very talkative this morning.”

Howie handed the white bag with the coffee and Hannah’s Double Fudge Brownies to the clerk. “Will you take this in to the judge, Dave?”

“A giant latte?” the clerk guessed.

“You got it. And a couple of brownies.”

“That ought to put him in a better mood.” Dave began to smile. “I’ll run this up to him right now. It’ll only take a couple of minutes. And then I’ll come back for you.”

Hannah and Howie exchanged glances once the door had shut behind the clerk. There was no need for words. Hannah knew they were thinking the same thing. Judge Colfax was in a bad mood and that wasn’t a good sign. All they could do was hope that his favorite coffee and her brownies for breakfast would sweeten him up.

Dave was true to his word. It took less than two minutes for him to return. “Judge Colfax thanks you for the coffee and brownies, especially since he didn’t have time for breakfast. He said to tell you that he’ll only be tied up for a few more minutes and then he’ll call you in.”

Hannah and Howie followed the clerk down the hall and rode up to the third floor in the elevator. Dave showed them to the anteroom and they took seats inside. The clerk had just left when Howie’s phone rang.

“Uh-oh!” Howie said, after glancing down at the display. “I’ve got to take this, Hannah. I’ll be right outside the door. Just poke your head out and alert me when Judge Colfax calls us in.”

Hannah nodded, wishing that she could stand out in the hall with Howie. It would be more comfortable than sitting in the anteroom, waiting. The wooden chairs in the anteroom were terribly uncomfortable.

There was a clock on the wall and Hannah watched the seconds tick by. There was no sound from the judge’s chambers next door and Hannah wondered if Judge Colfax had left and forgotten that he’d summoned them. She wished she were somewhere else, anywhere other than sitting in a hard wooden chair designed by a sadist in this small room smelling of old furniture, stale sweat, and dread.

Hannah shut her eyes to block out the sight of the clock, which was moving in what had to be slow motion. She hadn’t gotten much sleep last night and she was bone tired. If she hadn’t been so uncomfortable, she might have dozed off. At least then the time might have passed faster.

The only sound was the tick of the clock and it was mesmerizing. Hannah let her head loll forward and her eyes closed against the bright fluorescent lights. Then they snapped open again when she heard the sound of a crash, followed by a heavy thud.

Hannah jumped to her feet. Had the sounds she’d heard come from the judge’s chambers? Or had she fallen asleep and dreamed the whole thing?

She could feel her heart beat hard as she tiptoed to the interior door that led to the judge’s chambers. She didn’t hear anything else alarming so she put her ear to the surface of the door. If she heard pages rustling as Judge Colfax read a brief or the sound of his voice talking on the phone, she’d know he was all right. The temporary judge she’d drawn for her trial was elderly and had come out of retirement to fill in for Judge Flemming, the regular judge. It was entirely possible that Judge Colfax had slipped and fallen. If that had happened, perhaps he was unable to get up. He could be in dire need of help.

Hannah hesitated one more moment and then she decided that she had to do something. The defendant in a trial couldn’t just burst into the judge’s chambers. That was not only impolite, it might even be grounds for further charges against her. Her hand trembled slightly as she knocked on the door and waited for a response. The interruption might make Judge Colfax angry, but she would explain that she had heard a crash and a thud and just wanted to check to make sure he was all right. Surely he couldn’t object to that!

There was no answer, no sound at all from within the chambers. Hannah took a deep breath and knocked a second time. What if Judge Colfax couldn’t answer her knock, or even call out for her to come in? What if he’d fallen, hit his head on something, and he was on the floor unconscious? She had to do something and she had to do it now.

Hannah knew she’d be risking the judge’s wrath by entering his chambers without his permission, but there was no time to waste. Carefully, silently, she pushed the door open a crack and peered in.

At first glance, the room appeared empty. No one was moving and there were no sounds. But then she saw something that made her push the door open all the way and rush inside. A wooden gavel lay on the floor near the far corner of Judge Colfax’s desk. It was only inches from a pool of something dark red in color and looked a lot like blood!

Hannah stepped over the gavel, avoided the dark red pool, and raced around the side of the desk. And there she found Judge Colfax. He was crumpled in a heap on the floor, a half-eaten Double Fudge Brownie on the floor near his hand, and his desk chair upended beside him. As she stared at his head she realized that there was no longer any doubt about the origin of the dark red pool on the floor. The contents were, most certainly, Judge Colfax’s blood.

The scene was horrific and Hannah averted her eyes. If only she’d rushed in the second she’d heard the sounds! But another glance at Judge Colfax’s head told her that it wouldn’t have made a particle of difference. She was no doctor but she was almost certain that there was no way Judge Colfax could have recovered from the massive damage done by the gavel to the side of his skull.

Get help!
Hannah’s shocked mind told her and her shaking legs carried her across the floor to the door that led to the hallway. She opened it, stepped out, and motioned frantically to Howie who was pacing near the water cooler, his cell phone to his ear.

Hannah watched as Howie ended his call, dropped his phone in his jacket pocket, and approached her. “Judge Colfax called us in?” he asked her.

Hannah opened her mouth to answer, but she couldn’t seem to find her voice. She shook her head from side to side, cleared her throat, and somehow managed to choke out the words she needed to say. “Get help! Judge Colfax is dead. He’s been murdered!”

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