Here is a way to execute a sql statement that returns one column of one row. If there is more than one row returned, it will return nothing.

        public static string CreateReader(string connectionString, string queryString)
        {
            string result="";
            int rowCount = 0;
            using (System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection connection = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbConnection(connectionString))
            {
                System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand command = new System.Data.OleDb.OleDbCommand(queryString, connection);
                connection.Open();
                System.Data.OleDb.OleDbDataReader reader = command.ExecuteReader();
                while (reader.Read())
                {
                    rowCount = rowCount + 1;
                    result = reader[0].ToString();
                }
                reader.Close();
                return (rowCount == 0 || rowCount > 1) ? "" : result;
            }
        }