A Frothy Fiasco: A Cozy Mystery (Sweet Home Mystery Series Book 3) by Constance Barker Read Free Book Online

have, and he could leave a door or window unlocked when he leaves too. I saw him drive by Miss Martha’s house the day my dad’s phone went missing – he even waved to us.”
    “Well, we’re looking into that possibility, Trevor. Thanks.” Eli stood up to go.
    “Mr. Policeman,” little Brad tried again, tugging on Eli’s sleeve.
    “I’m really busy, son.” Eli looked over at me and saw my disapproving eye-daggers at his dismissal of the boy. I nodded my head toward Brad as my way of silently telling him to listen to the kid.
    “But what can I do for you?”
    “Well, I was climbing trees on Bluebird Lane. It was Saturday in the afternoon.”
    Eli looked at me, sending a clear message that I was causing him to waste his time. “Good for you, kid.”
    “And I saw the delivery man come out of that lady’s house.” Brad pointed to Jules, who was taking an order from a table by the front door, far out of earshot. It got my interest.
    “Delivery man?” Eli asked.
    “Yes, sir. The man who delivered some boxes here a while ago when we were at the bicycle place.”
    Eli and I looked at each other. Tony was at Jules’ house? I was confused and curious, but Eli was obviously amused.
    “Thank you, young man.” He rubbed Brad’s head with his hand. “I’m not sure that you solved our burglary cases, but you may have solved the mystery of why that lady has been in such a good mood lately!”
    My jaw dropped a little. But Jules was my best friend. We told each other everything. She would tell me if she was seeing Tony. Wouldn’t she? Why would she try to hide it? I will definitely get the truth out of her at our girls’ night out tonight.
    I slid a smoothie across the counter to Trevor. “It’s on me. I’ll be with you in a minute, Trev.” Then I met Eli at the end of the counter.
    “Gotto go, Lily. I’ll call you later.”
    “Make it after 9:00 or 10:00,” I said. I’m meeting Jules for a bite tonight. What’s new with…your code 5?”
    “Sounds like you know more than I do—or at least more than you should. Well, it looks like foul play, but Toe didn’t do it.”
    “Toe!” I said, more loudly than I should have. Then I whispered. “Why would Toe be a suspect?”
    “Because her sapphire and diamond tiara was taken. Might be related to these other petty crimes. That’s why I’m taking the theft investigations so seriously. If I can solve these, maybe I can solve the murder too. But the coroner says she died at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon, so Toe was still here with you and my dad and your aunts at that time.”
    “So it happened before Essie was robbed.”
    “Unless she was robbed in the morning while she was at church. Toe could have done it then, or after he left the Cabana. Or somebody else could have done it any time during the day.”
    “But I think it happened just before they got home.”
    “Why?”
    “I think the thief heard my aunts coming. That’s why he left Hildie’s jewelry, ran out without closing the back door, and squealed out down the alley making the cat screech.”
    “That’s either some pretty good detective work, or you’ve been watching too many crime dramas. Hildie’s jewelry had me thinking the same way, but your other observations make it a more compelling scenario. But what about the pen?”
    “Hmm. No ideas on that yet.”
    “I’ve got one. Maybe Toe saw the paint can under the end table and went over to take a look. You, know, to make sure it was weather-proof exterior paint or something, since he would be using it the next morning. And, when he bent down to look at it, the pen fell out of his shirt pocket.”
    I felt sick. That sounded like a real good possibility. I had to think of a reason why that wasn’t a good argument. “And it rolled past the paint can and under the sofa? I don’t know. Plus, I thought the investigators on the scene said the burglar was just in the kitchen and the bedrooms.”
    “It’s not a perfect science. Well…I’ll