Blackvine Manor Mystery by Wendy Meadows Read Free Book Online Page B

called to a carnival side show?”
    Alexis balls up a fist but refuses to move. “How about we make a little bet on my side show skills?”
    He relaxes, realizing he hasn’t driven her out the door again. “Sure. What do you have in mind?”
    “If I can prove a connection between Delia and Fenton based solely on what I sensed in the courtyard, then you have to perform a séance with me.”
    He tries to soften her determination by smiling. “You mean us together holding hands by candlelight? I’m in. What could you have ‘sensed’ that no one else did?”
    “When I concentrated on Collin Fenton I saw the image of a pin. Delia laughed when she saw it. The pin was a coat of arms that, after a little research, turned out to be from Belmont Academy.”
    Maxwell tents his hands before asking, “What’s Belmont Academy?”
    Alexis stands up and approaches the desk. “A prestigious boarding school that has been around since 1898. When I called them they admitted to Collin Fenton being an alumni. They also had records of one Delia Maxwell. They were old friends from school.”
    He takes a minute to gather all the papers back into the file folder before wondering aloud, “Why didn’t the police ever make that connection?”
    Alexis frowns. “Maybe they did and that’s why they’ve pinned your grandmother’s murder on Fenton.”
    “No, there’s nothing about Belmont Academy in the police file.”
    She sits on the corner of the desk, reaching out a hand to look at the folder, “And how do you know that?”
    Maxwell confesses, “I was at Otto’s this morning to feed his horrible dog. When I was looking around I realized he had old files from work in his study. This one happened to be of interest so I borrowed it.”
    She looks at the label. “You stole the file on Fenton from the police chief?”
    “I borrowed it from the retired police chief who stole it from work.” Maxwell makes a clear distinction.
    Alexis gets up and heads for the door. “Well bring that with.”
    “Where are we going?”
    “My place, I’ve got candles and you lost the bet.”

    * * *
    M axwell is sitting on the red sofa, peering suspiciously at Alexis over the candles. She’s sitting opposite him on the floor with her mother’s book in her lap.
    “I don’t think these things work with non-believers in the room,” he tells her.
    “Just try to concentrate, please. I’m going to read from this chapter; it’s just a way to clear our heads and open our minds.”
    “That’s what I mean, if I’m close-minded, which I am, you are wasting your time.”
    Alexis scowls at him. “Just think about Delia and listen to what I’m reading.”
    Maxwell humors her and watches the lopsided candle in the center as he conjures up the image of his grandmother in his head. She is smiling in the sunlight out back of the building by the alley. Against the warm, red brick of the building are strawberries and she’s helping him pick the best ones to eat.
    The memory shifts and he is with Delia in the courtyard, except she’s moving fast and he sees her from a distance. She runs up to a man, laughing as she kisses him on the cheek. Maxwell shifts, uncomfortably, as he realizes it is night. He’s confused why he’d be in the courtyard at night. Delia is pulling a folded message out from under the bench.
    Maxwell rebels against the memory that isn’t his and he sees a light in a window about the courtyard. A lovely face appears and he calls out.
    “What did you see? Are you okay?” Alexis is beside him on the couch, holding his hand.
    “Nothing; just some weird memories. And I remembered someone who used to live here, this really nice woman.” He rubs absently at his heart.
    Alexis peers up into his eyes. “Did you see Delia in the courtyard? She and Fenton left messages for each other there.”
    He shakes off her hands. “I didn’t see anything. They were just memories.”
    Maxwell stands up and heads for the door, calling over his shoulder.