Mystery of the Melting Snowman by Florence Parry Heide Read Free Book Online Page A

hidden the iron dog.”
    “Could have, could have,” said Jay. “We have to have real proof before we call Alex Baxter.”
    “I wish he had told us why that iron dog is so important,” said Dexter. “But he was in such a hurry.”
    Cindy chewed her pencil. “I still can’t believe Jenny’s a crook.”
    “Here we go again,” groaned Jay.
    “Cindy, remember the time you really liked that usher character in a movie?” asked Dexter. “You were so sure he couldn’t have been the crook because he had such a nice smile. And because he was polite.”
    “Well, he was polite,” said Cindy.
    “Sure, but it turned out he was a crook,” Dexter said. “I think we ought to have a new rule. The Usher Rule. The rule that says you have to try just as hard to prove someone you like is guilty as you try to prove someone you don’t like is guilty. See how long it took me to say that? And now all we have to say is the Usher Rule.”
    “OK,” agreed Cindy. “And you’re right. The reason that Tom and Jenny are so good at this confidence racket is because they seem so nice.”
    “The Usher Rule,” Jay said to himself. “Good.”
    Cindy turned another page in her notebook. “Oh, here’s something I forgot to tell you. When I went upstairs in Mrs. Wellington’s house there was a long hall. That’s when I scared myself stiff seeing my reflection in the big mirror at the end of the hall. Anyway, there were lots of different doors that opened into the hall, only they were all closed. That’s what made it so dark. All but one, and that was strange too. The door was open and I saw flowers in the room. Why? I thought the house was empty.”
    “It doesn’t make sense,” Jay said thoughtfully.
    “Nothing makes sense,” said Dexter.
    “But everything will, once we talk to Alex Baxter again,” said Cindy. “This time we’ll have time to ask him questions.”
    Cindy copied her notes. The boys kept watch. Dozens of people had come to the sale, come and gone. But not Tom Foster.
    “Maybe he sneaked out the back door,” said Jay.
    “We’d have seen him,” said Dexter.
    It was beginning to grow dark. “We won’t be able to see him if he doesn’t leave pretty soon,” complained Dexter.
    Just as he spoke, Jay grabbed Dexter’s arm. “There he is!” he whispered.
    Sure enough, Tom Foster was just coming out of the front door of the red house. He had the metal box under his arm. Filled with money, thought Cindy. Tom started to walk down the street toward the construction barricade.
    “Remember, one of the detectives is waiting in the car behind Tom’s,” whispered Dexter. “He’ll follow him.”
    “We’ve got to call Alex Baxter,” said Jay, reaching for the telephone.
    “Wait until Torn gets to the barricade. And opens his car,” suggested Cindy.
    “We can’t see that far. It’s too dark,” said Dexter.
    Jay picked up the telephone. He looked at the card Alex Baxter had given them.
    In a moment a woman’s voice answered, “May I help you?”
    “I want to leave a message for Alex Baxter,” said Jay.
    “Your name, please?”
    “Jay Temple,” said Jay. “Tell him Torn Foster has left the house. And wait a minute,” continued Jay, looking at Dexter and then at Cindy. “Tell him we have the dog he was looking for.”
    “Very well,” said the voice. “Thank you.”
    Jay stood holding the telephone a minute. Then he hung up. “That’s all,” he said. “The end of the mystery.”
    “Not quite,” said Cindy. “When he comes to get the dog we can ask him why it’s so important to the case. Why he needs it to prove that Jenny and Tom are guilty.”
    The Spotlighters looked through the deepening dark to the red house. “What will Mrs. Wellington think when Jenny and Tom don’t come to see her tonight?” asked Cindy. “She’ll be waiting for them to come with Tom’s parents. And they’ll never come. Because there aren’t any parents and there isn’t any wedding. Jenny and Tom are