The Chocolate Castle Clue by JoAnna Carl Read Free Book Online Page B

and ran the street itself through the area in a logical pattern. Then Mrs. Rice sold the lots on this side of Dock Street.”
    â€œThe bank sold them,” Joe said. “She refused. The bank had to foreclose. At least I heard that someplace.”
    â€œI guess she fought everything all the way,” Brownie said.
    Joe nodded. “As far as Mrs. Rice is concerned, Dan was a victim of a tragic accident. She still wants to prove that.”
    I shook my head. “She’s sad.”
    â€œSure.” Brownie nodded. “It’s a sad case. But she’s not coming in here and making scenes with my customers.”
    He nodded firmly as he went back to his kitchen.
    Joe and I finished our dinner. We’d just put the leftover pizza into a to-go box when my cell phone rang.
    I looked at it. I didn’t recognize the number, and I almost didn’t answer. Finally I punched the proper button and gave an unenthusiastic hello.
    An excited voice answered me. “Lee? This is Aunt Nettie!” I instantly knew something bad had happened. It wasn’t ESP. It was my familiarity with Aunt Nettie’s voice. She sounded upset.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” I said.
    â€œWe’ve had a wreck!”
    â€œWho?”
    â€œAll of us. Julie took us for a ride in her beautiful limo and—”
    â€œIs anybody hurt?”
    â€œNo! No, we’re all fine. Just shaken up. Is Joe with you?”
    â€œSure.” I spoke to Joe. “The Pier-O-Ettes have had a wreck.” Then I punched the button that put the cell phone on speaker. “Now Joe can hear.”
    Joe leaned close. “Nettie, where are you?”
    â€œWe’re at Fifth and Peach, just down from the shop.”
    â€œWe’ll be right there.”
    â€œNo!” She sounded panicky. “I mean, that’s not why I called you.”
    â€œThen, why?”
    â€œI want you to ask the patrolman not to tell Hogan about this! I don’t want his workshop to be interrupted.”
    Joe shook his head. “I’ll be right there,” he said. “Then we’ll see.” The two of us ran for the door.
    Joe spent more than a year as Warner Pier’s city attorney. It’s only a part-time job, since the city doesn’t have that many legal affairs. But Warner Pier’s city hall houses the police station as well as other city offices, so just by proximity Joe got acquainted with the entire Warner Pier Police Department—the chief, the secretary, and all three patrolmen. Of course, he also got acquainted with Chief Hogan Jones by marrying his wife’s niece—me. Joe has a new job now, but he still knows all the guys on the force and is an in-law to the chief. So he was a good person for Aunt Nettie to ask to intercede with the investigating officer.
    As we got into Joe’s truck, he spoke. “Nettie’s going to have to understand that Hogan’s patrolmen have to tell their boss his wife was in a car wreck. It would be a firing offense not to.”
    â€œSurely she’ll see that,” I said.
    We drove the three blocks to TenHuis Chocolade and parked in front of the building. I could see the big white limo sitting catty-corner in the intersection. But it was the only car there.
    â€œDid they just run into a streetlamp or something?” I said. “It doesn’t look as if another car was involved. It’s hard to believe a professional driver like Julie Hensley would do that.”
    â€œMaybe they’d had a few glasses of Michigan wine,” Joe said. “Though that’s hard to believe, too, if they had dinner at Nettie’s house. She doesn’t usually serve drinks before and wine with.”
    We walked up to the corner. The Pier-O-Ettes were standing in a clump. Aunt Nettie, looking anxious, was near Julie. Julie held a handful of papers. She apparently knew what the investigating officer would ask to see and was ready for him. Ruby Westfield