The Final Tap by Amanda Flower Read Free Book Online Page A

Gavin Elliot first,” the detective said.
    â€œGavin?” I asked. “Why him in particular?”
    She scowled at me as if it was clear I hadn’t listened to her warning about non-involvement . She was right—I hadn’t.
    â€œWhat about this?” the chief asked, breaking into my thoughts. He pointed at the tree where a limb had been broken off.
    â€œI didn’t notice that before.” The missing pine bough had been ripped from the tree.
    Detective Brandon took a small camera from her coat pocket and snapped a picture of the broken limb.
    â€œIt looks fresh,” I said.
    â€œIt is.”
    â€œThe branch, if we can find it, may have been the one used to wipe away the tracks,” I suggested.
    â€œPossibly,” she conceded. “Of course, it could have happened any time in the last twelve hours. It doesn’t mean that this pine bough is related to Conrad Beeson’s death.”
    I scowled, and Chief Duffy patted my shoulder and smiled.

six
    Two more police officers joined us in the woods and searched the area under the red maples. One of them was Officer Sonders, who appeared irritated when Detective Brandon questioned how he’d secured the scene that morning.
    Chief Duffy cleared his throat. “You have everything well in hand here, Candy. I’m heading back to the station. You give me a holler if you need anything.”
    The detective nodded and appeared relieved that the chief had turned the investigation over to her.
    He nodded to me. “I’ll be seeing you at the festival this weekend. The boys and I are looking forward to it.” He was one of the Civil War reenactors who would be on the grounds to answer questions. “We should talk next year about having a battle reenactment during the festival. There were some battles fought in the winter.” His eyes sparkled at the idea.
    I suppressed a groan. One Civil War reenactment during the summer was just about as much as I could handle.
    Chief Duffy sauntered off. After he’d disappeared into the trees, Detective Brandon turned to me. “I’d like to question your staff that’s here today, starting with Gavin Elliot.”
    I folded my arms. “You still haven’t told me why you want to talk to Gavin so badly.”
    She stared down at me. What I wouldn’t give for five more inches, so that we would be looking at each other eye-to -eye.
    â€œMs. Cambridge,” the detective said, “I do not have to tell you anything. This is my investigation.”
    I sighed. I would get the information out of Gavin after she left. “Fine. He should be in the sugarhouse.”
    She waved me on. “Lead the way.”
    As Detective Brandon and I crossed the pasture, she continued to keep a wary eye on the oxen. Again, I held my tongue. I was pretty proud of myself that I’d been able to keep my mouth shut twice. Now, if we had to cross the pasture a third time, I couldn’t make any promises that I wouldn’t crack a joke.
    Gavin was in the sugarhouse, as I expected. Part of his job that week, other than running the school visits, was to plan for the Farm’s maple syrup production. Since it was the first year we’d done this, we wouldn’t be able to make a lot, but once we could tap the trees, the sap we boiled down into syrup would be bottled and sold in the museum shop.
    Steam rolled out of the open doorway. I knocked on the frame. Gavin looked up from the sugar he was stirring with his wooden paddle. His smile faded when he saw Detective Brandon standing next to me. He leaned the paddle against the edge of the metal trough. “This is about Conrad, isn’t it?”
    I frowned. Gavin had said the man’s name as if he knew him personally.
    Detective Brandon nudged me aside and stepped into the sugarhouse. “Yes. I need to talk to you.”
    I stepped inside the sugarhouse too.
    The detective glared at me over her shoulder. “I