Free Murder in the Milk Case by Spyglass Lane Mysteries

talk. You know, I don’t always agree with your mother.”
    Neither do I, but I wondered which of my mother’s opinions about me April referred to. She walked away as I tried to sort through what I’d learned. I’d have to make some notes later. Meanwhile, with April May’s comments, my temper had subsided, and I felt compelled to go back to the game and support Max. On rare occasions, he stopped thinking about the team’s performance long enough to look for me in the bleachers for a thumbs-up. I needed to be there just in case. Besides, watching him play is a pleasure all its own.

    Max’s team won, which didn’t surprise me. The intrepid Detective Scott played almost as well as Max. I wandered around, shooting the breeze with people, watching Stefanie out of the corner of my eye. She had a lot of hair. A long, bleached-blond, curly pouf, resembling what I’d seen on beauty contestants. She met my eye and tottered over to me on her high heels. Without being rude, there was no way I could avoid her.
    “Oh, Trish. The game was wonderful. Max is so talented. He plays like a pro.”
    “Thanks,” I murmured. I hoped his game was his only quality she’d been watching. I was so busy fighting my bad feelings that I didn’t see Detective Eric Scott until he was standing next to me. He smiled. I thought I would fall over.
    “Hello, Trish.” He turned his gaze on Steffie. “Mrs. Jenkins. How are you tonight?”
    She focused her big baby blues on him. “Oh, Detective Scott. You are such a good ball player.”
    “Thank you.” He continued to smile, but I saw past that to his eyes. Shrewd and assessing. I was relieved that he wasn’t looking at me for once. “It’s a team effort, of course,” he said. “No one person is responsible for our game.”
    She blinked several times and continued to smile brightly. “Oh, that is so true.” She turned to me. “Maxwell is so good.”
    If she said one more thing about how good Max was, I was going to hit her.
    “Must be hard to be out so soon after the death of Jim Bob,” Detective Scott said.
    I coughed trying to cover a laugh. He glanced at me, then back at her again. I was thinking better and better of him.
    “This is such a good distraction for me.” Tears filled her eyes again. “Detective Scott, I’m so impressed by your dedication to finding the person who did this.”
    As far as I was concerned, she was laying it on a little thick.
    “Have no fear, Mrs. Jenkins, I’ll solve this crime.” He jauntily saluted us. “Ladies. I have to get a move on. Crime fighting never ends.” He jogged away.
    As I watched him go, I noticed a bald man disappear behind the cement building that held the bathrooms. I didn’t recognize him.
    Stefanie sighed. I turned back to her.
    “Seeing the police brings back my loss,” she said in a breathy voice. “I need to go home.”
    She walked in the direction of the parking lot. I wandered around the grounds, greeting people. Peggy Nichols, the principal of Charlie and Sammie’s school, stopped me. “Trish, will you still be able to man your booth this Saturday?” She squinted at me through thick glasses.
    “Sure. I’m fine.”
    She shook her head. “I wouldn’t be if I were you. I can’t believe all the things happening in our little town. It’s like a bacteria eating from the inside out.”
    That was certainly descriptive. Unfortunately, it sounded a little like what was happening to me. I was being eaten up inside by guilt. We chatted a bit more, then I left to find Max and noticed Stefanie coming from the bathroom. That was strange. I thought she’d been in a hurry to leave.

Chapter Seven

    When Max and I returned home, Karen was passing through the foyer on her way to her room with the cordless. A couple of weeks ago, when I’d suggested she have one permanently implanted, she wasn’t amused. But then, what did I expect? When she turned fifteen, she lost her sense of humor and ceased to be amused by anything I