Free Strolling Into Danger (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 6) by Leona Fox Page A

that.
     
    “Are you alright?”
     
    He started and stood quickly. “Oh,” he said.
     
    “It’s you. Yes, I’m fine.”
     
    He looked across the street and Sadie could see he was watching Betty. She was putting a tray down on what Sadie knew was the coffee table in the living room. Then she disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a steaming pan. He sighed.
     
    “You’d better come up before you freeze to death,” Sadie said.
     
    He squatted and let Mr. Bradshaw sniff his hands before he petted the dog. Mr. B’s tail whipped back and forth and he put his feet on Mr. Big and Tall’s knees.
     
    “Come on, Mr. Bradshaw,” Sadie said.
     
    “It’s cold out here,” and she tugged the dog gently away.
     
    “His name is Mr. Bradshaw?” The big man rose to his full height, which was at least three feet taller than Sadie.
     
    “Yes. But I call him Mr. B for short,” Sadie said as she led him across the street to her store.
     
    “Why Mr. Bradshaw?” He was quick and light on his feet for such a big man.
     
    “He came with the name,” Sadie said.
     
    “And it grows on you.” She let Mr. B off the leash and hung it next to the door.
     
    “This way,” she said and led Mr. Big and Tall up the stairs to her apartment.
     
    “We’ve got company,” Sadie said as she opened the door.
     
    “I saw you come across the street,” Betty said as she appeared from the kitchen with another place setting in her hand.
     
    “I’m prepared.” She set the dishes on the coffee table.
     
    “Betty,” Sadie said, “this is Mr. B-.” She looked up at the man.
     
    “I’m sorry, I don’t know your name.”
     
    “Silvester,” he said coloring.
     
    “Silvester Little. I know, it’s a ridiculous name. Most people call me Tiny. It’s a circus thing.”
     
    “Silvester is a fine name,” Betty said, putting her hand out to shake his.
     
    “I’m Betty. And if you don’t mind I’d like to call you Silvester. Tiny doesn’t suit you.”
     
    “My brother used to call me Sil,” Tiny said. “You could call me that.”
     
    Betty smiled. “Sil it is. Come and sit down, both of you. It’s time to eat.”
     
    Sadie claimed the new armchair. She wasn’t used to it yet, and it wasn’t as comfortable as her previous armchair, but it wasn’t bad. And anyway, that left Betty and Sil to sit next to each other on the couch. That seemed like the best arrangement to Sadie.
     
    “How long have you been with the circus?” Betty asked, taking a sip of her hot chocolate.
     
    Sadie took a drink of hers and sighed with contentment. It was perfect.
     
    “Ten years,” Sil said. “But I’m thinking about giving it up.”
     
    “Why’s that?” Sadie asked, taking the opportunity to get in on the conversation while she could.
     
    “It’s not the kind of life you’d want to raise a family in,” he said. “And I’m getting to the age where it seems like it might be a good idea to settle down.”
     
    “What would you do?” Betty asked.
     
    Sadie noticed Betty was forgetting to eat, which was very unusual.
     
    “I’ve got a degree in criminal justice,” Sil said. “I could be a cop. It wouldn’t be that dangerous in a place like this. Not like in a city.”
     
    “I don’t know,” Betty said. “We’ve had a rash of murders around here lately. Our statistics could be worse than a big city, per capita.”
     
    “Sounds like you could use another cop around here,” Sil said.
     
    “Maybe,” Betty said, “you’d have to ask Sadie’s boyfriend. He’s the chief of police here in Seagrove.
     
    “Can you introduce me?” Sil asked. “I’d like to talk with him.”
     
    “You’ve already met him,” Sadie said.
     
    “He was the police officer investigating Pabelin’s death.” Sil’s face lit with recognition.
     
    “He’s the police chief? Wow. He seems kinda young to be the chief. But that’s good. At least he knows who I am.”
     
    “Are you really considering