Free The Clue of the Linoleum Lederhosen by M.T. Anderson Page A

books?”
    â€œOr the dead deer books?”
    â€œIt was a total dead horse book.”
    Lily nodded. “That’s what I thought I remembered. Stumpy … something happened to Stumpy the horse, didn’t it?”
    The Twins nodded. “Caught a weird horse disease saving orphans in a hailstorm,” they said.
    â€œAfter the book, someone had the horse stuffed and they took it around to libraries to show kids.”
    â€œOn
wheels.”
    â€œIt made the worst squeaking noise. The axles were totally amateur.”
    â€œMy sister the perfectionist!”

    Suddenly Rick loomed over them. He said, “Hi there, Lily! I see you found your friends.”
    Katie dropped her fork. The voice …
    â€œOne of my friends isn’t back yet,” said Lily.
    â€œThat’s too bad,” said Rick. “Hey, I had a great time today. Didn’t you?”
    Lily shrugged. “It was okay,” she said uneasily. “I mean, we were looking for those kids who are in danger …”
    â€œBut it was such a great opportunity to get to know a wonderful lady like Mrs. Mandrake.”
    Rick’s voice sounded a little bit like the assistant manager in a second-rate electronics store that specialized in phone adapters.
    Katie forgot she was not supposed to be solving mysteries. In that instant, she knew just one thing: This man was the burglar. She rose from her seat and pointed at Rick.
“You
stole that necklace!” she said. “I know the sound of your voice! I’d know your voice anywhere! I heard you talking while you searched the room!”
    â€œI think you must be mistaken, young lady,” said Rick.
    â€œI am not mistaken,” she said, still pointing at him. “I heard you!”
    â€œI was with Lily all afternoon,” said the man.
    â€œIt was you!”
    He laughed. “Oh, what? Maybe my ‘astral self’ projected out of my body through some kind of thought control?” He chuckled. “That’s really not very likely, kid. Dream on. Great suggestion.”
    â€œHe honestly was with me all afternoon,” said Lily quietly.
    â€œYou snuck into that old woman’s room when people from the search parties were coming in to go to the bathroom!”
    â€œI didn’t go near the bathrooms,” said Rick.
    Lily said, “He really didn’t, Katie.”
    â€œI held it,” said Rick, not without pride. “I waited outside.”
    â€œI know you stole that necklace,” said Katie.
    He nodded and reached across the table and patted her on the head. “I’m sure you think so, kid.”
    â€œDon’t be
—
don’t
—
Don’t you think you’ll get away with it!”
Helplessly outraged at crime despite herself, Katie rose and, pointing again, announced to the whole dining room,
“THIS MAN STOLE THE MANDRAKE NECKLACE!”
    There was silence. People looked up from their meals.
    People put down their napkins.
    Still silence.
    Rick cleared his throat. People waited for an explanation.
    He said, “I was with Lily, Mrs. Mandrake, and that horse kid.”
    Mrs. Mandrake said, “It is true. This gentleman marauded me all afternoon without cease. He could not have stolen my necklace from my room while we walked together. That appears to be one of the only benefits of spending time with him.”
    Katie felt faint. Everyone was looking at her. Everyone was staring at their table.
    The Cutesy Dell Twins were mortified. One of them said to the other, “Okay. Do you want to die first or me?”
    Katie wanted to hide under the table. Lily reached out and held her friend’s hand tightly.
    Everyone wondered what to do at this awkward moment.
    Sid, the hotel manager, standing at the back of the dining room, called nervously,
“MUSIC! MUSIC! HOW ABOUT MORE MUSIC?”
    The diners looked around, startled. Someone in the band picked up a trombone. Everyone clapped as the