Free Mystery of the Melting Snowman by Florence Parry Heide Page A

There’s a guest room down the hall all ready for them. Tom and Jenny told the truth and you lied!”
    Alex Baxter’s voice came through the door softly. “Don’t be ridiculous! That room was prepared yesterday by Jenny, it’s true. But not for her future-in-laws. They don’t exist. She prepared the room for her brother, her brother who calls himself Tom Foster. They were successfully completing still another adventure in crime!”
    Dexter pushed his glasses up on his nose. “We don’t believe anything you say,” he announced. But his voice was less sure. “Mrs. Wellington told us you’d try to lie your way out of anything and everything.”
    “Listen,” pleaded Alex Baxter. “You kids meant well. You’re trying, really trying, to do the right thing. I respect that. But don’t you see? You’re believing the wrong people! You’re believing a wonderful old lady who lives in a dream world. Jenny Mayflower and Tom Foster have tricked all of you. You must believe me—you must! And hurry, if you want to save that boy from danger! They will stop at nothing—nothing! They’re desperate now.”
    Dexter motioned to Cindy. They stepped away from the door. He whispered in her ear. “What if he’s telling the truth? What if Mrs. Wellington is a mixed-up lady? Remember the Usher Rule—just because we like her doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth.”
    Cindy bit her lip. “I don’t know who or what to believe anymore. This is scary. But I know he’s lying. I know it, I know it, I know it.”
    “You don’t know it. You feel it,” Dexter replied. “And I don’t feel a thing anymore. I’m numb.”
    Alex Baxter called from the closet. “Hurry. Unlock this door. I won’t bring charges against you. You meant well. That will count a lot. Now hurry!”
    Cindy and Dexter looked at each other. How could they believe him? How could they not believe him?
    Suddenly they heard shouts and then voices. And other sounds. Footsteps running on the snow, pounding on the front door, and a key turning in the lock downstairs. A rush of people pushing to get inside. And Jay’s voice shouting, “He’s up there!” Cindy swallowed.
    All at once lights were turned on and heads appeared coming up the stairway. Three figures ran toward Dexter and Cindy—Jay, Jenny, and Tom. And then right behind them were a man and a woman. Downstairs Melanie Wellington’s voice was calling, “Oh, I’m missing all the excitement. Don’t let anything happen until I get there.” Then she was coming up the stairs and down the hall. Alex Baxter must have heard the noise too. There was a muffled oath from the closet.

Chapter 10
Behind the Locked Door
    J AY RAN TOWARD Cindy and Dexter, who were still leaning against the closet door. “Are you all right?” he asked.
    “Just barely,” answered Cindy. “That man’s still in the closet. He kept telling us we were wrong.”
    “We didn’t believe him,” Dexter said quickly.
    “Didn’t we?” asked Cindy.
    “I knew I had to do something to save you,” Jay said. “I ran in the house and tried to call Mrs. Wellington. No answer. I ran to the front porch. That’s when I saw a car stop at the barricade.”
    “And Jay ran over and told us what was going on,” Jenny finished. “You two were brave!”
    They were all gathered together in the long hall, the Spotlighters, Mrs. Wellington, Tom and Jenny, and Tom’s parents.
    “More lights! More lights!” cried Melanie Wellington. “I declare, this place is like a cellar. And I’ve never heard so much noise.”
    “My, my,” Mrs. Foster was saying to Tom. “You certainly are getting married with a lot happening.”
    “But our new daughter can manage,” Mr. Foster said, and he put his arm around Jenny.
    Cindy blinked her eyes. She didn’t have any tears or anything. She just blinked anyway.
    “It’s all over now,” Jay said.
    “Not quite,” said Cindy. “There are a lot of things we don’t understand.” She held up her notebook.