Free Deadly Vintage: A Molly Doyle Mystery by Elaine Flinn Page A

here.”
    “Time to call the gendarmes?” Emma asked.
    Molly hadn’t told Emma about Randall’s warnings. After Randall and Daria left earlier, she started thinking about what Randall had said. She thought he was just being a cop and overreacting. But now, she wondered if he was right. “No. Just get in. We’ll tell Randall when we see him at Daria’s.” On the way to the restaurant, Molly decided to tell Emma about Randall’s warning.
    “Maybe we ought to listen to him? Michelle said Mr. Jessop has a really bad temper. He even kicked her cat once when it got in his way. She hates him and wishes her mother would get rid of him.”
    “I don’t think Mr. Jessop did this. Kids do this kind of stuff. But, we’ll be careful just the same. Alarm on at night from now on, okay?”
    “I’ll remind you.” Emma laughed.
    “What would I do without you?”
    “Oh, puleeese! You say that all the time.”
     
    Inside Daria’s private back room, Molly found Randall already there and reading. She’d discovered that he and Loomis were dyed-in-the-wool mystery fans. Last Christmas, she and Daria and Emma had found two Sherlock Holmes-type hats and long-stemmed pipes and put them under the huge tree at Bitsy’s. It was, Loomis had said, the best gift he had ever received. Randall, however, wondered if he might trade it for a train conductor’s hat. They all knew he was an astute collector of trains. Emma agreed it was the best Christmas she had ever had, too.
    “What are you reading now?” Molly asked.
    Emma gently poked her in the ribs. “Tell him!”
    Randall set down the book. “Tell me what?”
    “Uh, well, I seem to have a problem with the El Camino.”
    “Okay.”
    “Well, what I mean is—”
    “Some jerk keyed it pretty bad,” Emma blurted.
    “Let’s take a look,” Randall said.
    Molly shook her head and sat down. “Don’t bother. I’ll get it fixed. I just thought you should know.”
    Randall’s eyes flicked to Emma. “Or Emma did. You have a habit of forgetting to tell me things.”
    Molly’s face flushed. She knew Randall was referring to major elements she’d held back a bit longer than necessary in the last two cases she’d helped him solve. “That’s a low blow.”
    Randall ignored that. “Did you call it in? Report it, like good citizens do?”
    Molly could tell Randall was gearing up for one of his lectures, and she wasn’t in the mood. “No. I didn’t think Forensics would be interested,” Molly said.
    “That’s not funny.”
    “I don’t think much is funny today, okay?”
    “While you two kids kibbitz, I’ll tell Manuel we’re ready to eat. Come on, Emma, keep me company,” Daria said.
    Randall waited until they left, then said, “Look, Molly, I’m not trying to be a hard-ass, but trust me, huh? Todd Jessop is a control freak. When things don’t go the way people like that want, they act out. Maybe he didn’t key your pickup, but if he did, what’s next?”
    “I set the alarm before we left,” Molly said with a touch of pride.
    “Good. Just keep doing it, and keep your eyes open. Listen, about that invite to her father’s birthday party. I don’t care much about going, but because she’s now a client, I guess you’re stuck. I’ll accept, but only to keep an eye on you.”
    Molly smiled. “That’s very gallant. I’m touched.”
    “Hell, can’t I do something nice without you giving me heat?”
    “I’m serious! I really am.”
    Daria and Emma were in the open doorway and saw Molly reach over and kiss Randall on the cheek. Emma nudged Daria, and whispered, “Isn’t that cute?”
    Daria leaned down and whispered back, “For God’s sakes, don’t let them hear that!”

Chapter 8
     
    RANDALL INSISTED on walking Molly and Emma to the pickup after dinner. Molly protested. After all, she said, they were parked only a few doors down from the restaurant. Randall ignored her.
    The strong odor hit them the minute they stepped outside. Dolores Street was