Free Cupid's Treasure - Mystery of the Golden Arrow by Barbara Ivie Green Page B

wiggle the closer they got to the kitchen and then jumped from her arms. “Duke, get back here!” she called after him.
    “Good mornin', Ms. Peterson,” Bob said when Mavis entered chasing her little dachshund.
    “Good morning,” Tom echoed.
    “Um.” Mavis froze and swallowed.
    “How is it going?” Tom asked.
    “It’s, um,” Mavis squeaked.
    “You sound outta breath.” Tom got up and offered her a chair that was easier to get into.
    She sat down, looking incredibly uncomfortable.
    “Is everything alright?” Bob asked.
    “Ah-hem.” Mavis swallowed.
    Mavis looked like she was about to spill the beans when Gloria spoke up. “It wouldn’t be life without a few bumps now would it?” She stepped around the boisterous little dachshund whose greeting took the attention off of the distraught woman. “Why don’t we take these out and visit with the ladies and leave the boys here to be boys?” Gloria asked as she held out the fresh cup of coffee and a sweet roll for Mavis.
    ~*~
    Jonathan casually leaned against the police car and nonchalantly stepped back, scooting the vehicle back with the movement. He had to wait while Mr. Jones picked up his paper and went back into his house in order to pop out the dent in the fender with his finger.
    He was glad that it wasn’t plastic. With a slight buffing the scratch completely disappeared. He stepped back to assess his handiwork. The only sign that there had been a dent was that the area now gleamed with the spit shine.
    He moved his mom’s car forward, steering it through the driver’s side window while he walked alongside it, trying to make it look like it took some effort to move. There wasn’t even a dent on the old Cadillac’s bumper.
    “Good morning,” Mr. Bradshaw said as he walked his Shiatsu down the sidewalk.
    “Morning.” Jonathan waved.
    “Did you cause this pile up?” Mr. Bradshaw shook his head as he looked at the Pinto. “I think it’s seen better days.”
    “No, sir.” Jonathan shook his head. “I’m just moving these cars, so they don’t cause a traffic jam.” He hoped that excuse would fly . . . . It wasn’t like they had much traffic on the street.
    The old man waited as the dog did his business on the lawn. He then produced a plastic bag and started cleaning it up. The whole process took much longer than expected due to the fact he couldn’t bend over all the way.
    “Here let me help you with that,” Jonathan said, taking over the scoop while the elderly man held the bag shakily. Jonathan waited as the older man slowly tied up the bag. “Do you want me to toss that?”
    “No—” Mr. Bradshaw said, stuffing it into his pocket. “I like to put it on my roses.”
    Jonathan nodded, hoping the day never came that he willingly stuffed crap into his pocket. It took an interminable amount of time for the old man and his little dog to shuffle a few feet away. Jonathan walked around Amber’s car to assess the damage while he waited.
    The Pinto’s front grill was crumpled back into the radiator. That wasn’t going to be an easy fix. He walked around to the back of it where it had hit the cop car. The license was hanging down. He made a mental note to run the plate number through the computer’s data bank.
    Curious, he tested the grill, pulling it out with his hand. It moved more easily than he thought it would.
    Err, POP!
    Jonathan looked up to see Mr. Bradshaw watching curiously. “Must have been rusted through,” Jonathan said.
    The old man nodded as the whole front fender fell off in Jonathan’s hand.
    ~*~
    Gloria led Mavis outside, placing her plate on the wicker table and plumping a pillow for her. “Why don’t you sit here,” she said, indicating a lovely settee across from the girls.
    “Good morning, dears,” Mavis said to the ladies present.
    “Momma Mavis,” Charlene said. “I just love your hair!”
    “Thank you, dear,” Mavis said distractedly.
    “Where did Katie go?” Gloria asked.
    “She went back