Free Maddie's Gift of Mystery (A Rockcrest Cove Cozy Mystery Book 5) by Emily Page Page A

side gate that led off into the alley and disappearing. After looking over her shoulder to see if anyone was about, she slowly approached the dumpster to try to retrieve the bag, but her short legs weren’t able to get her up high enough to even look inside. Frustrated, she gave the dumpster a stiff kick, as if it would yield to her request. Her face flushed red as she thought about how foolish she looked right at that moment, but a look around told her she was entirely alone in her humiliation. Instead, she pulled out her cell phone and called her gran.
    Even though it was only about four thirty in the afternoon, darkness was already starting to encroach on the search. Shortly after Bailey had called Maddie, the troops were rallied and Maddie, Eleanor, and Chief Willis all arrived in short succession. They had retrieved the backpack from the dumpster and a forensics team was going over it with a fine-tooth comb. It was being dusted for fingerprints and samples of the contents were being taken and analyzed.
    Bailey, Maddie, and Eleanor were standing nearby, watching the proceedings from a distance. Chief Willis would not let them get any closer than twenty feet away, but from where they stood they could see everything going on. Willis approached them, giving them a slight nod of his head. Adjusting his holster belt, he directed his attention to Maddie.
    “That was quite a find,” he said. “It looks like there’s enough evidence in there to get Emily off and have Anthony arrested for the murder of Jimmy Maxwell.”
    “What do you mean ‘looks like’?” Eleanor asked.
    “It all looks pretty cut and dry from right here, but it has to be verified by lab testing by our forensics team. Still, all of that is just a mere formality.”
    “Why do you think he waited until now to toss the bag?”
    “My guess is that he figured that after you started asking questions, the lockers would no longer be safe. Since most of the students were away on holiday, it was quite likely he thought he could get rid of it now and not draw a lot of attention to himself.
    “What about Maria? Will she be charged to?”
    “Possibly. They were definitely in some sort of conspiracy together, but her complicity in the event may not have extended to that of murder.
    “But I’m still not sure of the motive. Why would Anthony want Jimmy dead?”
    “Let’s pick him up, question him, and find out.”

Chapter 9
    A nthony was casually strolling down the street when they spotted him about a half a mile from the dorm. He had apparently been in no real hurry to get away after he had dumped the backpack. He had his hands in his pocket and a set of earphones, plugged into an iPod in his breast pocket, in his ears.
    Bailey, sitting in the front seat next to a Detective Sanderson, pointed him out as they rounded the corner. Sanderson turned on the police whistle for only a second to get his attention. Anthony’s face turned completely ashen as he turned in the direction of the sound. He froze momentarily as it dawned on him that they were looking at him. He almost turned to flee but then realized he had nowhere to go, so he remained rooted in place.
    Sanderson pulled the car to a stop. “Stay here,” he said to Bailey as he got out, unbuckling his holster. Bailey watched as he approached Anthony with his gun drawn.
    “Anthony Carvone?”
    Anthony’s eyes darted this way and that, partly from embarrassment and partly from fear. A crowd was beginning to gather to watch the proceedings.
    “Anthony Carvone,” Sanderson repeated, “you’re under arrest. Get down on your knees and put your hands over your head.”
    Still unmoving, he stood there as if he was trying to process the overload he was taking in.
    “Now!” Sanderson shouted with forcefulness.
    The sharpness of his voice caused Anthony to realize that he had no choice. Slowly he kneeled on the ground and placed his hands over his head. Sanderson approached, still keeping his gun trained on