Murder Rings a Bell by Thea Cambert

Author:Thea Cambert [Cambert, Thea]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summer Prescott Books
Published: 2020-09-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

“Okay, you two. Spill it.”

Alice had come home from Ben’s to find Owen and Franny in the garden, huddled around Owen’s laptop.

“What?” asked Franny, a look of wide-eyed innocence on her face.

“Nice try, with the doe eyes there, Franny, but I’m on to you. What are you up to? I know you, and I know you’d never miss a lakeside feast from the Smiling Hound for nothing. And spending time with Ben. I had to eat extra onion rings, and now I’m all bloated.” Alice turned to look Owen in the eye. “Out with it, Owen.”

“Don’t give me your stink eye, Alice. My lips are sealed.”

“So, you admit you’re hiding something!” said Alice, pointing an accusing finger at Owen.

When neither Franny nor Owen responded, Alice crossed her arms and said, “Fine. Don’t tell me, then.”

“If you must know, we’re working on a project,” said Franny.

“Franny!” said Owen.

“I can’t help it!” said Franny. “I can’t handle Alice’s stink eye!”

“Go on,” said Alice, trying to intensify her glare.

“That’s right!” said Owen, putting an arm around Franny. “We’re working on a small project!”

“What kind of project?”

“Never mind,” said Owen. “We’ll tell you tomorrow. Meanwhile, don’t you want to hear what we found out from studying Alexandra’s blog?”

This caught Alice’s full attention. “You learned something new?”

“We’ll show you,” said Franny, scooting over so Alice could sit.

“Also, we’ve been waiting for you to get here so we could try these beauties,” said Owen, opening a bakery box with six tiny cakes inside. “I see no reason why we shouldn’t sample a couple of prospective wedding cakes while we fill you in. We’ll start with pumpkin-caramel-cinnamon.”

“How am I going to fit any more food into my stomach tonight?” asked Alice with a groan. “I’m serious. On Monday morning, we’re turning over a new leaf! Extra miles and clean eating!”

“Just try a bite,” said Owen.

“Mmm. Tastes like fall,” said Franny, taking a bite and getting a smear of frosting on her nose.

“That frosting on your nose is a maple chai buttercream,” said Owen, biting into his own cake.

“It’s so comforting,” said Alice. “So warm.”

But Owen frowned. “Nope, this isn’t it,” he said.

“Owen, you’re being entirely too picky. All of these cakes have been outstanding,” said Alice.

“Okay, look here,” said Franny, scrolling through the Alexandra’s Adventures archives. “Here’s an entry dated a year ago this week. Alexandra writes about what she carries in her purse.”

“What’s in my bag,” Owen said, rolling his eyes. “I mean, like we’re really going to believe she carries around a stethoscope in that five-thousand-dollar designer purse!”

Alice marveled at the professional-quality of the photos, which featured a buttery leather purse, its contents scattered about and surprisingly color-coordinated.

“She made it look like the purse just spilled open,” said Franny. “But the irony is, she probably took an hour to arrange it exactly the way she wanted it.”

“I bet,” said Alice. “I mean, the way that pack of bubble gum is just casually lying on her open passport so we can see that she’s been all over the world, apparently while chewing gum, and—oh.

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