The Curds and Whey Mystery by Bob Burke

Author:Bob Burke
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

11

A Secret Revealed

Leaning forward, I kissed Basili on the forehead. ‘You’re a genius,’ I said to the puzzled ex-genie. ‘I think we may finally have a breakthrough.’

‘I am? We do?’ Basili didn’t know whether to preen or be confused. ‘Perhaps you are explaining it to me.’

‘Well, remember Frogg Prince’s description of the orc that came into the store?’

Basili’s face was a study in concentration. ‘He was saying that it was a most unpleasant creature: very smelly, very green and with a wart.’

‘Yes, but he also described him as being small, remember? And how many small guests are staying here at the moment?’

I could see Basili counting them out one by one. ‘Two?’ he ventured.

‘Exactly. Jack Spratt and Willie Winkie. Everyone else is just too tall.’

‘But Mr Spratt is being such a jolly person.’

‘Indeed, but that’s why you should never let emotion get in the way of good detecting. Everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise.’ I was still finding it hard to believe Jack Spratt could be involved in this. Basili was right in that respect: he just didn’t seem the type. But now that he was a likely suspect I’d have to pay more attention to him – and possibly even his wife. The ‘perfect 10’ would now be under my unwavering gaze from here on in as well. So many suspects, so few eyes. It was very possible that I’d have to enlist Basili in taking a more active role in the day-to-day operations of the Agency, though I shuddered to think of him trying to shadow a suspect. It wouldn’t be shadowing so much as a total eclipse. The only way he’d manage to stay unseen would be if someone managed to cast an invisibility spell on him – and even then he’d probably end up barging people out of the way like a mini-hurricane as he followed his target down the street. He certainly wouldn’t be unobtrusive.

‘You know, it’s a bit stuffy in here.’ I headed towards the window and pushed it open. Considering two of us had slept in the room (or tried to sleep, in my case), one of whom suffered from flatulence, fresh air was very much the order of the morning. A cool breeze wafted through the window, blowing the cobwebs that were evidence of the spiders’ attempt to reconquer the room. Some of the strands floated across the room and settled against the wall on the far side.

As they drifted to the floor, my brain, already fully charged having sorted out the disguised orc issue, decided to go for broke and head for a touchdown. Why did the webs moving suggest something to me?

Wafting webs.

Webs in a draught.

Just like those I’d seen in the dining room at breakfast – which were nowhere near any draught from the door. Something else had made them move. Maybe air escaping from something like a hidden door or secret passage.

My brain hit the end-zone and the crowd went crazy. ‘Basili.’ I grabbed the ex-genie and hauled him to his feet.

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