Murder in the Secret Garden by Ellery Adams

Author:Ellery Adams
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-06-15T16:32:25+00:00

* * *

The next morning, after the twins polished off a breakfast of strawberry pancakes topped with banana slices, they prepared to attend the early church service with Aunt Octavia and Uncle Aloysius.

“Why aren’t you coming with us, Mom?” Fitz asked, eyeing his mother’s green T-shirt and cargo pants.

“I have to work,” Jane answered. “Be good in Sunday School. A little bird told me that a new shipment of audio books is supposed to arrive at Run for Cover on Monday. I believe one of them is the next book in the Harry Potter series.”

Hem bounced on his heels and then elbowed his brother. “Do you think we have enough money?”

Fitz closed his eyes and performed some mental calculations, his lips moving as he pictured the crumpled dollar bills and loose change on the top of his bureau. “It depends how much we put in the offering plate,” he whispered to Hem.

Though Jane was tempted to intervene, she wanted to see what decision her sons would arrive at without her influence.

“We can’t give less because we want something,” Hem whispered after a long pause.

Fitz looked disappointed, but nodded his head in agreement. Suddenly, he brightened. “Maybe we could ask Mrs. Hubbard to pay us early. I bet she would.”

“That isn’t a good idea,” Jane said gently. “If you spend money that you haven’t earned yet, then you might not do your best work.”

Hem was affronted. “We would so!”

“Yeah,” Fitz added with a scowl. “We like the garden!”

Jane tried not to smile. “It’s wonderful that you’re both taking such pride in your work. It really is. So let’s do this: Keep your offering the same and, if I hear a good report from Aunt Octavia about Sunday School, I’ll lend you the money for the Harry Potter audiobook. You can pay me back on Friday after you collect your hard-earned dollars from Mrs. Hubbard.”

“Isn’t that the same thing as spending money we haven’t earned?” Hem asked.

“There’s a difference between getting a payday advance from an employer and a loan from your mother,” Jane said. Seeing the baffled expression on the twins’ faces, she threw back her head and laughed. “I’ll explain these tricky financial terms another time. Come on, we don’t want to keep Aunt Octavia waiting.”

As the little family headed outside, Fitz stopped by the garden gate to collect a plastic bucket.

Jane peered in at the contents. The bucket was stuffed with dandelions. The plants were slightly shriveled, but not dead because their roots were soaking in several inches of muddy water.

“What are you doing with this?” she asked.

“We’re bringing the dandelions to Pig Newton,” Fitz said. “For his Sunday supper.”

Jane took the bucket from him, as she didn’t want the dirty water to slosh out of the bucket and onto his church pants. She shooed the boys through the gate. “You two run ahead. Get your wiggles out!”

Fitz scooped a stick off the ground and pointed it at Hem. “I’m going to turn you into a newt!” He shouted some nonsense words followed by a shrill squeaking sound.

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