23

 

“LeClerc’s shown me the preliminary report,” said Andrew. “I’ve gotta tell you, it has me concerned.”

“What’s the problem?” asked Geoff.

“For you—great news. No way Murdock’s punch had anything to do with Claude’s death. His T.O.D., time of death, has been set between midnight and one. You were both long gone by then. Right?”

Geoff nodded.

“We’re working on the theory Claude surprised a burglar.”

“Carrie’s missing collectables?” Geoff asked.

“LeClerc had me contact the Ouis insurance broker. Who would think those frog doo-hickeys of hers were worth more than a buck-a-dozen at the dollar store?”

“They’re valuable?”

“A small fortune.”

I watched Ash and Josh chase Mara between the lawn chairs.

Andrew continued. “We’re trying to trace them. Can’t be many frog collectors out there. Most likely scenario, whoever took Carrie’s frogs will try and dump them at pawn shops or sell them online.”

“What if they just hang onto them until the heat’s off?”

“Always a possibility. But we’re going with the theory our thief wasn’t the brightest amphibian in the pond.” Andrew chortled when he said amphibian. “He’ll likely make another mistake that’ll help us identify him.”

I had two questions. He? As in Josh? They’d focused on him? And what did Andrew mean, another mistake? OK, that was four questions. Of course, I couldn’t ask any questions of my own without alerting Geoff and Andrew that I’d been eavesdropping.

As though sensing my thoughts, Josh slowly turned. Our gazes met, held, and I was the first to look away. My stomach ached with concern. If the frog thief murdered Claude…

Somehow, I had to get into Ash’s room and search her frog collection. I had a copy of Carrie’s list, the one I’d downloaded the night I slept over. If I took it with me and checked Ash’s frogs against the list and confirmed she didn’t have any, it would go a long way toward proving she and Josh weren’t involved. Wouldn’t it?

But what if I found something of Carrie’s hidden amongst Ash’s things? What would I do then? Tell Andrew? Convince Ash to tell him? Would she betray Josh? Or would she cover for him, even if it meant he was a murderer?

Twenty feet away, they stood with heads together, whispering. If only I could read lips.

I was so consumed with my thoughts and so oblivious to everything else, I didn’t hear Geoff come up behind me. I jumped when he slid his arm around my waist.

He grinned, ignoring Andrew’s quip, which I had also missed. “Where were you just now?”

“Lost in space.”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “Well come on back or you’re going to miss dessert. Mimi brought cheesecake.”

“Only one?” One cake would never feed all of us.

“You’re right. She must have brought two. Let’s check the kitchen.”

We found three cakes in the fridge. Geoff and I sampled one and took our plates to the front step where we could sit and talk uninterrupted. He let me get a forkful of rich, creamy cake into my mouth before he asked, “What were you thinking about, really?”

I took my time swallowing. “When?”

“Out back when I startled you. You were staring at Ash and Josh.”

My cheeks warmed with guilt. “If you must know, I was trying to decide how I could get into Ash’s bedroom.”

“And what?”

“See if she had any of Carrie Hunter’s missing frogs.”

“Do you really think that’s possible?”

I poked my fork into the raspberry swirls in my cake. The very thought of Josh’s guilt almost killed my appetite. “I hope not.”

“But, you can’t stop wondering?”

“Am I wrong to wonder? To be afraid she might be involved?”

“Josh’s already stolen frogs for her. True, they’re only kitchen frogs, but maybe, like Andrew and the rest of us, he didn’t realize Carrie’s collection was worth so much.” He poked at his cake, apparently suffering the same malaise I had. “He thought they were trinkets.”

I nodded. “How could he know they were anything more than cheap, ceramic figurines?”

“But we can’t break into your uncle’s house to check our theory.”

“It wouldn’t be breaking in. They never lock their doors, and I’m always welcome, any time. So are you.”

“Not once they realized what we’ve done.”

“What do you suggest? Wait until Andrew turns up with a search warrant? That would be even worse.” I could tell, by the tensing muscles in his jaw, Geoff agreed.

“Everyone will be hanging around here for another hour, at least. What if we say we’re going for a walk, and we’ll be back in a little while?”

“What if someone wants to come along?”

“My family? Walk?” My family considered exercise to be grueling work and never attempted it on a Sunday. “We’ll have to be quick. I’ve a copy of Carrie’s insurance list at home. Can we get that, check Ash’s stuff, and be back here in an hour?”

“We’ll have to.”

I scraped the last streaks of cheesecake off my plate and licked the fork. I guess I hadn’t lost my appetite after all. “You tell Dad we’re going for a walk, and I’ll stick our plates in the dishwasher. Meet back here in five minutes.”

 

****

 

Ash’s room was full of frogs. I mean full. She made Carrie Hunter’s collection look like the dabbling of an amateur. Stuffed toys. Posters. Sketches. Dresser-top containers. Books and bookends. Even her wallpaper. Frogs everywhere. But were any Carrie Hunter’s?

I went first. Geoff hovered in Ash’s open bedroom door, apparently uncertain whether to risk entering.

Doofus, the family dog, had no such hesitation. He pushed past Geoff, jumped on her bed, and promptly fell asleep.

Under Ash’s bed, I found plastic containers. I dragged them out and pried off the lids. Inside them we discovered enough Kermits to sink the navy. Frog slippers in sizes she’d outgrown. Frog-faced tea plates wrapped in bubble wrap. When Ash was eleven, she bought them with the money she’d been saving to get her ears pierced. If only we’d known where Ash’s frog obsession would lead.

Doofus rolled onto his back, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, and started snoring.

I felt immensely relieved we’d found nothing incriminating. We re-stowed the plastic containers under the bed, snapped off the light, shut the door, and hustled back to my parents’ house.

Just in time, too. Everyone was gathering their kids and empty dishes to head home for the evening. Had we been five minutes longer, Ash’s parents would have caught us in their house.

That’s when I remembered Doofus was locked in Ash’s bedroom where he was never allowed.