Read Mystery of the Melting Snowman for Free Online Page B

He drew out a small black notebook and flipped the pages with his long fingers.
    He’s got a notebook too, thought Cindy.
    “And now—your telephone numbers, your addresses.”
    Alex Baxter touched his pencil to his teeth. He wrote down everything.
    “What shall we do when we see Tom leave the house?” asked Jay. “How can we follow him if he has a car?”
    “It will not be necessary to follow him,” Alex Baxter said. “One of the other detectives assigned to this case is out on the street now, waiting in a car parked behind Tom’s car. The way I waited behind Jenny Mayflower’s car. As soon as Tom leaves, my partner will follow. And Tom will lead us to Jenny. They both will be behind bars tonight!” He smiled at them.
    Cindy’s heart was pounding. Jenny and Tom in jail! She could hardly believe it.
    Dexter pushed his glasses up on his nose. “But why should we watch if someone is waiting behind Tom’s car?”
    Alex Baxter smiled a patient smile. “Because he may not take his car. He may go on foot. Now my telephone number is on my card. I want you to telephone that number the moment you see Tom leaving.”
    “It’s a Chicago number,” said Dexter. “And it will take you an hour to drive to Chicago.”
    “I have an answering service,” Alex Baxter said quickly. “Just leave your message. I call in every half hour and get any messages left for me. I keep track of other detectives on the case too. I will call you about developments and instructions.”
    Cindy tried to think. Should they tell him they had the iron dog? It must be an important piece of evidence.
    “You were looking for something when you came in,” said Cindy. “You thought it was in that package. But it was just an old vase.”
    “You are a very observant young lady,” smiled Alex Baxter. “Indeed I was looking for something.
    “Something very, very important to this case. I was looking for a doorstop—a doorstop in the shape of a dog. Without it, we cannot prove our case against Jenny Mayflower and Tom Foster.”
    Cindy’s head was spinning. “Why can’t you prove your case? Why is a doorstop important?” she asked.
    They would have to tell him! They would have to. Still she held back. Now wasn’t the time.
    Alex Baxter strode to the glass door and looked out. “We must move quickly,” he said. “Tom Foster has looked in this direction again.”
    “What if Jenny comes back?” asked Dexter. “Should we call you then?”
    “She won’t be coming back,” said Alex Baxter positively. “She and Tom are going to meet outside of town. We’ll pick them up at that point, if all goes well.” He glanced at them and smiled. “It’s really been a piece of luck for me to run across such fine, clever detectives. You go now. Act as if nothing has happened. I’ll leave in a few minutes.” He walked out the door and through the dining room.
    The three detectives stared after him. And then they stared at each other.
    “We have to tell him that we have the iron dog,” whispered Dexter. “He says it’s the real proof. The real proof that Tom Foster and Jenny Mayflower are crooks!”
    “We’re concealing evidence,” Jay said.
    “Let’s tell him when we call on the telephone,” suggested Cindy. “We have to talk first. We have to prove what we know—that Tom Foster hid the iron dog in the snowman.”
    Dexter groaned. “Mr. Hooley’s Rule coming up!”
    “Right,” said Cindy. “We can’t tell a real detective a thing we haven’t proved ourselves.”
    “But we can prove that we have the dog,” said Jay.
    “But that’s all we can prove,” answered Cindy. “Let’s go over our notes and then call him.”
    “I’ll settle for anything,” agreed Dexter. “As long as we get something to eat. I’m starved.” He walked over to pick up the cactus plants he had set aside. “Can’t forget these!”
    The Spotlighters walked to the front door. Many people were coming and going. Someone was paying Tom for a silver