A Haunted Theft (A Lin Coffin Mystery Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page B

Very distant, but we’ve learned a good deal about our Native American heritage. My mother and I share an interest in it.”
    “You were here the night of the robbery?” Lin questioned. She was sure that she’d seen the girl the night the basket went missing, but wanted to know if the young woman worked in the other exhibition rooms and might have seen something.
    A cloud passed over Mary’s face as she gave a nod. “I was working that night.”
    “I was here as well,” Lin explained. “It was very upsetting. Did you talk with the police?”
    “Yes. They questioned everyone.”
    “Has any progress been made on finding out what happened to the basket?”
    Mary gave a little shrug of her shoulder. “I haven’t heard anything.”
    “What room were you working in that night?”
    A flutter of surprise at Lin’s question showed in Mary’s eyes. “I was here.” She hurriedly added, “I didn’t see anything. The basket was in the next room.” Mary raised her hand and pointed to the doorway leading into the second exhibition space.
    “Did any of the other workers see anything?”
    “I don’t think so.” Mary flicked her eyes towards the lobby.
    “Who was working in the second room that night?”
    “Um. I’m not sure. I work in here because I know a lot of the history.” Mary’s demeanor changed as she spoke. Her straight posture seemed to sag a little and her gaze shifted down towards the floor and then around the room not making eye contact with Lin as she had before the topic of the theft came up. “The people in the second and third rooms change around. I don’t know who was in there the night of the robbery.”
    Viv came up beside her cousin and spotted Mary’s name tag. “Oh, Mary Frye? You’re Mary Frye? I’ve seen some of your baskets for sale in the Grey Lady Shop. Beautiful.”
    Mary looked relieved and smiled at Viv’s compliment. She thanked her for the kind words.
    “I can’t believe you’re so young.” Viv shook her head. “I thought you must be older. The quality of your work is special. You have a gift.”
    Mary’s cheeks flushed pink.
    “It will take me the rest of my life to reach your skill level.” Viv moaned. “And even then, I’ll probably never be as good.”
    “It just takes practice.” Mary encouraged Viv.
    “You don’t give classes by any chance, do you?” Viv stepped closer.
    “Well, yes, I do.” Mary chuckled. Her cheeks still retained the blush from Viv’s praise.
    Viv clasped her hands together. “Do you have a website? How can I sign up?”
    Mary gave Viv the information and told her when the next class would begin.
    “I’m so glad to have run into you.” Viv beamed. She glanced over at her cousin and saw the slight scowl that Lin was directing at her. Viv swallowed hard realizing she had shirked her detective work. She collected herself and turned her eyes to Mary. “It was really terrible about the stolen basket. It made me sick when I heard about it.” She lowered her voice. “What on earth happened? How could someone steal the basket right out from under everyone’s noses?”
    Lin moved away quietly hoping that Viv’s personality and interest in weaving might cause Mary to be more forthcoming than she’d been when Lin asked about the robbery. Lin edged around the corner and into the next room where she lurked near the first basket on display trying to hear what Mary was saying.
    Just as Mary started to speak, a visitor came up to her with a question and Mary excused herself and led the person over to the timeline on the wall.
    Viv entered the second room to find Lin.
    “I heard.” Lin frowned.
    “I think she was going to say something about the robbery.” Viv looked back over her shoulder. “I don’t know. I felt like she was going to tell me something.”
    “Maybe if you take her class, you’ll be able to bring the theft up again.” Lin hoped that Mary might open up to Viv since they both shared a love of crafting the