A Killer Deal (A Seagrove Cozy Mystery Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

holding classes in the park. Didn’t like that for some reason.”
     
    “And was there disciplinary action or anything like that?” Zack asked.
     
    “I don’t think so, but Justin is going to come down here to talk to you later today, so you can ask him yourself,” Sadie said.
     
    “And what do you think, Sadie? Is Justin Ives the kind of person who would murder over that kind of thing? After all, Roger could have lost him his job.”
     
    “I don’t think Justin has that kind of passion. And anyway, if he was telling the truth Crossgrove never spoke to him about it. He didn’t know that Roger ratted him out. Although apparently Roger was not happy with Justin. He was another one who had trouble with the two first names thing.” Sadie sighed.
     
    All it took was a little effort to show some respect. So many people weren’t willing to make that effort. She stood up and Mr. Bradshaw jumped down from his chair and gave a little bark.
     
    “Can Mr. B have a little treat?” Zack asked. He rustled around in a drawer and came out with a small dog chew.
     
    “Sure,” Sadie said, “But make him do a trick first.”
     
    “Mr. Bradshaw,” Zack said, “Come here.” Mr. Bradshaw ran around the desk and stood at alert his tail high over his back and quivering.
     
    “Sit pretty,” Zack said. Mr. B did as he was told and sat on his haunches and lifted his front paws in the air.
     
    “Good dog,” Zack said and gave the treat to Mr. B, who took the chew from the chief with perfect manners.
     
    “Don’t you ever wonder who trained this dog?” Zack asked.
     
    “All the time,” Sadie said. “But even if I knew I’d never give him back. He was in appalling condition when I found him. Come on Mr. Bradshaw, it’s time to open the shop. Bye, Chief.”
     
    Sadie thought she heard him sigh as she left and realized she’d called him chief again. It wasn’t that she didn’t like calling the chief Zack. It was a good enough name. It was just that he had always been the Chief to her and she didn’t see that changing. She wondered if the Chief was as upset about it as Mr. Roberts had been. Well, she would have to try harder.
     
    She and Mr. Bradshaw walked back to the shop in the early afternoon sunshine. It was a lovely day. Maybe she would pull a chair out onto the sidewalk and mind the store from there. It was such a pity to be inside when it was so delightful outside.
     
    And outside on the sidewalk was where she and Mr. B were sitting when the phone rang. Sadie got up and went inside to answer a call from Rosie Tricare.
     
    “Oh Sadie,” she said. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve just remembered someone else who had trouble with dear Roger.”
     
    Sadie found it amusing that Roger, who did nothing but badger Rosie in life, had become dear Roger in death. And at that moment the bell on the shop door rang announcing an arrival.
     
    “Just call Chief Woodstone, Rosie. I must go, I have a customer.” She hung up and went to find Olivia Brown fingering a brass paperweight in the shape of a frog.
     
    “Can I help you find something, Olivia?” Sadie asked.
     
    “Do you remember when you came back from Montana, Sadie, you had this strange branding iron with assorted tips? I think it was electric?” Olivia asked.
     
    “Yeah, I do remember that,” Sadie said her Spidey senses on high alert.
     
    “I’m making a new sign for the farm,” Olivia said, “and I thought it might be nice to burn some symbols around the edges. I’d like to buy that from you if I may.”
     
    “I don’t have it anymore, Olivia,” Sadie said. “I’m sorry.”
     
    “Oh well, I suppose I could find something else to use. Maybe the craft store has a wood burning tool I could buy.” Olivia looked around the shop blankly. “I’m trying to encourage more people to buy their veggies straight from us, rather than the grocery shops. We could use the extra profit.”
     
    “Would you like a soda?” Sadie asked.