Alice-Miranda Shines Bright 8 Read Online Free PDF

morning at breakfast time. She was sitting right where you are now, and she didn’t stop talking the whole time. I thought my head was going to explode with all the drivel that came out of that woman’s mouth.’
    â€˜What did she talk about?’ the policeman asked.
    â€˜I don’t remember,’ Myrtle said crossly.
    â€˜But surely you can remember little bits of what Nurse Raylene said,’ Alice-Miranda suggested. ‘I had a lovely conversation with her about her family the last time I visited Mr Parker –’
    Myrtle cut the child off. ‘Well, she never mentioned any family to me.’
    Constable Derby looked towards Alice-Miranda, who was standing on the other side of the table. ‘Do you remember what she said about her family?’
    Alice-Miranda nodded. ‘Her father hadn’t been at all well and she was hoping to visit him soon.’
    â€˜Did she say where he was?’
    â€˜I’m afraid not. Our conversation ended when Mrs Parker arrived home and needed some help carrying something from the car.’
    â€˜That’s a pity then.’ The constable glared at the old woman. ‘Do you know where her family is from, Mrs Parker?’
    â€˜Of course not. It’s not in my nature to pry into other people’s personal business,’ Myrtle tutted.
    Millie could hardly keep a straight face. Nosey Parker didn’t get that name for nothing. She knew more about the people who lived in the village than anyone, and she didn’t mind sharing her information either.
    Myrtle noticed her fidgeting. ‘What’s the matter with you, Millicent? Do you need the toilet? It’s along the hall, but make sure that you flush and put the lid down.’
    â€˜I don’t need to go to the toilet!’ Millie protested. Sloane giggled and Millie gave her a death stare.
    â€˜Constable Derby, do you think we should be out searching for Mr Parker?’ Alice-Miranda asked.
    â€˜We’ll get to that soon, Alice-Miranda. It’s important to establish just how long Mr Parker and Nurse Raylene have been missing.’
    â€˜Quite long enough,’ Myrtle snapped. ‘The child’s right. Get the search teams together. Call in the sniffer dogs. Put out an ABC.’
    â€˜What’s that?’ Sloane asked.
    â€˜I think Mrs Parker means an APB,’ Millie said.
    â€˜Well, what’s that?’ Sloane asked again.
    â€˜It means all-points bulletin. They say it all the time on American television shows when they’re looking for the bad guys.’
    Myrtle Parker wasn’t feeling at all well. ‘I think I need to lie down.’
    Ambrosia Headlington-Bear offered to help her to her room and the pair disappeared down the hallway.
    â€˜What do we do now?’ Alice-Miranda asked the constable.
    â€˜I’m going to alert the detectives in Downs­fordvale. But with a few hours’ head start, I’m afraid Reginald and Raylene could be anywhere.’
    â€˜Do you really think he’s with Nurse Raylene?’ Jacinta asked. ‘Sounds weird to me. He didn’t even know her – he was asleep.’
    Sloane’s eyes widened. ‘But what if he wasn’t?’
    â€˜Of course he was,’ Millie said. ‘We all saw him in there, on the bed.’
    â€˜But what if he was faking it and was awake, and then when Mrs Parker was out, Nurse Raylene and Mr Parker made a plan to get away,’ Sloane prattled.
    â€˜Seriously, you’ve been watching too much TV,’ Millie said. ‘That’s a stupid idea.’
    Constable Derby was furiously scribbling away. He looked up from his notepad and smiled at Sloane. ‘That wouldn’t be the strangest thing I’ve ever heard.’
    â€˜See?’ She poked her tongue out at Millie.
    Alice-Miranda shook her head. ‘I’ve been reading to Mr Parker every week for a little while now and I really don’t see how he could