Chocolate Sundae Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page A

Saunders. “We’re glad you’re not hurt.” Angela frowned, but she didn’t say anything more.
    “May I get you anything, Mrs. Saunders?” Violet asked, coming over to her booth with a menu.
    Mrs. Saunders looked curiously at Violet. “Oh, do you know my ice cream truck? Is that how you know my name?” She sounded pleased.
    “Well, yes,” Violet admitted.
    “You could bring me a glass of water.” She looked at Violet more closely. “Aren’t you one of the children who wouldn’t buy my ice cream? You had a dog with you.”
    Violet nodded. She felt her cheeks flush.
    “Well,” Mrs. Saunders said fanning her face with her menu. “I didn’t know you worked in the parlor.”
    “Would you like to try any of our ice cream?” Violet asked politely.
    “Yes, I could try it.” Mrs. Saunders sounded like she was doing Violet a favor. “What about a small sample of your fresh peach? I hear from my customers you’re out of chocolate.” Mrs. Saunders looked smug.
    Violet nodded.
    “Do you have samples? I just want to taste it. I don’t want to pay for a whole portion,” Mrs. Saunders said.
    “Well, I’ll have to ask the owner,” Violet answered.
    Simone came back in the parlor just as Violet was bringing Mrs. Saunders her glass of water. The waitress carried a piece of paper with some writing on it. When she saw Violet looking at her, she hurriedly folded the note and put it in the pocket of her apron.
    Twenty minutes later, Mrs. Saunders had enjoyed a glass of lemonade on the house. She had also sampled the strawberry, vanilla, and peach ice cream. In exchange, Mrs. Saunders had agreed to bring Mr. Brown small samples of her ice cream to taste the following day.
    “It’s too bad the chocolate isn’t ready,” Mrs. Saunders said as she wiped her mouth with her napkin. “But may I try your hot fudge sauce?” She leaned back in the booth.
    “Mrs. Saunders, we’re getting ready to close up now,” Mr. Brown said gently. “I can give you some hot fudge to take with you.”
    “Oh, thank you. And maybe some strawberry and butterscotch sauce, too. Just enough to taste now,” she called after Mr. Brown.
    Henry exchanged glances with Jessie. “Mrs. Saunders, what made you change your mind about the Shoppe’s ice cream?”
    “Well, I’d never tried it before. It’s old-fashioned, but it isn’t bad. Not bad at all.”
    “Isn’t there anything you would like to buy here, Mrs. Saunders?” Henry hinted. “What about a small cone?”
    Mrs. Saunders frowned and looked at her watch. She checked it against the big clock at the counter. “Your clock has stopped,” she said.
    “Yes, we know,” Mr. Brown called as he came out of the kitchen. He placed three small paper cups, all wrapped, in front of Mrs. Saunders. “It’s very old. I’m trying to find someone who can fix it.”
    “Well, I must be going,” Mrs. Saunders said. Reluctantly, she rose out of the booth and carefully put the samples in her large bag. On the way out, she did buy a small — very small — vanilla cone.
    “I know Mrs. Saunders was trying to be nice, but I still don’t trust her,” Henry said as the children pedaled home through the park.
    “Me neither.” Benny was out of breath. He had to pedal very hard to catch up with Henry.
    “I know what you mean,” Violet said. She was just behind Benny. “Mrs. Saunders looked very pleased we’d run out of chocolate ice cream this afternoon.”
    “That probably improved her afternoon business,” Jessie remarked.
    “I wonder if Mrs. Saunders took that chocolate ice cream,” Henry said. He pedaled more slowly so Benny could keep up with him.
    “And the missing glasses and hot fudge sauce,” Benny reminded them.
    “There could be another reason all those things are missing,” Violet said.
    “Like what?” Benny turned around to look at Violet with raised eyebrows. His bicycle swerved a little on the dirt road.
    “Maybe Simone or Brian broke those glasses, and didn’t