Ice Cream Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page B

gets water at every stop.”
    “And she has her own barn and stall and paddock,” said Jessie.
    “And oats at night,” Benny said.
    “Who complained?” Violet asked.
    “I’m not allowed to say,” Officer Pierre replied. “But whoever said you were treating your horse badly obviously didn’t know what they were talking about.”
    “Or whoever it was wanted to cause trouble,” Henry said in a low voice.
    Neither Officer Pierre nor Brianna heard him, but Jessie did. She glanced over quickly and Henry knew she’d been thinking the same thing.
    “Butterscotch and I don’t go out during the hot part of the day. And if it is too hot—or too cold—we won’t go out at all,” Brianna was saying.
    “I’m writing this complaint up as unfounded,” Officer Pierre reassured her. “That means there is nothing to it, and if we get another complaint, we’ll look much more closely at it before contacting you.”
    “Good,” said Benny.
    After the officer had left, Brianna and Violet served a few more ice-cream cones to customers, including one more familiar face. It was the blond woman with the dark eyebrows. “One scoop,” Brianna predicted in a low voice as they watched the customer approach. “And no matter what flavor, she won’t eat it all.”
    Brianna was right.
    “What’s your freshest ice cream?” demanded the woman.
    “It’s all fresh,” Brianna told her.
    “The ice cream you just made,” the woman said.
    “Our special flavor, banana split,” said Brianna.
    “I’ll take it. One scoop,” the woman said.
    She looked the wagon over as she waited for her scoop.
    “Would you like to pet Butterscotch?” Jessie asked.
    “The horse? No, thank you,” said the woman. She paid for her cone and took a careful taste. “It is fresh,” she said.
    “Yes, it is,” said Violet.
    The customer walked around the back of the wagon, still looking it over. Then she left, taking tiny, careful tastes of her ice cream.
    Benny saw her toss it into a trash can across the street.
    “She threw it away!” he said in horror.
    “Do I know my customers, or what?” said Brianna. “She does that every time.”
    They had a few more customers, but it was getting late now. When the last one had left, Henry unhitched Butterscotch from the tree, emptied the water bucket, and tied it to the side of the wagon. He and Jessie climbed in the back while Brianna joined Benny on the driver’s seat. Violet closed the Dutch door and latched it, and then went to the front of the wagon to peer through the little window behind the driver. “Ready,” she said.
    “Giddyap, Butterscotch,” Benny said.
    “Home, girl,” said Brianna, and Butterscotch, who knew that was where they were going anyway, turned in the direction of the Ice Cream Barn—and her own barn, too.
    Inside the wagon, Jessie said in a low voice so Brianna wouldn’t hear her, “I think whoever complained about Butterscotch was trying to cause more trouble for the Ice Cream Barn.”
    “I think so, too,” said Henry. “Anyone can see that Butterscotch isn’t being mistreated.”
    “It was a mean thing to do,” said Violet. “It upset Brianna. But who could have done it?”
    “Remember Benny saying he’d seen Marcos? It could have been Marcos. Benny waved at him, so Marcos knew the ice-cream wagon was making its rounds,” said Jessie.
    “So did Preston,” said Jessie. “And he was just here, right before the police officer came.”
    “He sure was,” said Henry. “He was here and he was in a very bad mood. And he asked about Butterscotch.”
    They looked at one another. Violet said, “It doesn’t really prove anything. And the one who complained about Butterscotch before was Mr. Bush.”
    Henry frowned. “True.” He paused, then said, “Wait a minute.” Going to the front of the wagon, he spoke through the window. “Benny, remember you said you saw some of our neighbors today?”
    “Yes,” said Benny. “I waved at them.”
    “Was Mr. Bush