Mystery of the Melting Snowman Read Online Free PDF Page B

walked quickly and silently toward the figure. The figure walked toward her. And suddenly Cindy was face to face with the other person. She was staring into her own eyes. A mirror! It was framed in dark brown wood and was fastened to the door. At the top of the glass was etched an owl with outstretched wings.
    And then suddenly Cindy heard a noise to her right. She turned her head. The doorknob of the closed door was turning slowly.
    What was behind that door? The man in black—it must be. With wide eyes Cindy stared. She couldn’t take her eyes off the turning doorknob.
    The door opened slowly toward Cindy. She was glued to the spot. It was the man in black. He stared down at her. His black eyes under his bushy black eyebrows seemed to bore right through her. He grabbed her arm. Cindy tried to pull loose, but his long thin fingers gripped tightly. She opened her mouth to call for help.
    “Wait!” he whispered urgently. “You don’t understand! I’m a detective!”

Chapter 6
A Detective!
    “Y OU’RE A DETECTIVE!” gasped Cindy.
    “No wonder you suspected me,” said the man in black. “Of course you thought I was acting in a very suspicious manner. How were you to know? And I couldn’t explain. I was afraid you might tell someone.”
    Cindy swallowed. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t realize—”
    The man interrupted. “I feel I can trust you. I feel I can trust you to cooperate with our investigation.” His black eyes peered at her. “I can, can’t I? I can trust you?”
    She nodded.
    “My name is Alex Baxter. I’ve been working on this case for some time. In fact, there are several men assigned to the case. It is that important. And we are finally nearing the end. We have the break we’ve been looking for.” He paused.
    “Maybe we can help you,” Cindy said quickly. “My name’s Cindy Temple. I live just across the street. My brother and our next-door neighbor and I have a detective club. The boys are downstairs now. We’ve solved a lot of mysteries.”
    “A detective club!” exclaimed Alex Baxter. His eyes gleamed. “Perfect! I’ll have to talk to all of you right now. Privately. We can’t let Tom Foster overhear us. I think you may be helpful. Yes, most helpful.”
    Cindy thought fast. Then Tom Foster was in on it after all, in on whatever was happening.
    Alex Baxter jerked his head toward the back stairway. “I’ll meet you and your detective club out on that porch where all the plants are. Hurry! We have no time to lose.”
    Cindy turned and ran quickly down the hall to the back stairway. She crept down the steps. She listened at the door before she opened it into the kitchen. Everything was quiet except for the hum of voices in the rest of the house.
    She slipped noiselessly into the kitchen. The boys were not in sight. But she found Jay in the study on the other side of the living room. “Where’s Dexter?” she asked in a whisper. “We’ve got to have a meeting—fast!”
    “What’s up?” asked Jay. “Dexter’s probably out on the greenhouse porch. He wants to buy some plants. Where were you, anyway?”
    “Hurry now, talk later,” said Cindy. “I’ll explain everything when we find Dexter.”
    They walked through the other rooms to the glassed-in porch. They saw Alex Baxter just ahead.
    Dexter was setting some small cactus plants aside. He looked up when Jay and Cindy entered. “Hey, these are great cactus plants,” he said. “I’m going to buy six.”
    Alex Baxter glanced at the boys. He and the members of the Spotlight Club were alone on the greenhouse porch. He shut the door.
    Dexter looked at Alex Baxter, then at Cindy and the closed door. “What’s going on?” he asked, pushing his glasses up.
    “This is Alex Baxter,” said Cindy quickly. “This is Dexter Tate, and this is my brother, Jay Temple.” Alex Baxter shook their hands.
    “Alex Baxter is a detective,” said Cindy.
    The boys stared. Jay’s eyebrows went up.
    Alex Baxter reached into his wallet