The Ice-cold Case Read Free Page B

we may have already solved this one,” Riley said.
    â€œWhat did Ray mean that Ernie had it in for him and his dad?” Joe asked.
    â€œErnie and Ray’s dad used to be business partners,” Riley said. “The relationship didn’t end well.”
    Riley was obviously not going to elaborate, so Frank changed the subject.
    â€œHow many houses have been hit?” Frank asked.
    â€œAll told, nearly two dozen over the last three years,” Riley said.
    â€œWhat’s been stolen?” Frank hoped Riley wouldn’t realize he was being grilled and clam up on them.
    â€œMostly silver and jewelry, watches, that kind ofthing,” Riley said. “And none of the usual fencing operations got any of it. We’ve checked all the way into the city.”
    â€œYou think they’re stashing it, then,” Frank continued.
    â€œEither that or traveling a good way before they sell it,” Riley said. “Do you think Ray is in on this?”
    â€œI hope not,” Joe said. “He can be a world-class jerk, but he did help us out on some cases. Deep down, I think he’s okay.”
    â€œLet’s hope so,” Riley said.
    Frank and Joe thanked Riley and then took a look around the Andersons’ yard. With the footprints of so many police officers in the snow, it was impossible to identify where the robber might have stepped.
    â€œLet’s walk back to Sarah’s,” Joe said. “Maybe we’ll see something new from that perspective.”
    â€œYou know,” Joe said after they’d gotten their footing on the smooth ice, “Ray couldn’t have done it.”
    â€œWhy not?” Frank asked.
    â€œDidn’t Riley say this has been going on for the last three years?” Joe asked.
    â€œYeah,” Frank said.
    â€œRay went to live with his mother last year in Michigan,” Joe said.
    â€œGood point,” Frank said. “Besides, do you think Ray would be stupid enough to antagonize everyone in the area and then rob their homes?”
    â€œYou’d think he’d keep a low profile,” Joe said.
    â€œSo if it isn’t Ray, who is doing it?” Frank asked.
    â€œI guess that’s what we’ve got to find out,” Joe said.
    When they returned to Sarah’s house, they found everyone in the huge living room gathered around a roaring fire, drinking hot chocolate. Bundled up in the center of the crowd was Phil Cohen. Phil had been out working on the snow sculpture so long his fingers were nearly frozen.
    â€œWho wants ice cream?” Mrs. Kwan asked as Frank and Joe came into the living room.
    â€œI don’t suppose you could serve it hot,” Phil said with a groan.
    Mr. Kwan took Frank and Joe aside. “So, did you guys find out anything?” he asked.
    â€œNothing definite,” Joe said.
    â€œThe police are still looking for clues,” Frank said.
    â€œLeave them alone, dear,” Mrs. Kwan said, handing them each bowls filled with chocolate, butter pecan, and mocha chip ice cream. “This is a party!”
    But Joe wasn’t about to let go of the investigation for the sake of a birthday party. Instead, he drew Mrs. Kwan into the discussion.
    â€œWhat do you think about the break-ins, Mrs. Kwan? Have you seen anything?” Joe asked.
    â€œEvery time there’s a robbery, the police ask us the same thing,” Mrs. Kwan said. “And every time, I give the same answer: we didn’t hear or see any cars pass by.”
    â€œAnd I don’t think you could get a car by my house without me knowing about it,” Mr. Kwanadded. He put his ice cream down and put his arm around his wife’s shoulder.
    â€œWhy is that?” Joe asked.
    â€œBecause the road is so near the house on the one side. We built too close, but it was either that or we would have had to blast out a boulder.”
    â€œThere’s so little traffic anyway,” Mrs. Kwan said. “We