The Mastermind Plot Read Free

dear, it’s been far too long since I’ve seen my granddaughter. Besides, the papers were all raving about Suzanna’s heroics regarding that little missing girl. I found myself quite jealous that the reportersseemed to know her better than I did! It was utterly unacceptable.”
    She glanced at me. Her eyes were so like my father’s. I felt a deep tug in my stomach. Homesickness. I’d promised myself I wouldn’t be homesick, and shoved it down.
    â€œDarling, how was your trip? Miss Bridges, was it terribly uncomfortable?”
    It took me a second to understand that she was addressing Nellie. No one back home ever used her last name. She was the only Nellie in Loch Harbor.
    â€œNo more uncomfortable than standing on my feet all day in a hot kitchen,” Nellie replied as she perched herself on the edge of a curvy sofa. She’d never been one to mince words. I drew up my shoulders and looked nervously to my grandmother for her reaction. She had on a sympathetic pout.
    â€œOf course not. Benjamin writes so highly of your abilities. He and Cecilia must think of you superiorly to trust you with the care of their daughter.”
    Nellie weighed my grandmother’s compliment with plain skepticism. After an awkward moment, she said, “Well, the feelings are mutual. I think the world of Mr. and Mrs. Snow.”
    I waited for Nellie to say something kind about me but knew it was in vain.
    Grandmother then turned toward my uncle. “Now, Bruce, you don’t usually pay me visits on Tuesday afternoons. To what do I owe this pleasure? And good afternoon to you, Detective Grogan.”
    She cleared her throat, clearly wanting Uncle Bruce to introduce Detective Grogan to me. The title detective intrigued me and I immediately set about inspecting him. He was tall, like my uncle, but not as robust. His frame was more streamlined and wiry, like his eyeglasses.
    â€œGood afternoon, Mrs. Snow.” His voice did not match him at all. It was a raspy, deep tenor, nearly as burly as Uncle Bruce’s. I must have startled with surprise, because he glanced my way.
    â€œAnd to you as well, Miss Snow. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Detective Neil Grogan.” He dipped into a gentlemanly bow. On rising to his full height again, he added, “I was sorry to miss the investigation in Loch Harbor. I’m told you did a dandy of a job finding that young girl.”
    He tipped his head toward me in a sign of respect. I beamed with surprise.
    â€œThank you, it’s nice to meet you —”
    Uncle Bruce cleared his throat to drown me out. “Yes, well, Neil, I was sorry to have gone to my brother’s hotel without you. I had young Will with me, ofcourse, but the boy left me wanting for someone with more extensive field experience.”
    I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from arguing. Will, my cousin and Uncle Bruce’s apprentice over the summer, had been more than helpful. Will and I, not Uncle Bruce, had found little Maddie Cook. From the corner of my vision, I thought I saw Grandmother roll her eyes. But when I looked again, she was sitting primly and smiling at Uncle Bruce.
    â€œAnd so why have you ambled up to Lawton Square this afternoon, Bruce?” she asked, redirecting her point.
    â€œIt’s nothing, Mother. It can wait until after you’ve helped Suzanna settle in.”
    He took a sidelong glance at me. It hit like a blast of hot steam from the train.
    Detective Grogan stepped forward. “I might have discovered some similarities between the Horne fires and an older case, one that Bruce worked on when he was a rookie. He said you might still have some of his things from those days. Notebooks and such.”
    I stared at my uncle. Notebooks? Notebooks like mine? Uncle Bruce directed his eyes toward the ceiling, avoiding my glance.
    Grandmother leaned forward. “An older case? Well, I don’t know…. I might still have a few boxes