Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

Continue Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

                                                                                         Chapter 5

                                                          The Return of the Mystery Club Detectives

     The girls took their seats again, and Annie said, "I am."  She said it proudly, looking up at him and smiling broadly.  "I have a noon lunch to get ready for."  Ruthie announced, excusing herself.  When she was gone, Sheriff Cooper took her place.  "Miss Leighton is very upset."  Annie said, staring seriously at the sheriff.

   "Yes.  She is," she is."  He answered.  "She won't really resign?"  Beth said in a fretful voice.  "I don't know," the sheriff replied.  "That's her decision to make."  "She's so nice."  Trisha said, with an unhappy look on her face.  "She is a fine lady," the sheriff agreed.

     Then he smiled at Annie.  "I still can't believe I'm talking to Sara's daughter.  How is she?"  He asked eagerly.   Annie sniffed back a sudden tear.  (the letter she received from her mother still fresh in her mind.)   "She and my Dad were killed in a car crash when I was two years old."  She said, pausing often to get the words out.

     "I'm truly sorry Annie.  I admired her so."  Sheriff Cooper said, his eyes a bit watery.  "Thank you for saying that."  Annie said softly.  Then quickly she added,  "Hey!  How do you know my name?"  She said in a surprised voice.  Sheriff Cooper laughed.  "I'm not a mind reader.  Miss Leighton told me."

     "And you're Beth, Trisha and Katie; he said nodding at each of them in turn.  The girls giggled.  "I hate to do this, but I have to ask you some questions."  ( He hadn't known these girls for more than a few minutes, but he couldn't imagine these four doing anything criminal.)  He said this uncomfortably.  "We understand."  Annie assured him, glancing at her friends, who all nodded in agreement.

     Sheriff Cooper cleared his throat.  "Okay, well, where were you all from eight o'clock to ten thirty?"  He asked, taking out his notepad and pencil.  "That's an easy one."  Annie said.  "Yeah."  Beth chimed in.  "We were together."  "Yes. we were."  Trisha agreed.  "Yep.  We sure were."  Katie said in her southern drawl.

     The sheriff grinned at them and said, "I believe you."  "For about an half an hour we were in the common room looking at my album."  Annie said, taking it from her lap and laying it on the table.  "It's a scrapbook of her years here."  Sheriff Cooper grinned again.  "May I see it sometime?"  He asked.  "Sure."  Annie said, beaming at him.

     The sheriff then continued with his interview.  "I forgot to ask.  "What time did you all get to breakfast and what time did you leave?  If you know."  We got to the cafeteria at eight forty five."  Annie said immediately.  The sheriff made a note on his pad as he had been doing along as the girls were answering his questions.

     "And then what?"  He asked.  "We were there for about forty five minutes...."  Annie started.  "That's right.  It was nine thirty when we left."  Trisha agreed.  "You girls are very precise.  That's good."  Sheriff Cooper said, making notes and grinning.

       "So onto the  onto the common room.  Were you all in there all the time together?"  There was a moment of silence, then Beth spoke.  "Well, we got to the back of the scrapbook, and Annie found an envelope...." she looked at Katie and Trisha who suddenly looked sympathetically at Annie.  ...."Well, we thought it might be something private,  so we walked out into the hall to the vending machines to get drinks."

     "We were gone about ten minutes."  Beth finished.  After making his notes, the sheriff said, "That was very considerate of you girls."  "It was a letter from my Mom."  Annie said softly, looking at her shoes.  Sheriff Cooper didn't know what to say, so after clearing his throat, he continued his questions.