be careful over there," Aunt Maggie said, worry creeping into her voice.
I knew I couldn't get up on the roof, so I circled the perimeter of the restaurant looking for clues. Maybe there were footprints, and if there were, I was stepping all over them. The light bounced on something scrawled on the wall. It might be graffiti, although I hadn’t seen anything like that anywhere else in town. I brought the light closer and could see a circle with something inside.
A thief who liked big animals and smelled of paint—that could be anyone in Pecan Bayou. Around here, art in Pecan Bayou often consisted of paint-by-number specials bought at Super Walley. Holding the light closer to the wall, a yellow figure came into view. It was a smiley face. I knew who the thief was.
I flicked off the flashlight and hurried back to the car where Aunt Maggie and Danny waited.
"Did you see the bad man, Betsy?"
"Nope. He got away."
"Don't worry. Uncle Judd will get him. He always gets the bad men."
"That's right honey," Aunt Maggie said, stifling a yawn.
Birdie pulled in front of the diner, her tires squealing.
"Birdie, I didn’t expect you down here this quickly." My father looked from Birdie to a man who stood with his arm around her. "And this is?"
"Sorry, Judd. This is my boyfriend. Jeff Ellis."
Ellis looked up at the roof.
"Dagnabbit." He hit his ball cap on the leg of his jeans. "I knew it. I called the police department right after the cow was stolen. The guy told me they don’t do protective patrols for inanimate objects."
"Normally, we don’t," my dad replied. "Who did you talk to, exactly?"
"That big guy with the high voice."
"That would have been Officer Beckman."
"Right—that dude."
"Who would steal a chicken made out of soup cans? I mean, what would it be worth to anybody?" Birdie said.
Jeff withdrew his arm from around Birdie’s shoulder and faced her.
"Are you saying my chicken wasn't worth stealing?"
Realizing her error, Birdie backpedaled. "I’m just so upset."
I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw a little relief in Birdie’s eyes. Bad gifts from new boyfriends could be hard to say no to.
Birdie and her boyfriend talked to my father for a few more minutes. I stepped back to the car where Maggie was waiting.
"Well I guess this evening is a bust," I said.
"These things happen. Let's head home to get some sleep. I think we’re all tuckered out."
Maggie was right. Suddenly, I was incredibly exhausted. Not only that, but I hadn’t called Leo in the last few hours. If he were to get home before me and find out I had been trying to catch a thief all night, there would be hell to pay.
I dropped Maggie and Danny off and headed straight home. As I let myself into the house, my phone started ringing.
"Hey Betsy, sorry I'm so late calling. I'm on my way home right now. How are you feeling?"
"Oh… fine. Just fine." Leo did not respond immediately. We were getting to the point where he knew when I was trying to hide something.
"Are you sure? You not feeling the twinges of any kind of labor are you?"
"No. The baby is fine."
"Good. I'm so glad to hear that. I’m proud of you for taking a night to relax. We have a big delivery coming, and you need all the energy you can get."
I had a pang of guilt as I remembered how close I had come to climbing up on the air conditioner earlier. Should I tell him the truth, or should I just let him find out about it later? I decided to save it for later.
"It’s all about taking care of yourself," I said.
"You’re so right. I'll be home soon."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After a lousy night’s sleep, and once Leo left for the day, I decided to head over to Benny’s Barbecue to have a talk with Sasha.
Sasha Holman, the waitress at Benny's, had mentioned her ex was a painter. She also mentioned her disapproval of his signature smiley face.
Would this guy be stupid enough to steal something and leave behind a signature?
I knew I couldn't get up on the roof, so I circled the perimeter of the restaurant looking for clues. Maybe there were footprints, and if there were, I was stepping all over them. The light bounced on something scrawled on the wall. It might be graffiti, although I hadn’t seen anything like that anywhere else in town. I brought the light closer and could see a circle with something inside.
A thief who liked big animals and smelled of paint—that could be anyone in Pecan Bayou. Around here, art in Pecan Bayou often consisted of paint-by-number specials bought at Super Walley. Holding the light closer to the wall, a yellow figure came into view. It was a smiley face. I knew who the thief was.
I flicked off the flashlight and hurried back to the car where Aunt Maggie and Danny waited.
"Did you see the bad man, Betsy?"
"Nope. He got away."
"Don't worry. Uncle Judd will get him. He always gets the bad men."
"That's right honey," Aunt Maggie said, stifling a yawn.
Birdie pulled in front of the diner, her tires squealing.
"Birdie, I didn’t expect you down here this quickly." My father looked from Birdie to a man who stood with his arm around her. "And this is?"
"Sorry, Judd. This is my boyfriend. Jeff Ellis."
Ellis looked up at the roof.
"Dagnabbit." He hit his ball cap on the leg of his jeans. "I knew it. I called the police department right after the cow was stolen. The guy told me they don’t do protective patrols for inanimate objects."
"Normally, we don’t," my dad replied. "Who did you talk to, exactly?"
"That big guy with the high voice."
"That would have been Officer Beckman."
"Right—that dude."
"Who would steal a chicken made out of soup cans? I mean, what would it be worth to anybody?" Birdie said.
Jeff withdrew his arm from around Birdie’s shoulder and faced her.
"Are you saying my chicken wasn't worth stealing?"
Realizing her error, Birdie backpedaled. "I’m just so upset."
I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw a little relief in Birdie’s eyes. Bad gifts from new boyfriends could be hard to say no to.
Birdie and her boyfriend talked to my father for a few more minutes. I stepped back to the car where Maggie was waiting.
"Well I guess this evening is a bust," I said.
"These things happen. Let's head home to get some sleep. I think we’re all tuckered out."
Maggie was right. Suddenly, I was incredibly exhausted. Not only that, but I hadn’t called Leo in the last few hours. If he were to get home before me and find out I had been trying to catch a thief all night, there would be hell to pay.
I dropped Maggie and Danny off and headed straight home. As I let myself into the house, my phone started ringing.
"Hey Betsy, sorry I'm so late calling. I'm on my way home right now. How are you feeling?"
"Oh… fine. Just fine." Leo did not respond immediately. We were getting to the point where he knew when I was trying to hide something.
"Are you sure? You not feeling the twinges of any kind of labor are you?"
"No. The baby is fine."
"Good. I'm so glad to hear that. I’m proud of you for taking a night to relax. We have a big delivery coming, and you need all the energy you can get."
I had a pang of guilt as I remembered how close I had come to climbing up on the air conditioner earlier. Should I tell him the truth, or should I just let him find out about it later? I decided to save it for later.
"It’s all about taking care of yourself," I said.
"You’re so right. I'll be home soon."
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After a lousy night’s sleep, and once Leo left for the day, I decided to head over to Benny’s Barbecue to have a talk with Sasha.
Sasha Holman, the waitress at Benny's, had mentioned her ex was a painter. She also mentioned her disapproval of his signature smiley face.
Would this guy be stupid enough to steal something and leave behind a signature?
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