Crime Stories Read Online Free

riverboat. They always took the same route, but just to be sure they didn’t deviate from their routine, Marty kept them in sight. He tailed them up to their estate and parked across the street. Once the Richardsons were through their electric fence, the armed guards waved farewell and drove away.
    Which left Marty alone to do his work.
    He kept his tools in a large satchel under his seat. After setting the parking brake, he grabbed the bag and exited his vehicle through the rear door.
    The electrified gate crackled in the night air. From the bag, Marty removed some heavy rubber gloves and galoshes. Rubber didn’t conduct electricity, and Marty climbed over the fence safely.
    The mansion stood three stories high, boasting dozens of rooms. Marty located the five bullhorns attached to the outside of the building. Any unauthorized person trying to get in through a door or window would trigger these sirens. He filled each bullhorn with a can of aerosol insulating foam—the kind homeowners use in their attics to reduce drafts. The foam filled every crack and crevice, quickly hardening into a solid material. The sirens would still go off, but they wouldn’t be any louder than a whisper.
    With the alarm system beaten, Marty located the living room window and pushed a plumber’s plunger onto the surface. Using a diamond edged tool, he cut around the plunger until he could remove the glass.
    When he had a hole in the window, he took a thermos from his bag and shook out a ball of raw hamburger.
    Scruffy, the Richardson’s harmless but noisy pug, came running into the room. Before the dog could begin barking, Marty stuck his hand through the hole in the window, holding the hamburger. Mixed in with the meat were sleeping pills.
    The dog gobbled up the treat, then stared at Marty, waiting for more. Marty gave the dog a rawhide bone. Scruffy chewed for five full minutes, then closed his eyes and began to snore harmlessly.
    Marty felt for the latch and opened the window. He listened closely for the Richardsons, hearing a TV in another part of the house.
    The safe, Marty knew from his many reconnaissance visits, was behind a large painted portrait of Mrs. Richardson. Marty crept up to it in the darkness, removing a cordless drill and a feather pillow from his bag. Unzipping the pillow, he placed the drill inside until just the large bit protruded, and then began drilling the safe, the sound muffled by the feathers.
    He’d barely begun when the lights suddenly switched on. Marty spun around, reaching for his pistol, but decided against it when he saw the room was filled with cops.
    Marty dropped the drill and raised his hands.
    “How did you get here so fast?” Marty asked. “My plan was perfect!”
    The lead detective answered. “The casino helped the Richardsons set up the phoney slot machine payoff tonight, to lure you here. We’ve been waiting for you for over an hour. You made one very big mistake.”
    What was Marty’s mistake?
    SOLUTION: Marty didn’t own a car, so every time he followed the Richardsons and parked near their house, it was using his work vehicle…a school bus. The Richardsons spotted it easily, and knew something was going on because there are no school buses that run at night.

This is the Mini Mystery that Woman’s World finally bought. I still have no idea why they preferred this one over the other three. It’s actually my least favorite.
    Some folks will do anything to win…
    T he Bitsy Farmer Rocky Mountain Cake Bake-Off had played host to many wonderful desserts over the past ten years, but this was the first time it played host to a criminal.
    Bitsy stared at the five finalists and frowned. When she began the contest a decade ago, it was to help new chefs. But things had gotten ugly. Really ugly.
    Bitsy’s skills in the kitchen had given rise to a multi-million dollar cake-mix company. Always the innovator, Bitsy used the Rocky Mountain Cake Bake-Off to encourage amateur cooks. The winner