Gretel and the Case of the Missing Frog Prints Read Online Free

dead now, of course. Wolfie was an only child. Inherited the place. Been there years. Would be good to see him again, chew over old times.”
    Just as Gretel was about to make Hans’s day a thunderous hammering started up on the front door, accompanied by bossy shouting.
    â€œOpen up! Kingsman’s business. Open the door!”
    Hans, accustomed to being barked at, moved toward the hallway.
    â€œWait!” Gretel hissed at him in a stage whisper, propelling herself from her day bed to grab his arm. “Not yet. They’ll want to take me away for questioning. We have to think of something to say to stall them.”
    â€œHang it all, Gretel, you know I’m no good at play acting.”
    â€œOpen up!”
    â€œThat’s not Strudel,” Gretel pointed out. “He’s sent an underling to fetch me. Tell him . . .”
    The hammering grew louder.
    â€œTell him what? He’ll be through that door in a minute.”
    â€œJust say I’m out, but you’re certain I’ll be back in time for tea. He will find me in then. Go on!” She shoved him out of the sitting room and hurriedly hid herself behind the day bed. She heard Hans clear his throat before unbolting the door.
    â€œAh, good afternoon, officer. No need for all this hammering. Not as fast on my feet as I once was, true to say, but here I am now, all yours. How can I help?”
    â€œI am here on the orders of Kapitan Strudel, and I have a summons for Fraulein Gretel. She must come with me to Kingsman Headquarters at once.”
    â€œAh, could be difficult that.”
    â€œIf she refuses or resists she will be arrested.”
    â€œOh, no question of any refusing or resisting, gracious no. Nothing Gretel would like better than to assist Kapitan Strudel, I promise you. Firm friends they are, she and he. Very firm, in fact. Firmest of firm . . . you could say.”
    In her uncomfortable position among the dust and cobwebs Gretel winced and sent a silent message to her brother to shut up. Even without being able to see the expression on the Kingsman’s face she was fairly confident it would reveal him to be unconvinced and likely to get stroppy any minute now.
    â€œIt’s just that she’s out.” Hans offered.
    â€œOut? Out where? She is required for questioning regarding a recent death in this house. If she has absconded . . .”
    Gretel had to bite her tongue to stop herself pointing out she could not be an absconder as she had not, yet, been chargedwith anything. It was too much to hope that Hans might put forward this reasoning.
    â€œShe’s gone out for a brisk hike.”
    This statement was met by a curious sound as if someone were attempting to swallow a large toad. The stifled hilarity seemed for a moment as if it might overcome the kingsman. Gretel rolled her eyes. A brisk hike for pity’s sake. The last time she had broken out of her preferred amble she had been fleeing a lion. The idea that she might scamper about Gesternstadt of her own free will for fun was ludicrous, as anyone who had ever seen her would know.
    Fortunately, the kingsman was a well-brought up young man who knew better than to be seen enjoying a joke at the expense of somebody’s corpulent physique. “And when do you expect Fraulein Gretel to return from her . . . exercise?” he asked.
    â€œOh, by tea time. Wouldn’t miss a feed. Brings on an appetite, all that hiking, d’you see? Yes, tea time will find her on her daybed, feet up, nibbling lebkuchen, shouldn’t wonder. A slim slice of Black Forest gâteau, maybe. A square or two of stollen. Very fond of stollen, my sister.”
    Gretel chewed her knuckles.
    The kingsman had evidently heard enough. “Here,” he said, shoving the summons into Hans’s hand, “see that she gets this. She must report to Kapitan Strudel the moment she returns, understand?”
    â€œOh, absolutely, understand, yes.”
    â€œIf