Treasure Uncovered (Bellingwood #3) Read Online Free

and Polly rolled her window down, trying to maintain a straight face.
    "I saw you laughing," he said. "I guess you know about the pool at the Elevator." Polly did know about it and she didn't like it much, but knew that it had nothing to do with her feelings. After skeletons had fallen out of the ceiling of a bathroom they were remodeling at Sycamore House and then when she and her friends had discovered Madeline Black's body in her home, several jokesters thought they would begin a pool as to which body Polly Giller might find next. Her friends all knew about it and knew that it drove her batty, but it was still in place. After today's events, she was sure that it would grow.
    "Oh no!" cried Polly. "Who won this time?"
    He chuckled, "I'm not sure, but this is certainly going to have the town buzzing. Aaron said you had been inside the home?"
    "I only opened the screen door. The front door's lock had been broken and I was able to push it open. Harry's body is right there in the front room."
    "And you're sure he's dead?"
    "Well," she said. "I didn't touch him so I could check for a pulse or anything, but I remember that awful smell from Madeline Black's house."
    At that, the fire truck and EMTs pulled in.
    "You two can go back to work if you like," Ken said, "but don't leave the country, alright?"
    Polly tilted her head at him in confusion.
    "I'm kidding. I'll be over later to talk to you both about Mr. Bern."
    He patted the hood of her truck and walked to the house as another police car pulled up. Polly recognized the two EMTs. They had rescued her the night she had gotten hit on the head by a couple of goons from Chicago who were there to kidnap one of her guests. Sarah waved at her and then turned to follow them all inside.
    Polly pulled out and Jeff said, "Well, now that the initial shock has worn off, I'm a little freaked out by this. I've never seen a dead person before. Hanging around with you has its own special benefits."
    "Stop it," she scowled. "I can hardly believe this has happened again. Am I some strange sort of dead body magnet?"
    "Well, whatever you are, this is the last damned time I get in a vehicle with you to check on someone. From now on, you go by yourself or I’m sending the Sheriff."
    "I hate to be callous about this, but now what am I supposed to do about a custodian? It seems tacky to advertise for a new employee when this one has just died, but I can't sit around and wait until his body is in the ground." She smacked her fist on the steering wheel and snapped, "I don't have time for this."
    "I'll call the paper when we get back. There is time to get an ad in this week's edition. You call your pastor friends. I met the Standard Manufacturing’s Human Resources manager last week at the Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I'll give her a call and see if they have any good leads."
    They pulled into the parking lot in front of Sycamore House as Lydia was getting out of her Jeep. She waited while Polly parked.
    "Aaron called. Are you two doing alright?" she asked.
    Polly chuckled and shook her head, "I'm fine. We've already found the humor in this. Now I'm annoyed that I have to find another custodian and before long I'm going to feel really guilty about having these feelings and about the fact that I didn't like the guy all that much. So yes, I suppose I'm fine. Are you here to check up on me?"
    "Yes, and to show you sketches for the garden. I also wanted to show you some ideas I had for the middle room upstairs."
    "Have you had lunch yet?" Polly asked.
    "Not yet. Do you want to run uptown? I'll bet I could talk you into a pork tenderloin."
    "I could really use that. I've been running since I got up this morning and it looks like I'm back to scrubbing toilets this week," she said.
    Jeff had continued walking to the front door of Sycamore House without them.
    "Jeff?" Polly called out.
    He turned around, "Yes?"
    "I'm running up to Joe's Diner with Lydia. Do you want me to bring something back for you?"
    He