Read Online Madhattan Mystery by John J. Bonk - Free Book Online Page A

turned to Kevin and subtly mimed locking her lips and tossing away the key—just as a quick reminder. He gave her a look like she had completely lost her mind and together they followed their aunt into the kitchen.
    â€œApparently rehearsals started a few weeks ago, but the woman they’d originally cast as Amanda Wingfield landed a soap and dropped out. Boom! Just like that.” Aunt Roz grabbed dishes from the cabinet and began debagging the food cartons. Their heavy, spicy smells were instantly unlocked. “So, they needed a quick replacement. Enter
moi
. They said I was perfect for the part! I am over the moon.”
    â€œCongrats, Aunt Roz,” Kevin said with the enthusiasm of a squashed bug.
    â€œI thought we’d have a little celebration. I hope you kids like Thai food, ‘cause I certainly do—even though it always ends up on my thighs. Get it? Oh, and I picked up a scrumptious cheesecake from the Stage Deli for dessert—strawberry—to die for. I can’t wait to tell you everything that happened but I want to hear every single detail of your first day of camp, too.”
    Camp? That was the last thing on Lexi’s mind. Food was next to last. But she knew if she didn’t eat, neither would Kevin, so she forced herself to nibble off a biteof something called beef satay. “Mmm. This is pretty good.”
    â€œPretty good?” Aunt Roz echoed. “It’s heaven on a stick! Here. Try,” she said, scooping food from the various cartons and sloshing it onto plates as if she were attempting to beat the clock in the speed round of some cooking show challenge. “The shrimp pad Thai is shrimpalicious. And the yum woon sen chicken—more like yum
swoon
sen chicken!”
    She was right. Lexi and Kevin gobbled up the exotic food like it was their last meal on earth, and it wasn’t long before they were busting at the seams but still fighting over the last curry puff. You couldn’t get that stuff in Cold Spring.
    Thankfully, with Aunt Roz’s nonstop monologue about her day, Lexi and Kevin hardly got a chance to talk about theirs, and Lexi’s haunting thoughts of thieves, police, and civic duty were finally petering out. That is, until they ended up in front of the TV watching one of Aunt Roz’s favorite shows,
The Streets of New York
. Murder, mystery, mayhem. No matter. Kevin had conked out on the couch almost immediately and Lexi wasn’t too far behind, fading fast from a serious cheesecake overdose.
    â€œI’m glad he passed out, ‘cause this isn’t really appropriate for young children. Your father would not approve,” Aunt Roz whispered. She was painting her toenails now, curled up in her mammoth massage chair: the one piece of non-country furniture that stood out like a blackfaux-leather thumb. “It’s such a smart show, though. Topics ripped from today’s headlines. That’s their gimmick.”
    â€œHuh.”
    â€œSometimes they come up with some pretty convoluted endings, but anyway … Did I tell you I’m doing extra-work for them in a few days? You know, that’s when TV shows or movies have actors milling around in the background to make the scene look realistic. They needed a bunch of female middle-aged joggers. So that should be interesting, right? Kinda fun?”
    â€œMm-hmm.”
    â€œIt helps pay the bills. I just hope I’m not going to be a complete basket case, what with
Streets of New York
, my part-time job at the New York Ballet, and rehearsals for the musical. I mean, honestly, it’s absolute madness. Feast or famine, as they say.”
    â€œYup.”
    â€œOh, but Amanda Wingfield is such a lovely role. And it means the world to me that you and Kevin will be there on opening night. You did pack a nice outfit, didn’t you, Alexandra? Alex … ?”

    Apparently, Aunt Roz was too “over the moon” to remember to set the alarm clock and