Read Online The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg - Free Book Online Page B

a white dog hair, is it not?”
    The three other Lacys stood up quickly and examined the piece of hair.
    “Could you please tell us, Zareen: if you’re wearing a new outfit and the house is regularly cleaned for dog hair, how is it that you have a piece of hair that appears to match Daisy’s?”
    Zareen’s mouth fell open. “I—I—I …” she stammered.
    “I KNEW IT !” Tamra got in her sister’s face. “ YOU DID IT !”
    “I didn’t!” Zareen protested. “I was at the dog park this morning! There were other dogs everywhere! That’s probably where it came from!”
    “Girls, we discussed this: no more fighting, please,” Mrs. Lacy begged. “Zareen, honey, if you know anything about Daisy’s disappearance, you have to tell us. You won’t get in trouble. We only want her back.”
    A tear began rolling down Zareen’s cheek. “I can’t believe you don’t believe me. I didn’t take her.”
    Zane hugged his twin. “It’s okay, Lil’ Z. I believe you.”
    Zane had to believe his own sister, although Zareen’s case wasn’t looking good. I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for her since she was crying and her own mother basically accused her of stealing Daisy. If it wasn’t Zareen, who else could it have been?
    “I didn’t do it,” Zareen said in a small voice.
    Everybody looked over at Shelby.
    “Do you have anybody who witnessed that you were at the park this morning? Preferably someone with a white-haired dog.”
    Zareen nodded, but then everybody’s attention went to something behind me.
    “Where on earth have you been?” Mrs. Lacy asked, desperation in her voice.
    I turned around and saw an older white guy with black hair that was graying around his temples. While this was the first time I’d ever seen this dude, I wasn’t going to ignore the large piece of evidence in his hands: Roxy, who was as quiet as could be.
    Maybe there was someone else who could’ve taken Daisy.

CHAPTER
    12
    “W e ’ ve been trying to reach you all day yesterday and this morning ! D aisy ’ s gone missing !” M rs . Lacy threw her hands up in the air in frustration.
    “What?” the man replied as Roxy licked his hand, as happy as she could be in his arms.
    Tamra and Mrs. Lacy gave him the basics while Zane filled Shelby and me in: this man was Theo Emerson, Daisy’s trainer. He’d been away because of a family emergency involving a sick aunt but had been due to arrive back that morning. They hadn’t heard from him all week.
    “She couldn’t have gone far,” Emerson said as he placed Roxy on the floor. Roxy, in turn, ran right up to Shelby and me and started barking fiercely.
    At least everybody was now aware that we couldn’t have taken Daisy.
    Zareen picked up Roxy and took her out of the living room while Shelby approached the trainer and studied him intently.
    “I’m sorry. I don’t believe I’ve met your friends.” The trainer nodded to us and seemed unnerved that Shelby was only inches away from him.
    “Hello, I’m Shelby Holmes,” she stated. “If you dab a washcloth in some cooled Earl Grey tea, it will help with your sunburn.”
    It was then that I realized his nose and cheeks were rather red and peeling. The rest of him was tan, which wasn’t surprising, since it was the end of summer.
    “Yes, well, I was …” he muttered as he took a step away from Shelby.
    “Then again, Cozumel is quite sunny this time of year, isn’t it?”
    “I—I—I wouldn’t know.” He looked guiltily around the room. “I’ve never been.”
    “My mistake,” Shelby said, even though I doubted she was ever mistaken. I knew she was setting a trap, and I couldn’t wait for him to fall for it. “Do you mind if I ask where you acquired your necklace? I believe it’s black coral.”
    The trainer reached up and touched a black necklace that was peeking out of his white button-down shirt. “This necklace?”
    “Yes, that would be the exact necklace I’m referring to,” Shelby stated