Read Online The Final Tap by Amanda Flower - Free Book Online

at a dizzying pace. “I might dock your pay for giving him pure maple syrup,” I said. “He’s going to be bouncing off the walls tonight.”
    Gavin smiled. He knew I was kidding. Unfortunately, the smile didn’t make it to his eyes. I knew he was thinking about Beeson. I was too.
    â€œI think you’re in trouble, Gavin,” I said.
    He held a tiny bottle of maple syrup, no more than an ounce, in his hand and stared at the sugary liquid. “I know I’m in trouble, but I didn’t kill him, Kelsey. You have to believe me.”
    I leaned back against the rough siding of the sugarhouse. “I believe you, but Judy told me that you weren’t in the visitor center when the school buses arrived. Where were you?”
    He grimaced. “You think I ran out to the red maple grove and stabbed Conrad in the chest with his drill.”
    â€œNo, but I still need an answer. If Judy told me she didn’t know where you were, it won’t be long before the police hear it from her or someone else.”
    â€œI ran to the john,” Gavin said. “Is that a crime?”
    I blew out a breath that I hadn’t known I was holding. “No, but did you see anyone on your way there? Anyone who can back up your story?”
    Gavin’s ears turned red. “Who can back up that I went to the restroom?”
    I shrugged, thinking of Detective Brandon. I knew she would ask the same questions.
    He held the bottle of maple syrup a little more tightly. “And no, I didn’t see anyone.”
    â€œWhy didn’t you tell me that you had a problem with Dr. Beeson when I hired him for the tree tapping class?” I asked.
    â€œYou’d already hired him. I didn’t think it would matter, and my problems with Conrad had nothing to do with the Farm.”
    I frowned. “Tell me more about Sap and Spile.”
    â€œThere’s not much more to tell other than what you heard me say to the detective. It’s a social club of sorts for tree tappers. There’s a meeting tonight,” he added. “I don’t think I’m going to go. All they’ll talk about is Conrad’s death. Someone there must have told the police about my outburst at him. I really don’t want to face them.”
    â€œYou have to go,” I protested. “It shows that you have nothing to hide.”
    â€œI don’t know …” He trailed off.
    â€œAnd I’m going with you,” I said.
    A few feet away, Hayden and Tiffin fell into a heap. Hayden was crashing from his sugar high. The dog barked and the boy giggled.
    Gavin looked like he’d drunk the entire quart of maple syrup straight from the bottle. “You can’t—”
    â€œNo, you can’t!” an angry voice interrupted.

eight
    I spun around to find a tall man in his sixties, wearing a red-and-black flannel coat and jeans, walking around the back side of the sugarhouse. His rimless glasses sat high on the bridge of his long nose.
    â€œHayden!” I cried in my sharpest mom voice.
    Hayden immediately recognized “the voice” and jumped to his feet. “What’s wrong, Mom?
    â€œKelsey, it’s fine,” Gavin said. “This is my father, Webber Elliot.”
    â€œYour father?” I asked, then saw the resemblance. They both had the same prominent nose and deep-set eyes.
    â€œOf course I am, and I’ve been calling you, Gavin, for the last hour, ever since I heard the news. You need to come home.”
    â€œDad.” There was a slight whine in Gavin’s voice. “I’m at work.”
    Webber Elliot glanced at me. “I don’t care. It’s time for you to come home.”
    â€œDad, I’m not a child,” Gavin said, sounding like just that.
    â€œGavin, we’ll discuss this at home,” his father said.
    â€œI assume you’ve heard about Dr. Beeson’s death?” I asked.
    The older man scowled at me. “Yes.