The Mysteries of Max: Books 25-27

Chapter 17

When Tex walked in on his wife later that day, he was surprised to find her seated at the kitchen table, busy with superglue and the remnants of the Otto Spiel knockoff.

“What are you doing?” he asked, even though it was pretty obvious what she was doing.

“Gluing the figurine back together,” she said, her tongue between her lips.

“But why? It’s not going to fetch you any money if you try to sell it.”

“I don’t want to sell it. I like it and I want to keep it.”

Tex took a seat at the kitchen table and watched his wife work for a few moments. Then he picked up what used to be the bottom piece of the figurine and studied it for a moment. “I wonder who made it. Probably the Chinese or the Koreans.”

“Yeah, probably,” said Marge.

“I still don’t understand how it got into the kitchen cupboard. I never saw it before, did you?”

“Nope. Never saw it before either.” She stopped working for a moment and frowned. “Did you know that Vicky and I used to be friends? Back in high school?”

“Yeah, I think I do,” said Tex. “Vaguely. Wasn’t she the pretty blonde who called me a doofus for stepping on her toe once during the community dance?”

“Yeah, that sounds like her,” said Marge with a laugh. “She wasn’t exactly the nicest of my friends.”

“Then why were you friends with her?”

Marge shrugged and resumed work on her labor of love. “She was gorgeous and she was popular, and I guess when she chose me as her friend I felt honored, you know. Like being in the big leagues. Though she quickly got bored with me and dumped me for Marcia Baker.”

Tex laughed. “Typical high school drama.”

“Yeah, I guess so. Though at the time I was pretty upset about it.” She halted progress on the figurine once more. “I never thought she’d marry Quintin Gardner, though. He was so much older than her. And not exactly the most handsome or charming guy in the world.”

“Did you know him back then?”

“He was friends with Jock Farnsworth’s dad,” said Marge, giving her husband a strange look.

“Oh,” said Tex, and placed his chin on his hands. He’d never liked Jock Farnsworth, Marge’s boyfriend before she and Tex had gotten together. And in hindsight he’d had good reason to distrust the rich kid, for he’d only recently been sentenced to prison for the attempted murder of his wife. “So… do you think Quintin had something to do with Vicky’s disappearance?”

“I doubt it. Though to be sure you’d have to ask him, of course.”

“I’m not going anywhere near the guy,” Tex said, alarmed. “And I hope you won’t either.”

“Oh, no,” said Marge. “Of course not. I’m not getting involved.”

Reassured by her words, Tex pushed a piece of goatherd around the table until Marge snapped it up and tried to fit it within the three-dimensional puzzle she was solving.

“This is a lot harder than I thought it would be,” she said after a while.

“Here, let me give you a hand.”

“Please don’t,” said Marge.

“Honey, as a doctor I have the steadiest hands imaginable. Here, let me show you.” And he carefully picked the piece under construction from his wife’s hands. He must have applied too much pressure, though, for it suddenly imploded under his grip with a plopping sound, and collapsed onto the table.

“Oh, Tex,” said Marge with a sigh.

“Oops,” said Tex as he placed the shapeless mass of glued-together pieces back down.

Marge gently hit what was left on the head with her fist and they both laughed at the remnants of her great work of art.

“I guess we better put it in the trash,” she said.

“No, wait,” he said, suddenly noticing something. He picked up a piece and studied it for a moment, before handing it to Marge.

“What is it?” she asked, then saw what he was pointing at.

She gasped, and looked up at her husband.

“That’s impossible,” she said.

“And yet it’s right there.”

Written on the back of one of the pieces was a single word: ‘Help!’

And when they both frantically started turning over more pieces, suddenly Tex found another piece of the puzzle. This one read: ‘Vicky Gardner, October 9, 2000.’

“When did Vicky disappear?” asked Marge.

“Let’s find out, shall we,” said Tex, and got out his phone. After a moment’s delay, he said, “November 10 is when Quintin reported his wife missing.”

They shared a look. “So why did she write ‘Help!’ on the back of this goatherd figurine one month before she disappearance?” asked Marge.

“And how did her cry for help end up inside the figurine, along with her ring?”

“We need a detective,” said Marge. “Pronto.”

Just then, the door of the kitchen flew open and Odelia walked in, followed by Max and Dooley. “Hey, you guys,” said Odelia. “What are you doing?”

Marge and Tex shared a smile. “Ask, and you shall receive,” said Tex.