Fast Slide by Melanie Jackson Page B

again.
    Footsteps pounded down the stairs, interrupted by a crash and an oof ! Brad tripped and fell as he hurried down. Typical Bradley klutziness. That should have been funny too.
    Limping toward us, Brad shouted, “I’m so relieved you caught him, Detective. He tried to kill me up there. We struggled, and—”
    â€œWhat are you saying, Brad?” Janice stared at him in disbelief.
    Brad gulped and blurted, “Get away from Clay, Jan. He’s a murderer.”
    â€œYou don’t need to say another word,” Detective Mulligan assured Brad. He stepped forward with the handcuffs.
    And, with a deft click , snapped them around Brad’s wrists.
    Brad turned a satisfying shade of purple. “Not me , Detective. Clay took the money. Clay drowned Aggie. They were a couple. Everyone knew. And Judd saw Clay—”
    â€œWeren’t you listening, Costello?” barked Mulligan. “I don’t need you to say anything. Because you’ve already told me all I need to know.”
    â€œWhaa—?” Brad gaped from the detective to me.
    â€œYeah, that’s right, brainiac,” Mulligan said. “I heard every word you said through the tube. You planned the robbery with Judd and Aggie. Only Aggie had second thoughts, and now she’s dead.
    â€œOne of my officers is arresting Judd at his home right now. We’re gonna book him as your accomplice.”
    Brad looked like he’d finally met the factoid he couldn’t compute.
    Mulligan smiled coolly at him. “Boa’s famous for its echo effect, right?” He nodded toward me. “It was young Clay’s idea. He phoned me, right after he phoned Judd. Said he was going to get a confession out of you at the top of the tube. The deal was, I’d wait at the bottom of the tube by the open door and listen.”
    Janice turned on me, green eyes fiery with accusation. “You set Brad up. You set up my brother .”
    Brad was so stunned, he started rolling the cuff links around in one of his cuffed hands. He’d been holding them all the time.
    I said wearily, “You were right, Brad. I did gamble. But you were the one who lost.”

Chapter Thirteen
    It was a week later. Safari Splash was still closed. No one was allowed in until the police finished their investigation. With no one around, animals—real animals—had ventured out of the forest. Raccoons ambled around the concession, looking for French fries. Squirrels raced up and down on top of the tubes.
    Detective Mulligan and I stood at top of the Boa. It was my last visit to the water park. Mr. Costello didn’t want an employee who’d betrayed his son.
    â€œIt all comes down to dirty laundry,” I said.
    Mulligan nodded. He unpeeled a lollipop and stuck it in his mouth. “Yup, the Costellos’ dirty laundry is out in the open now. Bradley has serious emotional problems. It’s better his family knows about them. Now Brad can get help. Let’s hope he won’t target any more victims like Aggie Wentworth.”
    A vision of Aggie’s pleading face hovered in front of me.
    I nodded. “That’s all true, Detective. But I didn’t mean that kind of dirty laundry.”
    I led him behind the bamboo screen to the hamper where attendants tossed used towels. Lifting the lid, I explained, “Before Brad sneaked up on me, I was holding the lynx mask—the one Judd had worn. Aware Judd would be back any minute, I stashed it. For a long time I couldn’t remember where. Then I realized I’d hidden it where no one ever looks.”
    I pushed several towels aside, and there it was. The lynx mask.
    â€œPerfect,” said Mulligan. “So much for Judd’s denials about being Brad’s accomplice. Forensics will show he wore it.” The detective pulled out a pair of plastic gloves and a plastic bag. With the gloves on, he took hold of the mask by the edge and dropped it into the