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Chapter Fourteen

The hall clock was chiming eleven o’clock when Tosh and Oscar appeared, Watson in tow. They were carrying their coffee mugs. Tosh had dressed in jeans and a man’s oversized flannel shirt. Oscar was in jeans and a green wool sweater. They had a distinct honeymoon glow about them.

“Morning! It isgorgeousout,” Tosh exclaimed. “Freddie’s talking about organizing a snowball fight.”

“Since when are snowball fights organized?” Elleryoofedas Watson leaped onto his lap and made himself at home. He gazed severely into Watson’s big brown eyes. “Just wait till they find out how much you eat.”

Tosh was checking out the breakfast options and murmuring approval. Oscar helped himself to coffee.

“More coffee, Tosh?” he asked.

“Not for me.”

Tosh sat down across from Ellery, folding her arms on the table surface. “So, here’s a weird thing. I can’t find my photos anywhere.”

Ellery did a doubletake. “That can’t...are you sure?”

Tosh nodded. Her smile was rueful. “I remembered them when we were—after we went up. And I remembered what Flip said, and I thought maybe I ought to—”

“What did Flip say?” Ellery interrupted.

“Well, actually, he didn’t say anything.”

Ellery blinked.

“What I mean is, he reminded me to take the box with me when I was going up to bed, and afterwards I felt like maybe there had been something pointed about it.”

Ellery had known Tosh a long time, but even so, it took him a few seconds to work that out. “You mean, you think Flipwas warning you that someone...it would have to be Chelsea he meant, right? That Chelsea was liable to take your photos?”

Tosh sat back. “Okay. It sounds ridiculous when you say it aloud.”

“Is it possible you set the box somewhere for safe keeping?”

Tosh shook her head. “No. I left it on the wooden trunk between the sofas. I remember that. You and Jack were still looking at the photos.”

Ellery thought back. “That’s right. And we were the last two to go up.”

Oscar joined them at the table, his expression serious. “I came down with Tosh to help her look. The box wasn’t there. It’s still not.”

“Okay, but why would someone steal your photos? What I mean is, we’ve all been looking at those photos for two days. I didn’t notice anything incriminating or—”

“No,” Tosh said quickly. “I don’t mean anything likethat. They’re just old college photos. No, I was thinking—well, actually, Oscar thinks Chelsea might just want the photos.”

“Want them for what?”

“For herself.”

At Ellery’s look of noncomprehension, Oscar said, “Because of Freddie.”

“Oh. Okay, I’m still not quite...”

Tosh said, “Because she couldn’t just take the photos of Freddie, right?”

“Right.”

“She’d have to take the whole box or it would be obvious who took them. And why.”

“Yes,” Ellery said firmly, though his tone was more likehuh?