“Bleach isn’t blood,” Thomas snapped.
Vera had to pull out her final card. “There’s another witness who did see the carpet in the foyer,” she said. “Lefty was in the Springfield house a little after midnight on the day that Dorothy made her accusation.”
“Lefty? That little thief!” Orville grimaced. “Well, let’s get him here to find out what he knows. Someone go fetch him—and don’t say who’s asking for him!”
One of the squirrels went to find Lefty. While they all waited, a crowd began to gather in front of the house, composed of neighbors and residents who sensed that something was up. They were quiet, but watchful, and it wasn’t clear whose side they were on, if anyone’s.
When Lefty arrived, Orville gestured for him to come up to the porch. “Now, Lefty. This is serious.”
“Yes, Officer,” Lefty said, shooting a glance at Vera.
“Were you in the Springfield house lately? Vera says you were.”
“It’s ok, Lefty,” Vera added.
Lefty looked a tad nervously toward Orville, but said, “Yes, I was in the Springfield house the evening after all the hullabaloo went on.”
“Why?”
“Oh, I was just walking by. I…um…thought I saw a…flame through the window. Had to check it out as a…er…good citizen. Didn’t want the house to burn down.”
“So you let yourself into the house, near midnight, through the window, taking care not to alert anyone, because you are a good citizen.”
“Um, yes.”
“Go on,” Orville growled.
“Well, when I got inside I was relieved to see that there was no fire. And it just so happened that I, er, kicked the rug in the foyer, and I saw that the floor had been freshly scrubbed clean. Bleached. As if a creature had to work very hard to remove a bloodstain.”
“Speculation,” Thomas said loftily.
“Go on,” Orville repeated.
“Well, I was going to leave. But then I heard someone moving about and I thought it might be a thief. So I snuck toward the sound, and saw him standing in the kitchen.” Lefty pointed to Thomas. “At the time, I thought it was Edward.”
“What was he doing in the kitchen at that hour?” Vera asked.
“He wasn’t thieving anything. I’d know,” Lefty admitted. “He was just making a peanut butter sandwich.”
“Midnight snack,” Thomas added. “I’ve done that for years. Dorothy can confirm that, if she chooses to.”
Dorothy stood, shaking like a leaf, a parade of emotions crossing her face. “It’s true,” she murmured. “Edward did like a late meal, usually just before bed, but sometimes he’d even get up in the middle of the night. He told me he used to sneak out of his bed and creep past his parents’ door, so that he could eat some jam or cheese or bread in peace.”
“Something his twin would have known,” Vera noted.
Thomas shrugged.
“Wait!” Dorothy turned to Lefty and asked, “Did you say a peanut butter sandwich?”
“Yeah. It was Muncie’s brand, with that bright red label. Can’t miss it.”
Something like triumph flashed in her eyes. “That’s it! Edward was allergic to peanuts! I never had anything containing peanuts in the house.”
Vera gasped. “But Ambrosius Heidegger had a lot of Muncie’s products in his house! Remember, Orville, Heidegger reported food stolen…which occurred at just about the same time the mystery occupant destroyed the old yearbooks on his shelves.” She thought it was very likely Thomas took the food he liked with him when he absconded from Heidegger’s tree and came to the Springfield house.
“Who cares who’s got what in whose pantry?” Thomas snapped. “Dotty’s coming up with completely absurd excuses, which are totally unprovable! I like peanut butter and always ate it.”
“Sun Li can tell you all about Edward’s reaction to peanuts,” Dot said. “Edward and I once went to dinner at the Bamboo Patch and he dipped one of his pot stickers in my sauce. A tiny amount, but there were peanuts in the sauce and Edward nearly stopped breathing. Sun Li rushed out of the kitchen and saved him! Thank goodness the chef was a former surgeon. If you ask, I’m sure he’ll remember.”
The police bear turned to a squirrel wearing a messenger uniform. “Go to Sun Li’s house behind the Bamboo Patch. Tell him we need his testimony right away. Don’t tell him what about!” Orville added. “He must be unbiased.”
The squirrel saluted, dashing up the nearest trees and then rocketing toward Shady Hollow.
It did not take long for the squirrel to return with Sun Li in tow. The panda was carrying a black leather bag, apparently thinking that his medical skills were called for. But once he saw the crowd of folks standing around, he slowed, looking puzzled.
“What’s all this?” he asked upon reaching Orville and the rest of the group. “I was told that there was an emergency!”
“There sure is,” Orville said. “But not the kind you mean. What I need to hear from you, Mr. Sun, is whether you remember an incident concerning Dorothy and Edward Springfield in your restaurant.”
Sun Li glanced at Dot and said, “Remember it? Of course! I assume you’re referring to the time Edward accidentally ate some of Dot’s peanut sauce. Less than a spoonful, but more than enough to send him into anaphylactic shock. I was very lucky that I’d recently restocked my medical supplies. I administered the drug needed to counter his immediate symptoms, and then monitored him to ensure that he wouldn’t have another reaction. We had to carry him out of the restaurant. I didn’t want him anywhere near peanuts or peanut oil after I found out he was allergic.”
“So in your expert opinion,” Orville asked carefully, “Edward Springfield could not eat any amount of peanuts—say, like a peanut butter sandwich—safely?”
“Goodness, no. That would kill him.” Sun Li realized what he said and abruptly looked at Dot once more. Only then did the panda register that “Edward” was in cuffs.
“I have a question for you as a former doctor,” Vera said then, stepping up. “Consider the case of identical twins. Is it possible for one
