Hey! It's Me! It's Lilly Everlea

By AK Cooper-Elliot

Lilly and The Ruby Ring.

When Mrs Lemming's ruby ring is stolen Lilly Everlea and her gardener Terrance investigate the case. After finding a note pushed underneath his office door, Professor Everlea reveals the names of the culprits to Sergeant Smiffy. Everyone is surprised apart fro

• Language: English
• Publisher: AK Cooper-Elliot
• Release date: Mar 24, 2023
• ISBN: 9781915889812

AK Cooper-Elliot

AK Cooper-Elliot was born in Germany and raised in Yorkshire. After graduating from university in the early nineties, Cooper-Elliot pursued a high-flying career in Accountancy & Procurement. Retiring early from her executive role, she now creates exciting romantic and crime novels in her home office.

Book preview

Prologue

September had arrived and the summer holidays had officially ended. Dressed in her grey school uniform Lilly sighed, Well, that’s it, Bob-Bobs, I will see you again in October, half term. Be good for Mr Meadows and Mrs Cookson.

Lilly’s black and white Scottish Terrier wagged her tail. Miss Seagrove watched from Lilly’s bedroom door. Miss Lilly your car will be ready soon.

I know, I hate leaving.

School is very important, and you do like science.

Yes… Lilly replied, grabbing her straw boater hat.

Lilly casually walked out of her bedroom and heard Professor Everlea speaking on the telephone in the foyer. She tip-toed over to the staircase and sat on the top step trying to listen.

Lilly, come away! Miss Seagrove whispered.

Something is wrong, Lilly whispered back.

Professor Everlea put down the handset of the telephone and rubbed his beard. Lilly! He called out.

Father! Lilly called back.

Come down into my office please.

Lilly ran down the stairs and nearly fell over her school luggage, piled up on the floor. Professor Everlea sat waiting at his office desk.

Father. Lilly said, when she entered his office.

Lilly, please sit down.

Lilly sat opposite her father wondering what had happened.

We have a problem, Lilly.

What is the problem, father.

The school is closed.

Why?

Measles. The entire staff have got measles.

Lilly tried not to smile. Are any of the school children…

Apparently so. I don’t understand. All of you have been on your school holidays, how on earth have you all caught the measles?

I haven’t.

No, I meant some of the children.

Father, Milly Mason’s mother is my English teacher and Peter Dayson’s father is my science teacher.

I see, then the children will pass it onto their friends. Professor Everlea sighed. Well Lilly, you have another four weeks off school, so you better unpack your things with Miss Seagrove.

I will not get bored, father. Lilly grinned.

"I know you won’t, you are Lilly Everlea my inquisitive daughter.

Lilly and her father laughed. It was time to solve another mystery and it wouldn’t be long before another case hit Professor Everlea’s desk.

****

CHAPTER 1

Thirteen-year-old Lilly Everlea lived in a huge old house with her father Professor Everlea. Surrounded by servants the house never seemed quiet.  Listening at her father’s office door, Lilly jumped when Mr Meadows startled her.

Miss Lilly, what are you doing?

Lilly looked up at the butler. I wondered who had arrived earlier.

Mr Meadows grinned. Please Miss Lilly, it is rude to eavesdrop.

I am not eavesdropping. Lilly pleaded.

Mrs Cookson is baking chocolate chip cookies, your favourite.

Lilly sighed and followed Mr Meadows into the kitchen.

Miss Lilly, would you like a glass of milk? Mrs Cookson asked, whisking eggs in her baking bowl.

Yes please. A deflated Lilly answered.

Meadows took his seat across from Lilly and waited for his drink of tea to arrive. Mrs Cookson’s loud pitch tone echoed around the kitchen.

What a beautiful song you are humming, Mrs Cookson, Professor Everlea said.

Mrs Cookson stopped and smiled. Tea, sir?

Yes, please. And can I have some of those delicious cookies? I can smell them in my office.

Professor Everlea sat next to Mr Meadows and grinned at his daughter. The smell of fresh baked cookies surrounded the tiled kitchen. Lilly played with her glass of milk, moving it up and down the wooden table.

What are you doing today? Professor Everlea asked his daughter.

Well, Bob-Bobs and I are going to plan an adventure. Lilly looked at her black and white Scottish Terrier chewing a bone in her basket.

That sounds interesting.

Mrs Cookson interrupted the conversation with a hot mug of tea and a plate of cookies. Professor Everlea licked his lips and dived into the cookies. Crunching on his biscuits he dropped crumbs down his checked shirt onto his brown trousers.

These are delicious Mrs Cookson, he said in between bites. Mrs Cookson, did you know Margaret Lemming’ s jewellery has been stolen?

Sir, I did not know that. Poor Maggie will be devasted. Mrs Cookson wiped her hands and joined Mr Meadows, Lilly, and her father at the table. The grey-haired cook looked shocked as she placed her tea on the table. Maggie’s husband purchased most of her jewellery abroad. It is worth a fortune.

Meadows continued to drink his tea and read his newspaper, ignoring the conversation. By now Professor Everlea ginger beard displayed crumbs. Lilly became more alert with the conversation and began to drink her milk slowly listening to her father and Mrs Cookson.

Sergeant Smiffy cannot find any clues on the theft which makes it stranger.

Did her ruby ring go missing as well? Mrs Cookson replied.

Professor Everlea stared at his cook and thought deeply into the question. Yes, I believe it did. In fact, I believe that piece of jewellery is the most valuable.

Suddenly Lilly stood up from her seat and wiped her mouth on a tissue. Bob-Bobs come on girl. Lilly tapped her hand against her leg and the black and white terrier jumped out of her basket. Excuse me, I have an adventure to plan! Within minutes Lilly and Bob-Bobs had vanished from the kitchen.

Everlea House gardens were huge, and Lilly and Bob-Bobs ran down the pebble pathway towards the greenhouse. Lilly, dressed in her typical pale blue jumper and dark blue leggings, ran after her dog. Bob-Bobs was always miles in front of her and Lilly could never keep pace.

Lilly stopped at the enormous glass structure and opened the door. Bob-Bobs! She called out. The black and white terrier ran from the bushes to Lilly. There you are… Lilly looked down at her dog wagging her tail. In! Bob-Bobs ran past Lilly into the greenhouse.

The Everlea greenhouse was not your typical garden greenhouse. The monstrous building full of plants and trees occupied most of the garden near to the woods. Lilly and Bob- Bobs would spend most of their time in the greenhouse with Terrance the gardener.

Lilly pressed a red button and a hatch in the floor slowly opened. Bob-Bobs immediately ran down the steps into the darkness. Lilly switched on a light