Read Online California Schemin': Book One in the Malibu Mayhem Trilogy by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B

you’re giving me the creeps.” Bess frowned.
    As we turned onto our beach I wondered about Mia. Why was she so over the moon about Roland? And what about Brad? What had made him so dehydrated—enough to end up in the hospital?
    What I said next surprised even me.
    “Bess, George,” I said. “I’m going back to Roland’s Renewal Retreat and Spa. I’m signing up for the full-week intensive.”
    “What?” George asked, surprised.
    “You mean you’re joining that cult?” Bess cried.
    “I’m not joining anything,” I insisted. “I want to find out the truth about what’s really going on.”
    George rolled her eyes to the sky. “Great,” she groaned. “We get a fabulous beach house for three weeks and you want to waste an entire week in that kooky place.”
    “You don’t need a week to find out if and why they’re dumping their trash in the ocean, do you?” Bess asked.
    “It’s not just about the trash anymore,” I said. “I want to see if I can help Mia. She acted so spacey. And the shouting we heard at the retreat was awful.”
    “So you’re really going to do this?” George asked me. “What happened to taking a vacation from mysteries?”
    “How can we relax knowing what might be going on right next door?” I asked.
    “Okay, Nancy, but you’re not going to that place alone,” Bess said. “George and I are going there with you.”
    “What?” George cried. “We can’t all leave Stacey’s house after she put us in charge.”
    “George, you stay here. Bess and I will investigate. We might need you to look stuff up on the computer for us.”
    “Until they turn you into Roland-worshipping zombies too,” George said. “What if that Inge doesn’t let you sign up? After seeing us snooping around, she might know you’re up to something.”
    “Good point,” I admitted. “But we’ll worry about Inge when the time comes.”
    “Maybe we should tell Mandy and Mallory we’re going over,” Bess suggested. “They might want to know we’re trying to help Mia.”
    I shook my head. “If their producer Bev finds out, she’ll storm the place with the camera crew.Let’s wait before we say anything,” I said.
    “So…when are you guys leaving?” George asked slowly.
    “I think Bess and I should pack and go over there as soon as possible,” I explained.
    While Bess and I got ready, George made us double-stuffed sky-high sandwiches, just in case the food at the retreat consisted of a daily diet of watercress and twigs.
    “Good luck, you two,” George said as we finally left the house. “Make sure you stay connected.”
    “We will,” I promised. “Make sure you don’t leave your phone or your computer.”
    Bess laughed. “Does she ever?”
    Carrying our duffel bags, we made our way down the road to Roland’s Renewal Retreat and Spa. Luna seemed genuinely happy to see us when she opened the door.
    “Why, hello there,” she greeted us. “Here for more treatments?”
    I nodded at the bag on my shoulder and said, “Actually, we’re here to sign up for the weeklong intensive.”
    Luna blinked with surprise. “Oh, my,” she said. “In that case, come with me, please.”
    Instead of taking us to the spa’s waiting room, Luna led us down another hallway. Stopping at a door atthe end, she knocked four times and waited.
    After a few seconds a voice said, “Come in.”
    Bess and I traded glances. The frosty voice was clearly Inge’s.
    As Luna opened the door, I could see Inge sitting regally behind a large mahogany desk. She peered at us over the glasses resting on the tip of her nose.
    “Thank you, Luna,” Inge said. She gestured to two chairs in front of her desk.
    I was surprised when Inge flashed a cheery smile and said, “Please sit down. I had a feeling you’d be back.”
    “You did?” Bess asked.
    “Yes,” Inge said, folding her hands on her desk. “There was something in your faces that told me you wanted to know more.”
    Was Inge onto us?
    “Um,” I said,