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Authors: Denise Swanson
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overly convinced herself.
“I see.” Loretta gathered the leftover goodies and packed them into her tote bag, then got up and went to the door. “When are you planning on beginning your surveillance?”
“Midnight,” Skye answered. “We figure whoever it is will wait until everyone is in their room and most people are asleep.”
“Midnight?” Loretta smirked. “You, Miss Thing, are staying up past ten o’clock? I’ll bet the last time you were up that late was when the Kappas pulled the panty raid on our sorority house.”
“Hey, I’ve chaperoned my share of overnighters at the high school. Midnight and I are well acquainted.”
“You may be well acquainted, but I bet you aren’t friends.”
After Loretta’s departure, Trixie said to Skye, “She doesn’t think our plan will work.”
“I’m not too sure of it myself.”
“Wake up.”
Skye rolled onto her stomach and pulled the covers over her head.
“It’s nearly midnight.” Trixie pulled the blanket and sheets down and held a glass of water threateningly over her friend’s head. “Get up, or get wet.”
Skye whimpered, but crawled out of bed. She stood looking around the room, trying to remember where she was and why Trixie was dressed like Batgirl. “Where did you get the cape?”
“It’s my swimsuit cover-up.”
“Oh.” Skye wondered why Trixie might need it to catch a treasure hunter, but it was too late at night for her to really care. She stumbled into the bathroom and splashed water on her face, then pulled on a pair of black sweatpants and sweatshirt.
After stuffing her hair under a baseball cap, she tied her tennis shoes, and buckled on her fanny pack.
When she came out of the bathroom, Trixie said, “Are you finally ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be at this time of night without caffeine.”
“What’s in your fanny pack?” Trixie ignored Skye’s whining and followed her to the door.
“Stun gun, mace, flashlight, and plastic fasteners.”
“I get the stun gun and flashlight, but why the ties? Are we going to empty the trash cans?” Trixie asked.
“Very funny,” Skye whispered. “They’re the ones that once you close them can only be opened with scissors or a knife. I brought them to secure the perpetrator’s hands or feet. I saw the cops use them on
Law and Order.
“
“Well, that explains it.”
“Now, I’m going to open the door, so be quiet.”
The passageway was silent and dark, the only illumination coming from night-lights plugged into the electrical outlets. Skye shivered. There was something eerie about this time of night. They reached the outside exit and pushed the bar. The cold November air smelled of burnt leaves and a hint of snow.
They emerged on a side patio with steps leading down to the river. Skye stopped suddenly, and Trixic plowed into her.
Skye whispered, “Any indication someone’s following us?”
Trixie shook her head.
Skye took the stairs slowly, listening for any hint of a footstep or breathing. Nothing. Once they reached the shore, Skye paused, not sure whether to go down to the river or stick close to the mansion.
Trixie took Skye’s arm and whispered, “I think I figured out the riddle. I’m pretty sure it’s a lifeboat, which means we should go to the boathouse.”
Skye hesitated, replaying the riddle in her mind: THE MAN WHO INVENTED ME DOESN’T WANT ME. THE MAN WHO BUYS ME DOESN’T NEED ME. THE MAN WHO NEEDS ME DOESN’T KNOW IT . She could see Trixie’s logic, so she nodded and started down the steps.
Once they were on the shore they edged toward the boathouse and peeked inside. It appeared to be empty so they stepped inside. Almost immediately they heard footsteps and positioned themselves on either side of the entrance. Skye took out her stun gun and Trixie whipped off her cape. A moment later someone came through the doorway. Trixie wafted her cape as if it were a net and threw it over the figure’s head and shoulders.
Skye leapt on the
“I see.” Loretta gathered the leftover goodies and packed them into her tote bag, then got up and went to the door. “When are you planning on beginning your surveillance?”
“Midnight,” Skye answered. “We figure whoever it is will wait until everyone is in their room and most people are asleep.”
“Midnight?” Loretta smirked. “You, Miss Thing, are staying up past ten o’clock? I’ll bet the last time you were up that late was when the Kappas pulled the panty raid on our sorority house.”
“Hey, I’ve chaperoned my share of overnighters at the high school. Midnight and I are well acquainted.”
“You may be well acquainted, but I bet you aren’t friends.”
After Loretta’s departure, Trixie said to Skye, “She doesn’t think our plan will work.”
“I’m not too sure of it myself.”
“Wake up.”
Skye rolled onto her stomach and pulled the covers over her head.
“It’s nearly midnight.” Trixie pulled the blanket and sheets down and held a glass of water threateningly over her friend’s head. “Get up, or get wet.”
Skye whimpered, but crawled out of bed. She stood looking around the room, trying to remember where she was and why Trixie was dressed like Batgirl. “Where did you get the cape?”
“It’s my swimsuit cover-up.”
“Oh.” Skye wondered why Trixie might need it to catch a treasure hunter, but it was too late at night for her to really care. She stumbled into the bathroom and splashed water on her face, then pulled on a pair of black sweatpants and sweatshirt.
After stuffing her hair under a baseball cap, she tied her tennis shoes, and buckled on her fanny pack.
When she came out of the bathroom, Trixie said, “Are you finally ready?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be at this time of night without caffeine.”
“What’s in your fanny pack?” Trixie ignored Skye’s whining and followed her to the door.
“Stun gun, mace, flashlight, and plastic fasteners.”
“I get the stun gun and flashlight, but why the ties? Are we going to empty the trash cans?” Trixie asked.
“Very funny,” Skye whispered. “They’re the ones that once you close them can only be opened with scissors or a knife. I brought them to secure the perpetrator’s hands or feet. I saw the cops use them on
Law and Order.
“
“Well, that explains it.”
“Now, I’m going to open the door, so be quiet.”
The passageway was silent and dark, the only illumination coming from night-lights plugged into the electrical outlets. Skye shivered. There was something eerie about this time of night. They reached the outside exit and pushed the bar. The cold November air smelled of burnt leaves and a hint of snow.
They emerged on a side patio with steps leading down to the river. Skye stopped suddenly, and Trixic plowed into her.
Skye whispered, “Any indication someone’s following us?”
Trixie shook her head.
Skye took the stairs slowly, listening for any hint of a footstep or breathing. Nothing. Once they reached the shore, Skye paused, not sure whether to go down to the river or stick close to the mansion.
Trixie took Skye’s arm and whispered, “I think I figured out the riddle. I’m pretty sure it’s a lifeboat, which means we should go to the boathouse.”
Skye hesitated, replaying the riddle in her mind: THE MAN WHO INVENTED ME DOESN’T WANT ME. THE MAN WHO BUYS ME DOESN’T NEED ME. THE MAN WHO NEEDS ME DOESN’T KNOW IT . She could see Trixie’s logic, so she nodded and started down the steps.
Once they were on the shore they edged toward the boathouse and peeked inside. It appeared to be empty so they stepped inside. Almost immediately they heard footsteps and positioned themselves on either side of the entrance. Skye took out her stun gun and Trixie whipped off her cape. A moment later someone came through the doorway. Trixie wafted her cape as if it were a net and threw it over the figure’s head and shoulders.
Skye leapt on the
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