Read Online Nobody's There by Joan Lowery Nixon - Free Book Online Page B

said. “I bet most private eyes don’t have records as good as that.”
    Suddenly she sat up straight, glancing to the right and left. “Where are you going?” she asked.
    â€œI’m taking you home,” Abbie said.
    â€œI don’t want to go home. I want to go to the police station and sign that complaint.” Mrs.Merkel chuckled. “And see the looks on their faces when I remind them I’m better at nabbing crooks than they are. Then, after that, I want you to drive me to the supermarket in the mall.”
    Abbie shot a quick glance at Mrs. Merkel. “You’re not too tired?”
    Sarcastically Mrs. Merkel answered, “No, I’m not too tired. And stop treating me like I’m old and decrepit.”
    They rode in silence for a few minutes before Mrs. Merkel grumbled, loudly enough for Abbie to hear, “What I
am
tired of are these stupid, lamebrain girls Mrs. Wilhite keeps sending me. I ought to fire this one too.”
    â€œMrs. Merkel,” Abbie said quietly, “I’m trying very hard to do whatever you ask me to do … even if I don’t always agree with your ideas.”
    â€œNobody asked you to agree. You don’t have the right to agree or disagree. You’re nothing but my driver. That’s all.” She turned toward Abbie, and once again her stare seemed to drill into Abbie’s head. “At least those other girls were model students. You’re different. I was warned that you’re undisciplined, heading for sure trouble, and if you gave me any trouble I was to send you back.”
    Abbie flinched. The words were as hurtful as sharp stones. “Who told you that?” she asked. “Mrs. Wilhite?”
    â€œNever you mind. It’s none of your business,” Mrs. Merkel said. “Only reason I told you is that you need to know just where you stand. Now,watch out up ahead. That light is going to turn red any second.”
    Abbie gripped the steering wheel. She wanted to cry out against the unfairness of what Mrs. Wilhite had done to her.
    â€œYes, ma’am,” Abbie answered politely. But she thought,
You can be as mean and disagreeable as you want to be, Mrs. Merkel, and I won’t care. You think you’re so smart and tough? Well, I can be even smarter and tougher.
    Abbie could feel Mrs. Merkel’s surprise at her quick agreement. “The police station’s right up ahead,” Abbie said, “and yes, I do see that truck coming.”

A bbie didn’t sleep well Sunday night. She dreaded going to school the next morning. A story of her arrest and the action behind it had appeared in the
Buckler Bee.
She knew how fast information could spread in Buckler. A lot of the kids would have read the story—or heard an even more gossip-glorified version of it.
    Just as she’d suspected, as she walked to her locker a few kids turned away, whispering to each other. But others took her hand or patted her shoulder.
    â€œHang in there, Abbie,” Rosa Madrina told her. “You only did what a lot of us would have liked to do. I haven’t seen my dad for three years.”
    Nick Campos suddenly stood before her. Did he know about what had happened? He’d never said a word. “Second try,” Nick told her. “On Friday my dad’s company is having their annual company picnic at Blue Water Beach. Tons of stuff to eat, swimming, good beach, even a combo and dancing at that Oriental Gardens restaurant. Want to come, Abbie? I really wish you would. We didn’t get to know each other very well last year, but I think we’d have fun together.”
    Abbie leaned against the cold metal of her locker. The chill seemed to spread through her back and neck until her entire body felt like an icicle. The Oriental Gardens at Blue Water Beach had been a favorite with her family. She and Davy had always enjoyed the lavish fountain in the lobby. Its rim was covered with little