Missing Pages

Chapter 13: Assumptions

I walked up to the strange item, and removed the sheer fabric that was covering it. With the resemblance of a refrigerator, and a wide frame, the large thingy glistened in the light.

By now, Carmen had noticed the strange object, too, and stood by my side.

"Whoa. What is that thing?" she asked.

"I don't know. It wasn't described in great detail because I didn't have the complete pages to that chapter of the journal. Maybe we can-"

"Hi guys! What's up?"

I was interrupted by an all too familiar high pitched voice- Nina.

"What are you doing here?" Carmen sneered, "You're on private property, and we aren't your friends."

I gave her a look that meant 'calm down'. Remember when I told you those rumors about her being a bully? Well, a cousin of Carmen's had supposedly been a victim of one of the encounters.

"I live nearby, and I heard your neighbor, Barbara, mention something about you guys being here... " Nina tried to explain.

"Okay, we were just leaving now," I spoke trying to usher her out of the shed. "What was it that you wanted again?"

"Ooh! What's that?" she asked.

"A wheel barrel you dummy," Carmen replied.

Nina giggled. "Not that, silly. The metal machine over there with the two big antennas."

"It's a retro refrigerator," I told her.

"It looks pretty new for a 'retro' item."

"It's been refurbished," Carmen told Nina.

"Oh. Well do you still want to come to that new bookstore, Jasmine?" Nina cheered, whilst changing the subject.

"I'll have to think about it."

Nina bade us farewell before skipping down the sidewalk.

I guided Carmen to our neighbor's front door, and rang the doorbell.

Jim, Barbara's husband, answered and told me that his wife left about 25 minutes ago.

***

On our way back home, Carmen spoke up.

"I wouldn't trust that girl for a second. She said that she overheard Barbara when she left over 20 minutes ago! Did you know that Nina doesn't even live on this street?!"

"Yes, and I totally agree with you. She has been acting strange lately, and that 'new' bookstore she was going on about has been opened up for weeks now. Besides, she asked me that same question the day I found out about my grandmother's condition in the hospital," I said back.

"Well, do you think that she was spying on us?"

"Sort of. There is only one way she could know this much information. She leads me to believe that she has something to do with the missing pages of the journal," I stated.