A Family Affair (Hunter Street)

Chapter Eleven -- A Grave Change

EVERYTHING WAS INCREDIBLY peaceful and quiet in the graveyard. No one was talking or shouting about the markets that were popping up all over Amsterdam just in time for Christmas, which was about a week or two away. No one was taking selfies or videos without asking for consent from the rest of the public. Not even the birds were chirping. All was quiet and so, so peaceful in so many people's final resting places.

Josh quietly and slowly walked through the rows and rows of dead people, glancing at each name and date on the headstone. Some of the dates went as far back as the 1600s, and that was so crazy to him that people actually had lives and emotions like he did. It was hard to even think about that, and when he did, it made him sad to think that most of these people weren't even known anymore besides their names and the years they lived. Who were they, and what did they do? Were they rich or poor? Those questions always plagued him when he took a stroll through the graveyard.

That was why he never really went to the graveyard. But for the past few days, he had been hanging around the graveyard, waiting for the Hunters and their other friends to show up, and he was usually the only one here. However, the police had been crawling around the last two days because of a grave robbery, so Josh had to hang out in the oldest section of the graveyard. By now, he had basically memorized most of the names and dates on these headstones, and he was sure that the caretaker of the graveyard thought he was a little crazy for wandering around all day. But he had to wait and see if any Hunter showed up to let his bosses know that they finally figured out the code.

So far, it seemed like this code had stumped both groups. Josh was the one who had written it out himself, and he was proud of the code he created. He took the message that his bosses had given him and found a specific code -- the shifted alphabet -- to change the words around. He didn't think it was that hard, though. All he did was shift the code down one letter. Maybe they had figured out the code, just not what it actually meant. He hoped that was the case because he didn't want to be the reason none of the Hunters or their other friends couldn't figure the clue out.

For a second there, his mind drifted toward Jennie, wondering how she didn't come up with the solution herself. He knew how smart she was, especially since she went to the same school he did -- which, now that he thought about it, wasn't the best thing since Miss Lucas wasn't the best person ever. He shook his head, trying to dispel those thoughts. It was easier for him to forget that time of his life. It also helped that he couldn't remember bits and pieces of his time there because he was hypnotized.

Still, Jennie should have figured out the clue. Unless words weren't her strong suit like she understood computers and their codes better. Maybe that was the case. But then who would be able to solve the clue? Maybe this was turning out worse than what he expected. Maybe none of them would be able to figure it out -- not even the smartest person he knew, Jennie. His bosses wouldn't be happy at all.

He slipped his phone out of his pocket and dialed their number. They answered on the first ring like they usually did every time he called them (which was not often), and they said a quick, "What?"

"What will happen if none of them figure it out?" Josh asked. His voice came out sounding more nervous than what he had expected. He didn't want them to think he was losing his cool already. "I've been waiting in the graveyard for days, but none of them have been here. Well, besides Daniel, but that's because he's been working a case about a theft from a grave."

"Calm down," the woman boss said in her sweet voice. The sound of her voice calmed Josh down just a little bit. "I'm sure they're busy trying to figure it out. I've seen them at work, and they are close. Trust me."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," the male boss said, chuckling. "We're sure."

Just as Josh was about to answer them, he noticed a group of boys appearing in front of him. He ducked behind the bushes that he was standing next to, grinning to himself. Those boys had proved him wrong. The boys had figured out what the clue meant and were trying to find the grave where Josh hid the next one. Just when he was getting anxious about this whole situation, they figured it out.