The Adventures of the Holmes Club

Chapter 7: 2-5 Years

***Louis***

Sophie, Penny, and I met up with the other three at the school. It wasn't open, but Penny picked the lock. We sat down at a table and Alina handed the clue to me.

Dear Holmes Club,

Congratulations, you found your second clue before time ran out. I have a present for you. You get the weekend off, and you don't have to worry about anything until Tuesday. I guess we'll talk then.

***Nadia***

What kind of sick, twisted person would leave us with this for the rest of the weekend?

***Alina***

Finally, I can go back to band practice. Perfect.

***Louis***

What? Why? Oh, this guy is up to something.

***Penny***

Of course he's doing this. It's basic psychology. He knows what happened when he made us wait until tonight to find our next clue, he knows waiting until Tuesday will tear us apart.

***Sophie***

This is the most horrible scavenger hunt ever. Too bad I love scavenger hunts.

***Max***'

What if the next clue is in an ice cream shop?

***Penny***

"Guys, am I the only one who hears sirens?" I asked.

Louis groaned, "No, you're not the only one."

"Run?" Sophie asked.

Louis nodded. We stood up and split into pairs. We all went different directions, south, east and west.

***Sophie***

Penny and I went together, and the wrong way. We ran straight into the police.

"Damn it." I said, as the jumped out of the cars.

*****

***Penny***

"Just tell us what you were doing in the jewelry store after it was closed." The officer said, "We might be able to cut you some slack."

I leaned forward, "I know what you're doing. Splitting us up. You're playing prisoner's dilemma. It's not going to work. I'm not going to sell out my friend, and I know that she's smart enough not to tell you what happened."

***Sophie***

"...so then we went into the store because that's where our next clue was supposed to be, and turns out Penny didn't disable the alarm correctly, and it went off. I swear we had no intention of taking anything from the jewelry store."

*****

***Max***

"I hope Penny and Sophie are okay." I said, taking a drink of my hot cocoa.

"They'll be fine, they're smart, and minors. There's no way they can do anything more than call their parents." Alina tried to sound comforting, but she just sounded worried.

Louis shook his head, "Breaking and entering. That's two to five years in prison. Penny and Sophie could be in a lot of trouble for this."

Alina slapped Louis, "You're not making Max feel any better. Do you want any lollipops or ice cream, Max?"

I rolled his eyes, "Lollipops and ice cream aren't the only things that make me happy. I like having friends and playing board games and watching TV like normal people."

*****

***Penny***

"Sophie just told us the whole story. We don't know if she's telling the truth unless you confirm her story."

I leaned back, "Thanks, but I plead the Fifth. Let me go."

***Sophie***

What did Penny tell me to do? I can't remember right now. Come on, it was only half an hour ago. Oh, I remember. She told us not to tell them anything and to plead the fifth.

Woops. And what does plead the fifth mean? I should probably just say it, if Penny said it, the grownups will understand.

"I plead the Fifth." I said.

The police officer leaned forward with a grin on his face, "And can you tell me what that means?"

I wracked my brain for that lesson a year ago on human rights, "It means I can't be implicated in a crime. And what i was telling you was just a made up story, I'm writing it. It's called The Adventures of the Holmes Club."

The officer nodded, "Oh really?"

I nodded, "Oh, yes. It's a really cool book, all my friends are reading it. They'll tell you. Just ask them. In fact, this situation is giving me a very good idea for a scene in the book."

"We will." the officer stood and left the room, and I crossed my fingers.

I hope Penny knows what this means.

***Penny***

"Sophie says the story she told us is a fabrication from a novel she's writing."

"Oh, was it the one about the jewelry store?" I asked.

The officer nodded, "That's the one."

"Yeah, the book is great. Sophie's a great author."

"And what's this book called?"

I closed my eyes for a second, trying to think of what Sophie would call the book. Something simple, that she knew I would guess.

"It's called the Adventures of the Holmes Club. All of our friends are reading it."

"Okay. Looks like you can go."

"Great." I nodded, standing up.

"But we're calling your parents."

"That's just as well, I need a ride home." I said with a smile.

I saw Sophie in the lobby. We shared a hug.

"Sophie, you are a genius. that idea, oh, I never would have thought of that."

"Well, they never would have let us go if you hadn't guessed the book title."

"Well, you knew I would guess it. You picked the easiest thing you could think of, you pirated the title of Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories and substituted our club name."

"Penelope!"

"Oh, great, that's my mom. I'll see you later Sophie." I turned to face the firing squad, composed of Mom and Dad. Who would fire the blank, and who would fire the real bullet?