Mystery at Mavadi!

Chapter 17!

I am sooooooooooooooooo sorry for not updating! Like REALLY sorry!!

You should see me now... I have my puppy-dog face on...

If you guys lost interest in this book I understand... *still has puppy dog face on though*

Chapter 17

"He's what?!" Robin and I said at the same time in the same tone.

"That's impossible..." Larry muttered, staring at the man.

Rayne Smith was in jail. What was this man talking about? Why did he think Smith was dead anyway?

 "We saw him a week ago," Alex improvised on the story.

The man threw back his head and laughed. It was a bitter laugh. I noticed a few black teeth. He was chewing on something that looked like a toothpick.

"Smith died half a year ago." He informed us.

"Oh, alright." Larry nodded his appreciation to  the man, "Let's go then, you guys."

I stared at him. Why wasn't he staying and getting more information?

Larry shepherded us away from the man's gaze.

He dropped his voice. "Something tells me we shouldn't trust that man with what we know."

"He's throwing us off?" Susan asked.

"Maybe he's the other thief!" Robin said.

The mere thought sent shivers down my spine.

"Well, looks like our one good lead is dead. No pun intended."

Alex turned on him. "You're discouraging, you know that?"

Larry just smiled.

 ----

"News, my friends!" Robert sang as he entered the room.

I didn't look up. My knight and queen were in danger. My king was unprotected.

How had this happened? Alex grinned at me over the chess board. I'd forgotten that behind the hyper excited freak was a chess geek. Hey, that rhymed!

I heard Larry and Robin talking to Robert but didn't pay attention. If I lost again, that would make the seventh time in a row. Ho no. No way!

Alex's moves started getting distracted. I looked up to see that she was distracted.

Now was the time!

My bishop cut off her pawn's passage. My queen positioned for  the kill and my knight leapt up to avenge any murders.

I didn't notice how quiet the room had gotten.

"Checkmate!" I yelled.

Everybody stared at me.

Uh-oh.

"What?"

Robin sighed, "You didn't listen to one word, did you?"

"No?"

"Well, Rayne  Smith started talking."

"No! What did he say?"

Everyone laughed. Even Robert smiled.

Alex started telling me as the guys went back to talking.

"Rayne Smith says that he was blackmailed into the picture by a guy called Logan. Logan was his childhood friend who returned after a few years to check up on his town. The first casket they stole is still with him. At least that's what Smith says. Another game?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to shake my head no. That was enough chess for one day.

"Rayne knows he's facing a prison sentence. Usually people who aren't the master minds in a plot will spill everything by now. This guy though, Rayne, may not be the smartest or sane since he keeps switching the name of the guy he worked with. He keeps switching the name Nero with the name Logan."

I tried to process all that information. Alex and I turned back to the conversation the boys were having.

"What if Nero was Logan's real name or surname or something?" I heard Robin ask.

"No." Robert shook his head, "The way he was blabbering, I'm sure it was two people."

"Oh sweet," Alex groaned, "We need to find two thieves now with just their names."

"Rayne Smith," I said, "The man near his house said he was dead."

"Dead?" Robert looked confused.

That was a first.

Larry explained everything that had happened.

"I'll check up on that," Robert promised "Hmm... so you guys were actually stumped. Lucky for you I stopped by."

"Yeah." Robin agreed in his monotone "Lucky us."

Usually I would have gotten angry at Robert or annoyed that he was suck a narcissist, but now I actually felt like laughing. He was Robert after all.

"Talking to me would have revived your detective minds, huh?"

"We're so not worthy."

Robert and Robin began a staring contest.

Larry sighed.

Robert left after promising that he'd ask around if Rayne Smith was dead and if they thought so, why?

Larry went back to his laptop. I looked over at Alex. We were both hungry but too lazy to go all the way to the kitchen. We stared at each other, willing the other to get a snack.

Finally I looked up to see that Robin was closest to the doorway leading to the kitchen.

"Robin?"

He turned to look at us.

Alex and I had huge grins on our faces.

His brow furrowed for a moment, then he rolled his eyes.

"Fine. I'll get you pigs something to eat. Just stop blinding me with your bleached teeth."

He left the room.

Alex and I high-fived each other as Larry looked up to smile.

Susan smirked, "You guys are so alike, it's almost scary."

We grinned again.

I thought about everything that had happened today.

Breakfast, the swim at the stream, the walk all the way to Rayne's house, lunch, chess, chess, more chess, Robert's news...

"Is it just me?" I asked out loud, "Or is Robert starting to act like a part of us?"

"IT'S JUST YOU!" Robin yelled from the kitchen.

I had to laugh.

"He brought us news today." Alex mused.

"He discussed it and didn't flaunt it for once." Susan said.

"He promised to investigate further and let us know." Larry said.

"Maybe he's just pretending." Alex guessed as Robin entered the room with two sandwiches. "It's a trick."

I knew Larry would defend Robert now.

"No." Larry and Robin said at the same time.

We all looked at Robin in confusion.

He didn't look bothered. "He could  never be that smart."

We all burst out laughing as Larry just shook his head.

There! A chapter is up!

(Who's awesome? I am... uh huh... That's right...)

I'm planning on putting up the next chapter today! Woohoo!!