Lunch was over with and the girls were sitting in Annie's and Beth's dorm room. Trisha and Katie bought everyone sodas from the vending machine and now handed them out. When they quenched their thirst, the girls began discussing the missing money. "Hey." Beth started, interrupting what Katie was saying about her belief that Daphne and Patti had committed the theft.
"Tomorrow is Sunday, and I read in our welcome packet that we have chapel at Waterbury, in the interdenominational church there." " What denomination are you?" Annie asked her. "United Methodist." Beth answered. "And you?" Beth asked Annie. "Southern Baptist, of course." Annie said with a giggle in her voice.
"Me too!" Katie said raising her hand, a wry smile on her face. "Of course!" Annie and Beth chimed. Trisha was suddenly shy and uncomfortable, but said quickly, "I'm Catholic." It was silent for a few moments, then Beth said, "I went to a mass once. It was um, interesting." The awkward look on her face made everyone else laugh.
"Luckily, God doesn't belong to any one church. He loves us all the same." Annie said, grinning at her. Trisha grinned back. "My pastor told me once that the we all were going to be surprised how many denominations would be waiting to greet us in heaven." Annie statement brought the subject to a close.
"Anybody know when the teachers arrive?" Katie asked. "Tuesday morning." Annie answered knowledgably. "They don't live at the school. They commute from neighboring towns." Annie added. "Oh," was all Katie said. "Looks like someone hasn't read through her welcome packet." Trisha said, nudging her shoulder. Katie rolled her eyes.
"Well, not all of it." She admitted with a giggle. "We are way off the subject of the theft." Trisha said. "You're right." Annie agreed, grabbing a spiral notebook from a stack of them on the bedside table, and four pencils. She handed them out to her friends so they all could make notes on what they discussed.
"Now. The first meeting of the Mystery Club Detectives will come to order." Annie announced. Annie suddenly pictured her mother saying the same thing so many years ago." "I'm sorry I interrupted you before Katie. You were saying...." Katie took a deep breath. "Well, I was just saying, it wouldn't surprise me if Daphne and Patti did it."
"Why do you thing that?" Annie asked her. "I don't know. I just have a feeling." We have to have more to go on than that." Trisha said, rolling her eyes, then nudging Katie's side again. "We know that Miss Leighton was out of her office between 9:00 and 9:30. So the only chance for the office safe to be robbed would be that time frame." Annie said wisely.
Everyone made a note on their papers. "Hey. I need to ask Ruthie a question." Annie suddenly said. "What question?" Beth asked, narrowing her eyes. "Ill tell you all later, okay?" "Okay." Beth agreed, still suspicious. "Let's go find her." Annie said, jumping up off the bed and leading the way out of the door.
Annie remembered the first time they went looking for Ruthie, she was in the office. So she decided they may as well look for her there. And just like before the girls heard raised voices coming from behind the door. Only this time, it was Miss Leighton's voice that was raised in anger.
"How could I have been so stupid!" Miss Leighton raged. Ruthie put a finger to her lips. "Sorry." Miss Leighton mumbled, embarrassed. "Ma'am, you have got to stop berating yourself. It could've happened to anybody." Ruthie soothed her. "You were only gone for thirty minutes. You couldn't have foreseen someone coming into the school and robbing the safe."
" You were taking care of a student who was heaving her guts out." "Ruthie!" Ruthie's language evidently offended the headmistress. " Sorry Ma'am." Ruthie said, meaning it. The girls outside the door had to stifle giggles. "Someone's coming." Katie whispered. The girls quickly walked to the front doors and began chatting casually.
Two girls in tennis outfits, holding rackets and a bucket of balls walked past them. After the door closed behind them, Annie and her friends walked back to the office door. Annie was happy to hear the conversation still going on. But then unhappy when it immediately came to an end, the girls having learned no new information.
The girls walked slowly back to the common room and took seats on the comfortable sofa and chairs. "So, I guess the only thing we're sure of is that the thief could only have taken the money from 9 to 9:30." Trisha said. "Yep." Katie agreed. "Except that no one thinks we four could have taken it." Annie said with a smile. Beth Grinned at her friend, "Yeah, that's good. But that leaves the other 100 girls who are here now....as suspects."
YOU ARE READING
Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives
Misterio / SuspensoAnnie Adams was orphaned at two years old. Her mother's last wish was that Annie be placed in the care of her mother's sister and her husband. Annie was very happy with them on their farm in Hopskinville Tennessee. But at age thirteen Annie learn...
