The girls arrived at the cafeteria anxious to know what the sheriff wanted. He was sitting at a table munching on his lunch. Annie, Beth, Katie and Trisha made a bee-line for him and took seats around the sheriff. "Hi girls." He said, swallowing a bite of his sandwich and quickly wiping his mouth.
"What's up?" Annie asked as casually as she could, hoping he couldn't hear her heart pounding, wondering what he was going to say. The sheriff shifted in his seat, folded his large hands on the table and cleared his throat as he always did before he spoke. "I figure the only way to keep you four out of trouble...." He glanced at each girl in turn...."is to let you all do some leg work for me."
Annie and her friends glanced wide eyed at each other, not quite believing what they were hearing. He continued while the girls listened eagerly. "I have interviewed everyone and nobody will admit to stealing the money. Everyone has an alibi. And I have to admit except for a few, all the alibis are pretty good." He sighed, then paused as the janitor came by pushing a industrial size broom.
He watched as the short, bald, overweight man lumbered through the cafeteria doors. Then the sheriff continued. "I have a feeling that come 8:00 tonight, the guilty party or parties will not be coming to confess. "So. You have no suspects at all?" Annie said woefully. "Well, like I said there are a few girls....let's just say I don't believe their stories."
Katie was dying to ask if two of those girls were Daphne Ramsey and Pattie Bridgeport. Instead she asked, "Are those girls in our age group?" The sheriff suddenly had a hesitant look on his face perhaps wondering how much to tell them. He finally said, "No. They are a year or two older."
Katie raised a brow, and cast the other three a knowing look. "Look. You four live here now. I can't be here 24 hours a day. But you all our." He looked seriously at them again. "And I trust you." The girls each smiled at him. "What I'm asking you to do, is keep your eyes and ears open. And let me know if you see any suspicious behavior, or hear any "telling" conversations. Some people can't help but bragging about their criminal activities."
Sheriff Cooper took out a pad and pen and wrote something down. "This is my cell number and the number to the police station." He pushed it over to Annie who was sitting across from him. The girls' eyes were wide again. "If you see or hear anything you think I should know, call me." For once, Annie didn't know what to say.
All was quiet for a few moments, then finally Annie said, "We'll do our best." The sheriff smiled. "I know you will. I passed your idea on to Miss Leighton. She agreed that you girls could be my eyes and ears in this place, as long as Ruthie could check in with you a couple times a day. Ruthie agreed to do this."
"So, as long as you all are also agreeable to Miss Leighton's terms, and to call me at the first sign of trouble, well girls, as far as I'm concerned, you've resurrected the Mystery Club Detectives." Annie, Katie, Trisha and Beth grinned broadly at him, and said in unison, "We agree." "Okay then." He reached out his hand to shake hands with each of them. But Annie gave him her best mischievous grin.
"Actually, we do it this way," she said, turning his big hand over, palm on the table. He grinned as she put her small hand on his. Beth, Katie and Trisha, one at a time added their hands to the pile. Then, they all leaned in and whispered, "The Mystery Club Detectives."
End of Chapter 6
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Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives
Mystery / ThrillerAnnie 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...
