Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

Continue Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

                                                                                         Chapter 10

                                                                                   The Secret Room

      Beth and Annie were getting ready for bed that night,  Beth already snuggling under her covers, and Annie closing her lap top after sending e-mails to her aunt,  uncle and her two best friends back home. Even though she had made good friends at Ridgemont and Ridgewest, she missed her old ones in Hopskinville Kentucky.

     She finally slipped into her bed and turned off the light.  The lamp post in the parking lot shone their light through the girls' side window as usual, casting a golden glow over both girls' headboards in an other wise darkened room.  "Hey."  Beth whispered.  "Are you ready for classes tomorrow?"

     Annie giggled quietly.  "Well, the classes will start tomorrow whether I'm ready for them or not."  Beth giggled too.  "Don't worry."  Annie assured her.  "We're good students, we'll do fine."  Beth sighed.  "You're right....occasionally."  Annie stuck out her tongue at her.  Beth laughed.  "8:00 am comes pretty early you know.  We'd better get to sleep."  Annie said yawning.

     "Night Annie."  Night Beth."  Annie echoed.  Then Annie prayed a silent prayer, ending with, "Please God, help Charlie understand what he reads in your word.  Thanks.  In Jesus name amen."

     Annie, Beth, Katie and Trisha shared the same math class, the first class of the day.  It was algebra 1, taught by Miss Helga Starke.  She had a head covered with short light brown curls, and had sparkling blue eyes.  She was a large woman, who wore that day a neat blue suit.  She looked over her uniform clad students and smiled.

     When she spoke her German heritage was evident by her accent.  She instructed her class to turn to the first chapter of their books and then proceeded to explain algebra to them in an easy to understand way.  After class Annie and her friends hurried to their next class, giving their opinions of Miss Starke.  They all agreed that she was a good teacher and that they would all like algebra eventually.  Science was class number two for Annie and Beth, while Trisha and Katie rushed off to history.

     The science teacher Lucy Leach was a thin woman whose wardrobe was a sharp contrast to Miss Starke in her neat blue suit.  Miss Leach wore a flowered peasant skirt with a loose fitting blouse.  She donned sandals on her feet.  She wore her ash blond hair in a ponytail at the nape of her neck and Large hoop earrings dangled from her earlobes.  The glasses she wore had very thick lenses.  The overall picture made her look like a very thin, decorative bug of some sort.

     But she laughed a lot and was definitely in love with science, evident in the excitement she exhibited when she told the class about the experiments they would be doing during the year.  Then she handed out empty soda bottles and ingredients needed in the class's first experiment.  In a half an hour's time, the room was filled with spewing orange liquid emitting form the many soda bottles placed on every" desk.

     Miss Leach was clapping her hands and congratulating her students on their great success.  "I just love her."  Annie exclaimed as she and Beth exited the classroom.  Beth giggled.  "I do too.  I never met anyone like her."  "I would have to agree with that.  She's definitely an original."  Annie said with a chuckle.

     Lunch was next on the list for Annie and her friends.  Katie and Trisha were waiting for Annie and Beth by the cafeteria doors.  They chatted about their first two classes as they filled their plates.  The girls waved to Ruthie who was bringing in a new tray of sloppy joes.  She smiled and nodded at them as they took seats at their usual table.

    " I wonder if Sheriff Cooper talked to the housekeeping staff yet.  Especially Bernie."  Beth said, taking a bite of her sandwich.  "Well, we're about to find out."  Annie said, nodding at the cafeteria doors, where the sheriff was striding toward them.  When he reached their table he sat down with a frustrated look on his face.

     "Hey."  The sheriff greeted them.  "I'll talk, you listen."  The girls nodded in agreement.  "Well, I couldn't talk to Bernie.  He called in sick today.  A co-worker told me."  Beth quickly  swallowed her food.  "That's convenient."  "Well, I wanted to know what this illness was that kept him from work, so I asked Miss Leighton.  She said it wasn't him that was ill, but that his wife was taken to the hospital."  Annie and Katie whose mouths were presently empty of food, gasped.

     "Yeah.  I feel sorry for him too."  Sheriff Cooper said.  Trisha swallowed then asked,  "Did Miss Leighton say what's wrong with her?"  The sheriff's face turned somber.  "Cancer,"  he answered.  Then very soberly added, "Terminal."  "So sad."  Annie said, wiping her mouth, having finished her meal.  "Bernie said he would...."  Suddenly, everyone heard running footsteps coming into the room.  The sheriff and everyone at the table turned toward the sound.