Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

Continue Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives

                                                                                       Chapter 14

                                                                   Mystery Club Open for Business

     Annie was her normal sunny self the next morning, well enough to attend church and the get together with Ridgewest after.  Patti called her before church to say she would be back to school at one o'clock.  Annie assured her that she and her friends would be waiting for her, and Annie added that Daphne was her friend now too; and Patti cried with happiness. 

     Ken Sawyer, the boy who had assaulted Patti was expelled from Ridgewest and charged with that assault.  He was released into the custody of his parents, after spending the night in the Waterbury detention center.  His hearing was set for the following Monday.  Sheriff Cooper told Patti and her parents, Annie and the rest of the Mystery Club Detectives that Ken Sawyer, because he had no previous criminal record, would likely have to take anger management classes, be on probation and do so many hours of community service.  Sheriff Cooper said, he hoped Ken's sentence would turn his life around.

     Daphne sat between Annie and Beth that day at church services, with Katie and Trisha in the front row seats in the main aisle.  Annie did pay proper attention to the minister, but also stole a few glances at Collin and his friends, smiling at them.  It was a day of praise for Annie, and when the pastor called for a moment of silent reflective prayer, Annie thanked God for her new friends Daphne and Patti and their commitment to Christ.  She also prayed that Ken Sawyer would find Jesus too.

     After church service Annie and her friends piled into the bus and then chatted happily all the way to Ridgemont.  The storm from the night before had blown it's self out and it was a warm Autumn day with blue skies overhead.  Patti called Annie again at twelve forty five and announced that she and her parents were on their way to Ridgemont.

     Collin, Zack, Jamie and Charlie joined Annie, Beth, Trisha, and Daphne as soon as the festivities began on the grounds of Ridgemont.  The weather continued to co-operate.  It was a pleasant seventy two degrees, and the sun shone brightly above them.  The buffet had been set up in the back of the school as usual, and that day featured: fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad, ham, garden salads and several desserts and offered iced tea and bottled water to drink.

     Annie and her friends took their usual table under the dogwood tree and filled themselves with food.  When they were finished, they hurried to the front steps to welcome Patti home.  Many of the other students joined them, and that made a great crowd of people.  It was only a few minutes of waiting until Patti and her parents arrived in the parking lot.  Ruthie had helped the girls hang a banner that said, "Welcome Home Patti"  Patti's face sparkled with happy tears when she saw it, and the huge crowd that were cheering at her return.

     After several minutes of greetings, pats on the back and good wishes,  Patti, Daphne, Annie, Katie, Beth and Trisha, followed Collin, Zack, Charlie and Jamie to the tennis courts.  Daphne and Beth were taking on Collin and Zack in the first match.  Annie found it difficult to know who to cheer for.  These were all her friends.  She decided to compromise and cheered for them all. Jamie fetched a crate for Patti to rest her leg on.  Although it looked completely healed, it did hurt a little after walking on it for a period of time.  Patti thanked him for his kindness and gave him a big smile. 

     Beth and Daphne won the first match and Collin and Zack the next one.  The four of them debated whether to play off the tie, but Patti suggested that both teams maybe ought to be satisfied that each had won once.  Everyone laughed and the four players agreed with her.  Sheriff Cooper dropped by to see how Patti was doing.

     Annie thought he looked down in the dumps, and she thought she knew why, because there wasn't any progress on the name or where a bouts of the thief.  She hated to see that depressed look on his face.  So she called him over to an oak tree, a yard or so away from the others, who were in heavy conversation about the tennis match currently going on, and said,  "Sheriff Cooper.  You will catch the guy who committed this crime."  The Sheriff just stared at her in amazement for a moment.

     "Well, thanks Annie, but what made you come out with that now?" he asked, his brow knitted together.  "Your face."  Annie said simply.  Sheriff Cooper chuckled.  "Girl, if you don't become a detective, for real, when you grow up, you will miss your calling.  Remind me never to let you get a look at my face when I'm trying to hide something from you."  Annie laughed at his choice of words.  "Thanks for the compliment.  Actually, I am thinking about taking criminal justice courses in my junior and senior years."  "Good.  Then maybe one day, you'll work for me."  Annie laughed, then said, "Maybe."

     "You know, you inherited that gift from your mother, Sara.  She could always tell what I was thinking."  Annie smiled proudly.  "Come on Annie!"  Charlie called.  "You're missing some great action over here!"  "Go join your friends.  I'll see you all later."  He waved to Charlie and the others and said,  "Thanks Annie.  You made an old man feel better.  Let me know if you or your friends hear of see anything of importance."  "We will," she promised, as Sheriff Cooper walked to his car.

     Annie and the others made another trip to the dessert table.  Her friends all got ice cream, and Annie got a cinnamon elephant ear.  Again, the group sat at their table and Annie glanced over at the basement window that led to the club house up above.  She thought about that horrible Saturday when she, Beth, Katie and Trisha had planned to clean it up, and how all that had been interrupted by Patti going to the hospital.  She made a mental note to ask Ruthie when they could schedule another cleaning day.

     She also wanted to ask Beth, Katie and Trisha about asking Daphne and Patti to join their club.  She was sure her friends would agree.  Then a wide smile spread across her face as she looked into the faces seated at the table.  Beth caught her staring, as she usually did, and asked, "What?"  Annie grinned wider;  "Oh, nothing, except,.... it's been a wonderful day."