Count's Daughter

The Case

When I wake up in the morning, I see a note on the table. Big news! Meet me in the same room as yesterday. If you're having trouble finding it, ask someone in the halls or go to the front desk and ask.

Big news! Meet me in the same room as yesterday. If you're having trouble finding it, ask someone in the halls or go to the front desk and ask.Blacker

I feel a smile spreading on my face. Since big news most likely means we're working an important case, I'm ecstatic. I can feel the adrenaline flowing through me.

I quickly get dressed (since technically all the stuff in here came from my room at Aunt Polly's house) in jeans and a shirt that reads Books make me happy! You, not so much and head for the cobalt blue room.

I knock on the door and hear Hitch's gruff voice. "Enter" Can't I go anywhere without him being there?!

As instructed, I enter the room, closing the door behind me. "What are we doing today?" I ask.

"We're helping the rest of Spectrum on their newest case, though I guess you already know all about that." Hitch responds, while Blacker looks guilty.

When Hitch turns around to look at the desk, I mouth *Proditor! at Blacker. He looks away, slightly smiling. Some people are so annoying.

"Okay. We need to work together to crack the code that was left in Minny's room." Hitch says, interrupting what would have probably turned into a who-knows-the-most-offending-names-in-different- languages-match between Blacker and me. (I would win.)

As I walk over to the desk, I'm in sudden disbelief. No, no one could know about this code. It's impossible. She's dead.

"Are there any pencils and paper here?" I ask.

Hitch immediately scoffs. "There's no way you already know the code. You just looked at it. It's impossible."

"I hate to agree with Hitch, but it is impossible to already know the code."

"It's not impossible if I invented the code." I snap back, shutting both of them up.

"How did you invent it?" Blacker inquires.

"My best friend decided that we needed a code to speak to each other. We had just had a huge argument because she wanted to give me a nickname, actually the nickname that people call me today, so I went along with it hoping to make her forget the nickname thing. We made the code, and she wanted a cheat sheet so it was easier. I compoyed since it was math skills and I wasn't the best at math. If I can find some pencil and paper I should be able to solve it in a few minutes with the cheat sheet that I made for me. I will also need to go to my room and get that."

"So you think your friend is behind the kidnapping?" Hitch asks.

"That would be impossible. She died 3 years ago." I say without emotion. "Can one of y'all find the paper and pencil while I go get the cheat sheet?"

"Sure." Blacker says without any enthusiasm. Can't blame him either. If I thought the room was a mess yesterday, it's much worse today. Like worse than my room, which is saying something.

As I hurry along to my room, I let myself panic. What if she really is alive? No that's not possible. I saw the body myself. She never would have told anyone. That was one of the reasons we were friends. We were both antisocial and didn't care about what people thought. Besides she liked that it was a secret code. That could only mean one thing. Someone, the person who kidnapped Minny, a criminal, has been watching me my entire life. I can't help but think about my father, Count. I kind of want to tell Blacker and Hitch, but chances of them believing me would be low for Blacker, and nonexistent for Hitch. Maybe LB would. I'll mention it to her next time I see her.