Heart to Heart (From the Files of Madison Finn, 11) (8 page)

“All right,” Aimee said. “Now we’ll go one by one, and create a profile of each of the guys. Then we’ll compare the evidence against the profile.”

“The evidence?” Madison giggled. She grabbed a handful of popcorn. “I can type it up later, and even scan in the guys’ photos.”

“Then we can send the pages to the
FBI
,” Aimee joked. “And see if they come up with anything.”

Both girls laughed as Aimee typed “Walter Emilio Diaz” at the top of the page.

TOP SECRET


Walter Emilio Diaz


Alias: Egg


Score on Romance-O-Meter: probably a 5 out of 10, now that we’ve seen him offer to buy Fiona an ice-cream cone


Facts: Has known Madison since Miss Jeremiah’s kindergarten class
Had a crush on Madison in first grade, therefore might be willing to help another boy who has a crush on Madison.
Knows where Madison lives, what she likes, etc.
Considers Madison his best gf—what does that really mean?


Profile summary: Possible accomplice


Madison giggled as she reread what Aimee had written. “It looks good on the screen. But the truth is that Egg probably wouldn’t want to get involved in some love-match thing,” she said.

“Yeah,” Aimee agreed. “He knows we’d freak if we saw him putting something romantic in your locker.”

TOP SECRET


Andrew Maxwell


Alias: Drew


Score on Romance-O-Meter: unknown


Facts: Likes chocolate. (As in—chocolate roses??) Lives 15 minutes from Madison’s house. It’s unlikely he’d be able to drop off a card without Egg’s help. HOWEVER, Egg is his best friend. Also good at computers—could send Orange Crush message secretly.


Profile summary: 20% chance he is our crusher


“Twenty percent?” Madison asked, reading what Aimee had typed. “What makes you say that?”

Aimee shrugged. “I think it’s possible that he’s the one, but there are some complications,” she explained. “I mean, he’s too obvious. Everyone
knows
he likes you …”

“What do you mean, ‘everyone knows’?” Madison asked.

Aimee made a clucking noise. “Maddie, c’mon. He always stares at you and sits near you. But I know you don’t really like him that way, so …”

Madison couldn’t believe what Aimee was saying. She always had the feeling that Drew was extra-nice to her, but she didn’t know that
everyone
noticed—or that it meant anything in particular.

“Look. Drew isn’t exactly the King of Organization, so chances are that he wouldn’t plan to send you secret messages. And Egg probably isn’t helping him. Come to think of it, the whole idea that those two would be working together on some kind of romantic project seems kind of—” She searched for the word.

“Hilarious,” Madison finished for her.

“Exactly.” Aimee nodded, and the two girls went on to the next suspect.

TOP SECRET


Daniel Ginsburg


Alias: Dan, Pork-0


Score on Romance-O-Meter: 3 or 4


Facts: Likes animals. LOVES
food. Very,
VERY
funny. More like a brother to Madison than romantic.


Profile summary: 5% chance he is our crusher


“Why did you put five percent?” Madison asked Aimee.

“Well, Dan is a nice guy and all that, but I don’t think it’s him. I mean, he cares way more about french fries and chocolate-chip cookies than girls, right?” Aimee said. “What do you think?”

“He’s nice,” Madison said.

“Yeah, but he’s not the dating type,” Aimee said. “You know?”

Madison nodded and they moved along to the next suspect.

TOP SECRET


Chet Waters


Alias: None


Score on Romance-O-Meter: 0


Facts: He lives only a block away and could find out tons of info about Madison from Fiona. HOWEVER, Chet is way too goofy to think of sending secret admirer stuff to Madison. Besides, he’d never be able to keep it a secret from Fiona, and Fiona would never be able to keep it a secret from
US
! !


Profile summary: unlikely suspect


Aimee gave a funny little snort, and Madison looked over at her. “What?” she asked.

“I’m sorry,” Aimee said with a giggle. “I was just picturing you and Chet on a double date with Fiona and Egg.”

“Chet and Egg would start a food fight the minute Fiona and I went to the ladies’ room,” Madison said.

“That’s just what I was thinking!” Aimee said, and she and Madison cracked up. “Okay, okay, we have to calm down, this is serious,” Aimee said, leaning toward the computer.

Madison was about to start laughing again when she leaned over and saw what Aimee was typing. She pursed her lips and held her breath instead.

TOP SECRET


Hart Jones


Alias: None


Score on Romance-O-Meter: 8


Facts: Used to like Madison in second grade. Calls Madison by special name (even though it is dumb): The Finnster. Is good friends with Chet, and could find out information about Madison from both Fiona and/or Egg. Was in Madison’s neighborhood at time of most recent card delivery.


Profile summary: Prime suspect


“Do you really think he’s the prime suspect?” Madison asked when she saw what Aimee had written.

Aimee bit her lip. “Well … he seems like the most likely person so far,” she admitted. “But I’m not a hundred percent sure. I think he likes Ivy Daly a lot. He’s always spending time with her and the drones, right?”

Madison peered at the screen, glancing at what they had written so far. “It could be any of these guys, or none of them,” she said. “You didn’t put that cute ninth grader on the list.”

Aimee laughed. “Get real, Maddie. You’re my best friend, but do you really think that he is going to ask you to the dance? He doesn’t even know you.”

Madison punched Aimee’s shoulder lightly. “It could happen!”

Aimee smiled. “I should be getting home,” she said. “It’s late. I have to study.”

“I guess we’ll solve this mystery another time,” Madison agreed, pushing herself to her feet. Her legs were stiff after sitting so long. “I’ll walk with you. Phin needs to go out anyway.”

Aimee said good-bye to Mom, who was reading a novel in the living room. “Be back in a few minutes,” Madison told her, grabbing Phin’s leash.

Phin kept sticking his nose way up in the air, sniffing like crazy. Madison wondered if he was trying to catch Peaches’s scent.

“Hey,” Aimee said as she walked up the steps to her house. “Should I get Blossom?”

Phin let out a big yawn.

“Nah, we’ll see you tomorrow, Aim,” Madison said.

“Okay,” Aimee said. “Just don’t forget about our Prime Suspect. I’ve got my eye on him now for sure.”

Madison hurried away as Aimee said that. Luckily it was dark outside, so her friend couldn’t see her turn four shades of pink. But one thing was true: if Aimee thought that Hart was the crusher, then it was
DEFINITELY
possible that he was the crusher. It was the law of averages, or something like that.

Madison smiled dreamily as she wandered down the street with Phin, imagining herself at the dance, wearing her new blue dress, holding Hart’s arm, gloating in front of Ivy Daly and her obnoxious drones …

Suddenly, Madison felt a tug on her leash. She turned and saw Phin was limping in the middle of the sidewalk.

“Come on, Phinnie,” Madison urged. “It’s cold out here and we need to get home.” She tugged gently on the leash, but Phin didn’t budge. He let out a yelp and lifted up his back paw.

“What’s wrong? Is something wrong with your leg?” Madison asked, kneeling to look at Phin’s paw. He was holding it off the ground.

“Oh, Phin,” Madison said, her voice edged with worry. “What happened? Did you step on something?” Phin whimpered as she scooped him gingerly into her arms. “Don’t worry,” Madison whispered.

She jogged toward the house, careful not to jostle Phin too much. She wasn’t really sure whether she was talking to Phin, or to herself.

“Mom!” Madison called out. “Come here! Phin’s hurt!”

Mom ran into the front hall. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“His paw,” Madison said, lifting his rear leg.

Phin was crying more now.

“We’d better get him to the clinic right away,” Mom said, inspecting Phin’s paw. “This looks really sore.”

“But what is it?” Madison asked. She wrapped him in a soft blanket, grabbed her orange bag and followed Mom out the door. If I hadn’t been so caught up in my daydreams about Hart, Madison thought, feeling guiltier than guilty, this never would have happened.

“Emergency!” Madison yelled as they walked through the doors of the Far Hills Animal Clinic. She had Phin cradled in her arms.

“What?” Eileen Ginsburg, Dan’s mother and the nurse at the clinic, asked.

“I was walking Phinnie and …” Madison said breathlessly, “there’s something wrong with his foot.”