The Super Spies and the Pied Piper (8 page)

“Okay,” Scoop answered warily.

“We know he went into this spooky house, but it doesn't appear that he's the owner.”

“Yeah.”

“So we need some way to get inside and look around.”

“And how are you going to do that?” Scoop leaned forward and made eye contact with Sarah.

“Well…” She shifted in her seat and bit her lip. “Since you used to be a reporter… I thought you could go and interview them.”

“Really?” Scoop snorted. “And what would I be interviewing them about?”

“The Robinson family started the logging business in Alden. I figured you could do some sort of historical article or something like that.”

“Did you forget that I'm retired? I don't work for a paper anymore.”

Sarah shrugged. “So, they don't know that.”

“I see. You want me to lie to them.” Scoop pursed his lips.

”Yep.” Sarah eyed the retired reporter. “I mean there's no law against impersonating a reporter is there?”

Scoop laughed and wiped his forehead with his hand as if he were drenched in sweat. “No, I don't suppose there is.” He sighed and stroked his chin. “Of course, I could say I was doing a freelance article for an independent publication.”

“So… you'll do it?”

He sighed. “I'll do it.”

“Cool beans,” Jackie trumpeted.

“Okay here's the plan. We go up to the Robinson's tomorrow morning and you'll knock on the door and see if they'll agree to an interview.” Sarah spoke quickly, hoping to get the plan down before Scoop changed his mind. She glanced at Scott. “He'll need to wear a wire. Do you think you can get one from your dad?”

“I'll… try.” Scott squirmed in his seat.

“No need,” the retired reporter interrupted. “I've got a device that can record and take pictures all in one. I've used it many times in my work and it'll do the job.”

“Will we be able to listen in like cops do in those awesome detective shows?” Sarah asked.

Scoop shook his head. “No, I'm afraid not.”

Sarah pouted. “Bummer.”

“This isn't going to be dangerous, is it?” Lacey asked, biting her lip.

Scoop shook his head. “No… I've done this a million times.”

Lacey sighed and leaned back. “Good.”

“I'll come up with some interview questions tonight. What time are we leaving?”

“We're leaving at seven in the morning,” Sarah said, glancing around the table.

“What? Are you kids skipping school?”

Sarah bit her lip and stifled the irritated groan that was about to escape. “Yes. We're so close to finding my parents. I couldn't sit in classes tomorrow and concentrate.”

“I'm not really comfortable with this.” Scoop pushed back from the table.

“Wait!” Sarah stood. “You have to do this.”

“I don't have to do anything.”

“That freak saw all of us. We can't do it — he'll recognize us.”

“How are you going to get past your parents?” Scoop stood and placed his hands on his hips. “You know the school is going to want a note from them the next day or you're going to have an unexcused absence.”

Sarah chewed on her thumbnail. “We'll worry about that. You just need to do the interview.”

Scoop sighed. “I don't know…”

“Please.” Sarah clasped her hands together as if she were praying and gave him her most beseeching expression.

“Please,” Jackie said, imitating Sarah.

“It's for my parents,” Sarah pleaded.

Scoop pursed his lips. “All right, but you kids keep my name out of this when you get in trouble.”

“We will,” Sarah promised. She leaned back in her seat and sighed. “Okay, let's meet in front of the library tomorrow at seven. It's a two hour drive so we'll get to Alden around nine.”

“Is that it?” Scoop asked as he stood. “I really need to get going so I can come up with some questions.”

Sarah gave the retired reporter a nod. “We'll see you tomorrow morning.”

“All right.” Scoop shuffled off, pulling his wallet out of his back pocket. He stopped at the hostess stand and paid for his beverage and then ambled out of the restaurant.

“He's pretty cool for an old guy,” Jackie said.

“No doubt.” Sarah nudged her friend, telling her it was time to go.

Jackie stood. “I've got to go to the bathroom. I'll meet you guys outside.”

“Okay,” Sarah said, stepping around her friend.

The Super Spies sauntered up to the hostess stand and paid for their drinks. Then they walked out into the cool air. Sarah shivered as she strolled toward the bike rack. She stopped, dancing from one foot to the other as she waited for her friend.

“I'm going to walk Lacey home,” Scott said. He pulled Lacey's bike from the rack and proceeded to wheel it toward home.

Sarah snickered and opened her mouth to tease her sister, but closed it again when she remembered how she had acted around Alex earlier that day.

Alex gave his friend a wink. “Okay, I'll meet you in front of the library tomorrow morning.”

Scott smirked “Okay, see you then. Bright and early.”

Alex and Sarah stood together in an awkward silence. Sarah glanced down at her shoes, trying to think of something to say. The evening had grown chilly and she could see her breath in the air. Shivering, she hugged herself. “Sure is getting cold.”

“It is.” Alex studied her for a moment. “Would you like my jacket?”

“Sure… but aren't you going to be cold?”

“Nah… I've got a sweatshirt on.” Alex took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. “It looks good on you.”

Sarah gave him a shy smile as she pulled it tight. “Thanks.”

Jackie strolled out of the restaurant. “Hey, girlfriend.”

”What's up?”

“It's freezing out here. I say we head home.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

“Is it okay if I walk with you guys?” Alex asked.

“You didn't drive?” Jackie asked.

Alex shook his head and sighed. “No, I only live a few blocks away and with the beating my car took today…” He didn't finish his sentence but shrugged his shoulders and looked at the ground for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyes and trapped Sarah in his penetrating stare. “So, can I walk you guys home?”

Jackie blew on her hands. “Why not?” She winked at Sarah.

The girls pulled their bikes from the rack and Sarah rang Jackie's bell.

“Knock it off.” Jackie pushed her hand away.

Alex laughed. “That's some bike you got there, Jackie.”

“It's not mine,” Jackie snapped. “It's Sarah's aunt's.”

“True.” Sarah snickered.

The group fell silent as they trudged toward home. The sun hung in the sky like a bright orange beach ball. Wisps of clouds clung to it as if it was speeding by and they were trying to keep up. Sarah took a deep breath. The cool air filled her lungs and she shivered. She pulled Alex's jacket tighter and glanced at her friend. Goose bumps had sprung up on Jackie's arms and she visibly shivered in the cool evening air.

“Jack, do you want to wear Alex's jacket for a while?”

“Sure.” Jackie gave her a grateful smile.

Sarah shrugged out of the jacket and handed it to her, shivering as the cool air touched her warm skin.

Alex put his arm around Sarah and gave her a squeeze. “I'll warm you up.” He rubbed her arm with his free hand sending tingles throughout her body.

Sarah's cheeks grew hot as a blush spread over her face. Staring at her feet, she prayed Jackie wouldn't make a smart remark.

The group continued their journey in an awkward silence until they reached the corner where Jackie turned toward her home.

Alex cleared his throat. “Ahem…”

“Why don't I just take this bike to my house and you can pick it up tomorrow,” Jackie said.

“Good idea,” Sarah squeaked.

“Here's Alex's jacket.” Jackie took off the coat and handed it to Sarah with a twinkle in her eye. “Call me later.”

“Okay.” Sarah accepted the jacket while averting her eyes. She knew she'd turn red as a beet if Jackie started teasing her now.

“Night, Alex,” Jackie said before hopping on Aunt June's bike and pedaling toward her house.

“See ya,” Alex responded while helping Sarah into his coat.

Sarah pushed her bike as they walked through the stillness. The darkness of night replaced the grayness of the overcast day. Eerie shadows from the street lamps appeared everywhere and Sarah imagined the Stalker behind the trees watching them with demonic eyes filled with madness. He must be crazy Sarah reasoned. What other possibility existed? The man had literally tried to run them off the road. She shivered and pulled the jacket tighter.

“Do you want me to push your bike?” Alex asked, breaking the silence.

“No, that's okay,” Sarah squeaked again. She groaned.
What is wrong with my voice?

They made their way through the inky darkness and the silence between them grew more awkward. Sarah struggled for something to say while at the same time keeping her eye on the shadows.

“So… Scott tells me you want to be a detective?”

Sarah bit her lip and her stomach fluttered. She didn't know if she was ready to share this with Alex. “Yeah. I do.”

“Really?” Alex asked in an incredulous tone. “Why? I mean… I know you want to find your parents and all, but Scott said you wanted to be one even before they disappeared.”

“I've wanted to be one ever since fourth grade.”
Here we go
. She took a deep breath, hoping to bring her nervousness under control.

“No kidding?”

“It all started when my mom gave me some mysteries. I love to read, too.” Sarah gestured with her hand and then grabbed the handle bars quickly as her bike wobbled.

“And…”

“I was at school one day and there was a skinny guy in our class. He was always getting picked on by this group of older boys.”

“Really?”

Sarah took another deep breath before she continued. “One day these older boys put an open can of paint in his locker and rigged it so when he opened it the paint would spill all over.”

“Wow… that's pretty lame.”

Sarah glanced at him and gave him a warm smile. “Anyway, when he opened his locker, paint went everywhere, all over him and the floor, the lockers, everywhere.”

“You're kidding me.” Alex made eye contact with her and shook his head. His eyes clouded with dismay and his expression registered his disgust.

“When the teacher came out and saw the mess, these older boys blamed the skinny kid and the teacher believed them.” Sarah sighed. “I was the only one who saw what really happened and I told the teacher.”

“Oh… so you like saved the skinny kid?”

“Well, kept him out of detention anyway.” Sarah shrugged. “But ever since then I've always had a soft spot for victims.”

“Cool.” Alex gave Sarah a wink of approval.

The heat starting in Sarah's belly radiated throughout her whole body. Feeling all warm and toasty, she was positive she glowed in the dark. The eerie shadows forgotten, her stomach did flip-flops as she stole a glance at Alex.

She took in his blue eyes that seemed to turn lavender when the streetlights hit them just right. They seemed to smolder when he gazed at her and she wondered if his senses were all a flutter like hers.

“Looks like we're here,” Alex said, stopping in front of her house.

“I guess it does.” Sarah giggled and then silently berated herself.
Knock it off! You sound like a twit
. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not wanting the moment to end.

“Ummm… could I have my jacket?” Alex asked. His voice had a huskiness to it that Sarah hadn't heard before.

“Oh… yeah… of course.” Sarah's knees wobbled; flustered she shrugged out of his jacket. “Thanks for letting me wear it.”

Alex slipped on his coat and grinned. “All nice and warm.”

Sarah beamed, her nervousness disappeared. “I guess… I'll see you tomorrow in front of the library?”

“I'll be there.”

“Good night.”

“Good night, Sarah.”

His voice had grown husky again and she wondered if he were about to kiss her. That glowing feeling enveloped her body. No longer feeling the cold, she stared into his eyes.

The door opened and light flooded out, spilling over the porch and onto the sidewalk below. Sarah groaned.
Perfect timing, Lace
.

“Sarah? Is that you?”

“Ye-e-ess, it's me.” Sarah rolled her eyes, grateful for the dark. It hid the deep blush that she knew was burning her cheeks.

Alex only laughed. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

“I'll see you then.” Sarah took a deep breath, and then faced her sister. “I've got to put my bike in the garage. I'll come inside in a minute.”

She relaxed when she heard the front door close and took just a moment to watch Alex walk off in the night. He strolled like he didn't have a care in the world. He would disappear in the dark and then reappear under a streetlight further down the road. The light reflected off of his dark hair making it appear as if it weren't really hair at all, but some sort of mystical helmet protecting his head. Sarah sighed and steered her bike toward the garage. Remembering the warm feeling that had come over her she couldn't help wondering…
is this what Mom felt like when she met D
ad?

The thought jolted her back to reality. She put her bike in the garage and pondered her parents.
Could they really be in Alden? Have they been there this whole time? I'm going to find out tomorrow.
Sarah clenched her hands into determined fists and strode into the house.