The Mysteries of Megan Glen

Secret Book Club: 4

The next day, all of us were up and ready early in the morning. I made sure to dress in jeans despite the blazing heat. I didn’t want a drop of acid hitting my skin when I was working in the lab. I packed a jacket in my bag as well. It would make my mom suspicious if I wore it (I didn’t want her finding out my little secret), but I might need it.

Once I was ready, I went downstairs, ten minutes before we were supposed to leave. Lacey and Danny were eating breakfast with my parents, but Jake was still asleep. His preschool started later. Barry smiled welcomingly, “Good morning Megan, do you want breakfast?”

“No thanks, I’m not hungry,” I said, leaning against the wall.

Mom swallowed a bite and gave me a knowing look. “You have a test, don’t you? And you’ve decided to use that Sherlock trick of not eating to help you think.”

“I do have a test, but I don’t use his method. I was simply planning to eat at school.” Everything I said was a lie, but my mom was oblivious. It wasn't my fault I wasn't hungry!

I waited for everyone to finish eating before Barry drove us to the local high school, instructing me to make sure Lacey and Danny got settled in alright. That was going to be the hardest part of all of this. It was quite difficult to help someone new to your school when you didn’t actually attend the school.

The three of us got out of the car and I told them, “The front office is through that doorway on your right. They’ll have your schedules. And Lacey, I strongly suggest not smoking on school property- also keep your temper in check. Danny, don’t steal anything; they have cameras everywhere.” I had given Lacey the nasty cigarettes I’d stolen off Colby yesterday to make sure she didn’t tell my mom that I hadn’t apologized.

“Aren’t you going to show us in?” Lacey asked, popping her gum. In the back of my mind I wondered why she needed gum before eight in the morning.

I shook my head. “Nope, good luck.”

“Barry told you to make sure we didn’t get lost,” Danny prodded me. “Where are you going anyways?”

I sighed and told them the truth, “I don’t go to school here, okay? And I would appreciate if you didn’t tell anyone.”

“What- you mean you dropped out?” Lacey asked, suddenly looking interested. “I thought you were the good girl. You don’t smoke, do drugs or steal. Why did you stop going to school?”

Glancing around at my old classmates made me lose a bit of bravo as I knew they were all staring. “I didn’t drop out; I took my GEDs while I was staying with my aunt for a few months.”

“Of course you did,” she sighed, disappointed that I wasn’t a rebel.

Danny frowned in confusion. “So what do you do instead?”

“Take a wild guess,” I said sarcastically. And then more seriously, I added, “My mom wouldn’t approve of me doing so much crime-solving stuff, as you refer to it, so don’t tell her. Good luck.”

Lacey stopped me. “Why shouldn’t we tell her?”

“Because I could have you arrested in an instant for everything you’ve done. I can see right through the two of you and all the crimes you’ve committed. It wouldn’t be hard to bring those to light. Danny already has ten witnesses from yesterday of him being on a crime scene illegally. Is that enough initiative?”

He glowered at me. “Yeah, we won’t tell them.”

“What crime scene?” Lacey questioned.

I just waved my fingers. “I’ll see you later.” Then I started off on my usual morning walk to the playground across the street where I waited for Sam to pick me up.