The Mysteries of Megan Glen

The Ring Maker: 1

Chapter One

A couple of months passed before I got my next interesting case. I’d had a few after the Secret Book Club case, but nothing worth documenting. This was different. Not only was the presentation of it remarkably strange, but every clue had its own peculiarities... It started on the first day of winter break.

I woke up to a little boy screaming at me from the doorway. “Megan! Hannah says get up! Megan! Wake up!”

My confusion diminished when I pushed myself into a sitting position and saw Jake at my door. He refused to be near me if the rest of the family wasn’t there. Jake being in my room was as curious as the fact that my mom wanted me out of bed at seven.

“What?” I pushed the blankets off of me so I could stretch and rid myself of the stiffness brought on by a goodnight’s sleep.

“Hannah wants you to get up and dressed in something warm.” He was clutching a stuffed puppy to his chest with one hand, the other lingering on my door handle. I could see him anticipating my every move.

My next words were spoken slowly, “Did she say why?”

“No.” His lip quivered.

“If you leave, I’ll get dressed and-” He was out the door before I could finish. I closed the door behind him and went over to my closet, wondering why the kid was still so afraid of me. It was peculiar.

When I got down stairs, everyone was sitting around the table, eating oatmeal and drinking orange and looking so perfectly happy that it was almost disgusting. “We’re eating oatmeal again?” I asked, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard.

Mom monitored my movements with her eyes. “You can have whatever you can make in ten minutes.”

“So a bowl of cereal is my only other choice?”

“Yup,” she said around a bite of horse food.

I take down a bag of lucky charms from the cupboard. As I poured it, I asked, “Where is everyone going?”

“Figure it out,” Jake dared me, looking smug. I turned to face them.

Four thermoses sat on the counter, next to a few beanies and some gloves. It didn't get very cold here so, "Ice-skating, but why? We never go, and Mom, don't you have work today?"  

Since Mom was chewing, Danny too it upon himself to answer, "Yes, but the rest of us don’t have anything. Hannah thought it would be a fun idea.”

"Right," I grumbled as I sat down. I could already tell I would lose the argument if I said I didn't want to go. Mom was in defensive mode, ready for an argument. When I didn’t fight it, she relaxed. 

Lacey raised her golden eyebrows as I sat down. "You're taking fashion tips from Danny now?" She was scrutinizing my black trench coat that I'd bought about a month ago, but had never worn around the house. The only reason I had it on now was because Jake had told me to dress warm. 

"It's useful." 

"Oh right, for the whole crime solving thing."  

I nodded, ignoring the mockery in her tone. "Yeah, for that. But I doubt you want to discuss crimes over the breakfast table." I gave her a knowing look and she turned her gaze to her food. She hadn't been exactly lawful lately. 

"You're right, it would be boring." 

Danny looked surprised at his sister's words; unaware of her criminal record. "Boring!? They're anything but boring!"