Annie just stared at the precious letter for a moment while tears fell from her eyes. Then she wiped them away and folded up the letter and put it back in the envelope.
Beth, Trisha and Katie came through the entrance o the common room just as Annie closed the book. She looked at them and smiled as Beth handed her the sprite she'd brought her, and all three girls then sat down on the sofa on either side of Annie.
"Are you alright?" Beth asked warily. Annie nodded and said, "The letter was from my Mom. It was very sweet. Then she giggled. "Mom said the Mystery Club Detectives was the most fun she'd ever had." Then she paused, "Besides being my mom;" her voice cracked on the last word.
"What's the Mystery Club Detectives?" Katie asked. Annie grinned and then proceeded to tell her what Ruthie had told she, Beth and Katie about Annie's mom and her friends helping to solve crimes while they were at school at Ridgemont.
When she was done telling the story, Katie said, "Wow! That's so cool!" "Yeah. I think so too." Annie agreed. "I can't believe Ruthie was in on their mystery solving capers. I think our friend Ruthie is a lot more interesting than she seems." Beth said, ending on a giggle. The other girls laughed loudly.
"She may be old enough to be our grandmother, but she is definitely young at heart." Trisha said with a grin. Just then, the tennis playing Daphne and Patti came through the archway. "Oh, look, it's Miss Kentucky." Daphne said in her poor impression of a southern accent. Katie flinched as if Daphne was talking to her.
Annie stood up and her friend did the same. Annie smiled broadly and said sweetly, "Hello Daphne, Patti. How are you?" The two girls were stunned into silence; they were obviously not expecting that reply.
When the girls stepped into the hallway, Beth burst out laughing because of the flabbergasted looks on Daphne and Patti's faces. The other girls laughed with her. When the girls stopped giggling, Beth asked, "How can you be so sweet to them to them when they treat you so badly?" She said in wonder.
Annie's friends stared at her waiting for her response. "Well," Annie said with a shrug, "My auntie always told me that being mean to someone was a precious waste of energy, better put to better use." Then she gave them a crooked grin.
"I told you," Beth said as they walked under the staircase, "Brave. You are brave. Annie just smiled and said, "It's God that makes me brave. Come on, I have a message for Ruthie. Let's go find her. "A message from who?" Katie asked in confusion. "My Mom." Annie said simply. Beth and Trisha now had confused looks on their faces as well. Annie giggled.
The main foyer was very busy with girls coming and going excitedly, as were the staircases. "Wow! What's this place gonna look like when everyone gets here?" Katie wondered. The girls had arrived at the office now, and all agreed to check there first for Ruthie.
And they were in luck, Ruthie's raised anxious voice could be heard from the other side of the door. "How could it just disappear like that?" Ruthie was asking as Annie opened the door. As the girls walked in, Miss Leighton stopped short of what she was going to say. Instead, she said, "Hello girls. Can I help you with something?"
YOU ARE READING
Book 1-Annie Adams and the Mystery Club Detectives
Mystery / ThrillerAnnie Adams was orphaned at two years old. Her mother's last wish was that Annie be placed in the care of her mother's sister and her husband. Annie was very happy with them on their farm in Hopskinville Tennessee. But at age thirteen Annie learn...
