Chapter 15
Secret uncovered
Two fourteen year old boys and a man in his fifties were sitting in a dorm room at Ridgewest Academy talking in whispers, not knowing their conversation was being overheard by a young man standing in the hallway, his light brown hair tosseled from just waking from sleep and his steely gray eyes, which didn't really go along with his hair color, were narrowed in response to what he was hearing outside the room door and his mouth was agape.
"I gave you each a "cut" from the first job, didn't I?" the man with the gruff voice said. "I took most of the risks you know." "Well uncle, you're just lucky Mr. Hartman bought my story of having the flu and let Bobby here, stay with me, so he could be my lookout, while I stole the money from the office safe," one of the boys said.
Charlie, who had his ear pressed against the door didn't recognize the boy's voice. "That wasn't a pleasant place to be in that dirty tunnel. And then worrying that I might be caught at anytime." The same boy told the man. "Yeah. Well it was me who dressed like one of the caterers, a woman at that, the week before so I could case the joint," the uncle reminded his nephew. "You don't have any photos of that, do you?" the boy named Bobby said, and then snickered.
The man growled at him. "You're lucky that I, Johnny boy found that pen that you dropped in the tunnel unk," Johnny spit at him. "Yeah. that was pretty clumsy of you," Bobby agreed. "Okay, okay, we all made mistakes. But we got the dough, didn't we? And we can do it again. You're all snowed in here. No one can go home. So Ridgemont and Ridgewest are having a combined indoor game night in a couple of days."
"All you have to do Johnny boy is have a relapse of the flu and plead with your headmaster to let Bobby stay with you again. Everyone else will be in the Ridgemont gym, including Miss Leighton, the old girl Ruthie and even Mr. Hartman, cause he has this crush on the headmistress. It's perfect. We sneak into the tunnel, up into the office and take the money and sneak back down the tunnel and out the door, window, whatever it is." The man said with a sinister chuckle.
"Just how do we get into it?" Bobby asked. "I mean, I don't think the headmistress will forget to lock it again." The man chuckled again. "I can pick any lock son." He bragged. "You two just have to hold the money bags this time, he laughed. The boys joined in. All was quiet inside for a few moments. Charlie's ear was on the door and he listened hard.
Suddenly, he heard a chair scrapped the floor, and someone's feet shuffle across it. Charlie quickly exited into a nearby closet, shoving a small piece of paper that fortunately he had in his pocket, between the door and the jam, so he would get locked in. Soon, he heard on set of footsteps walking swiftly down the hall.
But Charlie stayed where he was, thinking the two boys might come out of their room, now that the meeting was over. It was a good thing he did. Because a few seconds later, he heard a door close and more footsteps that echoed down the empty hallway. Charlie just stood in the closet, awestruck by what he had heard. Then he began whispering to himself.
"Get a grip Charlie! You have to tell the guys, and then Annie and the girls, and Sheriff Cooper." He then heaved a great sigh. "But first, you have to leave this closet." He said, nodding. Then she smiled and looked up, "And God, you are way cool! he said, quietly opening the door, peeking around it. The hall was still empty, and he began sprinting down the hallway to find Collin, Zack and Jamie.
He found them in the crowded common room and excitedly related what he had heard. His friends were flabbergasted. Collin immediately called Annie, and she answered on the first ring. "Hey Collin...." "Annie Listen. You're not going to believe what I have to tell you!" And he told her what Charlie had overheard.
Sheriff Cooper was beside himself with glee when Annie called and told him Charlie's tale. He said he would call Miss Leighton and Headmaster Hartman and asked if a meeting could be arranged right away with both of them, himself and his junior detectives. Miss Leighton and Mr. Hartman agreed to the meeting and to making plans to catch the thieves.
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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...
