Camp Out Quest--Agents of H.E.A.R.T. by Sam Hay

Author:Sam Hay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

CHAPTER 15

“Mr. Pemberton!” Iris gasped.

Evie had only seen the twins’ dad once before, but there was no mistaking the resemblance. He’s got the same pointy chin, she thought. And the same upturned nose, the same slightly mean eyes and cranky expression …

“What do you think you’re doing?” Mr. Pemberton snapped, pushing the leash away from his bike. “Is this some kind of prank?”

The friends looked at one another. Then Iris coughed. “Um—sorry, Mr. Pemberton, but Evie’s stepmom’s cell has gone missing, and it looks awfully like the one you’re holding.”

Evie looked at her friend. Whoa! You are so brave! I could never speak up like that to a grown-up.

Mr. Pemberton’s eyes bulged. “Are you accusing me of stealing? This is MY cell! Take a look at it if you don’t believe me.”

He held it up and Iris took a small step closer. “Er, Evie, does your stepmom’s cell have a dent in the bottom left-hand corner of the case?”

“Um—I don’t think so, but—”

“And does it have a scratch along the screen?” Mr. Pemberton interrupted. “A scratch that she’s been meaning to fix but has been too busy working to get around to?”

“Well—I don’t know…” Evie was starting to feel a little uneasy now. I definitely don’t remember a dent OR a scratch, but perhaps I just hadn’t noticed.

“And does your stepmom’s cell…,” Mr. Pemberton began. But just then it started to ring in his hand.

Uh-oh! That’s definitely NOT Hannah’s ringtone, Evie thought. But maybe he changed it to cover up the fact he stole it?

“Go ahead,” Mr. Pemberton told them, waggling the ringing cell in front of them. “You can answer it if you want. It’s probably my wife wondering what’s happened to the hot dogs she asked me to bring up from the restaurant, on account of a bad dog stealing the ones she’d been cooking.” His eyes bored into Fudge and the pup dived behind Evie’s legs.

Iris glanced at the screen of the cell. “Er—it says: ‘Honeybun calling’?”

Mr. Pemberton’s face turned tomato red. “That’s what I call my wife,” he muttered, turning away from them to take the call. “Hello … Yes, honey, I’m here … I’m sorry I’m so late, but I’ve been cycling all around the campground because I can’t find where you parked the RV…” He frowned at Evie. “Yeah, I’ll be there in a moment, only—I’ve had a bit of a holdup…”

Evie bit her lip. She suddenly felt about two inches tall. I guess it really is his wife calling. And when she finds out we’ve accused him of being the Big Woods thief … Evie’s legs seemed to have turned to jelly. On the OMG Accident Scale, this might be peaking at 11!

Iris nudged her. “Maybe we should go now.”

Evie nodded. “I am so sorry,” she called to Mr. Pemberton, trying the “Apologize and Explain” technique. “It’s just that your cell looks exactly like my stepmom’s … and I’ve never seen anyone else with that cover before…”

But he’d already turned his back on them to finish his call.

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