Cross-Country Conspiracy by Jake Maddox

Author:Jake Maddox [Maddox, Jake]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: books for boys; books for girls; Capstone; chapter books; fiction; sports stories; mystery stories; evidence; investigation; Jake Maddox; grade 3–5; age 8–10; running; teamwork; competition; sabotage; cheating; rivalry; sportsmanship; summer camp
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2021-05-17T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 6

FALL GUY

Domingo and Carmen found Edison sitting on a bench outside the nurse’s station, packing his duffel bag. Edison had changed out of his running gear, and bandages covered his arms and legs. Where there weren’t bandages, there were bruises. In the few spots where there weren’t bruises, there was bad sunburn.

Domingo had never had a sunburn, but from the name he expected it was pretty nasty. He gathered Edison wasn’t having the best summer.

When Domingo was a few feet away, Edison zipped up his bag and put his water bottle on top. The water bottle was red and had a white logo with the letters MMS on it. Something about it looked familiar to Domingo, but he wasn’t sure why.

“That was a nasty fall,” Carmen said.

Edison looked up at them for the first time.

“I saw it all happen from the sidelines,” she continued.

Edison gave her a funny look. “Do I know you?”

Domingo couldn’t stand the awkward tension between them.

“Sorry,” he jumped in to help save the situation. “I’m Domingo, and this is my sister, Carmen. We just came over to see if you’re okay.”

“Hey,” Edison said. “I guess I’m fine. Nothing is broken.”

There was another long pause.

“Did you do it on purpose?” Carmen asked suddenly.

“Carmen!” Domingo hissed. This was not the best way to go about it.

“Do what on purpose?” Edison’s face went red. “Fall and get run over?”

“Sorry, it’s just, I have a video,” Carmen said, pulling out her phone. “And it looks like—”

“What are you trying to say?” Edison asked.

“Err—” Domingo interrupted. “What we are trying to say is, it looks like your fall wasn’t an accident.”

We should have planned this better, Domingo thought.

He continued. “It looks like you tripped on purpose.” He forced a caring smile. Maybe it was best to be direct.

“I can’t believe you two are accusing me of—” Edison stopped talking as Carmen stuck her phone in his face.

“Really, Carmen?” Domingo said, embarrassed.

Carmen just shrugged.

Edison watched in silence as the video played. He scrunched his face in pain when he saw himself get run over.

“Why would you show me that?” Edison’s voice was shaky. “I made a mistake, okay?”

Domingo and Carmen shared a quick glance.

“What do you mean, ‘mistake’?” Domingo asked.

“Why did you do it?” Carmen asked at the same time.

Edison looked between the twins. He pulled his duffel bag close.

“Were you trying to help that kid from Camp Eagle?” Carmen asked.

“Did Andy give you the idea?” Domingo followed. This felt pointless—they weren’t giving Edison time to respond. It was clear Domingo and Carmen had never run an interrogation before.

“You two should be ashamed,” a girl’s voice came from behind the twins.

Domingo and his sister turned around to see a Camp Hawk runner. Her dark brown eyes stared them both down. The fact that she was just a bit taller than them made her gaze even more intimidating.

“Edison, who are these two?” the girl asked. She pushed past the twins toward Edison, her long black hair trailing behind her.

“I don’t know, Novalee, they just showed up,” Edison responded.

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