Death Drop by Melanie Jackson

Author:Melanie Jackson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781459811942
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2016-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Dieter peered owlishly up at me. “I’m to be your decoy.”

“Yeah. If you run in, they won’t notice me.”

“But I—”

“You’ll get to see the Persephone portrait again.”

“Two times was enough. The thrill wore off.”

“Dude. Smythe is lying about Blondie. I have to tell the manager.”

Dieter sighed. “Oh, all right.”

He ran to Death Drop’s entrance. He ducked under the rope, right in front of Smythe.

Smythe lunged.

But Dieter was too fast. The guy was like quicksilver. He vanished up the passageway.

Smythe punched numbers on a cell phone. Busy whining into it, he didn’t notice me slip under the rope.

I pulled my new hood over my face. I ran after the Deet.

Dieter and I met up by Sherry Moore’s video. We and several other people held up our hands to ward off the glare from her jewelry.

Then—

The real Sherry burst around the corner.

I waved at her. This was my chance. I’d tell her about Blondie.

Sherry saw me. Her flashy-ringed hands pushed people aside. She waded through. She was smiling. Things were going to go well.

Okay, so there was a speck-sized chance they wouldn’t. Just in case, I gave my phone to Dieter. “If Sherry doesn’t believe me, get out of here. My coach will be in the park across the street at six. My password is strikeout. Show the sketch to him. Explain what’s happened.”

Sherry reached us. She winked at me. I felt a rush of relief. I’d been right about the manager. She was okay.

Before I could speak, Sherry turned to Dieter. The smile disappeared. She clamped her jeweled fingers on Dieter’s shoulders.

She snarled, “You have trespassed once too often.”

Not a good start. But once I explained—

“We’re looking for a sausage,” Dieter blurted. “I mean, a blond sausage. A missing one. I mean…”

He was babbling. He was terrified, in shock.

Through her thick red lipstick, Sherry hissed, “There is no missing child. There never was.”

I gave Dieter’s ear a sharp twist.

“Yeowch!” He twisted out of Sherry’s grip to glare at me. He wasn’t in shock now. He was mad.

I gave him a shove. As in, This is your chance. Go.

His eyes widened. He got it. Sherry was reaching for him again. But, bending low, he burrowed through the crowd.

Seconds—and a few startled screams—later, the Deet emerged at the edge of the crowd. He dashed down the passage, toward the entrance, a natural escape artist. Persephone could have used his skills.

Under her heavy face powder, Sherry was red with fury. She whipped around to me.

No way I could slip away like Dieter. I was too tall.

There was one thing I could do anyway.

“Ma’am, this is my fault, not that boy’s,” I said.

Sherry said tersely, “Don’t blame yourself, Edwin. You tried to stop him. You did your best.”

The hood—I’d forgotten I was wearing it!

My idea had worked. Sherry thought I was the elevator guy.

Sherry snapped, “Well, don’t just stand there. Get back to your post!”

I didn’t need convincing. I shoved through the crowd and up the passage. As I recalled, the real Edwin wasn’t as tall as I was.

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