Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying by Amanda Hosch

Author:Amanda Hosch
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Capstone Young Readers; Stone Arch Books; fiction; spy; Pacific Northwest; family; secrets; friendship; JUV028000; Mysteries & Detective Stories; JUV021000; Law & Crime; JUV001000; Action & Adventure / General; JUV019000; Humorous Stories; 9781496540522; 9781496540515; 9781623708061; 9781782025979; 9781623708054
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Published: 2017-09-18T00:00:00+00:00

18

Most people believe what they want to believe, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Don’t be most people.

— Rule Number 14 from Rules for a Successful Life as an Undercover Secret Agent

“Why didn’t you stop them?” I asked the sheriff. I felt tears well up, but I blinked them back.

“Montgomery had a judge’s order,” Sheriff Baker said. “I’m a lawman.”

“Lawwoman,” I muttered.

“I’ve sworn to uphold the law.” I guess the sheriff saw my quivering bottom lip, because she quickly added, “And I firmly believe in your aunt’s innocence. Can you tell me anything about why your parents left the country?”

Sure. If I wanted to betray them and the Agency, which I did not. “No.”

“I didn’t think so. You’re just like your aunt.” Sheriff Baker said as she grabbed a huge key ring from her desk. “That’s a compliment, you know.”

She handed me the transfer order. Gertie was being moved from Silverton’s jail to state custody in Yakima, three hours and a couple of mountains away — all because of a lousy necklace and my parents’ weird travel schedules. It was totally unfair.

“My parents didn’t leave because they feared being arrested.”

“Where are they?” she asked. “Don’t say Monaco. We both know that’s not true.”

I closed my mouth. Stretching the truth wouldn’t work this time.

“I’ve known your family since I married Ted and moved here to become sheriff. Gert was the first person to welcome me to Silverton. She’s a good friend.” Sheriff Baker looked at me with concern. “Mabel, if there is something I can do to help resolve this situation, would you tell me?”

“First, we should check out the alarm on the Spoon.”

“Agreed.”

Sheriff Baker was listening, really listening, to me. It had been weeks since anyone cared what I thought. I was tired of Victoria dragging me around and of Frankenstella trying to get intel out of me. Taking a minute to prioritize my thoughts, I said, “Then you should see if there is a criminal gang using state capitals as aliases.”

“Mabel, be serious.” Sheriff Baker shook her head.

“Montgomery, capital of Alabama; Raleigh, capital of North Carolina; Carson City, capital of Nevada. You don’t think it’s a strange coincidence?”

“No, Miss Pear, I do not. I think I’ll wait until Miss Little Rock or Mr. Baton Rouge appears on the inspector’s team before I start worrying about that. I do, however, have a sudden desire to bake a pear tart.” The sheriff’s mouth twitched upward.

“If you won’t look into the state capital names, we should at least go to Yakima and get Aunt Gertie out.”

“We can’t do that.” Sheriff Baker shook her head. “How about I take you to school after we inspect the museum? And then I’ll call my contacts in the state troopers?”

What to do, Sunflower? The sheriff was taking some of my suggestions seriously, and she wasn’t pressing me too hard about my parents. This seemed like the obvious place to compromise. “You’ll call me at school if you learn anything?” I asked.

“Bluewater-Silverton Elementary is first on my speed dial,” she said with a smile.

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