The Secrets of Stone Creek by Briana McDonald

Author:Briana McDonald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Published: 2022-11-22T00:00:00+00:00

GREATEST FEMALE ADVENTURER NUMBER THIRTEEN: MAUD WEST,

FAMOUS MASTER OF DISGUISE AND THOUGHT TO BE THE FIRST FEMALE UNDERCOVER DETECTIVE IN LONDON.

The next morning Jeff’s half as talkative as usual (which, for him, is about two syllables away from complete silence). Other than a grumble about taking Malt out to pee before breakfast and a short rant about having to hurry down to the café for the morning rush before Anne Thornton comes for his blood, it’s a pretty quiet morning. It’s almost as though he used up so many words the day before, he isn’t left with any for today. Part of me—the one that found the note about Jeff in the woods—is anxious, thinking that Jeff regrets something he said or thought he shared too much about his connections to Stone Creek. Another part of me doesn’t mind, maybe even likes that the things we shared last night get to stay there, in that one moment, preserved in that space.

Either way, it’s clear I’m not going to be able to convince Jeff to give us a drive to the Riley residence for some morning adventuring. So, the Walsh-Walsh-Walsh Adventure Agency heads over to the diner for breakfast, leaving Jeff and Malt to face the morning crowd alone.

When we arrive, Sam’s buzzing around like a wasp, taking orders from the handful of customers tucked into booths and balancing a stack of menus under her wrinkled arm. Jason’s behind the front counter, surrounded by towers of dirty dishes and half-empty ketchup containers, a yellowing towel over his shoulder. Despite the usual small crowd, there’s a frantic energy in the air, like all the workers are about to pack up shop and run off to join Meggie wherever she disappeared to.

Oliver dodges Sam as she shoves past him with a pot of hot coffee. He waves hesitantly at Jason. “What’s going on here?”

“Mr. Phillips has us working overtime in preparation for the twentieth-anniversary festival,” Jason explains. “All the local businesses will begin setup tomorrow, coordinating plans for when the big—or, what they hope will be a big—rush of tourists come in three weeks, on the day itself.”

I crawl up onto one of the high stools, eyes wide as the coffee saucers Jason’s stacking at his station. “We’ll be going tomorrow too, then!”

Sam saunters back with a menu tucked under her arm. She raises a thin eyebrow at me. “Jeff’s coming? I’ve never known him to man a booth at the festival.”

If Sam says he’s not likely to come, she’s probably right. Jeff’s lack of interest in the Meggie case may have been drummed into him by his dad, or it could be something else entirely—something more sinister, like the note the shadow man left me suggests. But whether Jeff comes or not, we have to be there.

“Jeff might not be coming,” I admit, “but the Walsh siblings will be there.”

Sam purses her lips, as though expecting what I’ll say next.

“We’ll come along with you and Jason,” I say, beaming. She groans, thin body slumping tiredly.

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