The Secret Apartment by Natalie Fast

Author:Natalie Fast [Fast, Natalie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-307-49064-3
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2005-08-26T04:00:00+00:00

ow are we going to get out to go to the museum?” I asked, pacing around.“I need something to show Rainbow.”

“You think Mariella is still lurking outside the door?” Emily asked.

“I don't know, but I don't want to risk it. Is there another way out?” We were up way too high to go out the window.

“Wait! What about the service elevator?” Emily asked.

“The service elevator,” I said slowly. Every apartment in the building had access to a second elevator that delivery people used. I'd never been inside it, but it was an idea.

“Mariella wouldn't think to look for us there,” Emily added.

We called down to Montego to make sure we could use the elevator without getting stuck. “Sure, you can use it,” he said. “But what are you girls up to?”

“We're trying to hide from Mariella,” I explained. “I think she knows I'm skipping camp!”

“Aha,” Montego said. “I saw her not too long ago, coming back from that martial arts class she goes to. She didn't see me watching her, but before she came inside the building, she was standing at the curb, talking on her cell phone, looking real upset!”

Upset? What did Mariella have to be upset about? That boy? “So she's in the building now?” I asked.

“As far as I know,” Montego said.

We crept out Mrs. W's back door and into a very narrow hallway. We pushed the Elevator Call button and heard the elevator slowly creaking up. When the door slid open, I was surprised to see how old-fashioned it was. You had to pull open a little door and then slide back a grate just to get inside!

It dropped us off in a discreet hallway next to the Dakota's lobby. “We're making a secret escape!” Emily whooped, scooting out into the street.

We walked quickly up Central Park West. Emily stopped me after a few blocks. “Did you bring money?” she asked. “The museum is six dollars, I think, and I'm not a member.”

“No,” I said. “And I'd be too nervous to go back inside to get some.” Usually I carried around a little bit of money, for an ice cream cone from the truck, or in case Mipsy needed more cat food. But just my luck, I hadn't brought any with me today.

“Maybe we could sneak into the museum!” Emily said.

“Are you serious?” I said uncertainly. After the freaky ding-dong-ditch incident (I just knew it was Mariella), I'd had just about enough danger for one day already.

“Sure!” Emily said. “I used to sneak into the museum a lot when I was younger. It's really, really easy. You just slip past the guards when they're not looking!”

“Did you ever get caught?” I said. My bag, which held Mrs. W's Polaroid camera, kept slamming me in the thigh. Emily didn't answer.

We finally got to the museum and went inside. “This way,” Emily said quietly, leading me along a wall. Through a large doorway, I could see a fleet of elephants standing on a pedestal in the middle of a large room.

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