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.
“Help! We need help!” a familiar voice called from the front room.
Sheriff Baker shot through the double doors in a flash. I followed, taking my time.
On the visitor’s side of the information desk, Frank and Stella stood, his flabby arm around her bony shoulders. Her face was red and splotchy and she seemed sad — a look I’d never seen on her before. “Our niece is missing,” Stella cried out. “Help us, please.”
“I’m here,” I said, wondering if it was too late to get myself arrested. Playing cards and eating take-out didn’t look like that bad of a deal.
“Oh, thank the Lord.” Stella rushed around the desk and enveloped me in a suffocating hug. “We were so worried when you disappeared.” I pulled back as far as I could, which wasn’t that far. For such skinny arms, they were all muscle. On her left pinkie, a star ruby twinkled at me. No way! Stella was wearing my mom’s engagement ring. Mom couldn’t wear it on assignments because it was unique and, therefore, instantly recognizable.
Frank shook the sheriff’s hand vigorously. “I don’t know how you found her so quickly, but thank you.” He turned to me. “Don’t ever scare us again like that, Mabel Opal.”
What was going on? How did they know I’d gotten off the bus? Of course! I thought. Their little princess Vicky-girl must have ratted me out. I tried to speak, but Stella hugged me again, her bony arms threatening to cut off my air supply.
“We know you’re upset about Gertrude and your parents, but skipping school only hurts you.” Stella patted a tissue to her dry cheek. “I just didn’t know what we’d do if you had run away.”
I stole a glance at the sheriff, but her face was unreadable. “I am going to escort Mabel to school now,” she said.
“We can take her from here.” Frankenstella each grabbed on to one of my black-and-blue arms and pulled. I now knew where Victoria got her brute strength. Is it possible to die from bruising? I wondered as they dragged me out the front door.
“Sheriff, are you going to…” I couldn’t say what I wanted in front of Frankenstella. “Do the things we just talked about?”
“You do what you’re supposed to,” she said with a slight nod of her head. “And I’ll do my job.”