Thoughts crashed through my brain, colliding with such speed that I couldn’t grasp them. Robyn had the missing fossils. Why was she down here in the basement alone under the stairwell? How did she know where to find the fossils?
“Robyn, what are you doing?” I demanded.
Robyn shrank back. “I came down to get these.” She held up the bags. “I found a note in my locker telling me to come down here and get them.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the note said I had to return the fossils to Mr. Joe or I’d be revealed as a total fortune-telling fraud in front of the whole school.”
I glanced at Nick. I read the doubt in his face. I knew what he was thinking, because I was thinking it too. Could Robyn have stolen the fossils? But why would she?
“How could they possibly do that?” I said.
Robyn was near tears. “The note said they would tell everyone I had stolen the fossils so I could make a prediction about them and then ‘find’ them, so everyone would believe I was really psychic. They said they would tell everyone that I’m a liar.”
“So where is this note?” Nick wanted to know.
“I threw it out,” Robyn answered miserably. “I didn’t want anyone to see it.”
“Uh-huh.” The skepticism in Nick’s voice was obvious.
“Listen, Nick, just what are you implying?” Robyn flared. “That I took the fossils myself? You think maybe I’m going to sell them on eBay or something? Get real!”
Nick folded his arms across his chest. “Sounds like a confession to me.”
“Trevor?” Robyn focused her pleading eyes on me. “You believe me, don’t you?”
But I didn’t know what to believe. I didn’t think Robyn would take the fossils. But seeing them in her hands made it hard to take her word for it. Besides, the note story seemed a little far-fetched. Who would target Robyn?
Robyn read the hesitation in my silence. “You guys!” she cried. “You’re impossible. I’m taking these to Mr. Joe right now. And then I’m going to find out who wrote that note.”
“Good luck,” Nick muttered. “Now that you threw it away, you have no evidence.”
Robyn ignored him and started up the stairs. I followed her slowly, with Nick at my heels.
“You really think she took them?” I whispered.
Nick shrugged. “I dunno. But she’s acting pretty weird.”
“Wouldn’t you, if someone threatened to humiliate you in front of the whole school?” I said.
“Maybe,” Nick said. “If that’s even true. Robyn could be making the whole thing up.”
I pushed open the door at the top of the stairs and went straight to Mr. Joe’s desk at the back of our classroom. Robyn was already there. Mr. Joe stared at her, openmouthed, as she placed the bag of fossils in front of him.
“Robyn! You found them! That’s great!” he said. Mr. Joe lifted up each plastic zippered bag, examining the fossils. “I’ve been stressed about losing these guys. I kept hoping they’d turn up. Where were they?”
Robyn glared at us as we crossed the room and stood beside her. “They were hidden underneath the stairwell in the basement,” she said. “Someone left a note in my locker that told me where they were.”
“Really?” Mr. Joe’s gaze wavered. “That’s odd. What did the note say?”
“That if I didn’t return the fossils, they’d tell the whole school that all my predictions were a lie.”
“Hmmm,” Mr. Joe said. I couldn’t read his expression. “Well, I’d just forget it. I doubt the note writer was serious. It’s probably all a joke. Maybe someone took the fossils as a prank and was too scared to bring them back.”
“I’m not sure it was a prank,” I said. “Maybe we should file a report with the police.”
Mr. Joe’s face registered alarm. “Oh, I don’t think that’s a good idea. We’ve got the fossils back. Why bug the police when it could have been a mistake? Maybe one of the janitors thought he was getting rid of some old junk or something.”
“By hiding them under the stairs?” Nick sounded skeptical.
“And why would a janitor leave a note for Robyn?” I asked.
“You know what I mean. It’s probably nothing to get worked up about,” Mr. Joe said.
Robyn’s face had whitened at the mention of the police. “Well, I’m glad I found the fossils for you,” she said. She turned and pushed past us.
“Is she okay?” asked Mr. Joe.
“I think so,” I answered. “Besides this mystery note, she’s been a little testy about how the fundraiser bombed.”
“Aren’t we all,” Mr. Joe said. “Not that I expected you kids to make up the shortfall. It was great of the students to want to help out. But we could be on the brink of some fantastic discoveries out there. I’m hoping that the news of the Ichthylobuttosaur find sways the politicians into allocating more funds before the dig shuts down.”
“That would be terrific,” I said. “See you later, Mr. Joe. We’re late for gym.” I pulled Nick back through the doorway.
“What’s the big idea?” Outside, Nick pulled away from my grasp.
“I want to see if Robyn talks to anyone before class—or if anyone’s watching her.”
“You don’t really buy that note garbage, do you?” Nick scoffed.
“I don’t know.” I glanced down the now empty hall. We really were late for gym, but I figured a few more minutes wouldn’t matter.
I’d spotted something important. I nudged Nick. We headed toward a trash can partway down the hall. It had an unusual appearance—two legs and a backside were sticking out of the top. Someone was rummaging around inside.
We watched as Robyn emerged from the trash can. Her hair was a mess, something orange and globular ran down her shirt, but she had a triumphant expression on her face. “Hah!” she said when she saw us. “Here’s your evidence, Nick!” Her voice dripped sarcasm as she flung a wad of soggy paper at Nick’s head.
Nick ducked, and the damp projectile hit me instead. “Yuck!” I yelped, peeling it off my cheek. I gingerly opened it to find a juicesoaked typewritten note. The ink had slid into streaks, making the entire thing unreadable. I raised my eyebrows and looked at Nick, who was also studying the illegible note.
Robyn folded her arms across her chest, ignoring the disgusting blob on her shirt. “I told you I wasn’t lying,” she said. “Someone is out to get me!”
“But, Robyn”—I shook off a few bits of orange peel and waved the page at her—“this proves nothing. We can’t even read it!”