Sylvie gazed back up. Now, the strobes of light inside made sense.Luminescent taffy cylinders.
Godard turned her attention back to the fish. “Normally, I don’t like being a guinea pig, but for candy and chocolates, I make an exception.”
Sylvie slipped her hand into the jar and felt the fluttering of fins.
“I like the orange and pink best,” said Godard, “if you can manage to grab them. They’re faster than the others, but delicious. They taste like tutti-frutti.”
Sylvie snatched at a flopping orange fish but ended up grabbing blue.
“Razzleberry,” said Madame Godard. “I haven’t tried that flavor yet. You’ll have to tell me if it’s good, and I’ll report my findings to Devon.”
Sylvie stuffed the squirming gummy in her mouth. A burst of liquid hit her tongue. “It’s delicious!”
“Excellent!” Madame Godard slid the candy jar aside. “Now that we’ve sweetened things up, I’m afraid we need to get to the reason I called you here … your scuffle yesterday. It could’ve ended quite badly.”
“Scuffle?” Sylvie swallowed the sticky lump in her mouth. “Wait. You mean this is about Georgia?”I can’t believe she ratted me out!“She started it. Besides, I didn’t mean to shoot concentration cream onto her shirt.”
“Concentration cream? Georgia?” The creases between Madame Godard’s brows grew deeper. “What are you talking about?”
“Uh, what areyoutalking about?”
“Your scuffle last night with the stairs.”
Sylvie felt a passing twinge of guilt.It wasn’t Georgia.“Right. About that.” More emotions charged through her. “Listen, I know I shouldn’t have been out in the garden, but it was for good reason.”
“And that reason is? Because I’m not buying the story you fed to Chef Jake. If you’re anything like your mother, you’re too smart to do something so foolish.” Godard leaned forward. “What’s really going on?”
Sylvie glanced down at her bag and took a deep breath.Maybe I should show her the letter now? “This whole thing … me having to finish first in my class, my mom having to win All-Stars. What if there’s no way for us to succeed?”
Godard frowned. “I know it won’t be easy, but your mother is very talented. You are too… . She’s told me about your skills. So, of course you have a chance.”
“No. You don’t understand.” Sylvie opened her backpack. “Things aren’t what they seem. This opportunity for me and my mom, it’s really a—”
There was a knock at the door.
Godard sighed. “Come in.”
A young woman with long auburn hair hustled into the office carrying a tray stacked with folders and fragrant fritters.
“Sorry to interrupt. But I have the documents you requested and the platter of Bubble & Squeak.” She handed it to Godard.
Sylvie eyed the paper on top. Written in bright red were the words:List of Missing Ingredients from Brindille’s Storage Cellars.Before Sylvie could read further, Madame Godard flipped it over.
“Thank you, Maxine. I’ll review this later.”
“Oh … all right. Will that be all?” Maxine’s eyes drifted over to Sylvie and lingered.
Sylvie felt the back of her neck grow warm.What if Godard’s assistant is the spy? Maybe that’s the reason August didn’t give her the note himself? Until they catch the mole, it isn’t safe.Sylvie closed her backpack.
“That is all,” said Godard. “Please shut the door on your way out.”
“Of course.” Maxine flashed a toothy smile and left.
“Now, where were we?” asked Godard.
“I was just saying … I’m worried about my mom competing and me finishing top in my class,” said Sylvie.
“I understand your fears. But do you have any idea what would’ve happened if Jake hadn’t found you last night?” Madame Godard shook her head. “The school steps have now been embedded with aconite.” She pointed to one of the globes on a nearby shelf.
