Just swampedwith a big project. Super demanding.
Understood. So have youclimbed any mountains lately?
Funny you ask—I actually have!
Love to hear it! Did you take a moment tolook down? The best views come after the toughest climbs.
Gotta run. I’ll check in once this project’soff my plate.
Ten
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her.
—William Wordsworth, English poet
Frankie stood toe-to-toe with Enzo outside the coffee shop, his jaw tight and his hands balled into fists. Maisie hovered near the edge of the scene, arms crossed and eyes sharp, while Sophie, with her electric-blue hair, backed up against the coffee shop window.
“Dude, I want that envelope back.” Frankie’s voice was vibrating with anger.
Enzo leaned lazily against a lamppost, scrolling through his phone. “Kid, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, you do.” Frankie said, jabbing a finger in Enzo’s chest. “You broke into Chase Fletcher’s car and stole it. Maisie’s grandfather is the chief ranger here, and he will lock you up so fast your head will spin. Trust me, he won’t go easy on you. You and Sophie can share a jail cell—”
“Hey!” Sophie’s voice cut through Frankie’s tirade. “Donotdrag me into this. I didn’t do anything wrong. Enzo’s the one who broke into Chase’s car and took that stupid envelope!”
The door opened and what looked like a manager poppedhis head out. “What’s going on out here?” His gaze swept the scene, then landed on Sophie. “This is the third time this week that your boyfriend has caused a ruckus. Get back to work. Later, you and I are going to have a talk. And you”—he pointed to Enzo—“go find something useful to do. Far, far away from this shop.” He closed the door.
Sophie turned on Enzo, her voice rising. “Now you’re going to make me lose my job! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to find work?”
Enzo’s face darkened as he straightened up. “Stop freaking out, Sophie.”
“I’ll stop freaking out when you stop lying to everybody. Tell them the truth, Enzo.” Shooting him a look of disgust, she opened the door and marched inside the coffee shop. The door opened again, and she popped her head out. “And don’t bother calling me again. We’re done.”
Enzo shrugged. “What-ev.”
Frankie took a step closer to Enzo. “So where’s the envelope?”
Enzo met his glare with a smirk. “What’s the big deal? Why do you even care? It’s just some musty old papers. Not like it was worth anything.”
Frankie took another step, and for a second, Maisie thought he might actually punch him. “Where did you put it?”
“I tossed it.” Enzo glanced past him, like he was bored with the whole conversation. “In a dumpster.”
Frankie’s nostrils flared. “Which dumpster?”
Enzo tilted his head, pretending to think. “Hmm ... can’t remember. Guess you’ll have to check ’em all.” He flashed Frankie a grin, stepped around him, and walked off down the street like he had all the time in the world.
For a moment, no one spoke. Frankie’s hands trembled at his sides, and Maisie could practically hear his teeth grinding.
Maisie stared down the road where Enzo had disappeared, her mind racing. “So let’s go find it.”
Frankie snorted. “How? There are, like, a million dumpsters in this park.”
“Not a million.” Maisie’s voice had an edge now, calm but firm. “We’ll start with the ones near Pops’s office. That’s where Chase parked his car when he grabbed the envelope. If Enzo dumped it, he probably didn’t go far. Fun fact—”
“Notnow, Maisie,” Frankie said.
“This one,” she said, lifting a finger in the air, “is relevant to our situation. Most criminals are lazy. Like, statistically. They’ll take the easiest route to avoid extra effort. That’s why houses with cameras or barking dogs are way less likely to get broken into. And Enzo seems like an especially lazy crook.”
