I stood too. “Yes.”
My mom opened her arms and I fell into them, vision blurring as she held me tightly. Her hugs sometimes made me wish I’d never grow up. I loved her warmth and the ever-familiar scent of her rosewater perfume and eucalyptus soap. I loved the way her curls tickled my face. I loved everything about her. “You paid a high price,” she whispered, “but damn am I in awe of you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered back, and when she pulled away, she smiled and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear before clapping her hands together.
“Now, when does Daniel get his first clue?”
“Alex says Anthony found our golf cart,” Tag said on FaceTime that night. “After doing a neighborhood loop, he ran along the beach and spotted it in the dunes. Since we’d left the keys in the cupholder, he drove it back to B and G and left it outside the garage. I guess the guys didn’t think anything of it.”
“Wow.” I let out a slow whistle. “Thank god for Anthony.”
“Seriously,” Tag agreed. “Dear Saint Anthony.”
We laughed. I’d told him about my talk with my mom,and he shared his too. “It was right after my hearing,” he said. “She took my sleeve, dragged me into Penny’s little library, and before I could even blink, she’d kicked off her heels and was pacing the room and whisper-scolding me…”
“Do you think Daniel has the clue?” I asked a couple minutes later.
“My gut tells me he does,” Tag answered. “Especially since so many teachers are returning our final assignments this week. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s checking his mail multiple times a day.” His pragmatism shifted to sarcasm. “But alas, if only we knew someone who could find out for sure. Who do we know that has experience in the reconnaissance field?”
I snorted. “No experts.”
“Did I say expert?” He smirked. “I don’t believe I specified a skill level.”
I smirked back. “Well, in that case, I know just the person for the job!”
He’s still awake,Manik reported at 11:00.He’s watching Curb, and I’m stuck listening to it because the door between our rooms is open, and he lost his headphones.
What’s Curb?Zoe asked as everyone else disliked Manik’s message.
“Bleh, I didn’t likeCurb Your Enthusiasm,” my mom commented. We were nestled in her bed with peppermint tea; I’d convinced her to forgo burning the midnight oil in favor of watchingPride & Prejudice. Although we’d seen it so manytimes that we could mouth Lizzy’s lines while my mom also playedWordscapesand I texted the team.
“Okay, but you loveSeinfeld,” I pointed out. “Isn’t Larry David behind both?”
“Yes, butnothingcan beatSeinfeld,” she replied. “I mean, come on, Elaine’s dancing—”
I sprang out of bed so I could imitate Elaine’s famous cringe-inducing dance. “Like a full-body dry heave set to music,” George Costanza would say.
My mom laughed and started tickling me once I’d flung myself back on her mattress. It was only when Mr. Darcy helped Lizzy into her carriage that we froze. “The hand flex!” we squealed.
He’s going to sleep, Manik texted.I repeat: He’s going to sleep!
Which means you should be “going to sleep,”Tag responded.
Manik sent a thumbs-up emoji. After that, the chat was silent. I could picture Tag and Alex playing pool in their room to pass the time. Even after a cup of tea and a trip downstairs to stress eat some chocolate pudding, my muscles remained tense.It’s pouring outside, I messaged Tag at 11:45 when we still hadn’t heard from Manik.Maybe he’ll try tomorrow?
Because Daniel should’ve embarked on his quest by now. Clue One told him to collect Clue Two at midnight, and the observatory was at least a fifteen-minute walk from his dorm. Plus, he was now the one who had to handle Ames’s streetlamps, nocturnal dorm activity, and the formidable Campo squad.
Tag quickly buzzed in with a reply, but before I could read it, a new group chat message popped up from Manik.He’s gone!it read.He closed our door, but I heard him sneak out the window and down the fire escape (sounded like he slipped).
OMFG, Zoe said at the same time as Maya wrote,LMAO!!!
King of my heart, Alex said.
And Tag:Let the games begin.
I couldn’t decide whether to stay up and wait for Daniel. My mom’s bedroom windows overlooked the front lawn, but there was no barometer for when he’d arrive for Clue Six. Tag and I hadn’t gotten to my house until 4:00 a.m., and there’d been innumerable obstacles along the way. What troubles would Daniel encounter? The rain certainly wouldn’t help the cause. “I hope he has an umbrella!” was the last thing my mom said before switching off her bedside lamp and snuggling into her pillow.
Did I pull an all-nighter?
