Standing under the platform, I call up, “Pepper!”
“Elinor! Help! I can’t climb down. The wood is slippery.”
“Stay put! I’m coming up!”
I’m so angry at Annie! What was she thinking, taking this little girl to the treehouse?
As I emerge through the trap door, Pepper throws her chilly arms around me.
“I’m so happy to see you!” she says. “I tried climbing down, but I slipped on the first step and was too scared after that.”
“I’m glad you stopped. I’ll help you down. I can go right below you. Do you think you can handle that?” She nods.
“Could you get my notebook?” She points to the far corner of the platform where her notebook is precariously perched on the railing.
“Happy to!” When I reach the railing, I see a tall figure hurrying through the woods below—Edward.
He sees me and waves. “Elinor!” He’s smiling so big, I forget all my anger. I call his name and wave—but this is not the time to get all sentimental. There’s a little girl we need to help down.
“Edward, I need your help! Pepper’s stuck in the tree and scared to climb down with the wet rungs.”
“I’ll be right up,” He jogs toward me, leaving my sight as he goes under the platform.
“Elinor!” This time it’s my sister calling me. I recognize her voice, but it takes me a while to see her in the misty woods.
“Is Pepper up there?” she calls.
“Yes, she’s fine. She’s scared to climb down the wet rungs by herself.”
“Oh good! Brandon will be so relieved.”
“You should never have shown her this place!” My nerves are frayed, and I’m ready to give my sister a piece of my mind. “What were you thinking, Annie?”
“I played up there all the time as a kid. And that wasbeforedad put the railing on it.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s safe—you should be morecautious!”
She walks toward the tree and then disappears into the undergrowth. I lean over the railing more. “Come back here! I’m not finished.” But she’s gone.
“I don’t think she’s listening,” Edward says from behind me.
I spin around. “I didn’t realize you were already up here. Where’s Pepper?” I look behind him just in time to see the trap door slam shut. “You shouldn’t have let her go first—she’ll need help getting down!” I kneel on the damp wood and frantically pull the handle. It won’t budge.
“She’s fine. Brandon’s with her. He climbed up right behind me.”
“That’s a relief, but—” I yank on the handle again. The door is good and stuck. “I don’t get it. Why won’t it open?
“Well... Pepper gave me this.” Edward hands me a piece of paper folded in half. I unfold it. There’s a message made with letters cut from a magazine and glued like a ransom note.
I will unlock the trap door once we get photo evidence of a kiss.
XOXO Lady Whimple
“This is completely unhinged,” I say rereading the ransom note. I cannot believe this. Except—I can. My eyes snap up to Edward.
“Were you in on this?”
“How could I be?” he says in genuine surprise. “You’rethe one who wrote me to meet you here.”
