follow her, I decided.
I’m going to solve the mystery. I’m going to find out where she goes at night.
Jada crept out of the bedroom into the dark hall.
As soon as she was out of sight, I jumped out of bed.
I straightened my pajamas as I tiptoed across the room to the bedroom door. “Oh—” I tripped over the pile of clothes Jada had dropped on the floor.
I staggered forward a few steps. Caught my balance.
I froze, listening hard. Had she heard me?
No.
I crept into the hall. I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light.
I could see Jada moving slowly, carefully, to the end of the hall.
She isn’t going to the stairs, I realized. Doesn’tshe plan to go downstairs to get outside?
My heart raced. My bare feet were suddenly cold. The cold ran up my body, making me shiver.
I took a few silent steps closer. The floorboard creaked under my feet. A loud craaack .
Did Jada hear it?
She stopped with her back to me. For a moment, she stood as still as a statue.
And then she whirled around quickly.
I was caught!
17
I let out a gasp. Tried to melt into the shadows. And fell back. Into a doorway.
I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from making a sound. And waited, listening hard.
Did Jada see me?
Silence. Such a heavy silence, I could hear the thudding heartbeats in my chest.
And then I heard Jada’s soft footsteps moving away.
Safe. She didn’t see me.
Still trembling, I poked my head out from the safety of the doorway. Squinting into the grayness, I saw my cousin step up to the wall at the end of the hall.
What on earth is she doing? I asked myself. And why do I have such a bad feeling about this?
I saw Jada’s hand move. She reached up to the bookshelf against the wall. Did she pull out a book? It was too dark to see.
I heard a soft hum. And the bookshelf began to slide.
I blinked several times and tried to focus. I thought maybe the darkness was playing tricks on me.
But no.
The bookcase slid aside. I could see a doorway behind it. A hidden room!
Jada glanced back one more time. Then she vanished into the room.
I heard the soft hum again as the bookshelf slid back into place.
My mind spinning, I crept out into the hall. What was she doing in there? A shiver ran down my body. I hugged myself, staring at the bookshelf.
I had a sudden urge to run up to it. Find the switch. Slide open the shelf and follow Jada into the secret room.
No, I decided.
I don’t want another fight with my cousin. She is already so mean to me. She already hates me.
I’ll wait till she’s out of the house, I decided. And then I’ll do my exploring.
I’ll examine the secret room when Jada isn’t around. Maybe I can find out what she is up to without upsetting her. Without having to face her.
Shivering, I took one last glance at the bookshelf. Then I tiptoed back to my room and slid under the covers.
The next morning, Jada’s bed was still empty. I dressed quickly and hurried downstairs.
Jada sat at the breakfast table, running her hands through her unbrushed hair. “Morning,” she muttered.
“Morning,” I echoed. I slid across from Jada and studied her.
She had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was a mass of tangles. She yawned loudly.
“What’s your problem?” she snapped.
I guess I was staring too hard. I lowered my eyes. “Nothing,” I muttered.
I wanted to say, “Where did you go last night? What do you do in the middle of the night?” The words were on the tip of my tongue.
But instead, I reached for the box of cornflakes and began to fill my bowl.
I heard a woman’s voice. And realized the kitchen radio was on.
“Another house robbery in Elmwood,” the woman was saying. “Witnesses told police they saw a masked figure in a blue cape running through the neighborhood. Police say they have no clues as to the identity of this daring burglar who enters houses in the middle of the night….”
18
I didn’t want to go into that secret room by myself. I had no
I’m going to solve the mystery. I’m going to find out where she goes at night.
Jada crept out of the bedroom into the dark hall.
As soon as she was out of sight, I jumped out of bed.
I straightened my pajamas as I tiptoed across the room to the bedroom door. “Oh—” I tripped over the pile of clothes Jada had dropped on the floor.
I staggered forward a few steps. Caught my balance.
I froze, listening hard. Had she heard me?
No.
I crept into the hall. I blinked, waiting for my eyes to adjust to the dim light.
I could see Jada moving slowly, carefully, to the end of the hall.
She isn’t going to the stairs, I realized. Doesn’tshe plan to go downstairs to get outside?
My heart raced. My bare feet were suddenly cold. The cold ran up my body, making me shiver.
I took a few silent steps closer. The floorboard creaked under my feet. A loud craaack .
Did Jada hear it?
She stopped with her back to me. For a moment, she stood as still as a statue.
And then she whirled around quickly.
I was caught!
17
I let out a gasp. Tried to melt into the shadows. And fell back. Into a doorway.
I clapped my hand over my mouth to keep from making a sound. And waited, listening hard.
Did Jada see me?
Silence. Such a heavy silence, I could hear the thudding heartbeats in my chest.
And then I heard Jada’s soft footsteps moving away.
Safe. She didn’t see me.
Still trembling, I poked my head out from the safety of the doorway. Squinting into the grayness, I saw my cousin step up to the wall at the end of the hall.
What on earth is she doing? I asked myself. And why do I have such a bad feeling about this?
I saw Jada’s hand move. She reached up to the bookshelf against the wall. Did she pull out a book? It was too dark to see.
I heard a soft hum. And the bookshelf began to slide.
I blinked several times and tried to focus. I thought maybe the darkness was playing tricks on me.
But no.
The bookcase slid aside. I could see a doorway behind it. A hidden room!
Jada glanced back one more time. Then she vanished into the room.
I heard the soft hum again as the bookshelf slid back into place.
My mind spinning, I crept out into the hall. What was she doing in there? A shiver ran down my body. I hugged myself, staring at the bookshelf.
I had a sudden urge to run up to it. Find the switch. Slide open the shelf and follow Jada into the secret room.
No, I decided.
I don’t want another fight with my cousin. She is already so mean to me. She already hates me.
I’ll wait till she’s out of the house, I decided. And then I’ll do my exploring.
I’ll examine the secret room when Jada isn’t around. Maybe I can find out what she is up to without upsetting her. Without having to face her.
Shivering, I took one last glance at the bookshelf. Then I tiptoed back to my room and slid under the covers.
The next morning, Jada’s bed was still empty. I dressed quickly and hurried downstairs.
Jada sat at the breakfast table, running her hands through her unbrushed hair. “Morning,” she muttered.
“Morning,” I echoed. I slid across from Jada and studied her.
She had dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was a mass of tangles. She yawned loudly.
“What’s your problem?” she snapped.
I guess I was staring too hard. I lowered my eyes. “Nothing,” I muttered.
I wanted to say, “Where did you go last night? What do you do in the middle of the night?” The words were on the tip of my tongue.
But instead, I reached for the box of cornflakes and began to fill my bowl.
I heard a woman’s voice. And realized the kitchen radio was on.
“Another house robbery in Elmwood,” the woman was saying. “Witnesses told police they saw a masked figure in a blue cape running through the neighborhood. Police say they have no clues as to the identity of this daring burglar who enters houses in the middle of the night….”
18
I didn’t want to go into that secret room by myself. I had no
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