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traveler in a desert. She began to run.
    â€œHey, Netherfield!” It was the tall boy. Hero kept running.
    â€œNetherfield, wait up!”
    She could hear him behind her. She stopped, her heart pounding.
    â€œYou forgot your backpack,” he said, holding it out.
    Hero took it and looped it carefully over her shoulder. “Thanks,” she said coldly, turning away.
    But, unbelievably, the boy fell in step beside her.
    â€œI’m Danny Cordova,” he continued, unfazed. “Don’t listen to them.” He gestured back toward the street corner. “They can be jerks.”
    â€œI thought they were your friends.”
    â€œThey are. But sometimes they’re jerks.”
    Hero frowned in annoyance. “Oh, and you’re not.
    That was really great, the way you stood up for Aaron back there.”
    Danny Cordova shrugged. “Listen, Aaron and Ben are brothers. They’re always doing that kind of thing. I just stay out of it.”
    Hero flushed, embarrassed. Of course, that was who the dark-haired boy looked like: Aaron. How could she have been so stupid? She had meant to rescue Aaron from a neighborhood bully, but all she’d really done was gotten herself mixed up in a sibling quarrel.
    â€œI didn’t know,” Hero muttered. Surely this would end the conversation. Hot and humiliated, she walked faster.
    But Danny Cordova kept walking right beside her. “You live in the Murphy diamond house, don’t you?”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Hero.
    â€œDo you know the story?”
    Hero nodded. “Yeah, I do.”
    They had reached Mrs. Roth’s. Hero pushed open the gate, intending to say a curt goodbye. But to her astonishment, Danny Cordova followed her into the yard.
    â€œHi, Miriam,” he called out.
    Hero stared at him, speechless. Mrs. Roth rose from her seat on the porch, smiling warmly at both of them.

CHAPTER
7
    â€œWell, Daniel! I haven’t seen you in ages. How have you been?” Mrs. Roth took Danny’s arm and beckoned Hero toward the porch.
    Hero followed in utter bewilderment. What was going on? Had Mrs. Roth befriended every kid in the neighborhood? Did they all know about the diamond? Maybe she’d already discussed the Murphys with Danny and a dozen other people.
    â€œYou know each other?” Hero asked glumly as they all sat down on the steps.
    â€œDaniel’s father is the chief of police,” Mrs. Roth replied. “We saw quite a lot of each other during the Murphy investigation. And I had the prudence to hire Daniel to do a little yard work for me last year.”
    â€œYou did?” Hero found it hard to believe that anyone had ever done yard work at Mrs. Roth’s.
    â€œJust some weeding and planting,” Danny interjected, seeing Hero’s doubtful look.
    â€œOh, he was a great help,” Mrs. Roth added, her voice warm. “Those tiger lilies over there are his doing, and my beautiful tulips last spring. I can’t manage bulbs anymore. Would you two like something to eat? Cinnamon toast, Hero?”
    â€œThat’d be great,” Danny answered. Hero nodded.
    Mrs. Roth disappeared through the screen door, and they could hear her clattering in the kitchen. Hero shifted uncomfortably on the step. She wanted to be talking about the diamond with Mrs. Roth, not sitting here next to some boy she didn’t know, whose best friends had just made fun of her.
    â€œHero? That’s your name?” Danny raised his eyebrows.
    â€œYeah.” Hero focused her attention on one of her shoelaces.
    â€œThat’s kind of a strange name.”
    â€œIt seems to be popular for pets.”
    Danny laughed. “I bet.”
    Mrs. Roth returned with their cinnamon toast, neat triangles scattered on a floral plate. She sat down between them, balancing the plate on her knees.
    â€œHer name is from Shakespeare, you know,” she said to Danny. “Much Ado About Nothing. Some of