Ann Martin - Mystery At Claudia's House

"She must be meeting someone again," I said, under my breath. I'd learned a lot from Derek.

When she arrived at the high school, Janine started to look around as if she were trying to find someone. A few kids were hanging out in front of the school, but I didn't see that guy she'd met the other day. Apparently, Janine didn't see the person she was looking for, either. She sat down under a tree and pulled a book out of her shoulder bag.

"Good old Janine," I said to myself. She can't stand to sit around doing nothing. Janine always has a book with her, in case she has a few minutes to fill up. She'd never just sit and watch people go by, or look at the clouds. Not Janine.

Since Janine was so busy reading, I saw the guy she was meeting before she did! It was the same gorgeous guy we'd seen the last time. He drove up — that's right drove up — in a cool little red car, and parked near the tree where she was sitting. Then he sat and looked at her for a minute, smiling to himself. Maybe he was noticing her book and thinking the same thoughts I had been thinking. Janine didn't, glance up, so finally he got out of the car and stepped over to her. He said something — I couldn't hear what — and Janine jumped a little, as if she'd been surprised. Then she stood up and brushed off her skirt. She smiled at the guy and showed him the book she was reading. He took it and looked through it for a second, and I wondered what could be so interesting. But then he just gave it back to her, and she put it away.

They stood and talked for a while, and I started to get bored. So far, I hadn't learned anything.

But then Janine walked over to the little red car and got into it! When the guy got in, he started it up, and they drove off. I stepped out from behind the bush where I'd been hiding and stared after them with my mouth hanging open. The little red car putt-putted down Rosedale and then turned right. I couldn't

believe my eyes. Janine had just gotten into a car with a stranger — well, he was a stranger to me — and driven off.

I stood there for a little longer, until I realized there was no point in staring down the empty street. Janine was gone, and I couldn't follow her any more that day. I walked home slowly, thinking over what I'd seen.

My parents were home by the time I got there, and I jumped right into helping them make dinner. I was glad to forget about being a detective and just wash lettuce for a while. I didn't bring up the subject of Janine, and neither did they. We talked about baby-sitting, and school, and stuff like that.

I was in the kitchen with my dad when Janine came home a little while later. My mother was in the dining room, and I could hear her talking to Janine.

"Hi, honey," Mom said. "You're just in time to help me set the table. Have you had a nice afternoon?"

"Oh yes," said Janine. "I was working at the college chemistry lab."

Chapter 14.

I almost dropped the bowl of salad I'd been holding. It was one thing to know Janine had been keeping secrets and telling my parents little fibs once in a while. But it was another to hear her lie — right to Mom's face! Now, I'm no goody-goody, and I admit I don't always tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, but when I heard Janine lie like that, I was shocked.

"How could she — "I started to say.

"What?" asked Dad. He was standing at the sink, peeling carrots.

"Nothing," I said. I put down the salad bowl and picked up the bread basket. "Is this ready to go out on the table?" I asked my dad.

"Sure," he said. "Take the butter, too."

I stepped into the dining room and set the basket and the butter dish down. Janine was walking around the table, putting a folded

napkin at each place. She looked up at me. "Hi, Claud,” 'she said, smiling.

"Hi," I said, without smiling back. I gazed into her eyes, and thought I saw a flash of nervousness there. "So have you found a cure for the common cold yet?" I asked. "I heard you were at the lab this afternoon."

"No cure yet," she answered, "but we're still looking." Her tone was light, but I thought I could hear a little tension in her voice. She put down the last napkin. "All done, Mom," she said. "I'm just going to run upstairs and change before we eat, okay?"

"Sure, honey," said Mom. "Take your time. The chicken won't be done for another fifteen minutes."

I watched Mom smooth out the tablecloth and wipe a smudge off one of the glasses. She looked up at me. "Anything wrong?" she asked. "You're awfully quiet all of a sudden."

"I'm okay," I said. I was quiet because I was thinking. Thinking hard. I had realized something. I'd been following Janine around and playing detective just because I was curious about what she was up to. I'd kind of been thinking of myself as the Nancy Drew of Stoneybrook. But this wasn't just some story, made up to entertain people. This was real life. And Janine could be heading for trouble. After all, I'd seen her get into a car with a

strange guy. Cute, yes. But not a familiar face. And then she'd lied to Mom about where she'd been.

What if Janine was in some kind of trouble already? What if that guy was a drug dealer, or some other type of criminal? What if he had Janine under his spell? What if he'd threatened to kill her if she told anyone she'd been with him? Maybe that was why she'd been lying!

I knew I was getting carried away. It was unlikely that Janine was involved with some evil lawless mastermind. But still, she really could be in trouble. It was then that I realized I should probably tell my parents everything I knew.

I struggled for a moment with the idea. After all, nobody likes a tattletale. My parents have never encouraged Janine and me to report on each other's behavior. Even when we were young they wouldn't listen when we came running with stories about how one of us had knocked over the other one's blocks.

Suddenly I realized my mother was staring at me. I was still standing at the dining room table, gripping the back of my father's chair. I was breathing hard, and I could feel that my cheeks were flushed. "Claud?" Mom said. She put her hand on my forehead. "Are you feeling all right? You don't look well."

"I'm fine, Mom. But — " I paused. "But I

think there's something you and Dad should know."

She looked at me curiously, but instead of asking any more questions, she just took my arm and steered me toward the den. On the way, she called to my dad. "Honey? Would you please come into the den for a minute?"

"Be right there," Dad replied.

A couple of minutes later I was settled in the big chair in the corner of the den. Mom and Dad were sitting opposite me, on the couch. "What is it, Claud?" asked my mother. She looked very concerned. "Is it about your schoolwork?"

"Are you having trouble keeping up?" asked Dad gently. "We're always here to help, you know."

"It's — it's not me," I said. They raised their eyebrows. Usually I hate the fact that I'm always the "bad daughter." But this time I couldn't take any pleasure in the fact that Ja-nine was the one who was misbehaving. I was too worried about her.

"Go on," said Dad. He leaned forward.

"It's Janine," I said. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but I think she could be in trouble."

Mom frowned. "What do you mean?" she asked. "I know she's been late a few times, and she wasn't entirely honest about where