really go to the museums," I said. "Expose the kids to some New York culture. Look. This pamphlet says there's a Museum Gallery here, something called the Small Craft Collection, oh, and a Children's Center. Let's go there first. We can take Rowena to FAO Schwarz any day. And we do not need to go into every store. There are stores all over New York. Not to mention the rest of the country." Too late. Half of our group was heading into Schermerhorn Row, which is full of shops.
And Alistaire was pulling at my arm, crying, "Oh, brilliant! There's a place called Sweet's!" "It must have sweets then," said Rowena. "Lots of them." "You guys, this isn't exactly what I had in mind," I was saying, when Stacey suddenly elbowed me.
"There he is again!" This time we both saw him. He was disappearing into a crowd of people.
"All right. We have to do something," I said.
"I'll handle this," Stacey replied. "Hey!" she called. "Laine! Jessi! Everyone! We're going to take the kids to the Children's Center. Let's meet back here in an hour. Then we can have lunch." Laine waved to Stacey. "Okay!" she called.
"What are you up to?" I asked her. Then, before she could answer, I exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh! I just realized something. Have you — " "The kids are listening," Stacey hissed.
"Buy them ice cream," I replied.
So we walked until we found a place called Minter's Ice Cream. We bought Rowena and Alistaire each a scoop in a cup. (Cones were too messy, considering the kids were not dressed in anything even approaching play clothes.) Then Rowena and Alistaire busied themselves with their treats while Stacey and I held a whispered conversation.
"Okay/' I began. "Have you noticed that we only see the guy when we're with Rowena and Alistaire? I mean, did you notice him when we went to Chinatown? Or any time we've gone out to dinner with your dad?" "No . . ." Stacey answered.
"So obviously he's not after us. He's after the children." "Or maybe," said Stacey, "just one of the children." "Right. It would be easier to kidnap one child than two." "That's not what I mean. I was thinking," Stacey said slowly, "that maybe this guy was on the plane from England with the Harring-tons. And maybe — you know, like in those spy movies — he needed to smuggle a roll of microfilm to the United States, so he dropped it into Alistaire's backpack or Rowena's tote bag or something. And now he has to get it back, so he's following the kids, waiting for just the right moment to snatch one of them and get back the microfilm — or maybe the diamonds." "Stacey, you sound like me!" I exclaimed.
"Well, it's no wonder. You made me start thinking like this. And it is weird that the guy turns up everywhere." We paused.
We watched Alistaire and Rowena, who were stirring their ice cream into vanilla soup, and giggling.
Then I said, "All right. If that man really is after one of the children, then we ought to find out which one." "Okay." "So I think we should each take a kid and split up. The guy won't be able to follow both of us. So we'll see who he does follow." "Hey, good idea," said Stacey. "Okay, I'll take Alistaire, you take Rowena. Tell her you're going to look for a toy store. I'll tell Alistaire we're going to do something special at the Children's Center." "Okay." Stacey and I waited until the kids had finished their vanilla soup. Then we split up. "Meet you with the others in about half an hour," I said.
Stacey nodded. She and Alistaire went in one direction, Rowena and I in another. I tried not to look too conspicuous about keeping my eyes open for the spy/kidnapper.
"Where's the toy shop?" asked Rowena.
"I'm not sure there is one," I answered honestly. "Let's just look around. There are a lot of shops to explore." Rowena and I wandered everywhere, up and down streets — Beekman Street, Water Street, Front Street, John Street. We passed a boat-building shop, a museum shop, and the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse. Rowena kept her eyes peeled for a toy store. I kept my eyes
And Alistaire was pulling at my arm, crying, "Oh, brilliant! There's a place called Sweet's!" "It must have sweets then," said Rowena. "Lots of them." "You guys, this isn't exactly what I had in mind," I was saying, when Stacey suddenly elbowed me.
"There he is again!" This time we both saw him. He was disappearing into a crowd of people.
"All right. We have to do something," I said.
"I'll handle this," Stacey replied. "Hey!" she called. "Laine! Jessi! Everyone! We're going to take the kids to the Children's Center. Let's meet back here in an hour. Then we can have lunch." Laine waved to Stacey. "Okay!" she called.
"What are you up to?" I asked her. Then, before she could answer, I exclaimed, "Oh, my gosh! I just realized something. Have you — " "The kids are listening," Stacey hissed.
"Buy them ice cream," I replied.
So we walked until we found a place called Minter's Ice Cream. We bought Rowena and Alistaire each a scoop in a cup. (Cones were too messy, considering the kids were not dressed in anything even approaching play clothes.) Then Rowena and Alistaire busied themselves with their treats while Stacey and I held a whispered conversation.
"Okay/' I began. "Have you noticed that we only see the guy when we're with Rowena and Alistaire? I mean, did you notice him when we went to Chinatown? Or any time we've gone out to dinner with your dad?" "No . . ." Stacey answered.
"So obviously he's not after us. He's after the children." "Or maybe," said Stacey, "just one of the children." "Right. It would be easier to kidnap one child than two." "That's not what I mean. I was thinking," Stacey said slowly, "that maybe this guy was on the plane from England with the Harring-tons. And maybe — you know, like in those spy movies — he needed to smuggle a roll of microfilm to the United States, so he dropped it into Alistaire's backpack or Rowena's tote bag or something. And now he has to get it back, so he's following the kids, waiting for just the right moment to snatch one of them and get back the microfilm — or maybe the diamonds." "Stacey, you sound like me!" I exclaimed.
"Well, it's no wonder. You made me start thinking like this. And it is weird that the guy turns up everywhere." We paused.
We watched Alistaire and Rowena, who were stirring their ice cream into vanilla soup, and giggling.
Then I said, "All right. If that man really is after one of the children, then we ought to find out which one." "Okay." "So I think we should each take a kid and split up. The guy won't be able to follow both of us. So we'll see who he does follow." "Hey, good idea," said Stacey. "Okay, I'll take Alistaire, you take Rowena. Tell her you're going to look for a toy store. I'll tell Alistaire we're going to do something special at the Children's Center." "Okay." Stacey and I waited until the kids had finished their vanilla soup. Then we split up. "Meet you with the others in about half an hour," I said.
Stacey nodded. She and Alistaire went in one direction, Rowena and I in another. I tried not to look too conspicuous about keeping my eyes open for the spy/kidnapper.
"Where's the toy shop?" asked Rowena.
"I'm not sure there is one," I answered honestly. "Let's just look around. There are a lot of shops to explore." Rowena and I wandered everywhere, up and down streets — Beekman Street, Water Street, Front Street, John Street. We passed a boat-building shop, a museum shop, and the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse. Rowena kept her eyes peeled for a toy store. I kept my eyes
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