Pish Posh by Ellen Potter Page A

to see that you are up and about, in any case.” Mr. Arbutnot smiled at his daughter, then tilted his head. “But why are you wearing the Spyfocals?”
    â€œOh. I just thought ... since I won’t be using them anymore for jobs... I guess I was feeling a little sentimental.”
    â€œDon’t worry, Annabelle. Once you start getting involved with school and friends, you won’t even miss burgling houses. It will be a fresh start for both of us. ”
    â€œSure, Dad. Hey, Clara asked if I can go over to her parents’ restaurant for dinner tonight.”
    â€œOkay, I guess that’s fine. But sweetheart?”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œYou’re still a little young for lipstick, don’t you think?”
    â€œOh. Sure, Dad. I was just messing around. Well, I guess I better get back upstairs. The nail polish is probably dry by now. If only I could help her with the odor ... ”
    Then the screen in Clara’s glasses went blank, and she was looking out through the lenses once again. In another minute came the sound of feet clomping up the stairs. The door opened and Annabelle walked in. She removed her Spyfocals and grinned.
    â€œFoot fungus?” Clara said angrily.
    â€œOh, relax. My dad won’t tell anyone.”
    â€œBut I don’t have foot fungus!”
    â€œYou still think Spyfocals are just fancy walkie-talkies?”
    â€œNo,” Clara grudgingly admitted, taking them off and handing them back to Annabelle.
    â€œHang on to them,” Annabelle said lightly.
    â€œWhat for?”
    â€œWell, we’ll have to have some way of communicating while we’re on the job. ”
    â€œ We? ” Clara shook her head. “No, not we. I’m hiring you to do this. ”
    â€œFirst of all, I’m not taking your money,” Annabelle said.
    â€œYou had no trouble taking my jewelry, ” Clara grumbled.
    â€œSecond of all,” Annabelle continued, ignoring her remark, “I need another person to watch for Patient X.”
    â€œThen find another person. Another professional,” Clara said.
    â€œRule number one in burgling: the more people you involve in a job, the more likely the job will get all botched up.” Annabelle’s face had turned very serious now, and her dark eyes bore down on Clara’s. “If you want to get your envelope from this doctor’s office, then we do this job together. Otherwise”—Annabelle laid her Spyfocals carefully and deliberately in their silk-lined case—“find yourself another burglar. ”
    Clara glared at Annabelle for a minute. “I am not a thief,” she said arrogantly.
    â€œFine,” Annabelle said crisply, and she held out her hand. “Give me the glasses, and this whole conversation never even happened. Poof. It’s gone from my brain.”
    Clara handed back the glasses, which Annabelle tucked into the box. Then Annabelle collapsed back onto her bed and shut her eyes, as if Clara had already left.
    Dropping the whole thing was the most sensible thing to do, Clara thought. But then she began to think of Dr. Piff. She had sworn to herself that she would not disappoint him again. Plus, to be perfectly honest, she couldn’t bear the thought of spending night after night in Pish Posh, knowing that something peculiar was going on right under her nose. And that a soup cook had succeeded in defying her.
    â€œOkay,” Clara said.
    â€œOkay what?”
    â€œOkay, I’ll stand outside and watch for Patient X. But what do I tell her if she comes early? ”
    Annabelle sat up again and looked Clara up and down. “Well, you’re a lot shorter than me, but we can roll up the pants. ”
    â€œWhat pants?” said Clara. “I don’t wear pants.”
    â€œOoh, and I have the perfect top,” Annabelle continued, ignoring Clara.
    â€œPerfect for what?”
    â€œHave you ever been to Sandusky, Ohio?” Annabelle