very simple task of bringing Sir Arthur to the dog show while I continue to suss out potential suspects. It’s important for both of us to have backstage access, but that’s only on the off chance that I haven’t recovered Daisy by the end of the day.”
So basically, she wanted me to walk her dog. Guess I still had a ways to go before she’d consider me essential.
“Why didn’t you simply forge the signature?”
“I apprehend criminals. I’m not one of them.”
She might not be a criminal, but she had no problem lying to her parents.
“So my name’s at the top?”
“Heavens no. I gave you an alias since all of Sir Arthur’s papers are in my family’s name. Tomorrow you’ll be Sheldon Holmes.”
“Sheldon?”
“Yes, by your tone, I take it you would’ve preferred a different moniker?”
While I like the name John just fine, as Shelby had already pointed out, so many people have that name. Zane was such an unusual name it stood out. If I was going undercover, I wanted a name like that.
“Why couldn’t you have given me something cooler, like Shane or Spencer or Silas?” My mind blanked at more names.Okay, maybe coming up with names was harder than I thought. “Or, I don’t know … Sherlock.”
“Sherlock?” Shelby scoffed. “What kind of name is Sherlock ? You wanted to go undercover as Sherlock Holmes ? Like anybody would believe that.”
I ignored Shelby’s snickering. Instead, I tried to remember every turn we’d taken so I could start getting around on my own. While I wanted to be here, having Shelby as a tour guide really grated on my self-esteem.
At first, we passed apartment complexes, but we were now walking by buildings that were abandoned and boarded up. The streets were mostly empty, except for the occasional homeless person. I began to get jittery whenever a horn or alarm went off. I practically jumped out of my skin when glass from a broken window shattered near us. What kind of contact did Shelby have who would live here?
“Ah, Shelby,” I said as a rat scurried away from an empty lot that was filled with garbage. “This doesn’t seem very safe.”
“Oh, I would advise that you never come here alone. This isn’t a very desirable part of town.”
Then what were we doing there? And why did Shelby feel that she was invincible?
“Don’t worry, Watson. We’re almost there.”
Oddly enough, that didn’t make me feel better. I wanted to turn around and go back to our safe street. Or better yet,the Lacys’, which seemed like a million miles away from here instead of just a few.
A young guy, probably around sixteen, turned the corner. The second he spotted us, his eyes narrowed and a menacing grin appeared on his face. “Hold up.” He walked over with a swagger. His jeans were hanging low on his hips; his Yankees cap sat crooked on his head. “What do you think you’re doing here?”
Shelby wisely ignored him and kept walking.
“Yo! I’m talking to you!” He jumped in front of us.
My stomach filled with butterflies. I was used to military posts where only authorized personnel were allowed. I never had to worry about being mugged or whatever this guy was going to do. But Shelby didn’t seem fazed.
Shelby sighed. “If you must know, I’m here to speak with Dante. You may escort us there if you feel the need. However, I am more than capable of making the journey unaccompanied.”
The guy started laughing. “Oh, you think you’ve got some business with Dante?” Much to my dread, he turned to me. “And what about you? You some mute or something?”
My manly response was a terrified stare.
“You must be new,” Shelby declared, then gave the guy a quick once-over.
Uh-oh . She was going to do that Shelby thing she did, and I had a feeling this guy was not going to appreciate it. If only I could’ve found my voice, or stopped my legs from shaking so I could’ve run away. I’m a pretty fast runner, and I bet this guy wouldn’t have gotten very far
So basically, she wanted me to walk her dog. Guess I still had a ways to go before she’d consider me essential.
“Why didn’t you simply forge the signature?”
“I apprehend criminals. I’m not one of them.”
She might not be a criminal, but she had no problem lying to her parents.
“So my name’s at the top?”
“Heavens no. I gave you an alias since all of Sir Arthur’s papers are in my family’s name. Tomorrow you’ll be Sheldon Holmes.”
“Sheldon?”
“Yes, by your tone, I take it you would’ve preferred a different moniker?”
While I like the name John just fine, as Shelby had already pointed out, so many people have that name. Zane was such an unusual name it stood out. If I was going undercover, I wanted a name like that.
“Why couldn’t you have given me something cooler, like Shane or Spencer or Silas?” My mind blanked at more names.Okay, maybe coming up with names was harder than I thought. “Or, I don’t know … Sherlock.”
“Sherlock?” Shelby scoffed. “What kind of name is Sherlock ? You wanted to go undercover as Sherlock Holmes ? Like anybody would believe that.”
I ignored Shelby’s snickering. Instead, I tried to remember every turn we’d taken so I could start getting around on my own. While I wanted to be here, having Shelby as a tour guide really grated on my self-esteem.
At first, we passed apartment complexes, but we were now walking by buildings that were abandoned and boarded up. The streets were mostly empty, except for the occasional homeless person. I began to get jittery whenever a horn or alarm went off. I practically jumped out of my skin when glass from a broken window shattered near us. What kind of contact did Shelby have who would live here?
“Ah, Shelby,” I said as a rat scurried away from an empty lot that was filled with garbage. “This doesn’t seem very safe.”
“Oh, I would advise that you never come here alone. This isn’t a very desirable part of town.”
Then what were we doing there? And why did Shelby feel that she was invincible?
“Don’t worry, Watson. We’re almost there.”
Oddly enough, that didn’t make me feel better. I wanted to turn around and go back to our safe street. Or better yet,the Lacys’, which seemed like a million miles away from here instead of just a few.
A young guy, probably around sixteen, turned the corner. The second he spotted us, his eyes narrowed and a menacing grin appeared on his face. “Hold up.” He walked over with a swagger. His jeans were hanging low on his hips; his Yankees cap sat crooked on his head. “What do you think you’re doing here?”
Shelby wisely ignored him and kept walking.
“Yo! I’m talking to you!” He jumped in front of us.
My stomach filled with butterflies. I was used to military posts where only authorized personnel were allowed. I never had to worry about being mugged or whatever this guy was going to do. But Shelby didn’t seem fazed.
Shelby sighed. “If you must know, I’m here to speak with Dante. You may escort us there if you feel the need. However, I am more than capable of making the journey unaccompanied.”
The guy started laughing. “Oh, you think you’ve got some business with Dante?” Much to my dread, he turned to me. “And what about you? You some mute or something?”
My manly response was a terrified stare.
“You must be new,” Shelby declared, then gave the guy a quick once-over.
Uh-oh . She was going to do that Shelby thing she did, and I had a feeling this guy was not going to appreciate it. If only I could’ve found my voice, or stopped my legs from shaking so I could’ve run away. I’m a pretty fast runner, and I bet this guy wouldn’t have gotten very far
Similar Books
