The North Star

by Shepherd

  “Why, look at you!” one of the men said. “Aren’t your parents lucky to have such a pretty little helper? I bet you wish you were out on a date instead of at this boring old party. Your father must already be chasing the boys away!”

  Sophia gritted her teeth and tried to ignore her rising frustration. “Thank you for coming tonight. The gibbons really need your help. Did you know that over three hundred football fields of rain forest are destroyed every hour to make palm oil plantations? If we don’t do something, gibbons could become extinct, along with a lot of other animals.”

  One of the men turned to the others. “Speaking of football, did you all catch the Vikings game last Sunday? What a nail-biter!”

  Sophia started back toward the kitchen and was pounced upon by Gwendolyn. “Not so fast,” the opera singer said. “I haven’t had any yet!” Gwendolyn reached for a corner of toast and spread it liberally with caviar. The tray was heavy; Sophia’s arms were beginning to ache. Gwendolyn reached for a second triangle of toast and dug the spoon even deeper into the pot of caviar. Sophia’s patient smile felt frozen on her face. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and looked at the clock on the wall.

  That’s when she heard her mother scream.

  ***

  Sophia dropped the tray, and caviar and toast went flying. Gwendolyn recoiled, but it was too late. “My gown!” Caviar clung to her velvet dress.

  “I’m sorry!” Sophia called over her shoulder, already running toward the stairs. The party guests murmured to one another, their eyebrows raised in consternation. A few of the white-haired old ladies hovered around Gwendolyn, clucking like a group of hens and dabbing at her with the lace hankies they kept in their sleeves.

  When Sophia reached the top of the staircase, she raced down the hall to her parents’ room. Their house manager, Maurice, was standing in the doorway. “Maurice!” Sophia cried. “What’s going on? Is my mom okay?”

  She tried to enter the room, but Maurice blocked the door. “Your mom’s fine, Soph. Don’t worry.”

  “Yeah, but what happened? Why did she scream?” Sophia pushed forward, but Maurice wouldn’t let her through. “Maurice, you’re blocking the door. Why can’t I go in?” She craned to see around Maurice’s brawny shoulder and saw her mom kneeling on the floor of the closet, barefoot. Her perfect chignon was disheveled, and her eye makeup was smudged. Sophia’s father had his arm around her and held his cell phone to his ear.

  “Sorry, Soph, but nobody can go in here right now. Your parents will be down in a few minutes, and they’ll explain everything. For now, the best thing you can do is go back downstairs and focus on making sure that everyone at the party has a good time. Tell the catering staff to send out some extra rounds of champagne or something, okay?” He gave her an encouraging smile. “After all, I know this is a big night for you. We don’t want anyone leaving too soon!”

  Sophia searched his face. “No, I guess not,” she said finally. “You promise they’re okay? And they’ll be down in a few minutes?”

  Maurice’s face was a careful mask. “I promise you that neither of your parents is injured in any way. They’ll join you just as soon as they can.”

  Sophia narrowed her eyes. “That was kind of a weird answer, Maurice.”

  He shrugged noncommittally.

  “I wish you’d just tell me what’s going on.”

  Maurice shrugged again. “Sorry, Soph, I can’t right now.” But it didn’t matter if he told her what happened or not.

  She already knew.

  ***

  Evie Mamuya sat in the front seat of her mom’s gray Prius, still glowing from her racing victory. Behind her, Zach and Vishal debated the relative merits of pizza versus burgers for dinner.

  “I am so down for a Juicy Lucy right now. The cheese is inside the burger. It’s off the hook!”

  “Dude, pizza all the way! You know I don’t eat beef,” Vishal said.

  “Maybe the winner should get to decide where we eat dinner,” Evie said over her shoulder. “Just sayin’.”

  Mrs. Mamuya laughed. “You’re really going to milk this thing, aren’t you?”

  Evie grinned. “You know it, Mom!”

  Zach leaned forward between the two seats. “Don’t get too comfortable in the winner’s seat. Remember, there’s still mini golf.”

  Evie cracked her knuckles. “I’m not worried.”

  “Yeah, well, maybe you should be. Remember, I am the undefeated mini-golf champ in the state of Massachusetts!” Vishal folded his arms and smirked.

  Zach gave him a playful shove. “Get over yourself! The only people you’ve played against in Massachusetts are your grandparents!”

  “Every time we visit my grandparents, we play mini golf, and every time, I win. Which means that I have never been defeated in the state of Massachusetts.” Vishal raised both arms in triumph. “Boom! Undefeated.”

  Suddenly, Mrs. Mamuya’s phone crackled to life. “Hang on a sec, guys. It’s the scanner app.”

  The kids quieted down. Mrs. Mamuya was a crime reporter for the Minneapolis Telegraph. The scanner app on her phone allowed her to hear real-time police radio calls so she wouldn’t miss any potential big stories. “Squad 520, please respond to 1621 West Upton Place. Report of possible 10-82, with a potential 10-77 still in the area. Please 10-25 Dashiell Boyd at location.”

  Mrs. Mamuya flipped on her turn signal and headed toward Kenwood. “Sorry, everybody. Mini golf is going to have to wait.”

  CHAPTER

  3

  Evie turned around in her seat and waggled her eyebrows at the two boys. “What do you think happened? Maybe we’ll get to help catch the perp!”

  Mrs. Mamuya laughed. “Relax, Evie. It’s just a burglary; they think a prowler could still be in the area, but I’m sure the thief is probably long gone by now. The big story isn’t the burglary; it’s what they stole. I have a hunch it’s the North Star necklace.”

  “Weren’t they going to auction that off at the Gibbon Gala next week?” Evie asked.

  “Exactly,” her mother answered. “They were hosting a party tonight for bidders to preview the diamonds. Without the North Star, the zoo is going to have a hard time raising the funds they need. This is a story that could impact the whole city.”

  Mrs. Mamuya parked the car on a side street and grabbed her work bag. She paused to slip on a dark gray blazer she kept in her trunk and smooth her short ash-blond hair. The kids followed her past a neatly parked line of luxury cars and down a long, gated driveway. The gate was open, and there was a squad car parked next to the temporary valet stand that was set up near the front entrance.

  Evie paused in the driveway, taking in the sprawling stone mansion and its ivy-covered walls. The house and immaculate grounds were lit with strategically placed spotlights that bathed the walled estate in a saffron glow. Several shallow steps led up to a wide stone patio bordered by a low wall, where a police officer was attempting to corral a group of querulous guests back into the house.

  Mrs. Mamuya turned to the kids. “Wait outside, okay? The house could still be a crime scene, and the police won’t want a bunch of new people coming in and touching everything. I have my cell, so call if you need something or want me to get you a car service. It could be a long night.” Mrs. Mamuya waved and reached into the blazer pocket where she kept her press credentials, walking confidently toward the officer in charge.

  Zach pulled his phone out of his pocket. “So, what are we supposed to do while we wait?” He flicked idly through his game apps.

  Evie scanned the sweeping front yard. The expanse of grass between the crescent-shaped driveway and the street was dotted with a few tall trees, but there were few shadows or interesting spots to explore. She noticed some hedges near the side of the house that led to the back. “Let’s go check out the backyard,” she suggested.

  “Good idea,” Vishal said. “It’s gotta be sweet back there. I wonder if they have a tennis court.” He hopped over the patio wal
l and slipped through the bushes. “Come on!” Evie jumped down after him.

  Zach hung back. “What if the thief is hiding back there?”

  Vishal gestured dismissively. “Nobody’s going to steal a diamond necklace and then hang around waiting to get caught. There’s like a million people here!”

  Zach cast a nervous glance behind him and joined the others. The three kept close to the side of the house, avoiding the open windows where they could see guests peering out into the shadowy gardens. A man in a sharp suit and a pink shirt leaned casually against the windowsill, holding a cocktail in his hand. He turned to his companions, his brash voice cutting the air. “The police can’t possibly suspect any of the guests! Why would any of us steal the North Star? I could buy a hundred of them without even breaking a sweat!” He guffawed loudly at his own witticism. Zach rolled his eyes. Who was this guy kidding? That laugh sounded fake even to him.

  The kids reached the back of the house, where a broad flagstone patio overlooked a sparkling swimming pool flanked by formal gardens on either side. Beyond was an expansive stretch of grassy lawn and a tennis court. “I knew it!” Vishal said. He pulled a tennis ball out of his pocket. “Do you want to play?”

  “How?” Evie asked. “We don’t have any rackets.”

  Vishal tossed the ball in the air. “We could figure something out.”

  Zach grinned. “Another of your famous Desai Games?” He held out his hands for a catch.

  Vishal threw him the ball. “I’ve got some ideas.” Never one to sit around bored, Vishal could turn anything into a game. His closet was crammed with homemade board games and a variety of balls and equipment for various new “sports” he had invented.

  Zach threw the ball back, but the pitch went wild, sailing over Vishal’s head and into the formal gardens. “Sorry,” Zach called.

  “I’ll get it,” Vishal said. He vaulted over a carved stone bench, barely avoiding a pedestal that held a bonsai tree in an ornamental pot. “This would make a great obstacle course!” He squeezed between two rosebushes and knelt to retrieve the ball, then shimmied back between the rosebushes and carefully edged around the bonsai. He was just preparing to hop back over the bench, when something shiny caught his eye. “What’s this doing here?”

  CHAPTER

  4

  “What’s a hockey puck doing in the middle of a garden?” Vishal asked.

  Zach shrugged. “Maybe they have a hockey rink.”

  Vishal looked around. “Where?”

  “Our cousins in Milwaukee have a basketball court that they turn into a hockey rink in the winter. Maybe they do that with the tennis court,” Evie suggested.

  “Maybe.” Vishal picked up the puck and turned it over in his hands. “It’s heavy, though. And why is it silver?”

  Zach’s face brightened. “Maybe it’s some kind of electronic hockey. Dude, that would be so awesome!”

  Vishal slipped the puck into his pocket. “Oh, man. Just imagine what the sticks would be like!”

  “Hey!” The kids looked up to see a girl their age glowering down on them from the patio railing. She had light-olive skin and wore a simple, above-the-knee dress with spaghetti straps, and her dark bobbed hair swung forward, obscuring her face. She paused to tuck her hair behind her ear, her dark eyes narrowing under her blunt-cut bangs. “What are you doing in my yard? You weren’t invited!”

  Evie’s heart sank. Sophia Boyd. Evie didn’t really know her, but she recognized her from school. Sophia had transferred in from some private school last year and had made a huge deal about her parents sending her to public school to have a more “enrichingly authentic educational experience,” or something like that. Evie was a friendly girl, but even friendliness had its limits.

  Flustered at being caught out, Evie decided to bluff. She stood up straighter. “How do you know we weren’t invited? It’s your parents’ party, not yours!”

  Sophia sighed in exasperation. “Why does everyone keep saying that?” She marched down the patio steps, her kitten heels echoing on the stone. “Look, this party was my idea! I know every name on that guest list, and believe me, yours wasn’t on it, and neither were your parents’. Besides, even if I hadn’t planned this party, I’m not an idiot.” Her eyes raked across the three kids, taking in their jeans and T-shirts. “You wouldn’t have made it through the front door dressed like that.”

  Evie felt her cheeks growing warm. She struggled to find something to say, but it was Zach’s voice, not hers, that cut the awkward silence.

  “Sorry. Our bad.” Zach flashed a sheepish, easy­going smile, and Evie saw Sophia’s expression soften. Not much, but a little. “I’m Zach, and this is my twin sister, Evie, and our friend Vishal. Our mom writes for the Telegraph, and she got the call to cover a story, so we kind of got dragged along. We were just going to hang out in the yard to keep out of the way.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I hope we didn’t scare you or anything.”

  “I wasn’t scared,” Sophia said stiffly. “I just came outside to get some air and I saw you down here.” She looked down at her feet. “I was hoping you might have been the thieves, and then maybe this whole nightmare could be over.”

  “So then the North Star really was taken?” Evie asked softly.

  Sophia nodded miserably, her eyes filling with tears.

  “I’m sorry,” Evie said. “I know the necklace has been in your family a long time.”

  Sophia wiped her tears away angrily. “I don’t care at all about that. It’s just a stupid necklace! I’m worried about the gibbons! What’s going to happen to them now?” She pulled a crumpled tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose. “I mean, what kind of jerk person would steal something from a charity event?”

  “What happened, exactly?” Vishal asked. “How did it get stolen?”

  Sophia took a deep breath. “Nobody knows yet.” She led the others up the steps to the patio. “My mom had it on earlier today when she was choosing her gown, but she put it back in the safe shortly before the party started. Our event planner didn’t show up, so things were running behind, and she forgot to put it back on. About an hour into the party, she went upstairs to get the North Star, but when she opened the safe, it was gone.”

  Vishal bounced his tennis ball on the patio, thinking. “So the safe wasn’t broken into?”

  Sophia shook her head. “My mom unlocked it herself, just like always.”

  Zach held out his hands and Vishal bounced him the ball. He caught it easily and threw it back to Vishal. “So whoever stole the North Star knows the combination to your safe.”

  Sophia nodded. “But that’s the weird part. Only three people know the combination to the safe: my dad, my mom, and Maurice.” She pointed to herself. “Even I don’t know it!”

  Evie held out her hand, and Vishal tossed the ball to her. “Hold up, who’s Maurice?”

  She bounced the ball to Sophia, who missed it. It rolled under a wrought-iron table, and Sophia crouched down and reached under the table. “He’s our house manager.” The other kids looked blankly at her. “A big house like this needs constant attention and takes, like, a staff of people to keep it running,” she explained. “Maurice makes it all work.” She bounced the ball and caught it.

  Zach looked at the others before he spoke, his voice cautious. “I mean, is there any chance that Maurice—?”

  “No!” Sophia cut him off sharply. “I’ve known Maurice since I was born. He’s like family. He taught me how to ride a bike, okay? There is no way he would do this.”

  “Sorry,” Zach said, “but I had to ask.”

  “Yeah, well, so did the police,” Sophia answered bitterly. “They asked, and asked, and asked. They’re convinced Maurice must have done it, or that he slipped and told some other staff member the combination. Like he would ever do that!” She threw the ball hard against the ground, and it bounced high in the air. She caught it on its way back down. “The cops aren’t even looking at any of the guests!” Sophia tossed the ball
to Vishal and sat down on one of the patio chairs. “They asked to search one woman’s bag, and she made such a stink about it that they totally backed down.”

  Evie sat in the chair next to Sophia’s. “But how would someone be able to open the safe if they didn’t know the combination?”

  Sophia shrugged. “I don’t know, but there has to be a way.”

  Vishal slouched into a lounge chair. “So if there were some way that someone else got the combination to the safe, then it could be anyone, right? What makes you think it was a guest?”

  Sophia leaned forward, her dark eyes intent. “Look, the only time my parents’ room was left empty was between seven and eight. I was in charge of passing out the party planner’s schedule, and I know for a fact that every single staff member had a job and place to be in that first hour. If they hadn’t been in their position, somebody would have noticed.”

  “But why would a guest steal the necklace?” Zach asked. “Everybody here is rich. They could just buy it.”

  “That’s exactly what the cops said!” Sophia threw herself back in her chair. “Seriously, doesn’t anyone around here have any imagination?” She folded her arms. “Look, one of the main reasons I transferred to public school was because my parents were worried about ‘bad influences.’ Half the girls at my old school had been arrested for shoplifting before they even

  got to high school. These were kids who could literally buy anything they wanted already.”

  Evie bit her lip. “Yeah, but there’s always stuff your parents won’t let you get.”

  Sophia gave a wry smile and shook her head. “This one girl, Sadie . . . for her birthday weekend, her parents took her and her friends on a shopping trip. In Dubai. Two weeks later, I see her at Bloomingdale’s getting busted for stealing a bottle of perfume.”

  Zach leaned his elbows on the patio railing and rested his head in his hands. “Rich people are weird.” He looked back at Sophia. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean you or anything.”