The Super Spies and the Pied Piper

by Lisa Orchard

  Scott smirked “Okay, see you then. Bright and early.”

  Alex and Sarah stood together in an awkward silence. Sarah glanced down at her shoes, trying to think of something to say. The evening had grown chilly and she could see her breath in the air. Shivering, she hugged herself. “Sure is getting cold.”

  “It is.” Alex studied her for a moment. “Would you like my jacket?”

  “Sure… but aren’t you going to be cold?”

  “Nah… I’ve got a sweatshirt on.” Alex took off his coat and draped it over her shoulders. “It looks good on you.”

  Sarah gave him a shy smile as she pulled it tight. “Thanks.”

  Jackie strolled out of the restaurant. “Hey, girlfriend.”

  ”What’s up?”

  “It’s freezing out here. I say we head home.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  “Is it okay if I walk with you guys?” Alex asked.

  “You didn’t drive?” Jackie asked.

  Alex shook his head and sighed. “No, I only live a few blocks away and with the beating my car took today…” He didn’t finish his sentence but shrugged his shoulders and looked at the ground for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyes and trapped Sarah in his penetrating stare. “So, can I walk you guys home?”

  Jackie blew on her hands. “Why not?” She winked at Sarah.

  The girls pulled their bikes from the rack and Sarah rang Jackie’s bell.

  “Knock it off.” Jackie pushed her hand away.

  Alex laughed. “That’s some bike you got there, Jackie.”

  “It’s not mine,” Jackie snapped. “It’s Sarah’s aunt’s.”

  “True.” Sarah snickered.

  The group fell silent as they trudged toward home. The sun hung in the sky like a bright orange beach ball. Wisps of clouds clung to it as if it was speeding by and they were trying to keep up. Sarah took a deep breath. The cool air filled her lungs and she shivered. She pulled Alex’s jacket tighter and glanced at her friend. Goose bumps had sprung up on Jackie’s arms and she visibly shivered in the cool evening air.

  “Jack, do you want to wear Alex’s jacket for a while?”

  “Sure.” Jackie gave her a grateful smile.

  Sarah shrugged out of the jacket and handed it to her, shivering as the cool air touched her warm skin.

  Alex put his arm around Sarah and gave her a squeeze. “I’ll warm you up.” He rubbed her arm with his free hand sending tingles throughout her body.

  Sarah’s cheeks grew hot as a blush spread over her face. Staring at her feet, she prayed Jackie wouldn’t make a smart remark.

  The group continued their journey in an awkward silence until they reached the corner where Jackie turned toward her home.

  Alex cleared his throat. “Ahem…”

  “Why don’t I just take this bike to my house and you can pick it up tomorrow,” Jackie said.

  “Good idea,” Sarah squeaked.

  “Here’s Alex’s jacket.” Jackie took off the coat and handed it to Sarah with a twinkle in her eye. “Call me later.”

  “Okay.” Sarah accepted the jacket while averting her eyes. She knew she’d turn red as a beet if Jackie started teasing her now.

  “Night, Alex,” Jackie said before hopping on Aunt June’s bike and pedaling toward her house.

  “See ya,” Alex responded while helping Sarah into his coat.

  Sarah pushed her bike as they walked through the stillness. The darkness of night replaced the grayness of the overcast day. Eerie shadows from the street lamps appeared everywhere and Sarah imagined the Stalker behind the trees watching them with demonic eyes filled with madness. He must be crazy Sarah reasoned. What other possibility existed? The man had literally tried to run them off the road. She shivered and pulled the jacket tighter.

  “Do you want me to push your bike?” Alex asked, breaking the silence.

  “No, that’s okay,” Sarah squeaked again. She groaned. What is wrong with my voice?

  They made their way through the inky darkness and the silence between them grew more awkward. Sarah struggled for something to say while at the same time keeping her eye on the shadows.

  “So… Scott tells me you want to be a detective?”

  Sarah bit her lip and her stomach fluttered. She didn’t know if she was ready to share this with Alex. “Yeah. I do.”

  “Really?” Alex asked in an incredulous tone. “Why? I mean… I know you want to find your parents and all, but Scott said you wanted to be one even before they disappeared.”

  “I’ve wanted to be one ever since fourth grade.” Here we go. She took a deep breath, hoping to bring her nervousness under control.

  “No kidding?”

  “It all started when my mom gave me some mysteries. I love to read, too.” Sarah gestured with her hand and then grabbed the handle bars quickly as her bike wobbled.

  “And…”

  “I was at school one day and there was a skinny guy in our class. He was always getting picked on by this group of older boys.”

  “Really?”

  Sarah took another deep breath before she continued. “One day these older boys put an open can of paint in his locker and rigged it so when he opened it the paint would spill all over.”

  “Wow… that’s pretty lame.”

  Sarah glanced at him and gave him a warm smile. “Anyway, when he opened his locker, paint went everywhere, all over him and the floor, the lockers, everywhere.”

  “You’re kidding me.” Alex made eye contact with her and shook his head. His eyes clouded with dismay and his expression registered his disgust.

  “When the teacher came out and saw the mess, these older boys blamed the skinny kid and the teacher believed them.” Sarah sighed. “I was the only one who saw what really happened and I told the teacher.”

  “Oh… so you like saved the skinny kid?”

  “Well, kept him out of detention anyway.” Sarah shrugged. “But ever since then I’ve always had a soft spot for victims.”

  “Cool.” Alex gave Sarah a wink of approval.

  The heat starting in Sarah’s belly radiated throughout her whole body. Feeling all warm and toasty, she was positive she glowed in the dark. The eerie shadows forgotten, her stomach did flip-flops as she stole a glance at Alex.

  She took in his blue eyes that seemed to turn lavender when the streetlights hit them just right. They seemed to smolder when he gazed at her and she wondered if his senses were all a flutter like hers.

  “Looks like we’re here,” Alex said, stopping in front of her house.

  “I guess it does.” Sarah giggled and then silently berated herself. Knock it off! You sound like a twit. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, not wanting the moment to end.

  “Ummm… could I have my jacket?” Alex asked. His voice had a huskiness to it that Sarah hadn’t heard before.

  “Oh… yeah… of course.” Sarah’s knees wobbled; flustered she shrugged out of his jacket. “Thanks for letting me wear it.”

  Alex slipped on his coat and grinned. “All nice and warm.”

  Sarah beamed, her nervousness disappeared. “I guess… I’ll see you tomorrow in front of the library?”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Good night.”

  “Good night, Sarah.”

  His voice had grown husky again and she wondered if he were about to kiss her. That glowing feeling enveloped her body. No longer feeling the cold, she stared into his eyes.

  The door opened and light flooded out, spilling over the porch and onto the sidewalk below. Sarah groaned. Perfect timing, Lace.

  “Sarah? Is that you?”

  “Ye-e-ess, it’s me.” Sarah rolled her eyes, grateful for the dark. It hid the deep blush that she knew was burning her cheeks.

  Alex only laughed. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “I’ll see you then.” Sarah took a deep breath, and then faced her sister. “I’ve got to put my bike in the garage. I’ll come inside in a minute
.”

  She relaxed when she heard the front door close and took just a moment to watch Alex walk off in the night. He strolled like he didn’t have a care in the world. He would disappear in the dark and then reappear under a streetlight further down the road. The light reflected off of his dark hair making it appear as if it weren’t really hair at all, but some sort of mystical helmet protecting his head. Sarah sighed and steered her bike toward the garage. Remembering the warm feeling that had come over her she couldn’t help wondering… is this what Mom felt like when she met Dad?

  The thought jolted her back to reality. She put her bike in the garage and pondered her parents. Could they really be in Alden? Have they been there this whole time? I’m going to find out tomorrow. Sarah clenched her hands into determined fists and strode into the house.

  Chapter Seven

  Sarah stood in front of the library with her sister, shivering in the cold morning air. The darkness intimidated her, even though the edges of the horizon were beginning to lighten. Her stomach fluttered, this was the first time she’d skipped school in her life and she was nervous. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly and looked around. Her gaze rested on the old building that housed the public library.

  The old relic stood against the dark sky as if warding off evil spirits. It gave Sarah the impression of an ancient wizard, weak with age, but still able to produce magic. Its crumbling exterior had been patched in a few places, but it did little to improve the library’s appearance. Its windows were dark and seemed like distrustful eyes, watching the girls warily as they waited for the others.

  The rumbling of a motor caught Sarah’s attention and she spun toward the sound. Alex. Her heart leapt at the thought of him and her stomach fluttered again as his car drove into view.

  He pulled into a parking space and killed the engine. The silence that overtook the night seemed odd after the noise of his motor. Stepping out of his car, he gave Sarah an impish smile and her insides melted like butter on a hot stove.

  “Hi,” he said with a wave.

  “Hi,” Sarah said with a shy smile.

  “Is Scott with you?” Lacey asked.

  “I’m here, Lace.” Scott opened his door and stepped out of the car.

  Lacey walked toward him and gave him a quick squeeze before turning and asking, “So who’s driving?”

  “I don’t know. We didn’t talk about that last night.” Sarah shrugged.

  “Girlfriend!” Jackie called from across the street.

  “Hey.” Sarah lifted her hand and gave her the Peace sign.

  “We’re all here except for Scoop,” Jackie said when she caught up to everyone.

  “There he is.” Lacey pointed at a four door sedan approaching from the east. It rounded the corner and pulled into a parking space next to Alex.

  “ Hello there, Super Spies,” Scoop greeted after rolling down his window. “Do you all want to pile in here and ride with me?”

  “That’s a great idea,” Alex said, running his hand through his thick hair. His cowlick defied his efforts and bounced back into its original position. “That freak knows what my car looks like.”

  “Good point.” Sarah gave him a wide smile.

  The Super Spies all managed to pile into Scoop’s beige car. Although they were crammed together, Sarah didn’t complain, she’d do whatever it took to find her parents. And sitting next to Alex wasn’t so bad either. She stared out the window as they left town and questions swirled through her mind like tiny tornadoes. Will I see Mom and Dad today? Will Scoop get inside the Robinson house? And if he does, what will he find? Her stomach clenched as these thoughts spun out of control. Taking a deep breath, Sarah swallowed and willed her brain to focus on something else. “Scoop, do you know the questions you’re going to ask?”

  “Yes, I do.” He caught Sarah’s eye in the rearview mirror. “I’ve got them all up here.” He tapped his temple with his index finger.

  “Good.” She sighed and glanced out the window; she fidgeted, becoming increasingly aware of Alex sitting next to her. The smell of his musky cologne filled her nostrils and made her weak in the knees. I’m so glad I’m sitting down right now. Taking another deep breath, Sarah gagged as the smell overwhelmed her. Coughing to relieve her throat, Sarah’s eyes watered and she felt dizzy. I think he’s got too much on. How am I going to make it all the way to Alden without throwing up?

  “Man, who’s wearing all the aftershave?” Jackie complained as she rolled down her window.

  Sarah glanced at Alex, pressing her lips together to keep her laughter at bay. A twinge of sympathy squeezed her heart when she saw his red face. He stared down at his hands, not meeting anyone’s gaze.

  “I kind of like it.” Sarah glared at Jackie. “It’s musky.”

  “Uh… huh.” Jackie made a cross eyed face and stuck her finger down her throat pretending to gag.

  “Tsk… shut up.” Sarah rolled her eyes. “And close the window. It’s freezing in here.”

  “I’m going to leave it open a crack,” Jackie said, rolling the window back up.

  Sarah reached over and squeezed Alex’s hand. He squeezed back and the warmth of his fingers in hers sent quivers through her body. She tried to pull free from his grasp, but Alex held tight and wouldn’t let go. Sarah beamed and nestled against him, liking the feeling of his solidity against her.

  “When do I get to join the Super Spies?” Alex whispered. His breath warmed her ear and sent a shiver down her spine.

  “You’re already in.”

  “Good.” Alex squeezed her hand again.

  Another bout of tingles went through her system and sent her heart racing. She stared out the window trying to calm it. Willing her brain to focus on anything but the boy sitting next to her, Sarah thought about her parents even though it was difficult. What is the connection between my parents and the Robinson family? Are they behind their disappearance? No answers came to her and the warmth Alex’s hand had created was slowly dissipating.

  Peering out the window, she caught sight of the billboard she had seen the day before. She read it again and thought of her father. Piper Drugs, the drug company that takes care of you like you were family.

  “Another forty five minutes to go,” Jackie announced.

  “How do you know?” Lacey asked from the front seat.

  “There’s that billboard.” Jackie pointed out her window. “I saw it yesterday when Alex said we had forty five minutes to go.”

  Sarah settled back against her seat. Adrenaline raced through her veins and she clenched her teeth. Just a little bit longer. She sighed. Waiting wasn’t her strong suit and the car ride was taking too long.

  She stared out the window to pass the time while Alex dozed next to her. When he breathed in she heard the faint whistle of air as it passed through his nostrils. A faint smile touched her lips. Everything about him is so cute!

  “Hey,” Jackie whispered loud enough for Sarah to hear.

  She faced her friend and gave her a puzzled look. “What?”

  “Have you come up with a connection between your parents and the Robinson family?”

  Sarah frowned. “No, I’ve wracked my brain and haven’t come up with anything.”

  Jackie sighed. “We’ll find it. Don’t worry.”

  Sarah shrugged and then focused on the landscape rushing by. Morning had arrived and the sun shone down upon the Earth. It reflected off the dew in the long grasses growing alongside the road. The moisture glittered like diamonds as the vehicle sped past reminding Sarah of a fairy tale she had read when she was younger…

  Sarah woke with a start when she felt the vehicle slow. Looking out the window, she spotted the “Welcome to Alden” sign and her stomach tightened. She dropped Alex’s hand and stretched. Her hand was sweaty so she wiped it on her jeans.

  “We’re finally here,” Jackie said. She yawned and then shifted in her seat so she could look out the window.

  Scoop parked the car on Main Street and the group pile
d out and stretched. While working out the kinks in her body, Sarah gazed up and down the street. It was deserted. “Are the stores open yet?”

  “I don’t know.” Alex shrugged.

  “I’ll check the drugstore,” Lacey said and scampered across the street.

  Sarah watched her go, and studied the drugstore with a critical eye. The lights shone through the windows. She could tell even though the building was old it had been well maintained. No peeling paint or hanging gutters were evident.

  Lacey returned within seconds. “The drugstore is open. They open right at nine o’clock.”

  “Looks like the diner is open.” Alex pointed down the street.

  “Why don’t we go in there and put together a plan,” Sarah suggested. She shivered even though the sun was out. “What’s it called… The Breakfast Nook.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Scoop said.

  The group hurried toward the cafe. Sarah was anxious to get inside and her stomach rumbled. Once they entered, she glanced around the bright diner. It was a small place with only one large room. A huge chalkboard hung on the back wall, displaying the menu. In front of it stood a display case, showcasing some of the menu items; sitting on top of it at the far end was a large cash register.

  The walls were painted a bright white and the tables sported sunny yellow table cloths. Vases with fake flowers sat on the tables clustered there with the salt and pepper shakers along with a ketchup bottle.

  Jackie leaned over and whispered to Sarah, “Reminds me of Hinkle’s.”

  Sarah grinned. “Yeah, me too.”

  A woman who was slightly older than Aunt June limped into view. She greeted them and then pulled some menus out from beneath the hostess stand. Returning to her full height, she motioned for everyone to follow her.

  A few wisps of her gray hair escaped the bun that held the rest of her hair hostage at the nape of her neck. Her yellow hostess top must have been too tight at the neck because she tugged at it repeatedly as she shuffled toward a table. She motioned for them to take their seats with a weary hand and sighed. “Your waitress will be with you shortly.” She turned around slowly and limped out of sight.