by Jill Diamond
When she arrived at the SS Lucky Alley for emergency PSPP, Pea’s eyes were puffy and she was quieter than usual. She barely managed a weak, polite, “Thank you, my dear,” when Lou Lou served her tea in her favorite blue teacup as they sat together in Lou Lou’s backyard garden.
“Did you talk to your abuela last night?” Lou Lou asked.
Pea nodded. “She was so sad about her hat. She tried to explain to Vice-Mayor Argyle that she’s had it for ages, so it really belongs to her, not to the Bonanza, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“¡Qué piña!” Lou Lou said.
“I think you mean ‘Qué pena,’” said Pea. “You wanted to say, ‘What a pity!’ but you said, ‘What a pineapple!’”
“Got it,” said Lou Lou, feeling a little silly.
“I even saw Abuela Josie’s eyes tear up when I told her what had happened.” Pea continued her story. “Of course, she said it was okay and gave me a big hug, but I know she was just trying to make me feel better. It’s all my fault that her hat is gone. I never should have let that … that…” Pea searched for a word. She wasn’t good at not being nice. “… rather unkind Amanda take it!” Now, Pea’s eyes began to fill with tears.
“It’s not your fault, Pea!” Lou Lou said. “Don’t ever say that! It’s those awful Argyles. And don’t worry, we’re going to find a way to stop them!” She had an idea. “Since you’re related to Diego, maybe your abuela has something to help with our diary investigation?”
“To contradict what Vice-Mayor Argyle said? If she did, I’m sure she would have mentioned it,” replied Pea.
“Not if she doesn’t know about it. Sometimes people don’t realize they have a clue right in front of their eyes. Remember the details on the murals? You have to be looking for clues, like we were.”
“I know she has a few old family things in her attic.” Pea tucked a stray piece of brown hair behind her ear. “We could visit her after school on Thursday and take a look. That is, if you don’t need to water your honeysuckle.”
Pea’s mention of the honeysuckle made Lou Lou’s ears prickle with heat. She’d been trying not to worry about whether Andy Argyle planned to uproot the plants from Limonero Park, but she felt like she might burst if she didn’t talk about it soon. Luckily, Pea knew her well.
“I know you’re concerned about the honeysuckle, Lou Lou. You don’t have to keep quiet about it for my sake,” Pea said.
“They better not take it! It’s not right, Pea! Particularly since I know the Argyles are lying! Juan and I worked so hard to plant that honeysuckle, and the light in Limonero Park is perfect! What if Verde Valley is full of vicious caterpillars and canker disease?” Lou Lou felt better. She was no longer an overfull balloon about to pop.
“Verde Valley is not a bad place. They also have a pretty park, and the Verde Valley kids who go to my school are nice,” Pea said.
“You’re right,” Lou Lou agreed. “Andy Argyle is the devious thief, not Verde Valley.”
Pea took a delicate bite of her lemon scone. “I agree that it seems really suspicious that Vice-Mayor Argyle would find the diary now, right before the Bonanza.” She looked thoughtful as she took another nibble. “Even though I was distracted by the close encounter with the trash bin, I remember hearing Amanda say ‘It actually worked and they believed it.’ Which sounds a little like they made up a story to fool everyone.”
“It sounds a lot like they made up a story to fool everyone, Pea,” Lou Lou said.
“What will we do if Abuela Josie doesn’t have anything that will help?” Pea asked.
“We’ll have to actually examine the diary to see if there’s any way to prove it’s a fake,” replied Lou Lou. “But I don’t know yet how we’ll do that without Vice-Mayor Argyle knowing,” she admitted. “Plan A is to talk to Abuela Josie. Examining the diary is plan B. And I haven’t gotten past A yet.”
Just then, Lou Lou’s foghorn doorbell rang. She hurried to answer it and found Rosa on the stoop wearing a purple dress with beaded cuffs.
“Hola, Rosa!” Lou Lou said. “What are you doing here?” Lou Lou remembered Pea’s lessons in manners. “I mean, I’m delighted to see you. Pea is in my garden. You are just in time to join us for PSPP tea.” Rosa followed Lou Lou out to the backyard.
“Buenas tardes, Rosa.” Pea brightened at the sight of the Candle Lady.
“Hello, Peacock. Lou Lou, your garden looks beautiful!” Rosa said.
Lou Lou grinned. “I can’t disagree!” The spring flowers in the Bouquet Blooms section of her garden were out in their colorful glory, and it was almost time for the odd blooms in the Summer Weirds section to come up. Punky, Lou Lou’s rowdy rebel variety camellia that grew in the shade of the backyard avocado tree, was thriving.
“Would you care for some tea and a scone, Rosa?” Pea asked.
“No, thank you. No puedo quedarme mucho tiempo. I just came by to bring you a Celebrar candle,” Rosa said. She took a red candle from her purse and set it on the table. There was a picture of a party hat and a noisemaker on the glass holder.
“This is a Bonanza candle, right? Aren’t you supposed to give it to Verde Valley?” Lou Lou asked.
“I ordered a few extras, so no one will miss it.” Rosa winked.
“Gracias, it’s lovely. But unfortunately we don’t have much to celebrate anymore,” Pea said sadly.
“Don’t lose hope! You never know what might happen, chicas. You two always find a way to work things out.” Rosa smiled. “I must return to the candle shop. It’s almost Helado’s suppertime, and I will have a very hungry bunny on my hands if I’m late!” Lou Lou and Pea said adiós and Rosa left through the side gate.
Lou Lou waited until Rosa was gone, then looked at her best friend. “Did you hear that? She said we ‘always find a way to work things out.’ Funny that we were just talking about a plan to do exactly that. It’s a sign! We have to prove that the diary is a fake as soon as possible so we can fix this fiasco!”
Lou Lou thought of something else. “Pea, in the meantime, I think we should make a new hat for Abuela Josie!” Today was clearly a day for positive planning.
“That’s a nice thought, Lou Lou, but I don’t think I could replace the hat my abuelo gave her,” said Pea.
“It doesn’t have to be a replacement. We’ll make her a totally new hat. The old one would still be special, but the new one could be, too!”
“That might make her feel a bit better,” Pea agreed. “And me too.”
“We’ll figure out what styles and colors she likes,” said Lou Lou.
“But it should be a surprise,” added Pea.
“¡Absolutamente!” Lou Lou replied. This was one of her favorite Spanish words because it was so much fun to say. Lou Lou stood on one of the wobbly metal garden chairs and cleared her throat like she was about to give an important speech. “I am going to make a decree just like the founders. We will make a new hat for Abuela Josie! We will reclaim the Bicentennial Bonanza! I hereby declare”—Lou Lou paused and waved her hands in the air—“Lou Lou and Pea to the rescue again!”
“You sound like Kyle when he’s excited about one of his Comet Cop missions.” Pea laughed and Lou Lou joined in. She wasn’t certain they could get back the Bonanza for their neighborhood. But for now, she was just happy that she could cheer up Pea.
CHAPTER TEN
Abuela Josie’s Attic
On Thursday after school, Lou Lou and Pea went to see Abuela Josie. Pea’s abuela lived a few doors down from the Pearls in a little stucco house with a red roof. On Abuela Josie’s front door hung a brass horse’s-head knocker, and a horseshoe overhead brought good luck.
Pea knocked and her abuela opened the door almost immediately. “¡Hola, mijas! You’re just in time for pan dulces.”
“¡Qué estupendo!” Pea smiled at the mention of sweet treats, and she and Lou Lou both gave Abuela Josie a hug.
Inside, Abuela Josie’s house was filled with horse decorations and rodeo memorabilia. There were needl
epoint horse pillows on the couch, a horse-head vase, and photographs from Abuela Josie’s vaquera days. Lou Lou paused to look at a photo of a young Abuela Josie at a rodeo. She was wearing her lucky hat, and Pea’s abuelo—a man with a bright smile who had passed away when Pea was little—had his arm around Abuela Josie’s shoulders.
The cozy kitchen smelled like baking and a plate of pan dulces rested on the table. Lou Lou and Pea sat down and Abuela Josie handed them steaming mugs of hot chocolate spiced with cinnamon and cayenne pepper. As she waited for hers to cool, Lou Lou glanced at the Bonanza program on the fridge.
“I couldn’t bear to take it down!” Abuela Josie said. “I was so excited about the Bonanza. The last time El Corazón hosted, I was just a teenager, and this year is muy, muy especial because it’s the Bicentennial. And we were supposed to get the lovely gazebo for Limonero Park … this whole thing is very sad.”
“Yes,” Lou Lou agreed. “I’m sorry about your lucky hat, Abuela Josie.” Pea stared into her mug. Abuela Josie put her hand over Pea’s and gave it a squeeze.
“Thank you, Lou Lou. I can’t say I’m not upset. But now that El Corazón has lost the Bonanza, I won’t be performing my stunt anyways, hat or no hat!”
“That’s so unfair! You’ve been practicing for months.” Lou Lou’s ears prickled with heat. She’d hoped Andy Argyle might make an exception for Abuela Josie’s performance since no one from Verde Valley could learn her stunt. But Lou Lou remembered the harsh words the vice-mayor had repeated at the Heliotrope: no exceptions.
“Eso si que es.” Abuela Josie sighed. Lou Lou gave Pea a meaningful look. It was time to start their diary investigation.
“Abuela, I’m doing some research for a Bonanza history project.” Pea chose her words carefully. She didn’t want to lie to her abuela, but Lou Lou and Pea had decided not to reveal their suspicions that the diary was a fake until they had more proof. No adult could tell them not to snoop if no one knew they were investigating in the first place! “May I look at the old family things in the attic?”
“Sounds interesting! Of course you may,” Abuela Josie replied. Lou Lou was relieved that Pea’s abuela didn’t ask for specifics about the “project.” “There is a box of heirlooms up there somewhere. I haven’t opened it in years, but you’re welcome to take a peek. I’m sure everything could use a little organizing and dusting, too!” Abuela Josie winked at Pea who would be excited about cleaning and tidying.
When they’d finished eating, Lou Lou and Pea picked up their mugs to go to the attic.
“Which do you like better, Abuela Josie? The red mug or the yellow mug?” Lou Lou asked. Pea raised her eyebrows, but nodded when Lou Lou scratched her head in a secret gesture. In order to make a new hat for Pea’s abuela, they needed to know what colors she liked.
“Definitely red,” replied Abuela Josie, though she looked puzzled at the question.
“Do you prefer felt to leather, or vice versa?” Pea asked.
“That’s an odd question. But leather, I suppose,” Abuela Josie replied. “I’d rather wear riding boots than slippers.”
Lou Lou and Pea climbed a narrow staircase up to the small attic at the top of the house. It had slanted ceilings and one tiny window that let in light, revealing an array of items scattered on the floor and on built-in shelves. The attic reminded Lou Lou a little of the crow’s nest, except it was filled with boxes and not nautical-themed.
Lou Lou and Pea looked through chipped plates, dusty books, and trophies from Abuela Josie’s vaquera days. Lou Lou hadn’t thought it possible for Abuela Josie to have even more horse-themed trinkets and housewares, but she was wrong. There was a large ceramic horse lamp that Pea carefully dusted, brass horse figurines, and rodeo scene snow globes.
Pea organized issues of Modern Equestrian by date while Lou Lou glanced at labels on boxes. They were in Spanish, so she read them aloud to Pea.
“Espuelas.”
“Spurs,” Pea translated.
“Aceite de Silla de Montar.”
“Saddle oil.”
“Diamantes de Imitación.”
“Rhinestones.”
Lou Lou checked the next three boxes: “Diamantes de Imitación, Diamantes de Imitación, and Más Diamantes de Imitación. At least we know where to find rhinestones for our next art project.”
“Take a few for Abuela Josie’s hat!” Pea said.
Lou Lou grabbed a handful of the glittering jewels and put them in her pocket. She stood on her tippy toes to see the label on the top box in the stack. “Herencias Familiares.”
“Family heirlooms!” said Pea. “That’s the one!” She helped Lou Lou bring the box to the floor. Lou Lou took a deep breath and Pea lifted off the top. Inside, the box was filled with pottery, silver, and other small treasures.
“There’s got to be something helpful in here!” Lou Lou said.
“I hope so! At the very least, everything could use a good cleaning,” replied Pea.
Lou Lou and Pea dove in, taking items from the box one by one. There was a water jug painted with colorful birds, a locket with an engraved honeysuckle blossom and the words Te amo, and even a love letter from Diego to his wife, Catalina. Pea polished all the silver to a high shine. The box was filled with interesting and pretty things, but Lou Lou and Pea were disappointed that there wasn’t anything useful to their investigation.
Lou Lou sighed. “I guess we’ll need to examine the diary. Nothing in here will save the Bonanza.”
“Or any of my hats, including Abuela Josie’s lucky one,” Pea added quietly.
“I know. I’m sorry, Pea. But we’re not giving up! And at least we’re making Abuela Josie a new hat.”
“Sí,” Pea said, though she still sounded sad. Lou Lou knew that a new hat for Abuela Josie, while a good idea, couldn’t take away the heartbreak of losing all the beautiful hats on which Pea had worked so hard.
Pea put the top on the Herencias Familiares box and Lou Lou helped her return it to the stack. As they headed for the stairs, the end of a bedsheet caught on Lou Lou’s foot and she pulled it to the floor, revealing a large, ornately framed painting of a dignified-looking dark-haired man in a fancy red coat sitting on a horse.
“You found the painting of Diego!” Abuela Josie appeared at the top of the stairs. “I came up to show that to you.”
Lou Lou recognized their city’s founder from the mural. “He’s very handsome,” she said.
“Yes. And speaking of good looks, that’s Tío Diego’s beautiful sorrel mare.” Abuela Josie pointed at the reddish-brown horse in the painting.
“What’s a sorrel?” asked Pea.
“It’s a plant,” Lou Lou replied. Then she realized that didn’t make sense when sorrel was used to describe a horse.
“True, but for horses, it’s actually a color,” Abuela Josie said.
“I’ll remember that,” said Pea. “I don’t think it’s in my color book.” Pea had a book called The Definitive Book of Color. It had proven useful for her art and for solving mysteries.
“Did you find what you were looking for up here?” asked Abuela Josie.
“We found some neat family things,” replied Lou Lou. But nothing that will prove the Argyles are lying, she thought. “Oh and these.” Lou Lou pulled the rhinestones from her pocket.
“May we use them for a fashion project?” Pea asked.
“Absolutely, Nieta! I think you should take this with you, as well.” She pointed at the painting. “Your tío Diego can remind you that you will always be a part of our city’s history, no matter which neighborhood is hosting the Bonanza. You too, Lou Lou.”
“Gracias, Abuela!” Pea gave her grandmother another hug. Lou Lou joined in with her own hug and thank-you.
“By the way, Abuela Josie, do you like ostriches or peacocks better?” Lou Lou asked.
“Faux fur or tulle?” Pea said.
“Silver or gold?” asked Lou Lou.
“You two are full of strange questions today,” replied Abuela
Josie. “Silver. Faux fur. And definitely peacocks.” She smiled at Pea.
Lou Lou took one end of the large painting and helped Pea carry it down the stairs. As they left Abuela Josie’s house, Lou Lou looked at Diego’s brown eyes and serious but kind face. She could almost hear his voice saying, Salven la Bonanza, Lou Lou Bombay y Peacock Pearl!
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Superior Honeysuckle
The next day’s non-emergency PSPP was the second somber PSPP of the week. The arrival of Friday meant they were one day closer to El Corazón’s handover of Bonanza preparations to Verde Valley. To cheer themselves up, Lou Lou and Pea decided to have PSPP at Marvelous Millinery so they could work on Abuela Josie’s new hat.
Lou Lou sipped her tea while she watched Pea stitch together red leather to make the top piece of the vaquera hat. “How can I help?” she asked.
“You can put some rhinestones on the brim,” replied Pea. Lou Lou washed scone crumbs from her hands, then Pea showed her how to attach the jewels.
As they worked, they discussed their investigation. But they didn’t come up with any great ideas for examining Giles’s diary.
“Maybe Andy Argyle will bring the diary to the park tomorrow and we can read it when he has his back turned,” Lou Lou suggested.
“Maybe.” Pea didn’t sound convinced. She opened a bag of faux-fur pom-poms and held up a few against the leather.
“Those are pretty,” said Lou Lou.
“I’m not sure they’re right for the hat,” Pea replied. “But they are lovely accents. As Karl Lagerfeld said, ‘You cannot fake chic but you can be chic and fake fur.’”
* * *
The next morning, Lou Lou followed her usual Saturday routine. By seven-thirty, she was awake, dressed, and down the crow’s nest’s rope ladder. After Lou Lou visited her garden, she sat down to breakfast at the SS Lucky Alley kitchen table made from the hull of a small boat. Lou Lou and her parents discussed the Bonanza over banana pancakes.