Alexis

by Erica Rodgers

  “The rules state that each team member is considered a part of the bed as long as they are touching it,” said the lady judge. “And as you can see, his feet were still on the wall when he crossed the finish line.”

  Emily looked ready to argue, but the mayor burst past her, shoving her to the side.

  “Congratulations!” he said, shaking hands with Alexis, Elizabeth, and David. “Great job! New winners!”

  He squeezed them all in close, and the photographer took a picture. Then, without a moment to spare, the mayor was gone again.

  “The parade!” he called. “Ten minutes until the parade!”

  Alexis couldn’t believe it. Not only had they been able to race, but they had also won!

  “I can’t believe we beat Emily!” Alexis exclaimed. “She’s so mean that I was sure she’d win!”

  “Well, I guess when we do the right thing and try hard, well, maybe the good guys don’t always finish last,” Elizabeth said. “It’s kind of like 2 Samuel 22:25 says, ‘The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.’ ”

  The three winners walked through the crowd and found a grassy spot on a hill to watch the parade pass. People kept stopping to congratulate them, and many shop owners told them to come by later for something or other “on the house.” They made a plan to get free ice cream and chocolates but not to visit the taxidermist who had promised a special surprise.

  The parade was all they had hoped it would be. The school marching band opened up, and not far behind them was the golden float from the hotel. Dr. Edwards sat in the driver’s seat, accompanied by Grandma Windsor. They were both dressed in authentic costumes from the era of King George III, and Alexis thought it looked like her grandmother was having the time of her life.

  You know, she told herself, Dr. Edwards even looks happy. He looks like a gentleman driving his lady.

  Alexis gasped and stood up.

  “What?” asked Elizabeth and David at the same time.

  “A gentleman driving his lady,” she murmured. “A gentleman…driving his lady!”

  Without explaining, Alexis tore off through the crowd. Elizabeth and David followed, catching up outside the London Bridge Resort.

  “What’s going on?” Elizabeth panted.

  “I think I know where the letter is hidden!” said Alexis. She ran through the automatic doors and stopped. The lobby was empty. Even Jane was nowhere to be seen. Alexis turned toward the golden coach.

  “I think I know where it is!” she said again. As she went to cross the red ropes, she tripped, putting out a hand to stabilize herself on the coach. When she touched it, a huge sheet of golden foil came off in her hand.

  “Wow,” said David. “I thought the replica was sturdier than that!”

  Alexis and Elizabeth looked at each other in horror.

  “It is,” they both said. Then they took off running back out the doors.

  “Wait!” called David. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s Dr. Edwards!” said Alexis. “He’s stealing the replica from the hotel!”

  “How?” asked David. “What are you talking about?”

  “You saw the foil slip off,” said Elizabeth. “He must have replaced the real carriage with his phony ‘float’ while everyone was watching the bed race.”

  “Right now, he’s driving the actual replica of the golden carriage through Lake Havasu City!” said Alexis. “And everyone just thinks it’s a float!”

  The three teens ran across the street and down a couple of blocks. They stopped outside the Lake Havasu City Sheriff’s Department. Inside, they met a bored-looking woman sitting at the front desk.

  “Excuse me, ma’am,” said Alexis. “We have an emergency.”

  “What is it?” said the woman, sitting up a little straighter and looking alert.

  “Someone has stolen the golden carriage from the London Bridge Resort!” said Elizabeth.

  The woman behind the desk burst out laughing. She laughed so hard that she began crying. Alexis tried to explain, but the lady just kept laughing and showed them out the door.

  Alexis was stupefied. If the police didn’t believe them, who would? They walked back slowly to the parade. Grandma Windsor hollered to them, and Alexis pushed her way through the crowd to get to her.

  “You’re already done, Mrs. Windsor?” asked Elizabeth.

  “Yes,” Grandma Windsor said. “Dr. Edwards and I were leading the parade, so we were done first. Hey! Why’s everybody so glum?”

  Alexis didn’t think her grandmother would believe her, but there was no reason to hold back anymore. She told her the whole story, from hearing Jerold and Jim in the alley to finding the fake carriage in the lobby only minutes earlier.

  “The police don’t believe us,” Alexis finished. “There’s nothing we can do.”

  “What do you mean, nothing?” cried Grandma Windsor. She disappeared into the crowd, and within minutes honking filled the air. People parted as it came closer. Grandma Windsor was behind the wheel of her cherry red convertible, motioning for Alexis to jump in.

  “I don’t want to leave you two behind,” she said to David and Elizabeth, “but we haven’t asked your parents, and we don’t have time. I just saw Dr. Edwards loading the carriage into a semitruck. He’s already on the interstate, heading west!”

  With that they were gone. Alexis buckled her seat belt as Grandma Windsor hit the gas pedal.

  “I called the sheriff,” said Grandma Windsor. “Told him he’d better listen to me since he ignored my granddaughter. They should be on their way.”

  When they got on the freeway, Alexis could barely make out the shape of a truck in the distance.

  “It’s time to see what this baby can do!”

  The engine thrummed as the car went faster…and faster.

  A siren wailed behind them, and Alexis saw the red and blue of flashing lights in the rearview mirror. Thank goodness! she thought. The sheriff will catch Dr. Edwards in no time! The car pulled up next to them but didn’t drive past. Alexis looked over and gasped.

  It was Deputy Dewayne, and he was motioning for Grandma Windsor to pull her car over.

  Busted!

  “What is he doing here?” hollered Alexis over the noise of the car’s engine.

  “Well, I did call the sheriff,” said Grandma Windsor. “Maybe he wants to question me.” She coasted to the side of the road. When the car stopped, Deputy Dewayne pulled in right behind them, lights still flashing and siren blaring.

  Grandma Windsor rolled down her window, and Alexis spun around in her seat to watch the deputy approach. He swaggered up to the car and stood with his hands on his hips. The look on his face reminded Alexis of a starving lion that had just found something to eat.

  “Ma’am,” said Deputy Dewayne to Grandma Windsor, “do you have any idea how fast you were going back there?”

  “I’m sorry, Officer,” said Alexis’s grandma. She put on her best smile. “I must have gotten carried away. I didn’t want the fugitives to get away.” Alexis leaned over so she could see Deputy Dewayne’s face.

  “She’s telling the truth, sir,” she said. “We were trying to catch up to Dr. Edwards before he gets away with the golden coach.”

  Deputy Dewayne’s eyes narrowed.

  “So it’s you!” he said. “I should have known!”

  “Now Deputy,” said Grandma Windsor. “There’s no reason to talk to my granddaughter that way.” The deputy took off his sunglasses and leaned through the window.

  “Now ma’am, you need to understand something,” he said. Alexis wondered why he was suddenly talking to her grandmother like she was a five-year-old. “Every time there’s been a disturbance this week, I’ve found this girl in the middle of things.”

  Grandma Windsor was still smiling, but Alexis could tell that it was getting harder for her to keep it up.

  “I’m sure there have been a few misunderstandings,” she said, “but that is not the issue
right now. Right now we are trying to keep a thief from—”

  “I don’t think you are qualified to tell me what is or is not the issue, ma’am,” said the deputy.

  “Maybe not, but if you would just radio the sheriff, he’ll tell you—”

  Deputy Dewayne stepped back and yanked the car door open.

  “Step out of the car, ma’am,” he said. Grandma Windsor’s mouth dropped open. Alexis dropped her head into her hands with a sigh.

  “Don’t fight it, Grandma,” she said. “This is a losing battle.”

  Grandma Windsor huffed in anger and got out of her car. Deputy Dewayne spun her around and pulled out his handcuffs.

  “Molly Windsor, you’re under arrest for obstruction of justice and failure to comply.”

  Alexis was about to complain when more sirens filled the air. She turned to see four sheriff’s cars blow past them on their way to catch Dr. Edwards. Deputy Dewayne stared after them, stunned. He fumbled with Grandma Windsor’s handcuffs and ran toward his car. Alexis had a sudden thought. She had to be with the police when they caught Dr. Edwards. She was the only one here who really knew what was going on. But how was she going to get there? Grandma Windsor couldn’t drive with her hands cuffed behind her back, and it would be too far to walk. She glanced at Deputy Dewayne and got an idea.

  “Um, you’d better take me with you,” she said.

  “Why would I do that?” he asked suspiciously.

  “Well, you said it yourself—I’ve been involved in every crazy thing that’s happened this week. Don’t you think I have something to do with this too?” The deputy opened the passenger door to his car.

  “Get in,” he said. Alexis smiled at her grandmother as she jumped in the front seat of the police car. She was about to say something when Deputy Dewayne jumped in the other side and took off, siren blazing—and left Grandma Windsor standing in handcuffs on the side of the road.

  Neither of them said a word during the drive. Within five minutes they were pulling up behind a gaggle of red and blue lights that had surrounded a huge semitruck. They were just opening the back end when Alexis and Deputy Dewayne walked up.

  Alexis saw that Jerold and Jim were already in handcuffs. Alexis watched two officers lead them into one of the patrol cars in front of the truck. The sheriff was near the golden coach, talking to Dr. Edwards. Alexis edged nearer so she could hear what they were saying.

  “I just don’t understand it, Doc,” said the sheriff. “Why would you steal this thing? What on earth could you do with a replica of a golden coach?”

  “Well,” said Dr. Edwards, “it’s very pretty. Thought it would look good in my garage.” He pulled out a handkerchief and blew his nose.

  “You expect me to believe that?” said the sheriff. He kept ranting, adding question after question. Dr. Edwards kept answering with one or two words. It was as if he wanted to keep the sheriff talking as long as possible. Alexis got the impression that he was biding time.

  “Good, they got him!”

  Alexis turned around to see David and Elizabeth standing near her. She looked back and saw Elizabeth’s parents wave at her from their car fifty yards behind everyone else.

  “How did you know where we were?” Alexis asked.

  “When we saw the deputy taking off after your grandma onto the highway, we knew the direction you were going. I called my parents, and they agreed to bring us out.”

  “So we could be in on the catch!” David said with a big smile.

  “Well, catch is the right word.” Alexis turned to Elizabeth. “Jim and Jerold are up in the front patrol car,” she said. Then she explained to David, “Those were the two men who were building the float for Dr. Edwards, the ones we heard talking about the robbery in the alley.”

  “So what’s going on here?” Elizabeth asked, motioning at Dr. Edwards and the sheriff.

  “The sheriff’s asking questions, like why the doctor stole the carriage, but Dr. Edwards isn’t answering them very quickly. I was just thinking that it’s almost like he’s stalling,” she said. And then she realized why he was stalling.

  Every few seconds Dr. Edwards scooted a little bit closer to the carriage. He must have known this was his last chance if he wanted to find the document.

  “Wait!” cried Alexis. The sheriff spun around, surprised to see her. Dr. Edwards noticed her and gasped. She had never seen his ancient face look so angry.

  “Little miss,” said the sheriff, “what are you doing here?”

  “My grandma was the one who called and told you about the theft,” Alexis said. “But it’s not really about the carriage at all, is it, Dr. Edwards?” The old professor wiped his nose again.

  “Of course it is,” he sniveled. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, little girl.”

  Alexis turned toward the sheriff.

  “Sir,” she said, “Dr. Edwards believes that there is a priceless letter hidden somewhere in the carriage. He came to Lake Havasu City so he could look for it, but when he couldn’t find it, he decided to steal the whole carriage instead.”

  “Is this true?” asked the sheriff, turning toward Dr. Edwards.

  Dr. Edwards’s lips tightened into a flat line. He was obviously trying not to say anything. When there was no answer, the sheriff turned to Alexis again.

  “This is an interesting story,” he said. “But there’s no evidence that it’s true. We’ve still got him on the theft charge, though.”

  He turned back to Dr. Edwards, as Elizabeth nudged Alexis and showed her something on the cell phone.

  Alexis read the words that were texted there and looked up at Elizabeth in amazement. Elizabeth grinned and nodded.

  “Sir,” said Alexis, touching the sheriff on the elbow. “I know where the letter is hidden—at least I think I do.”

  Dr. Edwards smirked. “Little girl, I have been searching this carriage for years—visited London Bridge Resort every vacation. There’s no way you would have been able to find the document after four days in town!”

  Alexis ignored him. “May I?” she asked the sheriff.

  “Be my guest,” he said. Alexis climbed up into the back of the trailer and made her way toward the front of the carriage. A golden wave of water hid the driver’s seat from view. When she was level with the seat—where Dr. Edwards had been only this morning—she turned and spoke to the crowd of curious police.

  “There’s a story that the princess Amelia, King George the Third’s youngest daughter, hid a letter for the man she loved in her father’s coach. Dr. Edwards was probably looking throughout the inside of the coach, since that’s where the princess would have sat, but one of our other mystery-solving friends who loves horses, McKenzie, thought of somewhere else to look. The man the princess loved worked with the horses. In that case she probably would have hidden the note where he would have found it while harnessing them to the carriage.”

  Alexis grabbed the golden post that was meant to hold the horses and slid her hand into the hollow end. She pulled out a thin box and opened it. The hinges creaked in the silence.

  And there it was—a small, folded package, yellowed with age.

  “ ‘For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost,’ ” Elizabeth murmured. “Luke 19:10 doesn’t quite fit the situation, but I think God must have nudged McKenzie’s brain!”

  “No!” hollered Dr. Edwards. “That’s mine! Mine by right!”

  “How do you figure that, Doc?” asked the sheriff. “And what on earth is a priceless letter doing here, in Lake Havasu City? Shouldn’t it be in the real coach in Britain?”

  “I did all the research decades ago, while I was in college,” said Dr. Edwards. He spoke to the sheriff, but he was glaring at Alexis.

  “I finally figured that the letter was probably in the carriage,” he continued, “so I wrote to the royal family and got permission to search it from the queen herself. But before I could save the money to go back to Britain, my professor stole my permission letters and went himsel
f. He found the letter, but he told me he had hidden it from the royal family so he could keep it for himself. He died in a train accident on his way to Southern California, and it took me fifty years to figure out that he’d hidden it in the carriage. So you see? I did all the work! It’s rightfully mine!”

  The sheriff smiled sadly.

  “It’s a sad story, Doc,” he said. “And I wish I could take your side, but the truth is that you committed a crime when you stole the replica. Why didn’t you just ask permission to search the carriage? We could have helped you take it apart if need be.”

  Dr. Edwards looked crestfallen. Alexis felt bad for him, but the sheriff was right. Dr. Edwards had committed a crime, and they couldn’t reward him by giving him the letter now. Another deputy handcuffed the doctor and led him toward another car with flashing lights.

  “I guess we’d better figure out what to do with this,” said the sheriff. He stepped forward and reached into the box that Alexis was still holding.

  “Stop! Don’t touch anything!”

  Everyone spun around to see Grandma Windsor leap out of yet another police car. Her wrists had been freed from the cuffs, and she strode toward the back of the truck trailer with purpose, her costume dress flapping behind her.

  “You can’t just go and grab a two-hundred-and-fifty-year-old document like it was a letter from your mother!” she yelled at the sheriff. The man smiled and stepped back.

  “Of course, Professor Windsor. I’m glad you’re here. Would you mind helping us out with this?”

  “Not at all,” Grandma Windsor said with a smile. She slipped a white glove onto her hand and reached into the compartment. She lifted the letter out with a flat hand and slipped it into a large plastic Ziploc bag. “It’s not perfect, but it will do,” she said.

  The next morning Alexis was sad because it would be her last day in Lake Havasu City. At least for now. David and Elizabeth met her in the hotel lobby after breakfast. David was carrying three neon-colored rubber duckies.

  “What are those for, David?” asked Alexis as he handed her a pink one. He gave the purple one to Elizabeth and kept the green one for himself.