Keisha was wearing a diamond solitaire on her right hand. Sydney had noticed it immediately, guessed where it had come from, and taken a shot. But she couldn't explain that to Francie. She'd sound like a . . . spy.
“I don't know,” Sydney said with a sigh. She made her expression as contrite as she could. “Don't pay any attention to me, okay? This whole thing is making me crazy. I just want to get in.”
“But if you have to pretend to be someone you aren't . . .”
“I'm not. I won't.” Sydney turned on her brightest smile. “Just a momentary lapse of sanity. Let's go meet some other people.”
Francie obviously had more to say, but she dropped it. Even so, as the two of them walked into the thicker part of the crowd, Sydney decided against mentioning Jen that evening. She had memorized the girl's SD-6 file and knew enough about her now to pass herself off as a friend. People who thought she'd known Jen were more likely to give up details regarding Jen's death, but she needed to be careful about how she approached them—and about who overheard. The last thing she needed was Francie giving her the third degree for never having mentioned Jen before.
“Ooh! Stuffed mushrooms!” a girl in a white dress cooed as a waiter passed by with a tray. “Don't you just love these?” she asked, grabbing two and turning to Francie.
Sydney sized her up: Wannabe, she decided.
“I haven't tried them,” Francie answered.
“Oh, you have to!” the girl said, but the waiter had moved on. She shoved her napkin toward Francie, the hors d'oeuvres balanced on top. “Go ahead. Take one.”
Francie hesitated, then politely accepted a mushroom. Her new friend bit into the other, releasing a gush of brown juice that cascaded off her chin and landed on the bodice of her dress. The small stain stood out like neon against the white fabric, prompting a horrified squeal from its owner.
“Oh, no! How embarrassing!” she cried, making things worse by scrubbing the spot with her pink paper napkin.
“Maybe we can find some club soda,” Francie said kindly, stopping the girl's hand. “And a bathroom with a blow dryer. I can probably fix that for you.”
“Really?” The girl's eyes filled with gratitude. “I'm Tina, by the way. It's really nice to meet you.”
“I'm Francie. Back in a minute,” she told Sydney, leading Tina off.
“The only tragedy there,” a bored voice said at Sydney's ear, “is that the stain will probably come out. Did you see that Kmart dress? Polyester all the way.”
Sydney turned to find herself facing Ashley, a spotless, creaseless vision in designer silk. Her glossed lips curled a bit, afflicted by the mere mention of polyester.
“Someone ought to tell her about blends. Or bibs,” Sydney cracked cattily, taking her lead from Ashley.
“The red dress isn't bad,” Ashley offered, watching Francie walk away. “Is she a friend of yours?”
“We're roommates,” Sydney said, instinctively playing down the connection. “My name is Sydney, by the way. You're Ashley, right? The food is fabulous!”
Ashley smiled smugly. “It is, isn't it?”
Sydney was dying to point out that it was also late, just to take Miss Stuck-up down a peg, but that wouldn't get her anywhere.
“How long have you been in AKX?” she asked instead. “Are you a senior?”
“Sophomore,” Ashley replied, clearly flattered. “I rushed freshman year. The real rush, where there's competition—not this pathetic charade. No offense,” she added unconvincingly, her haughty drawl completing the caricature of a Beverly Hills socialite.
“None taken,” Sydney said smoothly. “Of course I would rather have rushed in the fall. But my grandmother was in the hospital then. It looked like she wasn't going to make it.”
“Well, there's always next year.” Ashley smiled a bit vindictively. “We almost never take anyone from these things. So many hopefuls, so few spots . . . It's not like we're lacking for pledges.”
“But you lost a girl recently, didn't you? Poor Jen. I couldn't believe it when I heard; it just seems impossible. Did she have trouble breathing often? I thought her asthma was under control.”
Ashley started noticeably. “You knew Jen?”
“Our parents were friendly a few years back. We went to different high schools, though, so I didn't know her as well as I would have liked.”
“I didn't know her well either,” said Ashley. “I mean, we have a lot of members. I have to check on the food.”
She moved off in a hurry, leaving Sydney wondering whether to follow. Ashley's strange reaction told her she was on to something. On the other hand, if she pushed too hard too early . . .
“Can I have everyone's attention?” Roxy had climbed onto an ottoman, her bare toes curling over its padded edge. “I'm Roxy Sinclair, sorority president. I want to welcome you all and thank you for coming tonight.”
She paused, and in the overly enthusiastic applause that followed, Francie found her way back to Sydney.
“What did I miss?” she asked worriedly.
“Not a thing,” Sydney assured her.
“We have some chairs set up in the meeting room next door,” Roxy continued, pointing. “If everyone would go in there and take a seat, we have a presentation for you. A short presentation,” she added hurriedly, as if to cushion the blow. “It won't be boring. I promise.”
Far from seeming reluctant, the girls practically stormed the meeting room, a bare, low-ceilinged space with white folding chairs, where the only decorations were hand-painted pink and lavender banners. ALPHAS RULE! claimed one, while another advertised ALPHA SPIRIT ! Sydney imagined the sisters in their pajamas, cranking them out the night before.
“Let's sit here, where we can see the board,” Francie whispered, indicating two folding chairs near the front. A few feet away, a blank dry-erase board gave the room focus.
“I won't take a lot of your time,” Roxy said, picking up a marker. Her long hair brushed her back as she wrote ALPHA KAPPA CHI—AKX in big purple letters at the top of the board. “I could tell you who we are, but if you're here, you probably already know that.”
Her pronouncement was greeted by nervous giggles. She had obviously hit the mark.
“Our charter goes back to 1942, and if you like ancient history, we have handouts in back. I'll be honest and tell you now that we rarely pick up pledges at these events. As you can see by looking around you, demand is great and our house is small.” She laughed. “Relatively speaking.”
Francie nudged Sydney's knee as if to say “I told you so.”
“The main reason we've welcomed everyone here tonight is to give you a chance to meet the sisters and see the house, so you'll know if you're interested in rushing us next fall. But in case you're lucky enough to be offered a bid, you need to know about our upcoming event, the Alpha Aloha, which starts this Saturday. Kira?”
Another blonde made her way up to the board, this one cheerleader perky.
“The Alpha Aloha is going to be totally awesome this year!” she announced, bouncing on her toes. “Our reservations are confirmed for the Waikiki Princess, a brand-new hotel on the beach. The rooms are great, and the luau is going to be awesome—traditional roast pig, and those hunky guys in loincloths.”
Approving catcalls sounded, but Kira barely stopped for breath.
“The pool is awesome, and the spa is awesome. Those sisters who haven't already turned in their money, you need to do it right now, because two thousand bucks is a bargain for all the fun stuff we'll be doing!”
“Thanks, Kira,” said Roxy, taking over again. “Sounds . . . awesome.”
Snickers sounded throughout the room, but Roxy's impish smile soothed away any sting. Even Kira laughed.
“The entire sorority goes on the Aloha,” Roxy told the group. “So anyone invited to pledge would obviously attend as well. That means paying your own way. I know a week isn't much notice, but then again, it's not a lot of money.”
From the corner of her eye, Syd
ney saw Francie stiffen.
“So, that's it, then!” Roxy concluded. “Be sure to sign our guest book with a number where we can reach you, then I hope you'll all stay for dessert. If you have any questions about the sorority, just ask one of the sisters.”
“I have a question,” Francie muttered as she and Sydney stood up. “Where are you and I going to get two thousand dollars?”
“What if they don't call us?” Francie worried as she and Sydney walked back across campus to their dorm. “What if they do? I don't have that kind of money saved, and I'm not going to pick it up in this week's waitressing tips.”
“Relax,” said Sydney, preoccupied with the exact same thing. The money wasn't a problem for her—SD-6 would cover that. But if she didn't get called to join, finding out what happened to Jen would be a lot more complicated. “We probably won't even get abid.”
“Oh, that makes me feel better.”
“I don't know what you're so stressed out about. You didn't want to join AKX in the first place.”
“That's true,” Francie admitted, plucking at the front of her red dress. “But now I kind of do.”
“Kind of?”
“All right, I do. A few of those girls, like Ashley, were exactly what I expected. But most of them are nice. And that pool! Besides, it's not like I don't want to go to Hawaii.”
“That would be great,” said Sydney, trying to stay cool. If she didn't get into AKX, Wilson could still send her to Pearl Harbor. She'd just have to investigate Jen's death another way.
“How are you going to pay for it?” Francie asked.
“What? Oh. The trip? I, uh . . . I've saved a little money from working at the bank.”
“Lucky you,” Francie said glumly. “I guess I could call my folks, but I can't see them agreeing that this is an emergency.”
“Maybe I could loan you a few bucks.”
Francie brightened. “Really? Of course, that's assuming we even get invited. How many girls do you think they'll ask?”
“Not many. Two. Maybe three. Maybe none.”
“Won't it be awful if they ask one of us and not the other?” Francie stopped in her tracks, horrified by the thought. “If they don't ask us both, I won't join!”
“What? No! You definitely should.”
If Francie was a member, Sydney would still have an excuse for hanging around the sorority house, poking into things. In a way, that would be even better than joining herself—all of the access with none of the obligations.
“It wouldn't be right,” Francie insisted. “I mean, if they invited you and not me, you'd turn them down too. Right?”
Sydney hesitated a split second too long.
“Right?” Francie repeated.
“Why are we making up rules about stuff that will probably never happen?” Sydney finally asked. “Can't we just wait and see?”
Francie took a deep breath and started walking again. “You're right. I don't know why I'm getting so crazed. I mean, if they don't take us, there are plenty of other choices. Plus, we can rush all the houses in the fall.”
Great, Sydney thought, forcing a smile. What have I gotten myself into?
The girls reached their locked dorm room door just as the telephone started ringing on the other side.
“Ooh, I'll bet it's Burke,” Francie teased. “He can't endure another day without you.”
“Sure. That's it,” Sydney replied, trying to sound bored but digging frantically for her keys. She had waved to Burke in class that day, but they hadn't talked since their date on Friday. Flinging the door open, she launched herself across her bed and grabbed the phone off the nightstand. “Hello?”
“Hello? Sydney?” a laughing voice said on the other end. “Let me guess—you thought I was a guy.”
“R-Roxy?” Sydney stammered.
“Yeah, hi. Listen, I've talked to some of the girls, and we're inviting you to pledge!”
“Already? That's . . . that's fantastic.”
“Are you sure? You sound kind of stunned.”
“It's just so sudden. I thought there'd be some sort of bid ceremony or something.”
“We do all that ritual stuff in the fall. But if a phone call's too anticlimactic, I suppose I could break out one of the pink robes and come over there with a long-stemmed rose. . . .”
“No. No, that's not necessary,” Sydney said quickly.
“Good. Because here's your first deep dark sorority secret—getting those stupid robes dry-cleaned is a real pain in the butt.”
“I'll try to remember that,” Sydney said, laughing. “So what's next? What's the next step?”
“If this were rush we'd send you on a scavenger hunt in your underwear, but hazing's a lot of work for only two people. Besides, we're kind of above that stuff now. Let's start with the Aloha send-off party Wednesday night. Our bros in Triple Chi are barbecuing at their place. I can't promise edible food, but they aren't too hard on the eyes.”
“Sounds great,” Sydney lied. “What time should we be there?”
There was a slight pause on the other end. “We?”
“Francie and I.”
“Oh. Oh, right. I forgot you two were roommates.” Another awkward pause. “The thing is, we're only inviting two girls, and . . . I was only calling for you.”
Sydney stifled a groan. There was no question that keeping Francie out of the sorority would make things easier for her. She'd be able to say and do whatever she needed to with no one peering over her shoulder.
But Francie would be devastated. Even now she hovered eagerly at Sydney's elbow, her dark eyes wide with hope.
“I understand,” Sydney said slowly, trapped. “There's just one thing: What time should Francie and I be there?”
“She's standing right there, isn't she?” Roxy guessed.
“Exactly.”
“I didn't mean to make problems for you. It's just . . . Francie doesn't fit in the way you do. She didn't speak to as many people, or at least to the right ones. She seemed a little shy.”
“Shy? No way!” Sydney exclaimed. “She's twice as social as I am.”
Roxy sighed. “This is going to be a problem for you, isn't it?”
“You have no idea.”
“Then . . . what the heck? Bring her along.” Roxy laughed, as if surprised by her own boldness. “I'm not only the president, I'm graduating this year! What are they going to do to me?”
“So . . . we both have bids?”
“I ought to be able to swing that. See you Wednesday night!”
3
“Are you positive Roxy meant for me to pledge too?” Francie demanded, following Sydney through the rickety open gate into the front yard of the fraternity house. Strings of Christmas lights in the fraternity colors of orange and blue were draped inside the high wooden fence, with additional illumination provided by flaming tiki torches hammered into the dry, patchy grass.
“How many times do I have to say it?” Sydney replied. “I just happened to answer the phone first.”
But Francie had overheard enough of Sydney's conversation with Roxy to be suspicious, and nothing Sydney had said in the two days since had fully eased her mind. A last-minute invitation to drop by the sorority house that afternoon had turned into a tense experience.
“I just . . . got a weird vibe off a couple of the girls,” Francie whispered, tugging nervously at the hem of her tight new pink T-shirt. AKX PLEDGE was spelled out in rhinestones across its front, the little gems reflecting blue and orange flashes from the party lights.
Sydney gestured to her own matching shirt, then across the yard to the gathering crowd. “They make us wear these goofy things in public, and you're worried about vibes? Francie, please forget whatever you think you heard and try to have fun, all right? You're pledging the most exclusive sorority at school, you're at a party, and everyone here is going to love you as much as I do.”
Francie gave Sydney a startled look. Then, gradually, she smiled.
“The guys are go
ing to love me,” she conceded, her old self-confidence back. “By the time I get done here tonight, the girls will want to be me.”
“That's the spirit.”
Francie twisted a loose black curl into a perfect spiral that grazed her cheek. “If you don't mind, I think I'll cruise by myself for a while. There are a lot of people I need to talk to.”
“Go ahead,” Sydney urged, excited by the unexpected opportunity to talk to some people on her own.
“Catch you later.” With a toss of her head, Francie headed directly for the center of the action. “Shy, my foot,” she muttered as she walked away. “I'll show them shy!”
For a moment, Sydney felt guilty, knowing she'd eventually drop out of AKX and leave Francie on her own. On the other hand, Wilson hadn't exactly said when that might happen; by then Francie would probably have a bunch of new sorority friends and barely miss her at all. The realization gave Sydney a jealous pang, but she forced the thought from her mind, determined to concentrate on her mission. She wanted to question as many of the sisters as she could about Jen, and the older ones were likely to know the most. . . .
“Hey there, beautiful,” an unexpected voice slurred, just inches from her ear. “I've never seen you before.”
Sydney turned around to find a guy wearing Hawaiian-print trunks and a self-satisfied smile, a plastic lei draped over his bare chest. He tilted a wet plastic cup in her direction, foam sloshing over its rim.
“You look lonely,” he announced.
“I'm not,” she said coolly, her most recent frat party still fresh in her mind.
“Hard to get, huh,” he said before taking a swig of beer. “Girls usually don't like to play that game with me.”
He winked in an obvious attempt to convey what a superstud he was. Sydney shook her head, repulsed, and walked away. He whistled at her rear view, making her wish she could march back over and deck him, but a flash of red hair near the edge of the crowd suddenly caught her eye. She joined Roxy with relief.
“I see you've met Maxwell,” Roxy said, glancing over Sydney's shoulder. “I could tell you stories about that guy that take sleaze to a whole new level. Judging by your reaction, though, you've already figured him out.”
Sister Spy Page 3