Edison's Gold by Geoff Watson Page B

“You’re just tryin’ to jack the price up on me.”
    â€œWhat was the purpose of the club? Why’d they keep it so secret?” The questions were coming faster than Tom could process them.
    His dad let out a heavy sigh as he knelt down to pluck the ring out of Tom’s palm. The emerald seemed to wink as he held it up to the afternoon sunlight.
    â€œWell, as the legend goes,” his father continued, “this ring is a symbol of the Sub Rosa’s promise to guard the most—” He stopped midsentence, as if he wanted to say more but thought better of it.
    â€œWhat? The promise to guard the most what?” Tom asked.
    â€œNo. Forget it. I don’t want to go filling your head with Grandpa’s wild dreams. Especially after what you put us through this morning.” His dad’s fingers enveloped the ring as he stood up and handed it back to Mr. Kreger. “How much, Pete?”
    â€œDad, please don’t sell it!” Tom practically shouted.
    â€œYour grandfather’s imagination is exactly what got him into trouble. Kind of like someone else I know.”
    â€œSorry to burst your bubble, Mr. Edison, but the emerald’s fake.” Pete shrugged his shoulders matter-of-factly.
    â€œSee? It’s not even worth anything,” said Tom. “All the more reason to keep it.” Relief washed over him. “The ring belongs to us, it’s our history. Please. I’m begging you.”
    His dad wavered for a moment before finally relenting.“Fine, the ring can stay in the family. Though I don’t think you’re in a position to be bargaining with anybody.”
    â€œThank you so much, Dad.”
    â€œNow get going. I’ll be out in a minute.”
    As Tom exited Pete’s store, he bent low out of view, then peered back through the front door to see the golden glimmer of his parents’ wedding bands reappear from his father’s pocket. He watched in shock as Pete examined the rings through the jeweler’s lens. Tom’s stomach was now sinking into his knees. Until that moment, he’d had no idea his parents’ financial situation was so dire.
    Walking back to the car, he was so lost in thought and worry that he nearly collided straight into a breathless Noodle.
    â€œDude! I was trying to find you everywhere. Check this out.”
    He pulled a black-and-white postcard out of a small Lucky Lou’s paper bag. “Ebbets Field. Where the Brooklyn Dodgers used to play.”
    Tom gave it a quick glance. “Cool.”
    â€œYou’re not seeing it.” Noodle placed his hand over one side of the postcard, so that only the edge of the stadium’s outfield wall was visible. “Now does it ring a bell?”
    Tom gave it a second, longer look.
    â€œNo way.” He snatched the postcard out of Noodle’s hands. “No freaking way!”
    But it was unmistakable. The curved, brick edge of the stadium perfectly matched the window’s view in the photograph of Harvey Firestone.
    It wasn’t much, but it was something.

ColBeans: I can’t believe u told Noodle b4 me!! >:O
    TE iv: didn’t wanna freak every1 out
    RamenNoodle: focus, u 2. r we still on 4 2day??? C’s casa??
    ColBeans: 1 st gotta help N w/chores. bye!
    All things considered, their punishments had been tough but manageable. Six p.m. curfew for the rest of spring break. No allowance indefinitely. And the three of them could only spend time at one another’s houses under parental supervision. As upset as Tom’s parents had been, the family move date had also been set for the end of the month, so they understood his need to spend every second he could with Colby and Noodle.
    What they didn’t know was the search to find the secret of the Sub Rosa was back on, and it had a new headquarters: Colby’s backyard tent.
    That way, as she had explained on IM, her nana couldn’t barge in unannounced.
    Besides,