I So Don't Do Makeup by Barrie Summy Page A

Future?
    Living Teen Masters the Silver Box
    A Mom, a Girl, a Wren, a Rhino
    A black arrow cursor blinks its way across the screen and double-clicks on MOTHER-DAUGHTER DUO PULLS IT OFF .
    Who is this ghost mother and living daughter who teamed up to solve mysteries for the Arizona Academy of Spirits?
    Meet Christine Baldwin, former detective with the Phoenix Police Department. Christine is an entry-level ghost with a background in K9.
    Meet Ms. Baldwin’s daughter, Sherlock “Sherry” Holmes Baldwin. Sherry is a thirteen-year-old student at Saguaro Middle School in Phoenix, AZ. Sherry talks with her mother but cannot see her.
    Last March, the two joined forces to fight evil in San Diego, CA.
    The scrolling speeds up, so I can only catch a word here and there: “successful,” “courageous,” “quick-thinking.”
    â€œWhat
is
this?” I ask.
    â€œThe WWWD,” Mrs. Howard says. “The World Wide Web for the Dead.”
    My jaw drops. I am speechless.
    â€œAnd, as you can plainly see, you’re plastered all over it. There’s even a YouTube video of you investigating the rhino enclosure at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego.”
    My jaw is still gaping. I am still speechless.
    â€œYou and your mother are receiving a bushel-load of attention. ‘Hits’ I believe it’s called.” Mrs. Howard balloons herself up big and bloated. “Which can be good.” A burnt-sugar smell seeps into the room. “And which can be bad.”
    Placing the back of my hand under my jaw, I manually close my mouth.
    â€œAcademies all over the world have their specter eyes upon y’all. Our allies are rooting for us and applauding our creativity in putting you and your mother together to crack cases. Our enemies, however, are waiting in the wings for you to fall flat on y’all’s faces, bringing shame and ridicule upon our entire organization.”
    â€œI’ve always wanted to be famous,” I blurt out.
    â€œNow listen carefully, missy, ’cause this is fixin’ toget real complicated. There is a foreign Academy we’ve been attempting to form an alliance with for years. Each time we approach them, they turn us down. Suddenly, they’re interested. Why? Because they want to hire your mama. She’s our in: They hire her, we hire one of their agents.”
    I slide my sunglasses down my nose and gaze over them Hollywood-style. I would so rock at famous.
    â€œBut the deal isn’t sealed. Not even close.”
    I plop my helmet on the table, then twist my hair into an updo. Fame will never go to my head. No, no, I will remain my normal friendly self, except with a boa and air-kissing. I’ll chat and chatter with my fans, signing autographs with a fat, glittery pen.
    â€œOur potential alliance must remain secret.”
    Leaning back, I cross one leg over the other and, toes pointed down, swing the top leg à la movie star. I. Am. Famous.
    â€œSherry, have you listened to a word? Do you know what in the Sam Hill I’ve been talking about?” Mrs. Howard’s right in my face, so close I could put my hand right through her. If I so desired. Which I do not.
    I swivel my head, posing and smiling for an imaginary camera. I parrot back, “The Academy is überanxious to hook up with a powerful foreign Academy. The foreign Academy wants my mother. We want an agent from them. It’s all confidential.” The last wordbarely escapes my lips when my brain overrides my fame fantasies and kicks into high gear. I jump up. My sunglasses clatter to the floor. “Who’s the foreign Academy? What’s Mom’s talent? How long would they keep her?”
    Mrs. Howard shakes her oversized doughy head. “There’s too much at stake.”
    â€œI can keep a secret.”
    Silence. An embarrassing silence. While we both think of how I spilled my guts about the Academy and my mother to Junie. And how maybe keeping