I So Don't Do Mysteries by Barrie Summy Page B

to him. That’d leave me and Junie free to scheme without any Amber interruptions.
    Dad looks at me tap-tapping my boarding pass on my wrist. He puts his hand over
mine and stops the movement. “Worried about sitting alone?”
    â€œBasically.”
    â€œThey could’ve gotten their boarding passes online,” he says.
He squeezes my shoulder. “It’ll work out, Sherry.” He surveys the waiting area.
“And there they are.” He calls out to Junie’s mom, “Over here,
May.”
    Dodging people, she heads toward us while Junie and Amber go to a huge window
overlooking the runway. I wave to Junie, but she doesn’t see me and keeps on yakking to
Amber. Weird. She’s not normally chatty-chatty. That’s more my role.
    And Junie’s wearing a new outfit: paisley capris and a fuchsia tie-at-the-waist
blouse. Did she go shopping with Amber? I’m Junie’s shopping buddy. Have been for,
like, years. My heart skips a bunch of beats.
    Dad glances at his watch for the million-and-first time. “Do you mind waiting to
see the girls off, May?”
    â€œNo problem, Bob.” She pops up her clip-on sunglasses.
“It’s the least I can do for our personal travel agent.”
    Dad pulls me in for a tight hug. “Take good care of yourself, pumpkin. I need
you back safe and sound.”
    I actually tear up watching the familiar, dorky way he bounces on his feet as he hurries
away. Up, down. Up, down. Dorkity dork.
    Eyeing my face, May says, “From what Junie said, I was expecting much
worse.”
    Thankyouverymuch, Junie. Speaking of which, where is she?
    I look around. Shoulders touching, Amber and Junie are still at the window, watching
planes land and take off. They’re hanging out together? Am I in a parallel universe? My heart
skips some more beats.
    â€œGo join the girls.” May gives me a little push.
    I plod to the window.
    They’re both holding A boarding passes.
    Phew.
    Amber is clipping Junie’s hair at the top of her head, so that they look more like
sisters than cousins. Well, only from behind and only from the neck up. I’m not being mean,
just honest. Their faces are totally different. Junie is freckle city, while Amber has perfect Snow White
skin. And Junie outweighs Amber by about twenty pounds. Whatever. They’re looking super
chummy, and it doesn’t feel good. In fact, I’m probably going to faint.
    When I get near them, I say, “Hi.” But it comes out as more of a
whisper. Probably because I’m close to keeling over. Anyway, they don’t hear me, so I
raise my voice in fake-o cheerfulness and say, “Hi, guys.”
    They both turn around and toss off a hi that’s definitely lacking in the
enthusiasm department.
    Amber says, “I wanna hit the gift shop before we board.”
    Junie turns to follow her.
    Ack. Ack. Ack. “Uh, Junie? Can we talk?”
    â€œSure.” She gestures with her head to the store aisle.
    â€œUh, privately?” Duh. Has she forgotten about my mother? And how we
have a mystery to solve? Plus, I need to fill her in on the latest developments, like how my grandfather
is the state bird and how Junie and I may be carrying out the bulk of the investigation.
    She raises her eyebrows. Only the teeniest, tiniest fraction, but when you’ve
known someone as long as I’ve known Junie, you know exactly where her eyebrows sit.
She’s mad at me about something. But what? It doesn’t matter. I’ll grovel and
apologize and grovel some more. I so, so, so need her help to save my mom.
    â€œI’m gettin’ gum.” Amber walks away.
    The minute she’s out of earshot, I start talking at freeway speed. “My
grandfather, the one who died in a car accident, is actually a wren. And he’s coming to San
Diego to help us. Hopefully. And—”
    Junie looks at me. “Enough. I don’t want to