Operation Sherlock by Bruce Coville Page B

she faced the ocean. Here there was only a few miles of sand and rock, and then more ocean. She stood, looked out at the water, and felt very small.
    Though she hadn’t expressed it in words, the others knew what she was thinking. Anza-bora Island was like a beautiful cage; a cage with lots of room and plenty to do, but with walls as real as if they had been made of brick and mortar. If they got in trouble, there was nowhere to run.
    â€œSit down, Wendy,” said Rachel. “You’re making me nervous.”
    â€œAfraid I’ll fall off the island?” asked Wendy with a bitter laugh.
    â€œI feel like we’ve fallen off the world,” said Ray. “What’s going on here, anyway?”
    â€œThat’s what we came out here to talk about,” said Trip. “But to tell you the truth, I haven’t the slightest idea.”
    â€œWell, let’s start at the beginning,” said Roger.
    â€œThe first thing we need to know is who put that bug on Rachel’s collar.”
    His twin shivered. It made her nervous just to think of some unknown hand so close to her neck.
    â€œMaybe it was put on before you got here,” suggested Ray. “Even though Dr. Hwa is trying to keep the whole thing quiet, I bet there’s a lot of interest in this project. Someone might have found out you guys were coming here and figured it was easier to bug you than your father.”
    A ripple of relief seemed to pass over the kids. It was like the moment when some pounding noise in the background finally stops and you suddenly realize how much it had been bothering you. In the same way the moment of relaxation that followed Ray’s suggestion made it clear to each of the kids how worried they really had been.
    Unfortunately, the moment was short-lived.
    â€œIt’s a good idea, Ray,” said Rachel, brushing back a strand of flame-colored hair that the ocean breeze had misplaced. “But it doesn’t hold up. I was wearing this blouse last night. I spilled coffee on it before I went to bed, and this morning when I got up I threw it in the cleaner/dryer. No way that transmitter would have survived a trip through the wash cycle.”
    â€œChips!” said Wendy. She turned around and looked out to sea again. “I want to go home.”
    â€œDon’t we all!” said Trip. “But there’s no point in going on about it. We’re stuck here, so we might as well make the best of it.”
    â€œWhat makes you so perky?” asked Wendy. She began pacing back and forth. “Did you take sunshine pills this morning?”
    â€œAll right, all right,” said Roger. “Let’s not debate philosophy. The question is: When did the bug get on Rachel’s collar?”
    â€œAnd who put it there?” added Trip.
    â€œWell, look,” said Rachel. “I put on the blouse just before Roger and I left the house to head for the meeting. Since we didn’t meet anyone along the way…”
    â€œIt had to be someone at the meeting,” finished Trip. “And assuming it wasn’t one of us…”
    â€œThen it had to be one of the adults,” concluded Ray.
    â€œIs it possible someone snuck into your house and planted the bug on your blouse while you were out this morning?” asked Wendy.
    â€œNot likely. I’ve learned to safeguard my room because of certain pranksters in my family”—at this Roger looked at the sky and whistled tunelessly—”so I’m pretty sure I would have known it if anyone had been in my room.”
    â€œWe have to consider even the slightest possibility,” said Trip.
    â€œLet’s say for now it was someone at the meeting,” put in Ray. “Who was close enough to do it, Rachel?”
    The redhead paused for a moment. “Oh, it could have been anyone,” she said unhappily. “I think each of the adults made it a point to greet me. Of course…” She shook