tired shewould forget her head if it wasn’t attached. It was her hope that the person who had looked at her notes last time might try it again. Leaving the notebook on the bench in plain sight, she had hidden herself behind the curtain and was waiting to catch them red-handed.
Unfortunately, that had been some time ago, and the few riders who had come and gone had all failed to even notice the bait, let alone take it. She was almost ready to give up when she heard someone else enter the locker room. Holding her breath, she tried to be as quiet as possible, ready to jump out and confront the cheater. Within moments, however, it became apparent that whoever it was had gotten what they were looking for and left. Her judging folder remained undisturbed where she had left it, out in plain, tempting sight.
With a sigh, Carole decided to call it quits for the night. She collected her folder and switched off the light, refusing to be discouraged. Sooner or later the culprit would make a mistake, and when they did she would be there to catch them!
A T FIRST S TEVIE had intended to head straight home, but it dawned on her that as soon as she arrived she would have to confront her brothers, and she didn’t feel up to that. Instead she let her feet carry her in anyold direction. After a while she looked up and was startled to find herself standing practically in front of TD’s.
It must have been force of habit
, she thought. Worried that Lisa and Carole would show up at any minute, she was preparing to beat a hasty retreat when she spotted Veronica diAngelo coming out of the shop, licking delicately at an ice cream cone. An idea occurred to her. Normally she had no use for the snotty girl, but today might be different. There wasn’t much that Veronica could do right, but even Stevie had to admit that she had a talent for one thing: shopping.
“Hi, Veronica,” Stevie greeted her in the friendliest voice she could muster. “What a great piece of luck. You’re just the person I’ve been looking for.”
“That’s more than I can say about you,” Veronica replied, looking at her suspiciously. “What do you want?”
“Actually, I could use some advice,” Stevie admitted reluctantly.
“Cut your hair, tuck in your shirt, and drop those two losers you hang with,” Veronica said.
Under normal circumstances that would have been the end of any civil conversation between the two of them, but Stevie was desperate. “Ha, ha. Good one.” She forced herself to chuckle. “I’m serious, though.”
“Not dressed like that you’re not,” Veronica snorted.
Stevie bit her lip with annoyance. “My brothers and I need to get an anniversary present for our parents, and I thought you might have some ideas. Can I ask what you got your mom and dad for their last anniversary?”
“You can ask,” Veronica replied.
“Oh come on, it’s not like it’s a state secret or something,” Stevie coaxed.
“If you must know, I bought them a digital camera.”
Stevie almost groaned out loud.
A white Mercedes drove into the parking lot and pulled up to the curb next to them. Veronica waited for the chauffeur to get out and open the door for her. “Chilton, you’re late, I actually had to wait! And I had to talk to
her
,” she complained, nodding toward Stevie. She slid inside and the driver shut the door. The smoked glass window descended noiselessly. “You know, Lake, if I were your parents, the thing I’d love most about you would be your absence. Why don’t you and your brothers run away with the circus? I’m sure that would make them happy.”
Before Stevie could think of an answer, the window slid closed and the car pulled away.
If she had been in a bad mood before, it was nothing compared to the one she was in now. Betrayed byher friends, hindered by her brothers, and now bested by Veronica diAngelo! She had the sudden urge to go home and hide in bed for the rest of the day.
When she reached her house, the level of
Unfortunately, that had been some time ago, and the few riders who had come and gone had all failed to even notice the bait, let alone take it. She was almost ready to give up when she heard someone else enter the locker room. Holding her breath, she tried to be as quiet as possible, ready to jump out and confront the cheater. Within moments, however, it became apparent that whoever it was had gotten what they were looking for and left. Her judging folder remained undisturbed where she had left it, out in plain, tempting sight.
With a sigh, Carole decided to call it quits for the night. She collected her folder and switched off the light, refusing to be discouraged. Sooner or later the culprit would make a mistake, and when they did she would be there to catch them!
A T FIRST S TEVIE had intended to head straight home, but it dawned on her that as soon as she arrived she would have to confront her brothers, and she didn’t feel up to that. Instead she let her feet carry her in anyold direction. After a while she looked up and was startled to find herself standing practically in front of TD’s.
It must have been force of habit
, she thought. Worried that Lisa and Carole would show up at any minute, she was preparing to beat a hasty retreat when she spotted Veronica diAngelo coming out of the shop, licking delicately at an ice cream cone. An idea occurred to her. Normally she had no use for the snotty girl, but today might be different. There wasn’t much that Veronica could do right, but even Stevie had to admit that she had a talent for one thing: shopping.
“Hi, Veronica,” Stevie greeted her in the friendliest voice she could muster. “What a great piece of luck. You’re just the person I’ve been looking for.”
“That’s more than I can say about you,” Veronica replied, looking at her suspiciously. “What do you want?”
“Actually, I could use some advice,” Stevie admitted reluctantly.
“Cut your hair, tuck in your shirt, and drop those two losers you hang with,” Veronica said.
Under normal circumstances that would have been the end of any civil conversation between the two of them, but Stevie was desperate. “Ha, ha. Good one.” She forced herself to chuckle. “I’m serious, though.”
“Not dressed like that you’re not,” Veronica snorted.
Stevie bit her lip with annoyance. “My brothers and I need to get an anniversary present for our parents, and I thought you might have some ideas. Can I ask what you got your mom and dad for their last anniversary?”
“You can ask,” Veronica replied.
“Oh come on, it’s not like it’s a state secret or something,” Stevie coaxed.
“If you must know, I bought them a digital camera.”
Stevie almost groaned out loud.
A white Mercedes drove into the parking lot and pulled up to the curb next to them. Veronica waited for the chauffeur to get out and open the door for her. “Chilton, you’re late, I actually had to wait! And I had to talk to
her
,” she complained, nodding toward Stevie. She slid inside and the driver shut the door. The smoked glass window descended noiselessly. “You know, Lake, if I were your parents, the thing I’d love most about you would be your absence. Why don’t you and your brothers run away with the circus? I’m sure that would make them happy.”
Before Stevie could think of an answer, the window slid closed and the car pulled away.
If she had been in a bad mood before, it was nothing compared to the one she was in now. Betrayed byher friends, hindered by her brothers, and now bested by Veronica diAngelo! She had the sudden urge to go home and hide in bed for the rest of the day.
When she reached her house, the level of
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