The Bloodwater Mysteries: Skullduggery by Mary Pete/Logue Hautman

out of the meeting, Fred Bloodwater had been barraged by questions about Indians and burial grounds. The mayor had stepped in and promised that the matter had been “looked into fully and rigorously by authorities,” whatever that meant.
    Eric shrugged. “He’ll be okay. If they won’t let him build on the bluff, he’ll build the development down on the bottoms by the river—like he wanted to do in the first place.”
    â€œYeah, but—”
    â€œPeople! People!” Professor Bloom clapped his hands.
    â€œGather ’round, please. The bus will be leaving in a few minutes. Those of you who arrived by alternate transportation are free to leave at any time.”
    Brian turned around to say something to Eric and Roni, but Eric had disappeared.
    Roni, however, was giving him her dagger look.
    â€œHave I ever told you what a pain in the butt you are?” she asked.
    Brian grinned. “Many times.”
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    â€œI don’t see what you’ve got against Eric,” Roni shouted over the whine of the Vespa.
    â€œI don’t think we can trust him,” Brian yelled in her ear. “You were about to tell him about the turkey tail!”
    â€œSo what?”
    â€œSo I think we should get solid proof that the cave is an important archaeological site before we let the developer’s kid know what we’re doing.”
    Roni pulled up in front of Brian’s house.
    Brian said, “Who knows? Fred Bloodwater might even be behind the attack on Dr. Dart. Or even Eric.”
    Roni’s eyes narrowed. “So now all of a sudden you think he really was attacked.”
    â€œFirst rule of investigating,” Brian said. “Always assume the worst, and never let on what you know until you have proof in hand.”
    â€œThat’s two rules.”
    â€œThere are more.”
    â€œOkay, okay,” Roni said. The kid had a way of wearing her down. “So how do we find this proof?”
    â€œSimple,” Brian said as he dismounted. “First thing tomorrow morning, we return to the scene of the crime.”
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    Dinner at the Delicata residence that night was Chinese takeout, which Nick insisted on eating with chopsticks.
    â€œSo how did the rest of the meeting go?” Roni asked.
    Nick raised one eyebrow, an expression that meant, I can’t believe you asked me that. “There were a few tense moments,” she said. “But nothing has changed. They’ll be breaking ground on Friday.”
    â€œThey aren’t even going to investigate the cave?”
    â€œEventually, yes. The college will send someone to look things over, and the police are bringing in a forensics expert to look at those old bones. But the development on the bluff is going forward.”
    â€œBut what about—”
    â€œRoni,” Nick interrupted, “I’ve had a hard day and I really don’t want to discuss it.”
    After cleaning up, Roni went to her room and flopped down on her bed. Why was her mom acting so weird? Usually Nick encouraged her to ask a lot of questions. Roni could hardly believe her mom was in favor of razing Indian Bluff—Nick was a gung-ho save-the-planet sort of person.
    Roni’s thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. “Come on in.”
    Nick opened the door and stepped into the room. “I owe you an apology,” she said. “I’m sorry I snapped at you.”
    Roni sat up. She loved it when her mother apologized to her.
    â€œI know you’re worried about what will happen to the bluff,” Nick said. “I have to tell you, I don’t like it, either. But the city has an important stake in this development, and the mayor is very worried that if construction is delayed, it will be a financial disaster for Bloodwater. Fred Bloodwater has convinced the mayor that the town desperately needs this new development, and I’m afraid Buddy isn’t about to change his