I looked over at the two dogs, snuggled up together on the floor. So nice that Ollie had found a friend.
“I know!” said Tara, beaming. “The four of us should form a club. The Crime Club. We could meet regularly to learn about how to be PIs. And then we could investigate mysteries together.”
I liked the sound of that. A Crime Club with the four of us. It would mean we would have a reason to get together a lot. I looked over at Brent. He was smiling at me.
“Great idea!” said Simon. “Maybe we could even make some money at it.” Tara glared at him. “We’re not doing this to make money. We have a higher calling. Making sure the wrong people don’t get blamed for stuff.”
I laid my hand palm down on the table. “Let’s make this happen,” I said.
Brent put his right hand on mine. Tara put hers on top of his. Simon put his on hers.
“To the Crime Club!” said Brent. “And to new friends.” He winked at me.
I smiled back. It was a good start. We’d get better at investigating. And then maybe one day I’d find out what really happened with my dad.
Acknowledgments
Two years ago I was signing books at an Orca booth. Two teachers came up to me and told me that my mysteries featuring the crime-solving goddaughter of a notorious mob boss were very popular in their high school. So why wasn’t I writing ya?
I want to thank those teachers today. I’ve come back to my roots with Crime Club. I was that kid with my nose in a mystery book all the time. It was my fervent dream to someday write for teens. It only took me fifteen books to get to it.
Many thanks to the people in my life who provide encouragement and support. Front of the pack are my husband, Dave, and daughters, Natalie and Alex. I also depend on Cathy Astolfo, Janet Bolin, Alison Bruce, Cheryl Freedman, Don and Ruth Graves, Jeannette Harrison, Joan O’Callaghan and Nancy O’Neil. Thank you, dear friends.
Crime Club was a labor of love from start to finish. Tanya Trafford and the wonderful team at Orca books have made it better.
Melodie Campbell is the award-winning author of several works of fiction, including the Gina Gallo Mystery series in the Rapid Reads collection. Melodie lives in Oakville, Ontario.
Excerpt
“Another package for you,” I said, tossing it onto Tom’s lap.
“Oh, good. Probably the audio interface.” Tom started ripping into the box. “What took you so long?”
“Gary. The guy makes what should be a ten-second delivery into an awkward, ten-minute chat.”
Tom grinned. “Is he your new friend, Charlie?” Gary is a legend in our house. Uncle Dave and Mom hide, literally hide, when they see him stumbling up the walk.
“Yeah, right. The guy is nosy. Isn’t it illegal or something for a mail carrier to ask what’s in your mail?” Then, not caring that I was being nosy too, I asked, “How much are you spending on all this stuff?”
“None of your business. Not tons. Some of my job money.”
Tom works at Sport Shed. Worked at Sport Shed. Maybe he will again when he can actually walk around.
“Oh, hey. There’s been another couple of break-and-enters in the neighborhood. That’s what Gary said. I don’t know if we can believe him.”
“Really? Jeez. Mom will freak.”
“Gary could be making things up for a little drama. A bit of excitement. He’s in full crime-fighter mode.”
“That’s all we need,” said Tom, laughing.
“Look, you want anything else? Got your medicine? Water? I’m going to go for a walk.”
“Nope, I’m good,” Tom said. He was studying the instruction manual for the electronic blah-blah he’d just gotten. I grabbed the cereal bowls. One empty, one a soggy mess. Tom looked up. “Thanks, buddy.”
“No prob.” Tom was, in fact, a really good guy. My best friend, if I wanted to get all emotional about it. So mostly I didn’t mind doing stuff for him. I knew he’d do the same for me.
I ran down to the kitchen to unload. I noticed a blinking light on the answering machine.
Hi, this is Carly Silberman from the office at Walter Watts High School. I’m calling about Charlie’s absence from school. We’ll just need a note to confirm—
I pushed Delete. I had told Mom the school was okay with my taking a week off to help Tom.
“That’s so good of them!” she had said. “They must know how close you guys are. And you’re such a good student, Charlie. Missing a few days shouldn’t affect your grades at all.”
What I didn’t tell Mom was that I had lied. I had been emailing notes about my absences all week as Mom—Gloria Swift.
I wanted to help Mom out. She had been working double shifts lately. She was worried about how Tom was going to manage on his own. Uncle Dave was out all the time “job hunting.” There was only me.
Thing is, I desperately needed a break from my new school anyway. I was doing great, grades-wise. I had a much higher average than Tom. But high school isn’t only about grades. It’s not even mostly about grades. I needed a break from walking the halls alone. From timing my arrival to make sure I got to school right at the bell so I didn’t have to stand alone in the hall. From pretending to talk on my cell phone at lunch so nobody thought I was a loser.
Other than us both having dark hair and blue eyes, Tom and I looked very different, that was a fact. He was tall, I was short (but really hoping for a growth spurt). He was athletic, I was not. He was relaxed and easygoing and popular. I was none of those things.
Mom had no idea how miserable my life was. Even if she did, she would say I needed to give it time. To make friends at a new school, to feel more comfortable there. I knew all that. But it didn’t make it any easier. And I wasn’t about to start worrying her with my problems.
Tom’s injury had been the perfect opportunity for me to take a break.
As I stacked the bowls in the dishwasher and wiped down the kitchen counter, I planned my route. I was going to walk past the two houses that just got broken into and see if I could gather any information. Clues. Observations.
Maybe the police needed a bit of help solving these break-ins. An extra pair of eyes. Somebody who knew the neighborhood. Somebody who would blend right in.
Somebody who had no idea what he was getting himself into.
orca soundings
For more information on all the books in the Orca Soundings series, please visit orcabook.com.
The Crime Club Page 6
