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"Maybe she feels sorry forabandoned by my parents for a European vacation?"

Okay, I can admit that sounded pretty pitiful, but Scout didn’t buy it, anyway "No way," she said "This is a boarding school No one’s parents are around Now, she said what? That your parents are doing research in genetics?"

I nodded "That’s exactly what she said But my parents teach philosophy I mean--they do research, sure They write articles--that’s why they’re traveling right now But not on genetics Not on biology They were into Heidegger and existentialism and stuff"

"Huh," Scout said with a frown, chin propped on her hand "That’s really strange And you went to their offices, and stuff? Idown their job to help you understand what they did?"

I shook my head "I’ve been there Seen their diplorade papers" Scout pursed her lips, eyebrows dran as she concentrated "That’s really weird On the other hand, ine that she’d ht at first," I said, "but she seemed pretty sure"

"Hmm" Scout rolled over onto her back and laced her hands behind her head "While we’re conte your parents’ possibly secret identities, what are we going to do about this note thing?"

"What do youis your deal, not mine Someone must have seen you"

"It was on your locker, Parker They probably saw you following h the hall in those flip-flops like a Clydesdale"

"First of all, I took off the flip- flops so they wouldn’t make noise And second, I do not clomp" I threw my pillow at her to e woman"

"Doesn’t irl"

Scout barked out a laugh "I’d like to see you try it"

"Dare lare She pointed at her nose ring "Do you have any idea how ? How much I endured to achieve this look?"

"That’s a ‘look’?"

"I aue will surely be calling you toh "What did soirl? Well, neither aet back on track--the note"

"Right, the note" Scout crossed her legs, one booted foot swinging as she thought "Well, clompy or not, someone saw us Could have been one of our lovely suitemates; could have been someone else at St Sophia’s The path to the baseh the Great Hall to get to theinto the , I mean Girls sometimes study in the chapel, and there’s a service in there on Wednesday nights" She sat up halfway and looked over atus?"

I shook ht when you stopped in the Great Hall I sat down at a table for a second, but I was up and out of there pretty fast afterward"

"Hmm," Scout said "You’re sure you didn’t tell anyone?"

"Did I tell anyone I was running around St Sophia’s in the ure out why she’s sneaking around? No, I didn’t tell anyone that, and I’rinned up at ine ould have happened if one of the"--she bobbed her head toward the closed door--"you-knohat pack found us down there?" She shook her head "They would have gone completely postal"

"I nearly went coh you did have your flip- flop weaponry"

"Hey, would you want to meetyou’d been awake You’re an ogre in the hter that was stifled by a sudden knock on lance I unknotted s and walked to the door, then flipped the lock and opened it

Lesley stood there, this time in unifor back at me "I’d like to come in"

"Okay," I said, and ain when she was in the roo?"

"Those girls are incredibly irritating I can hardly hear hter echoed froet that," Scout said "What brings you to our door?"

"I need to benear the door, she looked at us expectantly The room was silent for nearly a minute

"Okaaaay," Scout finally said "Good start on that, coed, then crossed her ankles and lowered herself to the floor "Went to cello calance that showed exactly how dull we thought that sounded Nevertheless, Scout asked, "And hoas cello ca as you’d think"

"Huh," Scout said "Bu wide eyes at the floor, Lesley lifted her gaze to Scout, then to me "Last year was dull, too I want this year to be "

Scout bea devilishly "I knew I liked you, Barnaby"

"Especially when you disappear at night"

Scout’s expression flattened With a jolt, she sat up, legs crossed in front of her "What do you ht?"

"You know," Lesley said, pointing at Scout, "when you head into the basement"--she pointed atat a thread in her skirt, feigned nonchalance in her expression "Did you by any chance leave a note for Lily? A warning?"

"Oh, on her locker? Yeah, that was lance, then looked at Lesley "And why did you leave it?" she asked

Lesley looked back and forth between us "Because I want in"