Alexis and the Lake Tahoe Tumult - Erica Rodgers [31]
Alexis turned to say something to Bailey, but she was gone. Alexis looked up again and yelled.
“Bailey, no!”
Bailey hadn’t noticed the flashing red hand. She had plowed right into the crosswalk and into the path of a bus!
Last Chances
A huge arm came out of nowhere and shoved Alexis away from the street. A second later, something heavy landed on top of her. She had no idea what had happened—there was just this incredibly painful worry deep in her chest.
Bailey! What had happened to her friend?
After half a minute, Alexis realized the pain in her chest wasn’t just the worry. She couldn’t breathe. Chloe’s boss has found out about us and knocked me down!
Then she realized the man who’d shoved her back on the sidewalk was her father. He was sprawled next to her, clutching Bailey in his arms. He rolled off, and the three of them sat on the slushy sidewalk, staring wide eyed.
“Are you okay, Bailey?” Mr. Howell asked, out of breath. “Um, yeah. I think so.” Bailey’s voice barely squeaked out. Alexis thought she sounded like a very small chipmunk.
“I came looking for you two. I’m glad I was here, too. That bus almost had your name on it, Bailey. It’s a good thing we’re leaving tomorrow. You girls don’t need to go looking for any more trouble. Let me guess—you two were following a lead.”
“Well, yes,” said Alexis. “But Bailey just got excited, that’s all! This investigation isn’t dangerous, Dad, I promise!”
Mr. Howell scowled and pointed to the bruise on Alexis’s cheek. He crossed his arms, waiting for her to explain her way out of that one. Her answer surprised him.
“It’s okay, Dad. We’ve solved the case!” “You have?”
“We have?” echoed Bailey. She was just as surprised as Mr. Howell.
“Yes! I almost forgot because of the whole bus thing, but didn’t you hear what Chloe said to her boss just before we lost her?”
Bailey scrunched up her face, trying to remember. She shook her head. Mr. Howell was scratching his.
“Well, you two better get up to the room if you’re going to have enough time to get ready for your party,” said Mr. Howell. “Your mom’s up there dancing out of her shoes. She’s more excited than you are—her makeup’s all over the place, and I think she has out five different curling irons, or straighteners, or something like that.”
“Thanks, Dad. Come on, Bailey!”
Alexis towed Bailey toward the elevator. Once the doors closed, Bailey spoke up.
“So what did she say?” she asked.
“Shh!” Alexis whispered. She pointed to the three businessmen on the elevator. The doors opened on floors three and five, and eventually Alexis and Bailey were alone.
“So?” pressed Bailey.
“I can’t believe you didn’t hear her!” said Alexis.
“I was so worried about catching up to her that I wasn’t really listening, Lexi. Now come on!”
“Okay, okay!” said Alexis. “There are two things. First of all, she mentioned permanent paint! It sounded like her boss was having a hard time washing it off of something!”
“Wow! So her boss really is the one sabotaging the reserve,” said Bailey.
“Yes! Unless it’s a really big coincidence, and you know how I feel about those.”
“There’s still a problem though,” said Bailey. “We don’t know who her boss is.”
Alexis didn’t stop smiling. The elevator doors opened on their floor, and she pranced down the hall toward their room.
“I know, but do you know what else Chloe said?” Alexis asked. Bailey shook her head, jogging down the hall to catch up.
“She told her boss that his tuxedo for the benefit was in his room! Bailey! He’s going to be at the party tonight! Even if we don’t know who he is now, we’ll definitely know by the end of the night! We just have to watch Chloe to find out who she’s working for.”
Alexis dug around in her bag for the room key.
“Come on! Let’s call Jake and tell him the good news!”
Mrs. Howell was buzzing around the room like a queen bee. Alexis thought she might be more excited than