Vol 3 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Chapter 3: Research

The 11th day of the seventh month

The fifth day of the practice caan

The clouds had grown thick overnight and for the powerful northerly winds

The Capital District was already famed for its cool summers, but when it becan of rising anytime soon

“It’s al this afternoon” Larry said, walking to the gymnasium in his sweats at the tail end of the line of u a black umbrella

“It’s the perfect weather to catch a cold” Seron said Larry tilted his head

“It certainly is I feel perfectly fine, but it looks to ” Nick said without even blinking “Perhaps it’s because you left theopen overnight? It tends to happen if you stay in the bath too long and cool down too rapidly”

“Nah, we closed—” Larry cut hi at “Aha! You’re trying to get me and Seron to play hooky!”

“Yes But please try to keep it down” Nick ser over his lips

“Whoops Sorry”

“We could always try that excuse if it looks like we’ll have too much on our plates today and tomorrow It’s not likely, since they’re almost finished with the set pieces and there’s not much to do with the props, but still” Seron said Larry nodded

When they arrived at the gyreeted by Ms Krantz and her endless enthusiass, she told the students that herbetter and would be able to come see the fall performance

Soon, the dozen-plus orchestra club members and the four chorus club members arrived

Both Natalia and Meg earing cardigans over their uniforirls And both shook their heads when they stepped inside Neither had turned up anything, Larry and Seron realized

“Nothing, huh”

“This is going to be a challenge”

Practice began

Like the previous day, the orchestra members tuned their instruments before the rehearsal Draht over chairs to watch the performance

Because the less busy draht in tea for everyone, all Seron and Larry had to do was open and close hich they did not have to do very much, as it was cool and overcast

Break time finally arrived

“All right Let’s see if we can get some time off”

Seron waited for Arthur to speak with Sophia alone before going over to hi off because he had other things to work on

Conorant, Arthur nodded “Sure No problem”

“Go ahead You deserve some time off” Sophia said nonchalantly

Finally, Seron and Larry received per off As they left the gy down on a sandwich and Larry opening up a newspaper

“Are the spare keys ready yet?” Larry said the password

“No one likes an impatient brat, Larry And yes, they’re ready” Jenny opened the door and let Seron and Larry inside “You’re early today Are you skipping? Also, is it raining outside?”

“We got per yet, but it’s a matter of time” Seron replied

“All right Take a seat Want some lukewarm tea?”

“Sure Thanks”

“Yeah!”

Seron and Larry sat dohen the latter noticed so

“Hm?”

He spotted two long, thin paper bags lying atop her guitar case

“She really brought theht with this, Jenny?”

“With what?”

“Sooner or later she’s going to turn this into a rand piano?”

“Hm Maybe I’ll tear down the wall and expand the place?”

“Seriously”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I coo”

Jenny placed two cups of tea before them, then sat on a chair

“Any results?”

“Nothing on our end We haven’t talked to Nat and Meg their heads”

“Yeah I asked ar It’s probably not a product name or some ne”

“I guess SC Sophia would have figured it out by now if it were that easy” Seron sighed, taking a sip from what had yesterday become his personal teacup He complimented the taste

“Soon campus after all?” Larry speculated

“Yeah” Seron agreed

“Wait, what if I ask o He should be on summer break now too, so he’s probably at the dor the phone, Jenny”

“Sure That’ll be 100 Roxes per—”

“Hey, this is part of official club activities”

Larry went up to the telephone and picked up the receiver

“Let’s see here…”

From his back pocket he pulled out his wallet and took out a scrap of paper, then began dialing

Sohtened up instantly

“hello? My name is Larry Hepburn, secondary school student! I’d like to speak to my brother, Candidate Cato Hepburn! What? Oh… I see”

Larry deflated quickly And eventually—

“I understand Thank you Please excuseup

“Well? Find out anything?” Jenny said sarcastically

“Yeah… I found outca back in four days”

“Diligent, huh”

“Yeah” Larry sighed, falling into the sofa

“Should we consult Mr Hartnett?” Seron offered

“‘It doesn’t ring a bell I have no idea I’ll contact you if I find anything, but don’t expect results’ I think he’s busy with a really big case right now” Jenny replied Larry pouted Then,

“Hey, what about Leena?”

“Good idea” Seron stood Jenny asked if Leena was his girlfriend

“My sister I’ up the receiver

Because he was h an operator One of the maids soon picked up, and Seron asked to speak to his sister

Leena finally picked up

“It’sa quiz couess an object based on a ht you ht know” Seron explained

He gave her the ter, or if it re But—

“All right… Thanks Yeah, I’o back in three days, in theSay hello to Mother for me, okay?”

He hung up

“Nothing”

Seron returned to the sofa, joining Larry

“Looks like we’ll have to figure this out before camp ends, for my sake too”

“We will The easiest way, though…” Larry trailed off

“Yeah” Jenny nodded “It’s to ask SC Arthur himself We know that”

Larry thought for a while, then looked up

“Wouldn’t it be better to just have SC Sophia confess after all?”

“That would be the easiest way” Seron agreed with surprising promptness “But we can’t do that That’s not what SC Sophia asked us to do”

“Yeah, but… what if we convince her to change her request?”

This time, Jenny responded “That won’t be easy You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it do butterfly strokes”

“‘You can’t make it drink’, Jenny ‘You can’t make it drink’”

“Close enough”

“In what language?”

“Anyway, here we have a client who finally decided to pick up the weapon called ‘courage’ to take a stand and fight If soainst another tank with, Larry, would you tell theun’?”

“…No” Larry shook his head

“Although if that really were the case, I could provide one from the Jones Motors warehouses”

“Hey! Those are supposed to go straight to the Army!”

“Sure are You want one too?”

“As if Tanks are a pain to ives raines”

“I could always hire a personalclub funds”

“…Jenny What are you planning to use the newspaper club as a front for?”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll start by deraphy club’s snobby little office”

“If you ever decide to run for president, I a to become an assassin, Jenny”

Seron finished his tea and finally spoke

“We’ll look around caht find sos that resemble bees or reoyles on the older buildings”

“I’ll go too The more eyes, the better” Larry volunteered Seron nodded

“We’ll come back at lunchtiythen”

“Right Take these—I keep the door locked even when I’m in Feel free to use the office even if I’ out two keys froht the keys

“Now I feel like a real member Thanks a bunch” Larry said

Jenny pointed at them

“Then here’s onna kill you if you come back empty-handed”

Seron and Larry took a step outside the building The clouds had grown thicker and the sky darker

“Dark clouds on the horizon, huh”

“Don’t worry, it’ll be clear on the last day Anyhat’s our strategy? Where do we start?” Larry asked Seron stopped to think

“…I’o around the campus and slowly head to the cafeteria”

“Right”

They began to walk

On their way across the vast cas

Three honeybees near a flower bed

A hundred and seventy-four ants, which was as far as Larry got before he gave up on counting

Countless tiny insects, and the birds circling low overhead seeking an easy meal

A bent tie pin someone must have dropped the previous term

And three pieces of laundry that had flown over the ca A men’s shi+rt, a pair of children’s pants, and women’s underwear

“We’re technically not e the paper bags in his hands There were eight of the they found on the grounds to the security guards at the gates

For lunch, students had a choice betild rice with chicken soup or fish burgers and chips Seron and Larry elected to get burgers for everyone, as they would have needed separate containers for the soup

The burgers and chips alone did not seeetables, however, so they filled Larry’s lunchbox with boiled carrots, peas, and corn from the salad bar

“Definitely a challenge”

Seron was carrying in one hand a bag containing the lunchbox, a small packet of salt, and six forks In his other hand was a black umbrella held over both himself and Larry They walked side-by-side to the newspaper club office The wind sos

The sound of ymnasium

“Well, at least Lia won’t getlate” Larry remarked

They entered the building

“We’re back”

Instead of giving a password, Larry opened the door with his own key

Jenny was sitting on the sofa with an intense expression She looked up

“Anything? If not, I’ll eat you alive head-first”

Larry held out one of the paper bags “We didn’t find a thing But if you’re that hungry, you’ll probably prefer this to either one of us”

“…Hive you”

It was al water fros, napkins, and forks on the coffee table

“We’re here Open up” Natalia called from the hallith a knock

“Hm?”

“…?”

Jenny and Seron furrowed their brows

Larry, as closest to the door, grinned “Password? Make sure it’s so nobody else knows, or it wouldn’t be much of a password”

Natalia responded

“In first year of primary school we had this beautiful blond teacher And on the class picnic, Larry—”

“NO!” Larry yelled, throwing the door open

“Thanks” Natalia smiled Larry was drenched in cold sweat

“Lia… are you trying to kill me?”

“I’m not an executioner Just a witness to history”

“They shouldsecrets”

“Thena question”

“We’re not working on a password system anymore, Lia Get your key from Jenny”

“Good to hear Too bad I already got ”

In Natalia’s hand was a key with a red ribbon

“Lia… but you…”

“Didn’t you see the flutes?”

“Now that you ave hietic look as he poured tea into the cups

“I was going to remind you, Larry, but…”

Larry hung his head

“Tsk tsk You’re going to lose a lot of good h”

Larry could not respond

“Wasn’t that a nice lesson?” Natalia said, walking past hi

Meg followed Natalia inside “hello, everyone”

And Nick followed Meg “I’d love to hear the details, but I suppose it’s not right to unearth a secret so desperately hidden May I have my key, Jenny?”

Nick put three umbrellas into the stand by the entrance

Natalia took a seat

“Thanks for the food Any good news? Like, ‘mystery solved! Job’s done!’?”

Seron replied as he brought over a tray laden with six cups of tea

“No We’re having fish burgers and boiled vegetables today”

“I see We didn’t find anything either, so let’s dig in Who do we pay?”

“It’s my treat”

They all took their seats

As usual, the boys sat on one side and the girls on the other Seron and Meg sat in the middle of their respective sofas, and Larry was across from Natalia Their places were more or less set in stone by this point

The students all prayed and began to eat

Jenny took big bites out of her burger with her tiny mouth

“It is very delicious” Said Meg “I was cold today, but thank you for boiling tea”

“That was Seron” Said Larry Meg nodded

“Thank you for the tea, Seron I will enjoy it”

“I-it’s nothing Don’t mention it”

Meg chuckled

Seron closed his eyes, moved nearly to tears That hen Nick spoke up

“Does anyone here knoho this friend of SC Arthur’s ht be?”

No one answered Nick continued

“I suppose it ht be risky to ask that student after all Then perhaps another person whothis mystery”

Jenny, as once again first to finish eating, replied

“I looked into it I’ll explain while you eat”

Jenny went over to the chair and picked up her notepad from the desk

“Arthur Sears, born on the 19th day of the second e 17, president of the draets excellent grades Enjoys theatre, fil, and cricket His favorite food is kidney pie Favorite drink is ginger ale” Jenny recited

“How did you get all that information?” Larry exclaimed

“I asked a senior-classman yesterday I can’t say who it was, butfan of our activities”

“So you even have an intelligence network I’m impressed, Jenny”

“Well we are the newspaper club”

“Right What else?”

“His family runs Sears Patisserie, which has a 189-year history Have you ever heard of themica?”

Meg responded with a carrot stuck on the end of her fork

“Yes, I do know Sears Patisserie Guests gifted Sears cakes to our hoht chocolate cakes, but the cakes were not too sweet and very delicious” She then popped the carrot into her mouth and chewed

Jenny looked at Meg—happy as she could be—and Seron—blankly but happily watching her—and continued

“His home address is the saed 69, a father aged 41, and a ed 45 His father is a patissier who married into the family SC Arthur has a sister two years his senior, who chose not to inherit and instead works as a newbie fashi+on designer at Epstein His younger sister is 13 years old and currently attends a specialty school for patissiers SC Sears attended Eliza Knox Memorial Primary School near his home, and received top marks all six years In fifth year he took second place in the primary school division of the Capital District Cross-Country Ski Coraduation speech, he said his dream was to become a respectable adult ould take over the faeneration”