The Vanishing Game Read online

  Luke wasn’t there, but the friends we’d seen him with last Saturday night were still in line.

  “Maybe he got scared,” I suggested. “You know, once Kelly’s disappearance got out. Maybe he didn’t want to risk going on a ride where someone went missing.”

  Frank shook his head. “No, that’s not possible,” he said, clicking the mouse to go back to the place where Luke stepped out of line. “See Cal closing up the ride there? Luke steps out before the ride even starts. It was way too early for him to know about Kelly.”

  I frowned. “Unless he knew about her . . . because he helped make her disappear.”

  BAD BREAKUPS

  5

  FRANK

  UNLESS WHO HELPED MAKE HER disappear?”

  A female voice from the doorway made my head snap up. Joe and I had been so involved in watching the video that we hadn’t even noticed Daisy walk in. She was watching us study the computer monitor, eyebrows furrowed.

  Joe put on a goofy smile. “Oh . . . nothing,” he said with a shrug. I shot my brother a look that said, We’re not telling her? And he gave me a particular look back that I took to mean Not yet.

  “We were just watching some footage of the ride, throwing out crazy theories,” I said with a smile of my own. “We were just talking about . . . uh . . .” I tried to think of the least likely person to be involved in Kelly’s disappearance. “Chief Olaf.”

  Chief Olaf is the new head of the Bayport PD. As far as his view of Joe’s and my detective work goes . . . Well, let’s just say that it ranges from just barely tolerant to grudging admiration, depending on what day of the week it is and exactly what Joe and I have been up to.

  Daisy looked utterly confused. “That’s interesting,” she said, “because he just so happens to be here.”

  Joe turned bright red. “Now?” he asked.

  Daisy smiled, noting his panicked expression. “Not right here,” she said. “He and a few officers are waiting outside for Dad. They’re taking a look at G-Force again, along with some inspectors.”

  “Oh.” Joe’s face took on its normal color again.

  Daisy looked curious. “You didn’t think he could really—?”

  “No,” I put in quickly, shaking my head. “Not at all. Just spouting crazy theories, like I said.”

  Daisy looked from me to Joe, not entirely sold. “You two have a very interesting way of working,” she said. “Anyway—would you happen to know where my dad is?”

  “He said he was getting coffee,” I said.

  “Ahhh.” Daisy nodded. “Okay. I’ll check the kitchen. Thanks.”

  She started to leave, but Joe called out, “Daisy?”

  She turned. “Yes?”

  Joe put on a very sweet smile. “Will you come back after you find him? We could hang out.”

  Daisy looked touched. “Okay, Joe. Sure. Be right back.”

  She walked out and back down the hallway, and I turned to my brother. “Should I go?” I asked, only half joking. “Am I a third wheel here?”

  But Joe just shut down the video program and disconnected the hard drive, shaking his head. “Not that I wouldn’t enjoy just hanging out with Daisy,” he said, “but I thought we could ask her more about Luke.”

  That seemed like a good idea. It was only a few minutes until Daisy returned, pink-cheeked from running. “Hey, guys,” she said, walking in and casually slinging herself into Hector’s chair. “Man, I hope they find something. I haven’t been sleeping much, I’m so worried about Kelly. . . .”

  “Us too,” I said. It was the truth. It had now been a full week since Kelly had disappeared, with no evidence, and no sign of her anywhere. Each day that passed made it less likely that a missing teenager would be found; Joe and I had been involved in crime fighting long enough to know that. And each day that passed made it harder to believe that there was a benign explanation for all this.

  Daisy leaned back and closed her eyes. “I’ve been so stressed out,” she said quietly. “Between what happened with Kelly and what it’s doing to the park. This is so crazy.”

  Joe shot me an awkward sideways glance and cleared his throat. “Was it stressful seeing Luke again?” he asked, in a faux-casual voice.

  Daisy opened her eyes and angled her head up to look at him. “Huh?”

  Joe coughed. “Um, you know that guy Luke? He seemed kind of nasty.”

  Daisy looked from Joe to me, as if I held the explanation for Joe’s strange questions.

  I tried not to respond.

  “Um,” Daisy said, turning back to Joe, “I guess it was kind of stressful seeing Luke. He wasn’t very nice to me, as you saw.”

  I tried to look sympathetic. “Why did you two break up? I mean, if you don’t mind my asking.”

  Daisy looked surprised, but she didn’t hesitate in her answer. “Actually, I broke it off with him.”

  I had to stop myself from shooting a look at Joe. Motive!

  “Luke had been hoping that I’d get to attend Dalton Academy with him this fall—I mean, I had too.” Daisy sighed.

  Dalton Academy was a ritzy private school right on the outskirts of Bayport. Its students were regarded with a mixture of wonder and jealousy from us poor slobs at Bayport High. There were rumors of an indoor swimming pool beneath a retractable basketball court, kids who were helicoptered to school, and lobster Newburg in the cafeteria.

  How much of that was true was anyone’s guess.

  “What happened?” asked Joe.

  Daisy’s expression soured for just a second, then quickly recovered. “My dad bought Funspot,” she said in a resigned voice. “And then my mom got laid off. Suddenly we couldn’t afford ice cream anymore—let alone some fancy private school.”

  She paused.

  “It just got too hard with Luke after that,” she said, shaking her head. “Going to different schools, and me trying to help my dad out with Funspot after school and on weekends. He wasn’t, well—he wasn’t very understanding.”

  “Luke wasn’t?” I asked.

  Daisy nodded. “He sent me a text right after we broke up saying that he hoped Funspot failed. He thought it was a stupid idea for my father to buy it. A lot of people did, actually.” She sighed. “Maybe they were right.”

  Joe looked thoughtful. “Why was he at the opening, then?” he asked. “If he hates Funspot so much?”

  Daisy shrugged. “I figured he was just being hotheaded and stupid when he sent me that text,” she said. “He might think buying Funspot wasn’t the best idea, but deep down he wants the best for me. Or so I’d like to think.”

  I looked at Joe. I could tell from his expression that we were thinking the same thing: Or he showed up to sabotage G-Force—and Funspot.

  Suddenly we could hear voices arguing outside the administration building.

  “How do you expect me to pay you early?”

  Hector.

  “I barely have enough cash to keep the park running on a day-to-day basis. Pay advances are off the table!”

  “I’m in a real bind, or I wouldn’t ask.”

  It took me a minute to identify the second voice—Cal.

  “I just thought, under the circumstances—”

  “Forget it.” Hector cut Cal off. “I’m sorry, I would like to, but I can’t. Don’t ask again.”

  I couldn’t help looking at Daisy, judging her reaction. If Hector was having difficulty meeting day-to-day expenses, then Funspot was in even worse trouble than we thought. A dark look flittered across Daisy’s face, but she quickly stood up, putting on a neutral expression. “I’d better go help Dad,” she said quietly.

  Joe stood, and I followed his lead.

  “We should go too,” Joe said. “After about fifty rides on G-Force, I’m finally recovering my appetite.”

  Daisy looked amused. “You rode G-Force?”

  Joe nodded. “About fifty times,” he repeated. “At least, it felt like fifty times. How many times does it take to lose your ability to feel anything but pain
?”

  Daisy smiled. “For you? Maybe two? Three?”

  Joe chuckled. “Well, I’ll do anything to solve the case, my dear.”

  Daisy suddenly looked serious. “Did you find anything?” She looked hopefully from Joe to me.

  I slowly shook my head.

  “No,” Joe said, putting his hand on Daisy’s shoulder. “But we will. I promise. Okay?”

  Daisy looked up at him and, after a moment, nodded. “Okay. Maybe we can hang out tomorrow night? I could use some time away from this park.”

  Joe smiled. “That sounds great. I’ll text you.”

  We gathered our things, and Daisy led us out of the office and back out through the lobby to the park. Outside the building, Hector stood off to the left, talking on his cell phone, and Cal stood a few yards to the right, leaning against a tree and smoking a cigarette. He looked up when we came out; Hector seemed too involved in his phone call to notice us.

  “Thanks for coming, guys,” Daisy said, turning back to us with a weak smile. “Seriously, the only thing that got me out of bed this morning was the thought that you two are working on this, and with your help we might be able to reopen G-Force soon.”

  “It’s our pleasure,” I said sincerely. I tried to look away as Joe gave Daisy a hug and then my brother and I headed off toward the parking lot.

  “Hey there, Miss Daisy,” Cal said in his gravelly voice as we walked off. Daisy didn’t respond, and after a moment, I turned back to see what she was doing.

  “Did you hear me? I said hello.” Cal dropped his cigarette butt and smashed it with his toe.

  Daisy was standing near her father, staring off at the parking lot. Her jaw was clenched, and I could tell by her posture that she’d heard Cal and was struggling not to react.

  After a few more seconds, Cal shook his head and ambled off in the direction of G-Force.

  GOSSIP GIRL

  6

  JOE

  I’M NO SORT OF HACKER, but it wasn’t terribly hard to get into Dalton Academy’s online student directory. Within fifteen minutes of firing up my Internet browser, I was looking at Luke Costigan’s home address.

  He lived in Hampton Estates, a fancy subdivision over on the west side of town. So the next morning Frank and I shoveled down six of Aunt Trudy’s fresh raspberry ricotta pancakes (with peach compote!) and jumped into the car to drive across town.

  “He’s not going to talk to us,” Frank predicted, looking full of either pancakes or malaise (or both). “He hates us, remember? He saw us with his ex-girlfriend. He knows you’re dating her.”

  I turned the car onto Easthampton Drive. “It’s worth a shot,” I said. “If he resists, we can pull the old ‘need to use your bathroom’ routine.”

  Frank seemed to perk up a little. “And find his cell phone or computer?” Frank grinned and pointed out the window. “Here we go,” he said; “119 Easthampton Drive.”

  Luke Costigan’s house was your typical suburban McMansion: huge, red brick, enormous bay windows, four-car garage. In the front, four Greek columns held up a generous porch. Two cars in the driveway implied that the family was home.

  “Quick game plan?” asked Frank, but I was already unbuckling my seat belt.

  “Ask questions,” I said, pushing open the driver’s-side door. “Hope nobody hits us.”

  Frank nodded. “And if all else fails, beg to use the bathroom?”

  “Exactly.”

  I climbed out and ambled toward the front door, Frank falling into step beside me. When we’d climbed the front steps, I reached out and knocked an enormous door knocker in the shape of a bald eagle. We heard footsteps approaching the door, and then a middle-aged man answered.

  “Can I help you?” he asked, not unfriendly.

  “Actually, we were wondering if Luke is home?” Frank asked smoothly.

  The man nodded. He had dark eyes and close-cropped hair, like Luke, but unlike his son, his hair had gone mostly gray. “You two classmates from Dalton?” he asked.

  “Um, we go to Bayport High,” I replied. “But we have friends in common.”

  The man nodded, then stepped back into the house. “LUKE!” we heard him yell up the stairs. “You have friends at the door!”

  “Who?” we heard a surly voice yell from upstairs, followed shortly (when his dad didn’t answer) by footsteps on the carpeted stairs. Luke slowly became visible—first his feet, then his legs, then his shoulders—and when he was finally able to see us outside the door, he scowled.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked as he ran up to the doorway.

  “Who are they?” asked the man in a voice that sounded more curious than suspicious.

  Luke narrowed his eyes at me. “This is Daisy’s new boyfriend.”

  The man nodded. “Ahhhh,” he said, not-so-slowly backing away. “Well, I’ll leave you all to . . . talk?” He glanced at his son. “I’ll be out in the garage if you need me.”

  Luke nodded, not taking his eyes off me.

  Once his father had left the foyer, Luke scowled at us again. “What do you want?”

  I crossed my arms in front of my chest. “We want to talk about what happened on G-Force last Saturday night.”

  Luke gave us a look like he thought we’d lost our minds. “How would I know?” he asked. “I didn’t even ride the thing.”

  “But you were in line,” Frank pointed out.

  Luke cocked an eyebrow. “Yeeeeeah?” he asked, clearly not seeing a connection.

  “And then you got out of line,” I added. “Oddly enough, before the first ride even started.”

  Luke looked at Frank, then turned his glaring eyes on me. “So what?” he asked. “You guys were on the ride. Did you take her?”

  Take her. So Luke knew what we were really accusing him of, which gave me an odd tremor in the pit of my stomach. Nobody really knew what had happened to Kelly. Did the fact that Luke used the words “take her” mean he knew more about it than he was letting on?

  Frank glanced at me and said, “We didn’t even know Kelly was missing until a few minutes after the ride ended.” He paused. “As we were saying, though—it’s kind of strange to leave the line when you’re so close to the front, don’t you think?”

  Luke frowned. “Why?”

  I sighed. I hate it when people are obstinate. “Because one would assume you were excited to ride something you’d waited hours to board, yet you suddenly walked away like you’d changed your mind. Did you?”

  “Change your mind?” Frank added.

  Luke sighed now, shaking his head. “Why are you guys asking? What are you, the FBI?”

  I glanced at Frank. “We’re people who care about finding Kelly,” I said simply.

  Luke frowned. There wasn’t much he could say to that. Argue with us, and it would seem like he didn’t care about finding the missing girl.

  He looked past us, down the driveway. “My buddies sent me out,” he said. “They bet me twenty bucks I couldn’t figure out what the thing did. So I walked around it, but they were right, man—” He stopped and chuckled ruefully. “I couldn’t figure out a thing. It looks like a spaceship, right?”

  Frank nodded, relaxing his expression a little.

  “And it doesn’t even look like it’s moving from the outside,” Luke added. “I was stumped. So I finally gave up.”

  I nodded. “But you didn’t get back in line,” I pointed out.

  Luke turned to me, glaring again. “How do you know all this?”

  “Someone took a video,” Frank said simply, not explaining further. Luke would probably think someone shot the line with their cell phone camera—which was fine.

  Luke was quiet for a moment. It made me nervous. When someone you’re questioning goes quiet, it usually means they’re thinking. And when the person you’re questioning is thinking, it means that they could, at any moment, arrive at the discovery that they really don’t have to answer your questions. After all, Frank and I are just kids like Luke—not cops or the F
BI.

  It was time to turn up the heat.

  “Daisy says you two had a pretty nasty breakup,” I pointed out.

  Luke looked at me again. “She said that?” he asked, sounding a little hurt.

  “She said you texted her saying you wanted Funspot to fail,” I added.

  Luke shook his head and let out an angry chuckle. “I did want it to fail,” he said. “That piddly, pathetic little amusement park broke us up. Her father and his stupid ideas!”

  “What do you mean?” asked Frank. We knew what he meant, of course, but it’s always good to keep your subject talking.

  Luke turned to Frank. “Her father spent all his money on Funspot,” he said. “Suddenly there’s no money to send Daisy to Dalton with me, like she’d planned. Next thing I know, she breaks up with me. ‘It’s just too hard,’ she says, ‘going to different schools.’ ” He snorted. “You believe that?”

  “It just seems like if you wanted Funspot to fail badly enough,” I said, “you might do something to sabotage it.”

  Luke turned his eyes back to me. I could see him trying to make sense of what I’d said—and once he got it, fury burned in his eyes. “Sabotage?” he repeated. “You think I’d kidnap some girl to get back at Daisy? That’s sick!”

  “Maybe you didn’t kidnap her,” I suggested. “Maybe you made a deal with her to hide somewhere, to make it look like she disappeared on the ride. But what I’m saying—”

  Luke held up his hand, cutting me off. “I don’t care what you’re saying!” he shouted. “I wouldn’t hurt some kid to get back at Daisy, okay?” He glared at me one last time, then turned away, like he was trying to cool off.

  “So why didn’t you get back in line?” Frank asked neutrally.

  Luke groaned and turned back around. “I got scared, okay? When those doors opened, I realized I didn’t want to get on. So I told my buddies I had to use the bathroom, and I took off.”

  I looked at Frank. Scared? This guy? “Really?” I asked.