Sleepover Stakeout (9780545443111) Read online

  “I have to go fix my makeup before class,” Fiona said, standing up. “Later, gators.”

  I gestured for Maya to fill Fiona’s now empty chair. “Have a seat.”

  “Oh. All right….” Maya sat and fiddled with the strap on her book bag. She was always a little bit nervous when she had to talk to someone, but it seemed like something was really eating at her.

  “Are you okay?” I asked.

  She chewed on her lip for a moment, as if she was trying to decide whether or not to say what she’d come over to say. “I need … help.”

  Darcy said, “Help … in, like, a class or something?”

  “No.” Again Maya’s eyes got all jittery. Her voice came out even softer than usual. “I need help from Partners in Crime.”

  After helping Fiona solve her mystery a few weeks ago, Darcy and I were eager to keep the detective agency running. But we didn’t know how to advertise. We’re only seventh graders after all, and it’s not a real, licensed detective agency.

  Fortunately, Fiona was a marketing maven. She said advertising was no different than starting a rumor — make it cool and it will grow by itself. In text messages, passed notes, and hallway whispers, she knew how to get the word out to the kids and keep the grown-ups in the dark.

  Fiona told people that we’d solved a problem for her. Rumors about her case varied from us finding out who stole her designer handbag to reuniting her with a long-lost cousin. When anyone asked us, we simply replied that we don’t share anything about our cases. Client confidentiality and all that.

  The truth was a lot more complicated. No one else at school knows, and it has to stay that way.

  And now I knew why Maya looked super nervous. Something was going on! She had a case! Already my heart started beating faster in excitement. All the bad parts of the day — my math disaster, Hunter and Slade being jerks — faded away.

  Darcy seemed as intrigued as I was. “What can we do for you?” she asked.

  Maya inched her chair closer to the table and spoke in a hushed tone. “Something very strange happened last Saturday night. My parents were working late at the restaurant, and my older sister was out with her friends. I was stuck home watching my baby brother. He was upstairs in his crib sleeping and I was downstairs watching TV, but then …”

  “Then what?” I leaned forward, hooked.

  “I heard this strange noise on the baby monitor.”

  “Interference?” Darcy said.

  Maya’s eyes went to the ceiling like she was trying to remember. “No … it was voices. Maybe one, maybe more, I couldn’t really tell. Most of the words I couldn’t make out, but then I clearly heard someone say, ‘Get him,’ and then a scream.”

  A chill went through my body, and Darcy gasped. I realized I’d been gripping my sandwich so hard I’d smooshed it.

  “Then what happened?” Darcy asked.

  The cafeteria was so loud and Maya’s voice was so soft. I wished I could make all the other noise disappear. I leaned even farther forward.

  Maya said, “I got scared and ran up to my brother’s room. But he was in there alone, still sleeping. I dashed back downstairs and listened to the monitor, but it was quiet the rest of the night.”

  I shivered as I imagined being alone in a house and hearing a voice that didn’t belong. Poor Maya. No wonder she was so shaken up.

  “How could a voice be on the monitor if no one but the baby was in the room?” I asked, trying to put things together in my head.

  “Baby monitors can sometimes pick up other things,” Maya explained. “Other noises or even other conversations if someone else in the area has a monitor, too.”

  So at least the stranger wasn’t in her house. But still … hearing voices like that. Mega-creepy. Fiona had picked a bad time to leave the table. She’d missed this entire story. I’d have to fill her in later.

  I asked, “What would you like us to do?”

  Maya looked around nervously. “Maybe help me try to find out who it was. What happened to the person. I told my mom, but she said it was nothing. Probably just someone’s television.” Maya paused. “It sounded like more than that to me.”

  Maya seemed like such a caring person, all worried about this stranger in the night. I didn’t think it was very realistic that we’d ever find out who it was, though. I hated to disappoint her, but this case was impossible. I said softly, “It was a one-time thing, Maya, so we’d never be able to —”

  “No, it wasn’t,” Maya interrupted. “I haven’t told you that part yet. It happened twice. Two Saturdays in a row. The first time I was half asleep on the couch and thought I’d left the TV on. When the voices stopped, I opened my eyes and realized the TV was off. I figured maybe I’d been dreaming, but now that it happened again, I know it was real.”

  Darcy drummed her fingers on her chin. “Now this we can work with. It happened more than once and both times were on a Saturday night?”

  “Yes. That’s right,” Maya said.

  “Then that’s a pattern,” I said, getting excited.

  “Which means,” Darcy added. “It might happen again.”

  “Will you help me?” Maya asked. “I’d really like to look into this.”

  “That depends,” Darcy said. “Would your parents mind if you had a few friends over to the house while they were at work?”

  Maya brightened. “No, not at all.”

  “Are they working again this Saturday night?” I asked.

  “As always, yes.” Maya nodded enthusiastically.

  Darcy smiled. “Okay, then. Saturday night it is.”

  Darcy held out her fist and I held out mine. I motioned with my eyes for Maya to join us. We all bumped fists.

  Maya asked, “But … what are we doing?”

  I grinned. “Planning a sleepover stakeout.”

  Saturday could not come fast enough. When I woke up that morning, I was antsy with anticipation. Darcy and I weren’t heading to Maya’s house until after dinner, though, so I kept myself busy all day to make the time pass faster. I took Hubble, my dog, for an extra-long walk. I did my chores. Helped my mom cook dinner (spaghetti and meatballs — yay!). And then, finally, it was time to go.

  Since this was my first time at Maya’s and it was an actual sleepover, Mom insisted on driving Darcy and me over so she could meet Maya’s parents. I told her we could easily ride our bikes there, but she just said that when I’m a mom someday, I’ll understand.

  I’d asked Fiona to come along, but she was already going to a big birthday bash one of the popular girls was throwing. She was disappointed, though, since a sleepover stakeout sounded totally exciting. But I guess it’s tough juggling ten thousand friends. Fiona’s social life was so busy she almost needed an assistant.

  Darcy and I sat in the backseat surrounded by our sleeping bags and overnight stuff. Darcy was pulling the zipper on the end of her bag back and forth.

  I said, “I invited Fiona to come tonight, but she had plans.”

  The zipper stopped moving. “Why did you invite Fiona?” Darcy asked.

  I shrugged. “Because she’s in Partners in Crime now.”

  “I wouldn’t say she’s in Partners in Crime,” Darcy said, a bit of annoyance in her voice. “She just helps out sometimes. She doesn’t have to be involved with every case.”

  In the agency … helping out … what was the difference? I pressed my lips together tightly, feeling kind of frustrated. “I didn’t think it would be a big deal.”

  “It’s not.” Darcy started playing with the zipper again. “I just … I guess I wish you’d asked me first.”

  I wanted to roll my eyes, but I held back. I swear, sometimes Darcy thinks Partners in Crime is all hers. We created it together. She’s not the boss. It’s called “Partners” for a reason.

  The car pulled into the driveway and Mom gasped. “What a beautiful house.”

  It had already gotten dark out, but there were little lights staked on either side of the driveway. The house
was big and white with red shutters. Planting beds overflowed with pretty flowers my mom could name but I could not.

  Darcy and I lugged our gear up the walk, and Mom rang the doorbell. A moment later, Mrs. Doshi opened the door with a welcoming smile. Her black hair was pinned up and she wore a long, flowy skirt that went to her ankles.

  “You must be Darcy and Norah. Welcome!” She opened the door wide and we stepped in.

  “Hey, guys!” Maya ran up to us, looking pretty excited. At the sight of her giant smile, my irritation from the conversation in the car went away. Maya added in a whisper, “You can take your shoes off and put them to the side there. House rule.”

  Darcy kicked off her black Converse, and I slipped off my green flats. Meanwhile, Mom and Mrs. Doshi were making small talk.

  “My husband is working at the restaurant right now,” Mrs. Doshi said. “I’m about to go join him, but Maya’s older sister will be here to supervise all evening. She’s sixteen and very responsible.”

  Mom must have approved because, after a little more conversation, she gave me a kiss on the cheek and told us to have fun and call in the morning when we wanted to be picked up.

  Mrs. Doshi led us into the kitchen and handed us each tall glasses filled with an orange, thick-looking drink. “Mango lassi?” she offered.

  I didn’t want to be rude and say no, but I was one of the pickiest eaters on the planet and I’d never heard of this concoction.

  Maya whispered into my ear, “It’s like a smoothie.”

  Oh! I liked smoothies. I took a sip and it was really good. “Thank you. It’s wonderful,” I said.

  Darcy had started chugging hers as soon as she got it, so she agreed with a muffled “Mmm-hmm!”

  Pleased that her guests were happy, Mrs. Doshi picked up her car keys and jacket. “Anya is upstairs in her room if you need anything. Rishi is already asleep in his crib. Anya will take care of him if he wakes. I want you to just enjoy yourself tonight with your friends, Maya.”

  She placed a kiss on the top of Maya’s head. I think Maya was a little embarrassed, but I thought it was nice. Since Maya had moved here only this year and mostly kept to herself at school, this was probably the first time she’d had friends over to her house.

  After the front door closed, we finished up our drinks, put the glasses in the sink, and stood around awkwardly for a moment. I really wanted to go sit by the baby monitor and start investigating. But, even though this was our case, it was Maya’s house. I didn’t want to be too pushy.

  Luckily, Darcy had a way of always putting into words what I didn’t have the guts to say. “So where’s the monitor?” she said, rubbing her hands together.

  Maya raised her eyebrows. “Follow me!” First, she grabbed a bowl of popcorn and a package of cookies from the kitchen counter — I realized she’d prepared a bit for our sleepover, which was sweet. Then she led us into the living room. It had cream-colored couches, tall bookshelves, and a pretty red rug. The TV was on, showing a commercial for these trendy new sneakers that light up.

  The three of us settled onto the biggest couch and stared at the baby monitor. It stood on the coffee table, one small blue light shining in its corner. I guess that meant it was on. But what now?

  “How do we know when it picks up a sound?” I asked, reaching for some popcorn.

  “We’ll hear it and this whole area here” — Maya ran her finger over the middle of the monitor — “will light up red.”

  As soon as she said the words, little red lights trailed across the monitor and then it went dark again. I paused with a kernel of popcorn halfway to my mouth.

  “What was that?” Darcy asked, sitting up straight.

  Maya frowned. “Nothing. Just movement upstairs. It picks up any little noise.”

  The lights lit up again and then a pounding came from behind us. I felt a jab of fear.

  Maya sighed and sank so far down into the couch, it looked as if she was trying to disappear. “Oh no,” she whispered. “I think Anya’s coming downstairs.”

  The way Maya said the words, it sounded like her sister was a feared demon, not a junior in high school.

  “Has she heard the voice, too?” Darcy asked, looking over her shoulder. The footsteps went into the kitchen. “Maybe we could interview her for the investigation.”

  “No!” Maya said urgently. “She doesn’t know about it. Don’t ask her anything.”

  Sheesh. I knew Maya was shy and all, but this was her sister.

  A minute later, the footsteps entered the room along with the sounds of ice clinking against glass. Anya came around the couch and stood in front of us with a drink in her hand. She wore a tank top and little shorts — probably her pajamas — and gave Maya a cold stare.

  “So this is why I had to stay in tonight?” she snapped. “So you and your friends could sit around and watch TV?”

  I didn’t like the way she said “friends.” As if Maya was paying us to be here or something. As a matter of fact, I didn’t like the tone of anything she’d said. No wonder Maya was afraid of her.

  “I didn’t make you stay in,” Maya replied in a small voice.

  “No, but Mom did. Because she didn’t want you to have to watch Rishi while you had friends over. Meanwhile, Rishi’s fast asleep, you guys are just watching lame TV, and I’m missing a party.”

  She huffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder, then stormed back up the stairs. The monitor flared red with each pounding footstep.

  “Well, isn’t she a ray of sunshine,” Darcy said.

  The tightness left Maya’s shoulders now that Anya was gone. “She’s not always that bad,” she said. “She’s very nice when my parents are here.”

  I offered her a sad smile. That must stink to have a mean sister. Like Darcy, I was an only child and had always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling. Now I was kind of glad I didn’t.

  To change the subject, I suggested we get comfy in our pj’s and actually watch some TV while keeping our ears pricked up for the monitor. Darcy and Maya agreed, though Darcy still looked angry about Anya’s attitude.

  I put on my favorite pajama pants — blue with white puffy clouds — and a Danville Middle School sweatshirt. Darcy wore a black T-shirt with the words Freak of Nature in white, which perfectly matched her black-and-white skull pajama pants. Maya’s pj’s were yellow and baggy, making her look even tinier. It was sort of fun to be having a slumber party, even if Darcy and I were technically on a case.

  Darcy moved the coffee table off to the side, and we lined up our three sleeping bags so we all had a good view of both the TV and the monitor. Maya dimmed the lights, and we passed around the popcorn and cookies while we watched some silly reality show. A guy walked onto the stage, juggling lit torches. I thought it was an impressive feat, but the judges told him it wasn’t “risky” enough. Darcy snorted at this. My eyes went to the monitor. I really wanted to hear something. But, at the same time, I had to accept the fact that the monitor might stay silent all night.

  After a while, all the shows started to blur and my eyes got heavy. Darcy and Maya had fallen silent, too. I tried to keep myself awake, but I had a feeling nothing was going to happen. The baby monitor had been quiet for a while now. Except for when Anya had flushed the toilet upstairs a few minutes ago, but after that, nothing but silence … in the dark living room … with only the blue light of the television … I was getting … very … sleepy …

  “Help! I can’t …”

  I shot straight up like I’d been given an electrical shock. Darcy did the same, her hair looking even more disheveled than usual. Maya rose more slowly, rubbing her eyes.

  “Did you hear that?” Darcy asked.

  “Yeah,” I whispered, and Maya nodded, looking terrified. There’d been static, so some of the words were muffled, but I’d heard it.

  And then a voice came again through the monitor. Two unmistakable words that sent chills from my head to my toes.

  “I’m … scared.”
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  All three of us burst into action, climbing out of our sleeping bags and scrambling to our feet. We started running, following Maya’s lead, going up the stairs as fast as we could and pounding down the hallway until we came to a stop outside the closed door of her baby brother’s room. A little yellow sign with the name Rishi hung on the door. Maya reached out and turned the knob. It released with a click, and the door slowly swung inward.

  My pulse raced as we stepped into the darkened room. My eyes were slow to adjust and only made out bumps and shadows that could’ve been furniture or a hunched-over person, for all I knew. Ragged breaths came from all around me, and though logically I knew the three of us were breathing hard from running up the stairs, it made me think of irrational things like monsters hiding in closets.

  Maya ran her hand along the wall. “Where’s that dimmer switch?” she said anxiously.

  Finally, there was a click and the room was lit by a dim orange glow. We were in a cute little nursery with yellow walls and pictures of elephants and tigers. Rishi was sleeping peacefully in his crib. No creepy person hid in the room, begging for help. The closet was open and no monsters lurked within.

  It was just us, standing there in the silence, trying to catch our breath.

  “What are you doing?” a voice snapped.

  Startled, I whipped around. Anya stood by the door frowning, with her hands on her hips.

  Maya said, “We heard a sound in Rishi’s room, so we came up to check on him.”

  Not a lie. Well played, Maya.

  Anya’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t hear anything. And my room’s right next to his.”

  Darcy stepped forward. “But you were sleeping … right?” Her voice was suspicious and she had that look in her eye that she gets when she doesn’t trust someone.

  I examined Anya. Her eyes weren’t glassy. She had no pillow marks on her face. No glaring evidence that she’d just woken up. Though she did have a bit of bedhead, but all that proved was that she’d been lying down.

  Anya gave us one last glare and backed out of the room. “Just keep it down, children.”

  I loved the way she talked down to us. And by loved I mean hated with every fiber of my being.