Annie, Beth, Katie and Trisha went to the back of the bus and sat on the long bench like seat. The four buses at Ridgemont filled up quickly. Ruthie and Miss Leighton were the last ones on. They sat in seats behind the driver. The drivers then closed their doors and they were on their way.
The Waterbury Church was a massive building with tall stone pillars either side of a set of double doors. This nine o'clock service was reserved only for the students at Ridgemont and Ridgewest. When inside, the girls took their seats on the right side of the sanctuary. The boys were already in their places on the left.
Annie and her friends enjoyed the service. The girls knew most of the songs and the Pastor taught on Corinthians 13; what is called the "Love" chapter. It was one of Annie's favorite chapters in the bible. The Pastor ended his sermon with the words, "And the greatest of these is love."
There was a bit of uncomfortableness for Trisha before the girls took their seats. Trisha was catholic, and she made the sign of the cross when the group walked in. A few girls giggled and a blush worked it way up Trisha face. She was obviously embarrassed. Beth whispered to her. "Don't let that bother you. I'm sure the Lord appreciated it."
As soon as Annie and her friends emerged from the bus back at Ridgemont, they rushed up to their dorms to change out of their good clothes and into something more comfortable. The girls were sitting in Annie and Beth's dorm when an announcement came over the PA system. It cracked and squeaked before anyone could make sense of the words. Finally, they heard Miss Leighton's voice.
"I hope it's not more bad news," Katie moaned. "Hello students. Instead of lunch in the cafeteria today, we are having a picnic on the grounds." Squeals of joy rang throughout the halls. "It's good news!" Katie shouted gleefully. The other girls laughed at her. Miss Leighton gave the girls a minute to celebrate the news and then continued.
"We have invited Ridgewest to join us. This is our first social event of the season. Caterers have everything set up in back of the school. I expect all of you to behave like the young ladies you are." Loud laughter was now heard throughout the second floor. "When you are dressed and ready, please go down and greet our guests. "Thank you, and have a great time today."
Annie, Beth, Katie and Trisha stared incredulously at each other, then Katie said, "Well, at least we don't have to dance with them." Her friends snickered. "Always the optimist." Annie said chuckling.
Annie thought it was a great day for a picnic. It was a mild autumn day; a blue sky overhead and the sun poking intermediately through white fluffy clouds. Within a few minutes, Annie, Katie, Trisha and Beth were standing on the edge of the picnic area under that blue sky. The grounds were already packed with Ridgemont girls and Ridgewest boys. Annie found it funny that the girls were on one side of the lawn and the boys on the other. The caterers had placed a dozen tables end to end in front of the tennis courts. Annie had never seen so much food and drink in her life.
The girls and boys hunger seemed to outweigh their shyness and they all began to line up at the tables. "Come on! Let's go before all the food is gone!" Annie shouted. And she and her friends took off across the yard. They filed in at the back of the line and four Ridgewest boys lined up behind them.
Annie leaned around Beth's shoulder and stared at the long line of students ahead of them. "We should've run faster," she moaned. Before Beth, Katie or Trisha could comment, a snicker came from behind them. All four girls looked in the direction that the noise came from. A tall red headed boy with mischievous blue eyes was staring at Annie in particular.
The red head turned to three boys that were around him and said, "Just listen to that accent will you." His friends all grinned in unison. Beth, Trisha and Katie glared angrily at the red head and his buddies. But Annie grinned back and said, exaggerating her southern drawl, "Yes, I know how uneducated I must sound. I'm just sooooo grateful that Ridgemont even let me in." Then she grinned at the boys again, and hurried to catch up with the line that had moved since the red head had spoken.
Katie, Trisha and Beth were grinning ear to ear now at the retort Annie have given the red headed boy. The boys stood dumbfounded until complaints came from behind them that they weren't moving along. "Well, Collin, she told you," one of his friends, a dark headed boy with warm brown eyes, said with a smirk Collin looked embarrassed. "I was only teasing her." He defended himself.
After Annie, Beth, Katie and Trisha had filled their plates, they took seats at a picnic table under a dogwood tree that stood at the side of the school. "You are so good at verbal comebacks." Beth praised Annie. Annie grinned at her then picked up a chicken leg and started nibbling on it.
"It could've been me that spoke first." Katie said with a cringe. "I wouldn't have known what to say." She admitted, digging into her potato salad. Before Annie or the others could respond, Collin and his buddies appeared at the table. Annie, Beth, Trisha and Katie were stunned to see them standing there.
Annie looked at Collin just as he spoke, "I'd like to apologize to you." All the girls were wide eyed. None of them were expecting this. "I was just teasing. I think your accent is lovely." He said with a smile. Annie gazed at him a moment then said, "I accept your apology. And ask you to accept mine." Her friends stared incredulously at her.
Collin looked dumbfounded again. "I overreacted. I've had some rather nasty comments about my accent lately. I guess I've lost my sense of humor when it comes to that." Annie explained. "I'm sorry my comment added to that list." Collin said sincerely. Annie was fascinated with Collin's speech. He spoke like an adult would. Not like any 13 year old boy she had ever heard.
"May we join you?" Collin asked politely. "Of course." Annie said, waving her hand at the table. The boys took seats, each boy across from one girl. Collin introduced himself as Collin Burr, and the dark haired boy with the warm brown eyes as Zackery Landrake, Zak for short. He sat across from Beth.
"This is James, "Jamie" Pressman." Jamie was a football sized boy with a pug nose, honey blond close cropped hair and hazel blue eyes. He sat across from Beth. "And last, but not least, this is Charlie Bowers." Charlie was slim with light brown hair and gray eyes. Katie looked like she approved of the seating arrangements because when Charlie sat down across from her, she gave him a big smile.
Annie introduced Beth, Trisha and Katie to the boys and then the group began talking about their families, hometowns and such. Annie noticed that Charlie didn't enter much into the conversations. She wondered why. Everyone was nearly finished with their meal when Collin said, "We here you have a mystery going on at your school."
The girls were visibly stunned at Collin's statement. They assumed that the theft hadn't been broadcasted to anyone. The girls glanced at each other warily, not sure if they should confirm what Collin had said. A few moments passed and Annie decided to tell him the truth. "I'm not sure we're supposed to talk about it. But we weren't told we couldn't...." She trailed off.
"Um, how did you guys hear about it?" Annie asked. "Our headmaster told us, well, the whole school actually. He's really upset for Miss Leighton. He and she are friends." Collin answered. "Oh. I didn't know they were friends. Does your headmaster know that Miss Leighton is thinking of resigning?" Beth asked.
"I don't think he does." Charlie said. It was the first thing he had spoken since he sat down. And all the girls stared at him. He had a pleasant voice. Annie thought he should speak more often. "Maybe Mr. Hartman, our headmaster can talk her out of it." Charlie ended. "I hope he can." Katie said passionately.
"Does the sheriff have any suspects yet?" Collin asked. "Not yet. Everyone seems to have an alibi for the time of the theft." Beth said with a frown. "Sheriff Cooper's pretty sharp. He will get the bad guy, or girl in this case." Zack tried to assure her. Beth gave him a small smile. "If we're going to continue this conversation, we'd better talk a walk." Trisha whispered, nodding to where Miss Leighton and Ruthie were suddenly standing, five feet from their picnic table. The others nodded in agreement and picked up their trash and threw it in a nearby bin.
The group of friends walked across the grounds to the river bridge that led to the boys' school. The teens from each school were allowed to visit the other's grounds at these combined socials. Annie, Collin and the others started across the bridge and paused in the middle to look over the side at the fish.
Collin picked up the conversation as though it hadn't been interrupted. "So there is a need to find the one or ones who committed this crime....quickly, so Miss Leighton can feel absolution." Annie gazed in wonder at him again for his use of the English language. She had to admit he was also nice to look at with his red wavy hair and his dancing blue eyes.
He caught her staring at him and she blushed. "What?" He said. and smiled at her. Oh, my gosh, she thought. He even had perfect white teeth. Then she quickly gazed down at the river again, reddening further. "Nothing." Annie said quietly. Collin chuckled softly. Annie composed herself and said, "Yes. This crime needs to be solved. Miss Leighton just can't resign."
Suddenly, Zack's eyes widened, as he stared more intently at Annie. "Ever since I met you, I thought you reminded me of someone, and until now I couldn't think of who it was. But now I know." He said gleefully. "You're Sara Adams' daughter, aren't you?" Annie was stunned. "How would you know that?" she asked wide eyed.
"My Mom was a close friend of your mother. Her name is Jeanie Landrake, well, Landrake now. Her maiden name was Young." Then, he lowered his voice. "Mom was in the Mystery Club Detectives that your mom started." The rest of the teens were looking back and forth between their two friends in surprise. But none of them was as surprised and pleased as Annie.
End of chapter 7