After the search at the warehouse, Louis sent me back home and I bade him farewell.
Mum seemed relieved to see me. "For once, I thought you've run away," she said. "Where were you, anyway?"
"Out with Louis," I said, starting to head for my bedroom. Only when Mum gave a startled choke I then realized my reply came out wrong.
"Out... with Louis?" Mum said. She shook her head. "Never mind."
I started walking up the staircase when Mum called me again. "And, oh, Alice, you have a visitor."
I turned to see who it was. I almost freaked.
"Emma?" I gasped, looking at my ten-year-old cousin. "What are you doing here?"
***
Emma Steinberg jumped up and down on my bed, wearing those red-and-white striped socks she calls "lucky".
"Emma, come down," I groaned, sitting on the edge of my bedroom, examining the clues left by Emily. Emma pretended not to hear me and began doing silly yoga poses.
"What are you even doing with those stuff?" Emma asked suddenly, standing on her head.
"None of your business," I mumbled, sticking out my tongue.
"But the guy living across the street said you are doing a rescue mission," said Emma. "That Emily person."
I silently cursed under my breath. "Here we go," I moaned softly.
"I want to join." Emma looked at me, pleading. "Please?"
"No." I spat sharply. "Just because you're here for the summer does not mean you're going to Cape Cod with us."
"You're going to Cape Cod?" Emma said excitedly. "I want to go with you!"
"Why are you here, anyway?" I asked, ignoring her pitiful whimpers.
"Mummy thought I would spend a lot fun with you, because you're teenage and all," Emma replied, frowning. "But it doesn't look like it."
I looked up and saw Emma picking on her socks, mumbling something about fun, adventure, and the stubbornness of teenagers. I sighed.
"Look Emma, I know you want to go, and I guess it won't hurt to have an additional member," I began, "so---"
"Really?" Emma began jumping up and down on my bed again. "I'm going to come!"
She jumped off bed and began packing her stuff. "I can't believe it, we're going to Cape Cod!" she said. "We better tell Mummy and your mum, too. It's going to be great!"
"NO!" I suddenly shouted. Emma looked at me. "I mean, don't tell anyone. Especially the grown-ups. They'll go protective and parently all over."
Emma nodded. "Yeah, no problem," she nodded. Mum would feel pissed and she'll stop our search of Emily. It would be terrible.
While I am packing back my materials, I could hear Emma muttering under her breath, "We're going to Cape Cod, we're going to Cape Cod."