فصل سی و چهارم

chapter-34

Veering left the instant she reached the second floor, Haley made her way toward the 400s room.

She figured that Charles and Andrew had probably missed something important in the foreign languages room because they’d spent too much time talking to “these awesome mannequins” that told them all about their “American heritage.” As she rounded the bend, Haley saw Kyle Keeley and his crew tumble out of the 200s room.

It looked like Miguel was carrying a Bible.

But a Bible wasn’t one of the books on display in the Staff Picks case.

We’re following separate paths to the same goal, Haley thought. And somewhere, those two paths are going to collide.

Haley slid her card key down the reader slot in the 400s door. The lock clicked and she pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit.

“Bienvenida! Bienvenue! Witamy! Kuwakaribisha! Welcome!” boomed a voice from the ceiling speakers.

“Sorry,” said Haley, blindly feeling her way forward and bumping into something hard and lumpy.

“This is the four hundreds room, home of foreign languages. Here, HALEY, you can learn all about your American heritage.” A bank of spotlights thumped on.

Haley was basically hugging a department store mannequin.

An overhead projector beamed a movie onto the dummy to her left, turning it into a perky woman who looked like Haley would probably look a couple of years after she graduated from college.

“Hello, HALEY. Welcome to your American heritage. Let’s begin your voyage!” “That’s okay, I don’t have time right now. I’m Haley Daley. My ancestors were Irish, okay? So can we skip the history lesson and …” Suddenly, the two mannequins at the far end of the row turned into sepia-toned versions of her great-great-great-grandmother and great-great-great-grandfather. Haley knew it was them because her dad had a bunch of old photos hanging in their family room. The two dummies looked exactly like Patrick and Oona Daley did in their wedding portrait.

“No man ever wore a scarf as warm as his daughter’s arm around his neck,” said Patrick in his thick Irish brogue. “Yer da is proud of you, Haley.” “Thanks. But I really need to win this competition.”

“Watch out for sneaky rascals,” said Oona. “Them that would steal the sugar out of your punch.” Haley had to smile. It sounded like her ancestor had met Charles Chiltington.

“And always remember, Haley,” said her great-great-great-grandfather, “every woman’s mind is her kingdom. Rule it wisely, lassie.” “I’m trying!”

“This library can help,” said her great-great-great-grandmother with a wink.

And when she did, a secret panel in the wall slid open.

“What’s going on?” said Haley.

“You’re our third visitor!” boomed the jolly announcer in the ceiling.

“So?”

“According to The American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms—available in our reference department, by the way—’the third time is a charm’! Therefore, as our third visitor, you have won this charming bonus.” Two bonuses in one day?

She was right! Mr. Lemoncello definitely wanted Haley Daley to win this game, because clearly he knew she’d be the perfect, best-looking spokesmodel for his holiday commercials.

“Don’t worry, sir!” Haley said to the nearest TV camera. “I won’t let you down.” She hurried through the open wall panel and into the 300s room on the other side.

Ta-da!

The first thing she saw was one of the books they’d been searching for all day long: True Crime Ohio: The Buckeye State’s Most Notorious Brigands, Burglars, and Bandits by Clare Taylor-Winters.

She quickly opened the cover and found the hidden four-by-four card. It took her two seconds to decipher the clue: “Bandits.”

Haley remembered another bit of Irish wisdom, something her dad said all the time: “Never bolt your door with a boiled carrot!” She decided to keep this new clue secret and secure. She wouldn’t share it with Charles or Andrew.

Haley took off her left sneaker, folded the card in half, and slid the clue into her shoe for safekeeping. When her sneak was laced up tight again, she took the True Crime Ohio book off its display stand and tucked it into the bookshelf, making sure it was in the proper position: right between 364.1091 and 364.1093. That way, she’d know where to find it if, for whatever reason, she needed the book again.

Haley looked up at the nearest camera and flashed it her brightest toothpaste-commercial smile.

“Goooo, Le-moncell-ooooo! That’s a cheer I just made up. We can use it in one of the commercials—after I win!”