235

Our car sped away from Sylvan Beach through the tree-lined country roads of upstate New York. Johnny drove, and I sat next to him in the front seat.

“So how much of that did you hear?” I asked Eve over the phone.

All of it.

“Do you think you can find anything on Miranda?”

Already on it. By the way, Bert’s about to call.

“What?” I asked, and then suddenly the phone rang.

I checked the screen: it was Bert.

“Weird,” I muttered, and answered the call. “Hey Bert.”

“Anything turn up with your field trip?”

“Yeah, a lot – but Eve probably doesn’t want me discussing it over the phone.”

There was a ping! in my ear, and I held it out to see a text message from Eve:

Definitely NOT. Do it in person.

“Do you have to listen in on my phone calls, too?” I asked, annoyed.

Yes, came the immediate text.

“What?” Bert asked.

“Nevermind. Just thinking out loud.”

“If you can’t tell me the details, then tell me this: good news or bad news?” Bert asked.

“Good news, but not the smoking gun we were hoping for. W