Free Model Crime 1 by Carolyn Keene Page A

horses looked on.
    “What are you all waiting for?” he called irritably, glancing toward the rest of us. “Somebody get her a towel or something!”
    “I’ll go! I think there’s a robe in the dressing room!” Deb called out.
    “I’ll come help you find it,” Candy offered.
    “What’s Deb doing here?” George said in surprise as the two of them hurried off in the direction of the locker rooms. “I thought all us nonceleb bridesmaids were supposed to be off the hook for today.”
    I shrugged. Until that moment I hadn’t noticed that Deb was there either. But the reason for her presence seemed like one of the least important questions of the moment.
    Sydney was huddled up against Vic, shivering and dripping as the rest of us hurried over. “This is a nightmare,” she moaned, staring tearfully at one of her arms. “They must’ve bitten me, like, a zillion times. And the bites are already starting to swell. Look!”
    Sure enough, there were already several angry red welts standing out against her pale skin. “Whoa!” Bo said, staring at them. “What kind of psycho-freak ants were those?”
    “She’s got sensitive skin,” Akinyi told him. “It doesn’t take much to make her swell up like crazy.”
    “That’s right.” Ellie was already examining the ant bites. “Oh, dear. I should call your father to see if we still have some of your allergy medicine—maybe that would help.” Suddenly noticing that several camera operators were still filming, her face suddenly went stern. “Turn those cameras off right now!” she ordered.
    At that moment Deb reappeared carrying a tube of something. “Look, we found some anti-itch stuff!” she said. “Candy’s still back there looking for the robes. Here, let’s put this on you before those bites get any worse.”
    “Cool,” Vic said gratefully. “Hear that, baby? This stuff’ll help.”
    “Thanks, Deb,” Sydney said with a sniff. “But I think it’s too late for that.” Still, she stood there and allowed her friend to dab the cream onto her arms and shoulders.
    Meanwhile Ellie Marvin was marching toward the closest cameraman, Mr. Bald-and-Bushy. “I said, turn those things off!” she said, shaking one finger in the man’s face. “This isn’t part of the deal, and my daughter doesn’t need to be subjected to you people’s sick curiosity and utter lack of human decency.”
    Hans Eberhart had been standing back watching the scene unfold with everyone else. Now he hurried forward. “Now, now, Mrs. Marvin,” he said. “Let’s not get upset. Remember, Daredevils is a reality show, eh? And so things like this will happen. After all, reality can be so incredibly…real, sometimes!”
    Ellie glared at him. “Exactly what’s so real about all this?” she demanded, waving an arm at the fake pyramids and palm trees.
    Eberhart turned toward Vic and Sydney. “Please, Sydney,” he said. “Can you explain to your dear mother about how reality TV works?”
    Sydney sniffled. “Sorry, but this is all getting a little too un real for me,” she said. “I need a moment. Excuse me, everyone.”
    Pulling away from Deb, who was still busily tending to her bites, she raced off toward the locker rooms. “Oh, dear,” Donald murmured.
    Eberhart just shrugged. “Take five, everyone,” he called out, signaling for the cameras to stop rolling. He pointed to Mr. Bushy Eyebrows. “Butch, start setting up for the Egyptian sequence.” As the cameraman nodded and strolled off toward the pyramid, the director turned toward Vic, Bo, and Dragon. “Boys, why don’t you get dressed for that bit now? We can return to the Hawaiian business later.”
    Bo clapped Vic on the back. “Come on, bro,” he said. “You heard the man. Let’s get suited up pharaoh-style.”
    Vic looked vaguely mutinous for a moment as he stared after Sydney. Then he shrugged and sighed. “Fine,” he said. Shooting a worried look at Akinyi, he added, “Call me if Syd needs me,