Free The Fossil Hunter of Sydney Mines by Jo Ann Yhard Page B

that’s another story. Sorry I didn’t mention it. I told Mai—I guess you weren’t there. She didn’t seem to think it was a big deal.”
    â€œHe actually tried to break into your dad’s office? I can’t believe it!”
    â€œWell, I don’t know that for sure. It seemed like he was trying to get into the basement. And the only thing down there is my dad’s office…. Hang on, how did you know he had an office in the basement?”
    â€œUh, I don’t know. I guess I just assumed he’d have one…Roger does.”
    â€œOh.”
    â€œGrace, you have to get into that office!”

Chapter
14
    GRACE COULD HEAR HER MOTHER’S SHOWER GOING AS SHE tromped down into the kitchen the next morning. She was chugging some orange juice out of the container when her eyes spied the calendar on the fridge.
    Her mom was on an extra shift at the ferry terminal this morning. Yes! Grace thought. This was the perfect time to look for the office key and then sneak in. But how would she get out of school? Pacing back and forth, it came to her— sick day . She’d definitely need some convincing symptoms, though. Her mom was tough to fool.
    Fever? No, too hard. Hmmm…stomach cramps? Iffy.
    Where was Fred when she needed him? He’d have loads of suggestions—he could probably make her look almost dead. Suddenly it was like Fred’s genius in the ways of all things crazy spoke to her.
    Vomit!
    And the quickest way to make herself vomit was to eat peanut butter. Brilliant! The only problem was that she’d actually have to eat it. She shuddered, totally grossed out at the thought. Well, this was an emergency and it called for drastic measures. She was only a little allergic, anyway—not the drop-dead kind, just the barf-’til-your-insides-are-outside kind.
    There wasn’t much time. She dropped a bagel in the toaster and waited for it to pop. Then she grabbed the peanut butter and spread it on the bagel, watching as the gooey brown substance oozed over the sides. Baby poop. That’s what it looked like. Her stomach flipped and rolled. She felt like she was going to barf and she hadn’t even eaten it yet.
    The shower stopped. Crap! Her Mom would be down any minute to make coffee. She stared at the brown goo. It was now or never. Closing her eyes, she bit a chunk off the bagel—and gagged. Keep it together, she told herself. Think happy thoughts. You’re on the beach. It’s summer. The water is blue—no, it’s brown goo! Yeeeuckk! Who am I kidding? Swallow! Swallow now !
    The poo-covered bagel fell into her belly like a rock. Her stomach was not happy about it. She tossed the rest in the garbage and threw a paper towel overtop to hide the evidence.
    Her mother’s footsteps echoed on the stairs. Grace’s face felt clammy and she lifted her hand to— oh, double crap! Her face ! She’d forgotten it was covered in scratches from her run through the woods the day before. If her mom saw those, she’d be totally busted. Bending forward so her hair draped like a curtain over her eyes, Grace clutched her gurgling stomach and raced past her mother on the stairs.
    â€œGrace, what in heaven’s name—?”
    She barely made it. Slamming the bathroom door shut, the geyser started when she was still a metre from the toilet. Good thing she aimed right. It didn’t stop—it kept coming and coming and coming….
    â€œUhhh,” she moaned. She rested her head on her arms, which were draped across the toilet seat. The taste of vomit filled her mouth. Maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea, after all.
    Her mother knocked on the door. “Grace, you’ve been in there a long time. Are you okay?”
    Grace mumbled something indecipherable between retches.
    â€œI can’t hear you. I’m coming in,” her mother said as she opened the door.
    Grace buried her head deeper in the bowl