Free Andi Unstoppable by Amanda Flower Page B

were looking for me, Bergita will never forgive me.”
    He bent over, grabbed his knees, and breathed. “I’m okay.” After a few deep breaths, he straightened up.
    â€œWhy were you so worried?” I asked. Colin was used to my disappearing when we were in the middle of investigations. I had to follow wherever the case may lead.
    â€œI — I thought . . .” He blushed bright red. “You will think I’m stupid if I say it.”
    â€œNo, I won’t.”
    â€œI thought maybe whatever we saw last night — and I’m not saying that it was a ghost — got you.”
    I stared at him in disbelief. Colin was the most logical person I knew. If he believed in Dominika’s ghost, then could it be true?
    â€œI’m fine, Colin. I stopped to talk to one of the triplets, and I found out some information about Claudette and Gregory.” Quickly, I told him what I learned as we went down the path.
    Colin’s face cleared. I knew it was because I didn’t make fun of him over the ghost thing. Truth be told, I was starting to wonder about it myself. I felt in my jeans pocket for the little piece of glittery fabric. Ghosts don’t need glitter, I reminded myself. At least, I hoped they didn’t.
    The palm warbler sang again.
    I followed the bend and found all the birders plus Claudette, Bergita, and Ava staring at a bird in a young maple tree. Colin recorded the palm warbler in our assignment notebook.
    â€œColin, I think it’s time we get out the casebook too.” I patted the shoulder strap of my daypack. “It’s in here.”
    He nodded seriously. “All these strange events call for a new investigation.”

CASE FILE NO. 10
    Hours later, we trudged back to camp, hot, tired, and without a sighting of the Kirtland’s warbler.
    Gregory leaned back in his lawn chair. “How did the expedition go, Claudette? I hope you at least saw a house sparrow.”
    Claudette stopped just short of growling at him. “We saw many varieties of birds. The children will have a long list to take back to their teacher.”
    A smile crossed his face. “But the Kirtland’s warbler remains elusive. It’s such a shame that you haven’t seen one yet, Claudette. It’s been too many years of searching. Maybe you should give up the quest.”
    Claudette glared down at him. “Shut your mouth, you pompous jerk!”
    Gregory’s smile didn’t even waver. “Please don’t resort to name-calling in front of my students and in front of your young charges. We wouldn’t want them to get the idea that such behavior is acceptable, now would we?”
    â€œHelp! Help!” Paige raced out of the woods and was holding her chest. “Help!”
    Everyone turned and stared at her.
    Gregory leapt out of his chair. “Paige! What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
    â€œI . . . I . . .”
    â€œSpit it out, girl!” Claudette ordered.
    Gregory glared at Claudette. “Please don’t address my student in that manner.” He took Paige by the arm and lowered her into the chair he’d just left. “Are you all right?”
    She nodded and looked up to find thirty people staring down at her. Her face turned bright red. “I had a terrible scare. I was in the woods. I planned to come back with everyone else, but I thought I heard an Eastern Towhee in the brush. I really wanted to get a good photo of one because they’re my favorite bird. I was bent over searching the ground for it. You know they like to stay low.”
    â€œYes, we all know that,” Claudette snapped.
    If possible, Paige’s face turned even redder. “Right.” She took a deep breath. “Anyway, I was rooting through the brush, and I must have wandered off the path, because the trail disappeared. Before long, I found myself in the graveyard.”
    A hush fell over the birders.
    â€œYou were in the Shalley