Free The Haunted Lighthouse by Penny Warner Page A

run,” Quinn said. “Ready? On the count of three: one … two … three!”
    The Code Busters raced along the shortcut toward the hotel. The path was well worn, mostly uphill, and Cody kept glancing back to see if the man was following them. Maybe he wasn’t spying on them. Maybe it had been her imagination.
    The kids were puffing when they reached the grounds of the large white hotel. Cody scanned the plentiful tennis courts and two pools and wondered what it cost to stay there.
    “Any sign of your mysterious stranger?” Quinn asked. He sounded as if he didn’t believe her.
    Cody shrugged and shook her head.
    “Okay, let’s see if we can find the laundry chute,” Quinn said, excitement in his eyes.
    The four kids entered the lobby of the grand hotel quietly, almost as if they were in church. Cody looked up at the high ceilings, then around at theVictorian decor—ornate wallpaper, heavy chandeliers, velvety chairs, and the various antiques that filled the room.
    “Now what?” M.E. whispered. “I don’t think we can just go up to the front desk and ask where the laundry chutes are. They’ll know we’re up to something.”
    Cody nodded. “Let’s get sodas at that café we passed. Maybe we can talk to the waiter to see if he knows anything about the chutes.”
    “Good idea,” M.E. agreed. “I’m dying of thirst.”
    The kids headed over to the Paragon Restaurant, passing several fancy boutiques and shops along the way. The place was practically empty at that hour, with only a few couples at the bar. The kids found a table by the window, and Cody stared out at the view for a few moments, spotting Alcatraz looming under the Golden Gate Bridge. The waiter, an elderly man with thinning hair slicked back, wearing black pants and a black shirt, greeted them and handedeach one a menu. His name tag read DELMAR MORRIS .
    Cody blinked when she saw the prices. The price of food here was certainly higher than in the school cafeteria. After some discreet whispering and checking of funds, they decided on four lemonades and a basket of french fries to share.
    The waiter appeared again at their table from seemingly nowhere, his arms straight down in front of him, his hands folded. Cody noticed a sparkling ring on his thin pinky finger. “Good afternoon, young people. What may I get you today?”
    “Uh, we’d like four lemonades and some french fries, please,” Quinn said.
    The waiter nodded. “Very good. Anything else?”
    “No, that’s it.” Quinn handed him the menus.
    “Shall I put it on your room?”
    The kids looked at each other, puzzled. Then Cody said, “No, thanks, we’ll pay cash.”
    “Very good.” He took the menus and disappeared.
    “What did he mean, put it on your room?” M.E. asked.
    “He meant we could charge it to our room at the hotel and pay for it later,” Cody answered. “But we don’t have a room.”
    Cody couldn’t help checking the café entrance for any sign of the strange man she’d seen at the Campanile.
    “Listen,” Luke said, “this is it for me. If we don’t find anything here, I say we give up. I’ve got a basketball game later today. Those diamonds were hidden a long time ago—there’s no way they’re still around. Either Diamond Dave got them back, or someone else found them … or they were never really there.”
    “Well, at least let’s ask the waiter about the laundry chutes,” Quinn said. “He looks like he’s been around since the place was built. He should know where they are—if they still exist.”
    The waiter returned with a tray of four lemonadesin tall glasses and a plate of french fries sprinkled with bits of white and green things. He set the drinks at each place and put the fries in the middle, along with a bottle of ketchup.
    “What’s the green stuff?” Luke asked him.
    “Just a little parsley, to give it color,” the waiter said, standing at attention, his hands holding the empty tray in front of him. Cody noticed the sparkling