Free Gasparilla's Treasure (Trip Mongomery Book 1) by Scott Clements

that way,” said Trip.  “We need to go out the other door.”
    They hurried to the other side of the room and slowly cracked the door open.  Trip poked his head out and looked both ways.  This door opened to an inside hallway.  Trip didn’t see anyone, so he opened the door and stepped in the hallway.
    “The coast is clear,” he whispered.  “Let’s get out of here.”
    They exited the room and gently closed the door so no one would hear them.  Just in time.  They heard the tour guide as she entered the room.
    “AAAAAA!” she shouted from the other side of the door.  “La Olla Tierra!  It’s broken!”
    Trip, Sarah and Josh bolted for the exit door as fast as they could.  The tour guide threw open the door and stepped in the hallway, furious when she spotted them.
    “Stop right there! Security!  Security!”
    A stocky security guard ran around a corner from the other end of the hallway and closed in on them.  Josh was tired and out of breath.  He slowed down.
    “Just go on without me,” Josh said as he came to a stop.  “I can’t make it.”
    Trip stopped and dragged him along.  “Yes, you can,” encouraged Trip, breathing heavily himself.  “We’re almost there, come on!”
    The tour guide and security guard were closing in as Trip pulled Josh toward the exit door.  Trip pushed the door hard, but something was blocking it.  He felt resistance as he pushed even harder against it.  One last shove, and it opened just enough for them to squeeze through.  He held the door as Sarah and Josh wiggled their way through.  Trip was about to work his way through the door when the security guard grabbed his arm.
    “Not so fast kid,” barked the security guard.  Lucky for Trip, the security guard was out of shape since his normal duties included sitting on a stool in the reception area greeting guests, not chasing down energetic kids.  Trip pushed hard on the door one last time and yanked his arm free.  He was out the door before the security guard knew what happened.
    Trip looked back as he ran down the street.  He saw the security guard pull the door closed.  As it clicked shut, one of Eli’s goons fell flat on the ground.  He had been standing by the door, hoping he would see what Trip was doing inside, when Trip shoved the door open.  The blow of the door knocked him out cold.
     
    Eli was disgusted when his goon brought him the news later that day.  He bit into a candy bar and took a drink from a bottle of cold water. 
    “Can I get some water?” the injured goon asked as he held an ice pack to his head.  He had run straight back to tell Eli what happened, even though his head throbbed the whole way and he was thirsty.  Eli took a huge swig from his water before he answered.
    “Do you deserve water?” Eli barked.  “This is so embarrassing for me.  I can’t believe they knocked you out.  Do you know what the kids at school are going to think about me if they find out?”
    “How was I supposed to know they'd come running out the door like that?” the goon pleaded.
    Eli took another big gulp from his bottle, letting some spill down his face.  “You are pathetic!  Did you at least get to see what they were doing in there?”
    The goon was afraid to answer, so he just shook his head.
    “You really are useless!  Now get back out there and find me something I can use!” Eli roared.  Eli poured the rest of his water on the goon’s head.
    “There’s your water, you loser.”
    He threw the empty bottle right in the goon’s face and stormed off.

CHAPTER 14
     
    In the attic, Trip and Sarah looked over their notes into the late hours of the night.  The excitement of finding the first map piece wore off quickly when they realized they had no idea what to do next.  They were at a stand still. 
    Wearily, Trip looked at a page in the Gasparilla book for the millionth time, and noticed something he had not seen before.  It was a small, smudgy shape at the bottom of the