Free A Quill Ladder by Jennifer Ellis Page B

this time. Abbey scarcely dared to breathe. Caleb opened his eyes again, more slowly this time, and then nodded.
    “ It says: The final lesson is at 309. ”
    “ 309, what? ” Abbey said. “ Is it a room, an address, what? ”
    Caleb looked all over the card, flipped it over and back again, and then finally shrugged. “ It doesn ’ t say. ”
    “ So great, the two of you can read magical writing and I can ’ t. ”
    “ Can ’ t yet , Abs, ” Simon corrected. “ And I couldn ’ t read it either. ”
    “ That ’ s just because the two of you have no ability to clear your minds, ” Caleb said.
    “ Yeah, well, that ’ s probably because there ’ s a whole lot more in our minds, bro. ”
    Caleb shot out a fist and gave Simon a firm punch on the shoulder. Simon went to grab Caleb ’ s arm and pull it behind his back, like he used to do before Caleb outweighed him. Abbey shoved her hand between the two of them.
    “ Stop! We don ’ t have time for this. I met with Jake today. He ’ s the one that gave me the card. Ian gave it to him. Jake says several people have come looking for him to help them use the docks. Someone has cut away the rosebush, and every last adult around us is acting crazy. We need to figure this out. ” And I have a list from my adult self , she added in her mind. She should tell them both about the list.
    Simon and Caleb stopped their wrestling and separated.
    “ You need to tell me what happened that night you went over the stones, ” Caleb said.
    “ You need to tell us what you were doing going to the stones with Mom this morning, ” Abbey countered. Simon jerked his head up in surprise. He hadn ’ t known about that.
    “ You first, ” Caleb said.
    Abbey looked at Simon. He lifted his hands to say he didn ’ t know what to do.
    The sound of a car in the driveway made them all jump. Farley started to bark in the living room. Simon flicked one of the slats of his closed blinds.
    “ It ’ s a police cruiser, ” he said, his face oddly pale and his voice thin.
    “ What? ” Abbey exclaimed. Maybe their parents were in a trunk.
    The engine was cut and footsteps and a sharp rap at the door followed. Farley ’ s lunatic woofing was cut off by a reprimand from Sylvain. Abbey, Simon, and Caleb poured out of Simon ’ s room. Abbey ’ s heart throbbed with fear.
    Sylvain had risen to his feet and stood in the hallway. “ Is one of you expecting someone? ”
    “ It ’ s the police, ” Abbey said. She wanted to add, “ What did you do? ” but thought better of it. Sylvain elevated his eyebrows, but didn ’ t appear excessively perturbed — not like a total criminal would be expected to look.
    He approached the door after ordering a surprisingly obedient Farley to his bed, and they all crowded around behind him, looked at each other, and then dispersed around the room as if to look casual. Sylvain opened the door.
    “ Coventry Hill police department, ” the officer said. “ We ’ re looking for a Simon Sinclair on charges relating to hacking into the City Hall computer system. We have a warrant for his arrest. We ’ re here to take him into custody. ”
    Abbey ’ s whole body stiffened. Simon. He was guilty. He had done it. Simon shrank against the living room wall, his face a ghastly shade of puce.
    “ I ’ m afraid the children ’ s parents are not here, ” Sylvain said. “ Would it be possible for you to come back later? ”
    “ We have instructions to take him into custody. He ’ ll get two phone calls from the detention center, and you can contact the parents yourself. Ms. Beckham is under investigation too, as obviously she is the new mayor and may have received pertinent information as a result of the hack job. Which one of these boys is Simon? ”
    Simon raised his hand. “ I am. ” His voice quavered through the deeper tones of manhood.
    “ All right, son, we ’ re going to read you your Miranda rights. We ’ re not going to cuff you, unless you give us