Chapter Seven
Ingrid Third was tired. She had been sitting in the stuffy AC room for more than ten minutes and the instructor still wasn't there. She sipped her hot chocolate and glanced over at the classroom door. A girl bustled in, papers flying everywhere. She looked at Ingrid and froze. Ingrid looked down and saw her sash hanging around her shoulder.
"Oh, I'm here for the class, no questions." She said. The girl dumped the papers on a wooden desk and sat across from Ingrid.
"Hi, I'm Helena Barbara Sofia Kenzie Washington Lillian Roberto." She held a hand to her heart and caught her breath. "I'm named after my three aunts, my uncle and my grandmother."
"That's nice. I'm Ingrid Annabelle Third. Named after my dead great grandfather who was in the Second World War." Ingrid stuck her hand out. Helena Barbara frowned at her.
"You're great grandfathers name was Annabelle Third?" She asked.
"Don't ask." Ingrid said. Helena Barbara shook her head and grabbed the mug from Ingrid's hands.
"Caffeine addiction?" She asked. Ingrid nodded.
"How do yah know, did it happen to you?" Ingrid asked, staring down at the mug at the steaming chocolate aroma.
"You're a Safety Patroller. Always on the job, no time for breaks. I usually see about five of you guys in here during the school year. It isn't a big deal for the regular students but it 'affects your work on the force'." Helena Barbara explained. Ingrid sipped her hot chocolate, receiving a glance from Helena Barbara.
"It's hot chocolate. How long is this going to take?" Ingrid asked.
"As long as you're willing. Go home, take a long nap and put away the coffee machine. Take shorter hours, maybe an outside class or something like yoga." Helena suggested. Ingrid decided that this girl was okay, a rare finding in most X students…or teachers for that matter.
"Sure thing Helena Barbara…" Ingrid trailed off. "Same time tomorrow?" She asked. After Helena Barbara nodded, Ingrid gathered her stuff up and rubbed the silk sash on her way out the door. The walkie- talkie that had been resting in her dress pocket blared.
"Third." Ingrid spoke into the device.
"I know who did it, so get down here right now. I mean it!" The same static filled voice came through out into Ingrid's ear. Ingrid ran over to the staircase and ran up the stairs and in the headquarters. Fillmore was sitting in the soundproof office with Vallejo, and she burst into the room with excitement.
"What took you so long? Look here." Fillmore pointed to the paragraphs he had written on the case.
"But…Nikki Lang? That makes zero sense!" She exclaimed.
"Nikki was the first to have the bracelets on her own, and she was Cassie's best friend. Remember, Ingrid? Only Nikki knew that Cassie had a thing for Robbie. So Nikki created the bracelets and planted them under Robbie's mat, she must have been over at Cassie's house or just leaving. Robbie liked Lindsay Rae though and he gave them to her instead. When Nikki found out she made another red bracelet without permission from the rest of the club. That's whom you almost caught when you were leaving the gym after talking to Cassie that day. After almost being caught, Nikki talked Robbie into stealing the beads, but he only took a box of them not the bracelet. Ingrid knocked him out. The threats that Lindsay Rae mentioned were from Nikki, trying to get her to give the bracelets back to Robbie so he could give them to Cassie. Maybe a few pieces don't attach to the puzzle but it was Nikki Lang. And she's in the Jewelry Club right now."
"Crackers." Ingrid whispered and rushed out the door after Fillmore.
