"But that bank robbery happened way out of our jurisdiction." Tara replied, frowning at what Josh just announced.
Josh shook his head, still reading. "No apparently they hit another bank in New Hampshire last night, then another New Hampshire bank this morning. It seems like he's escalating. He actually walked into the bank during business hours on the last one. Because of this, they want the big guns to come up there and solve this case."
"And we're part of this team?" She asked.
He nodded. "At least you and Sue are, anyways. You leave on the next plane out. Tickets are here." He said, wheeling his chair to the printer, which was printing the tickets as he spoke.
"They just want us to up and leave?" She asked, shocked.
Shrugging, he just looked at her and handed her the tickets.
Loudly letting out her breath, she picked up her phone. "Let's tell Sue."
?-?
"Guess what?" Mya excitedly asked everyone, her eyes still reading the email on her computer.
"Do we want to know?" Myles skeptically asked.
"Yes, you do." She replied, nodding.
"What is it?" Jack asked.
"We're going to help solve this string of bank robberies!" She happily announced.
"How are we going to do that? They didn't happen in our jurisdiction." Bobby asked.
"Apparently they want their premier people working this case, and me, Jack and Bobby are part of it!"
"What about me?" Myles complained.
"You and Sarah are working home base." She replied.
"That's a nice way to put it." Sarah monotonously replied.
"I guess there's going to be two teams;" she said, reading the email. "One that looks at the evidence from the past crime, and one that is going to try to predict their next bank robbery. We're part of the second team. We leave for Vermont in 2 hours." Mya continued, ignoring her friend.
"I better tell Sue." Jack said, taking out his phone, only to find it already ringing. "Apparently she read my mind. He said, answering his phone. "HELLO!"
"HELLO." She signed back into the phone. "ME HAVE BAD NEWS."
Frowning, he cocked his head and waited for her to continue.
"THEM-ASK-ME IF CAN HELP-THEM WITH BNK CASE. TARA, US-TWO FLY MAINE WHEN? 2 HOURS."
Seeing what she signed, Jack started laughing.
Confused why he was laughing, she just silently stared at the screen, waiting until he calmed down. "FUNNY WHAT?" She asked when he seemed to calm down.
"WE WORK WHAT? BNK CASE SAME. BUT WE WORK FUTURE PLANNING."
"CASE SAME BUT NOT?" She asked, confused.
"YES." Jack replied. "2 TEAM. 1 TEAM START WORK WHERE? FIRST BNK. OTHER TEAM WORK WHERE? VERMONT, IMAGINE NEXT BNK."
"OH-I-SEE." She replied, finally understanding. "WE WORK SAME CASE, DIFFERENT TEAM."
He nodded in reply.
Sue smiled. "THIS CASE FUN!"
"YES." He signed, chuckling.
All of a sudden, her happy smile turned into a frown. "WE DO-DO WITH KIDS WHAT?"
He frowned as well. "PROBLEM THAT."
?-?
"Have I ever told you how great a friend you are?" Sue asked when she dropped off the whole kit and caboodle at Lucy's before she ran to catch her plane. Seconds after Lucy opened the door, the dogs and kids were already in the house, leaving the two friends in the doorway.
"I think you've mentioned something like that before." Lucy smiled as she took the bags that Sue hastily packed for the dogs and kids. As soon as she picked them up, she winced. "What have you got in here? Lead bricks?" She strained.
Smiling as she took a bag from her friend and helped her carry them to the kitchen. "We're not sure how long we're going to be, so I packed more than enough stuff, hopefully to last you until the case is over, or at least until we come home."
"How long do you plan to be gone? 5 years?" She asked, looking inside one of the bags, curious what was inside.
"Sorry?" Sue asked, not being able to see the whole sentence because her friend had her head leaning downwards.
Shaking her head, she revised her sentence. "You've got enough to last years in here!"
She laughed. "It's not that much, and you know it."
Lucy laughed along with her friend, walking with her back to the door. "I know. It just seems like a lot."
"Are you leaving now?" Mellody asked, walking up to Sue, who was now standing at the door.
She looked down. "Yes. We will see you in a few days, OK?"
The girl sadly nodded. "We know."
Sue smiled, appreciative that the girl understood. "How about I bring you back a novelty from Maine?"
"What's a novelty?" Chris asked, walking up to them.
"Well," she started, kneeling down to be eye level. "A novelty is a little item that showcases the place you visited, like a little snow globe, or a toy, or a little figurine. You understand?"
The kids nodded. "Can I have one too? I don't think I ever got one." Chris asked.
"Of course!" Sue happily replied, standing up straight. "Now, I have to go, or I'm going to miss my flight!"
"See you soon!" Lucy said, waving as they all watched her walk out the door, off to solve the case.