"So, do you think Madelyn has a chance of winning?" Bo asked Shirley
as they carried their lunch trays outside.
It was Monday and that meant one thing: school.
"It all depends on how many people are in the musical category," Shirley stated matter-of-factly. "The more there are, the less chance Madelyn has of winning. Simple statistics."
"Gee, you're such an optimist," Bo said dryly.
Blake waved Shirley and Bo over from one of the tables.
They walked over there and joined him.
Shirley sat next to Blake, who was sitting on the edge of the bench.
They smiled at each other.
Bo looked at Blake, then sat on Shirley's left. They began to
eat lunch.
"So, Blake, do you think Madelyn has a chance of winning in the talent contest?" Bo asked.
"Well, she's got an excellent singing voice..." Blake began. Bo looked
smugly at Shirley.
"It all depends, however, on her competition. The quantity
and the quality of it, actually," Blake finished.
Bo looked at Blake suspiciously, then at Shirley. "Did you guys talk about this earlier?"
"Well, it did come up while we were talking on our way to school," Shirley recalled.
"You walked to school together?" Bo sounded surprised.
"You were running late," Shirley pointed out. "I was considering waiting for you, but if I did, I would be late as well."
Bo looked at Blake. "And I suppose you just came to the house?"
"Well, no. I ran into Shirley while she was walking to school," Blake said. "Coincidence."
"Right," Bo muttered under his breath as he ate his lunch.
"You know, Bo. You might be right," Shirley said. "She really does sound good."
"Who sounds good?" a familiar voice asked from behind.
Shirley turned her head to see Molly Hardy standing behind her.
"Well, Holmes? Are you going to answer my question?" the tall
blond girl asked, placing her hands on her hips.
"We were just talking about someone who will be singing in the youth talent contest this Saturday," Shirley replied.
"Oh? Do I know this person?" Molly asked.
"No," Blake said.
"Then there's no way she can beat me," Molly said snobbily, smiling.
"You're in the contest? Gee, are you going to sing too?" Bo asked.
"Please. I'll be playing the piano. One of Beethoven's
symphonies, I believe," Molly announced proudly.
"You all know how good I am on the piano. I'm sure to win."
"You've got a lot of money. Why bother being in the contest?" Blake asked.
Molly flashed a smile at Blake. "Why, for the chance to perform on television, my dear Blake. The chance to show my talent to the world. The chance to be noticed."
"Typical," Bo said under his breath.
Molly shot Bo an icy stare, then looked at Blake. "So, will you be there to see me win?"
"Sure," Blake said in a friendly manner.
"Don't be too sure of your upcoming victory, Molly," Shirley said crossly.
"If you're talking about that someone who's singing, she'll lose."
Molly grinned. "I guarantee it."
With that remark, she left.
Once Molly was out of earshot, Blake spoke. "So, she's really a sociopath?"
"Yep," Bo answered.
"It's been confirmed," Shirley stated.
"Do you think she's up to something?" Blake asked Shirley.
"I don't think. I know," Shirley said.
"How?" Bo asked.
"She knows about Madelyn," Shirley said matter-of-factly.
"I said that we were talking about someone. I never mentioned what
sex the person was, but Molly said it was a 'she.'"
She recalled last Saturday. "Do you remember those two men at
Amateur Night? The ones who weren't enjoying themselves?"
"You mean the Bart Simpson wannabe and the one-eyed sourpuss?" Bo said. "Why?"
"I believe that they were working for Molly," Shirley said.
"To scout out the competition," Blake said, understanding what Shirley was driving at.
"Looks like Little Miss Perfect is a little scared," Bo commented.
"Yes." Shirley cupped her chin in her hand. "You do know what happens when Molly feels threatened."
"Oh boy." Bo understood.
Shirley looked at Bo and Blake. "We'd better see Madelyn afterschool."
"You think Molly will do something to Madelyn to make her drop
out of the talent contest?" Blake asked Shirley.
After changing into regular clothes and meeting up with Bo, they were
on their way to Madelyn's apartment building.
"Short of killing, Molly will do anything to achieve her goals," Shirley said, knowing from experience.
"She's a real sweetheart," Bo said sarcastically.
They found themselves in front of a run-down apartment building. "Are you sure this is the right place? There were quite a lot of Cliftons in the phone book," Bo said, concerned.
"Once I took into account the addresses located in the most unpleasant parts of Redington, the long list of Cliftons is reduced to a few," Shirley explained. "Throw in the factor that we're looking for a female Clifton and we have to search only one place."
"Why a female Clifton?" Blake asked.
"Remember when we talked to Madelyn? She mentioned her mom only," Shirley pointed out.
"Well, there could be a dad," Bo said. "There obviously has to be a dad."
"Either deceased or divorced," Shirley countered. "Madelyn spoke like her mom was the only parent she had. No mention of the father at all." She looked around. "Besides, even two low incomes could get a better home than this."
"Good point," Bo said in agreement.
A thin, tall, and bald man wearing a T-shirt and jeans with one
hole on one knee exited the building. He walked with a slight limp.
"I'll ask him where the Cliftons live," Blake told the others.
Blake approached the bald man. "Excuse me, sir, but can
you tell me where Madelyn Clifton lives?"
he asked in a friendly manner.
The bald man thought for a moment and scratched his head.
"Madelyn Clif...oh, you mean Geraldine's little girl?"
he said with a slight trace of an accent.
"That's her," Blake said.
The bald man looked at Blake and the others. "Are you friends of hers?" he asked them.
"You could say that," Shirley said.
The bald man took another look at them. "Well, I can tell
you're good kids anyway.
The Cliftons live on the third floor, room 307."
"Thank you, sir," Blake said. The bald man nodded and limped off to wherever he was going.
"Let's get going." Shirley entered the building, followed
by Bo, then Blake.
Finding that the elevator was out of service, they took the stairs.
As they went up the stairs, they noticed how some spots on the walls
were covered with unsightly cracks. Spiderwebs were located in some
of the corners of the walls. Some contained spiders and the bodies
of their previous meals.
"Gee, how can Madelyn live here?" Bo commented.
Once on the third floor, they easily found room 307. Shirley
knocked on the door.
They heard three locks unlock and the door opened. In the doorway
stood Madelyn.
"Hi. Remember us?" Bo greeted.
"Yes, I do. From the Quazar Cafe last Saturday," Madelyn
said. "Come on in. My mom went to work, so it's just me."
They all entered the apartment. Shirley, Bo, and Blake
looked around.
The living room consisted mainly of a small TV on a stand, a
coffee table, and a worn-out couch. The coffee table had school textbooks
and a pile of papers and magazines on it. The kitchen was small with
a fold-up table for dining and an old-looking refrigerator. A hallway
led to three bedrooms and a bathroom. The apartment was cleaner than
the rest of the building.
Seeing that everyone was looking around the apartment, Madelyn
said,
"It isn't much, but it's home." She sighed. "So, what brings
you to my neck of the woods?"
"We wanted to tell you about someone else who's also in the talent contest," Blake explained.
"The talent contest?" Madelyn asked.
"We believe that one of your competitors wants to do some harm to you," Shirley stated.
Madelyn sat down on the couch. "Actually, that won't be a problem."
"Why not?" Bo asked.
Madelyn bent her head down, looking defeated. "I'm going to withdraw from the contest."
END OF PART TWO