Finders Keepers

appointment for a haircut.’

Ken didn’t reply. He’d just spotted Lucy standing alongside the stairs leading up to the main entrance. She was alone, and when she spotted him, she waved.

He winced. He hadn’t written that apologetic email yet. He was going to have to apologize in person. Well, so be it. He squared his shoulders and started towards her. It dawned on him that Tracey might still be by his side, and he should tell her to go on, that this was something personal. But now it was too late. Lucy would be able to see him speaking to no one if he did talk to Tracey.

He tried to put his companion out of his mind and focus on the girl in front of him. ‘Hi, Lucy. Listen, I want to apologize for last night. I was in a really bad mood about something, and I took it out on you. I’m really sorry.’

She didn’t seem upset. ‘That’s OK, I forgive you,’ she said with a smile. ‘As long as you take me to the eighth-grade dance this weekend.’

‘I’m in the ninth grade, Lucy.’

‘I know that! But we’re allowed to bring people from other grades as our dates.’

He took a deep breath. ‘Listen, Lucy. you’re a cute girl and all, but — well — I’m sort of into someone else.’

He could have sworn he heard a sharp intake of breath, like a gasp, and it hadn’t come from Lucy. Damn! Tracey was still there. And now she’d want to know who Ken was talking about.

Lucy didn’t seem to care. ‘Well, she’s out of luck, whoever she is. Because I want you to be into me.’

Ken shifted his weight from one leg to the other. This was not going to be easy. ‘Like I said, Lucy. you’re really nice, and I know Jack was crazy about you, but I’m just not interested in you that way. I hope we can be friends, but. ’ His voice trailed off as her expression changed. There was something cold in her face now.

‘Don’t forget, Ken, I know something about you.’

He looked at her stupidly. ‘Huh?’

‘I know what you can do. How would you feel if I told people that you talk to dead people?’

It was Ken’s turn to gasp. ‘Lucy! You wouldn’t do that, would you?’

‘Not if you go to the dance with me. And other places.’

It took Ken a moment to respond. ‘Are you — are you trying to blackmail me?’

Lucy laughed, but it wasn’t a pretty laugh. There was something very mean about it. ‘I never thought I’d have to threaten a guy to go out with me, but I’ll do what I have to do. I want you to be my boyfriend, Ken. I think we’d be good together, and once you get over your hang-ups about me being Jack’s ex-girlfriend, you’ll be happy with me.’

‘Lucy, this has nothing to do with Jack. No offence, but I’m just not into you!’

Her voice hardened. ‘Then get into me. Or everyone at school is going to know about your weird conversations.’

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. ‘You’d really do that?’

‘Sure.’

He looked at her thoughtfully.

‘Well?’ she asked, smiling.

He smiled back. ‘Go right ahead.’

Her smile faded. ‘What?’

‘Tell them. Tell everyone I hear dead people. Write an article for the school newspaper. Or announce it over the intercom.’

She was speechless. Ken’s smile broadened.

‘Because it’s not like anyone’s going to believe you,’ he said. ‘I gotta go. Hope you find someone to take you to the dance.’

He knew Tracey was by his side as he walked into the school. She was still invisible, but he could have sworn there was a huge grin on her invisible face.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

EVEN WITH HER SORE throat, Amanda had never before been so incredibly happy to be back in her own body. She felt so good, she insisted on going back to school. And for the first time ever, she was impatient to get through the day so she could go to the gifted class.

She had so much to tell them! Even Madame would be impressed with her adventure. Of course Jenna would claim to be the hero, since she had organized the revelation of the medium’s true identity. But Amanda could top that. She had the most amazing, stupendous news of all. There was a conspiracy, just as Madame had suggested. People who’d tried to use the gifted students were working together. And their very own school principal was part of the gang.

Just before class, she went into a bathroom to touch up her lipgloss and brush her hair. She wanted to make a grand entrance, so she stayed there until the warning bell rang, and then dashed down the hall.

She entered just as the final bell rang. From her desk, Madame looked up and smiled.

‘Welcome back, Amanda! How are you feeling?’

‘A little tired,’ Amanda said, ‘but not from the operation.’ She addressed the whole class. ‘You’ll be surprised to learn I haven’t been spending the last few days in bed.’

Jenna spoke. ‘We’re not surprised. Tracey told us.’

Amanda stared at her. ‘Tracey told you what?’

‘Emily and I went to visit you at the hospital,’ Tracey said. ‘We knew it wasn’t you.’

Amanda hadn’t realized Tracey was there. Neither had Madame.

‘Tracey! Where did you come from?’

The newly visible Tracey explained. ‘Ken wanted to help his friend from the seance, Stevie, to find his father’s lottery ticket.’

Ken picked up the story. ‘His father spoke to me last night and told me where the ticket was. I wanted to tell Stevie myself but I came up with a better plan that meant I didn’t have to reveal my gift. I asked Tracey if she could turn herself invisible, get the ticket, and put it somewhere the family was bound to see it.’

Madame looked pleased. ‘Very good, Ken. You managed to keep the secret and help Stevie’s family. Well done!’

Now everyone was congratulating Ken and Tracey. Amanda was starting to feel as if she was invisible.

‘Isn’t anyone interested in knowing where I went when I left my body?’ she asked loudly.

‘Let me guess,’ Charles said. ‘Someone who wasn’t getting their tonsils taken out.’

‘No kidding,’ Jenna remarked. ‘You know, Amanda, I never thought you had a very useful gift — at least not for helping anyone else — but it certainly works for you. You can get out of doing anything you don’t want to do.’

Amanda was furious. ‘For your information, Miss Know-it-all, I happened to be at Ken’s seance!’

Ken was clearly startled. ‘You’re kidding! Who were you?’

Gratified by the attention, Amanda preened. ‘Margaret Robinson, the woman who claimed her mother had just died. But who turned out to be Serena’s pal!’

‘Serena?’ Madame asked.

Ken broke in. ‘Serena Hancock, that girl who did student-teaching here. She was the fake medium.’

‘Good grief!’ Madame remarked. ‘She’s certainly determined to get her hands on a lottery ticket.’

Amanda was about to announce that there was much more to it than that when Madame turned back to her.

‘Amanda, if you took over the body of someone involved in this business, you must have realized straight away that it was a scam.’

Amanda nodded proudly. ‘I did, and—’