Treasure Hunt (4 page)

The school on the map looks much smaller than it is now. But now that Edwina has pointed out the front entrance, she starts to recognise some of the other buildings.

‘So that’s the music room, right?’ says Billie.

‘Yep,’ says Edwina. ‘And that’s the library.’

‘What’s that, then?’ Billie asks, pointing to a small empty space between the library and the music room on the map.

Edwina frowns. ‘Hmm. I don’t know. It looks like a big cupboard, maybe. But there are bookshelves all along that wall in the library, and there’s no door on that wall in the music room. I can’t
believe
I didn’t notice that before!’

The two girls look at each other, excited. Billie can tell they are both thinking the same thing.

The space looks like the perfect place to hide a time capsule!

Billie runs all the way home, her bare feet slapping the pavement. She is bubbling with excitement. A secret room hidden between two walls! What could be more thrilling? Billie can’t imagine how her life could get any better.

But just as she arrives at her house, she sees something that makes her heart sink. Her dad is striding towards her with Jack by his side. Jack looks
worried
and a little apologetic. But Billie’s dad just looks mad. Very mad!

‘What do you think you’re doing, Billie?’ he says, angrily.

‘Oh! Sorry!’ Billie says. It sounds silly, but there is nothing else she can think of to say.

‘You didn’t even tell us where you were going!’ he continues. ‘You must never do that. Luckily Jack knew where you were.’

Billie hangs her head. She knows what she did was very wrong. ‘I’m sorry,’ she says again in a small voice.

Her dad
sighs
and pulls Billie into his arms. ‘We were really worried, Billie,’ he says. ‘You know you can’t go out on your own at night.’

‘I wasn’t thinking,’ she says quietly.

‘Thanks, Jack,’ Billie’s dad says. ‘You’d better get back to your dinner now.’ He walks Jack to his front door.

Billie is quiet all through dinner. She feels bad that she made her parents worry so much. Even Noah senses something is wrong. Usually he is noisy and chatty but tonight he just pokes at his food with his fork.

He looks up at Billie and frowns. ‘Never do dat again, Billie!’ he says, crossly, wagging his finger at her.

Billie looks at her mum, who is trying not to laugh. She looks at her dad. He bites his smile and looks away. Then they all look back at Noah, who has put on his angriest face possible. At that moment all three of them burst into laughter.

‘What?’ says Noah, surprised. ‘What? Are you happy again, Mumma?’

‘Yes, Nozy, darling,’ Billie’s mum says. ‘I’m happy again now.’

She stands up and puts one arm around Noah and one around Billie and pulls them in tight.

‘Thanks, Noah,’ Billie whispers. ‘You’re the best.’ Noah still looks a little unsure about what he has done but smiles happily all the same.

The next day is Sunday and Billie calls an emergency meeting of the SMC in their secret headquarters. The four of them climb up into the treehouse. Billie’s dad brings them hot chocolate in mugs, and toasted fruit bread with melted butter.

‘Thank you!’ everyone calls out.

Billie’s dad waves as he walks back to the house to put Noah down for his morning nap.

‘So, what’s new, Billie?’ Mika asks, excitedly.

‘Yeah, tell us!’ says Jack. ‘Did you find anything at school last night? She was in so much trouble,’ Jack tells Alex and Mika.

Billie wriggles uncomfortably. ‘You don’t have to rub it in!

Anyway, it was worth it. I think I’ve found the missing clue that will lead us to find the time capsule!’

‘Really?’ says Mika. ‘Wow! What did you find?’

‘Well, it’s not really me who found it,’ Billie says. ‘It’s…um, Edwina, actually.’

‘The spy?’ Alex says, frowning. ‘But that’s
terrible
news!’

‘No, no, she showed it to me,’ Billie says. ‘She could have taken it straight to Mrs Singh but she decided to show me instead.’

‘Why?’ says Mika, narrowing her eyes, suspiciously.

Billie feels her stomach tightening. She is worried her friends aren’t going to like what she has to say next. ‘She wants to be a member of our club,’ she says,
nervously
.

The other three glance at each other with frowns on their faces.

‘Hmmm…’ says Jack eventually, looking unsure.

‘I thought we decided it would only be the four of us,’ says Alex.

‘I know what we agreed,’ Billie says. ‘But Edwina has a map! A copy of a hundred-year-old map of the school when it was first built. And listen to this: there is a secret room inside the school. Hidden between the library and the music room. That’s where I reckon the time capsule will be hidden.’

Mika gasps. ‘A secret room?’

Billie nods.

‘How do we know the map’s not a fake?’ Alex says, crossing his arms.

‘Maybe Edwina just drew it herself so she could join our club?’

Billie holds back her smile. ‘Well, there’s only one way to find out! We check it out tomorrow!’ she says. ‘But if the map leads us to find the time capsule, it’s only fair that Edwina gets to join the SMC. After all, she has already shown what a good detective she is! Deal?’

Alex looks at Jack. Jack looks at Mika. Mika looks at Billie. Then they all smile and stick their hands out. ‘Deal!’ they all say together.

Then they all crow loudly. ‘Ock-a-doodle-doo-cay!’

The four of them meet at the school library as soon as it opens on Monday morning. Miss Davenport is surprised to see them hovering at the door. ‘My goodness,’ she says. ‘What are you four doing here so early? Is there anything I can help with?’

‘No, no, it’s fine, thank you,’ Billie says, quickly. ‘We’re just researching a project, that’s all.’

Then she waits until Miss Davenport is busy at her desk again before leading the others over to the far wall, which backs onto the music room. The whole wall is hidden by bookshelves. Billie reaches towards a row of books in the middle and begins to pull them out, one by one.

‘What are you doing?’ asks Jack
anxiously
, swinging his head around to see if Miss Davenport has spotted them.

‘Stand in front of me so she can’t see!’ says Billie.

Soon there is a pile of books on the floor and a big gap in the bookshelf. Billie reaches her hand inside and runs her fingers along the smooth back wall. At first she feels nothing. She pulls out a couple more big books and slides her hand along further. Then she feels something. A little bump in the wall.