Authors: Diane Muldrow
Boiling Point (14 page)
“Okay,” said Amanda. “We’re ready to have some
fun.”
fun.”
After breakfast, Molly and Amanda practiced the piano and cleaned their room.
“What are you gonna wear?” Amanda asked Molly.
“Oh, I don’t know, maybe my new white shorts.” replied Molly, who was stretched out on her bed.
“With what else?” asked Amanda. She frowned as she looked into the closet.
“Um, my new ‘Brooklyn’ T-shirt.” Molly smiled. She knew Amanda didn’t like that shirt.
Amanda groaned.
“Then tell me what to wear,” said Molly.
“You’re so lazy,” Amanda giggled.
Of course Amanda tried on three different outfits before she was happy. By the time the girls got to Peichi’s, it was two-thirty.
“I thought you guys were never gonna get here!” cried Peichi when she opened the door. “There aren’t any kids here, and I’m so bored! Come on outside.”
Peichi led the girls out to the pool area where Mr. Cheng was grilling lots of food, and Mrs. Cheng was offering cold drinks.
Molly blushed when she saw Mr. Cheng. She still felt guilty about sneaking off to Chinatown with Peichi.
“Hello. Molly,” Mr. Cheng said in a friendly voice.
“Hi, Mr. Cheng,” she said, looking down at the ground.
Mr. Cheng chuckled. “Have you taken any subway rides lately?”
“No, said Molly with a little laugh. “No. I’ve, uh, been home a lot lately.”
“So has Peichi,” said Mr. Cheng. His eyes were twinkling.
“Oh, Dad!” cried Peichi. “Quit teasing us!”
Peichi introduced the twins to her Aunt Doreen and Uncle Hillman, and her grandparents.
“Ah-yeh and Ah-mah, you remember Molly. Well, this is her twin sister, Amanda!” said Peichi.
Mr. and Mrs. Cheng smiled and nodded.
“Hello,” said the twins. Just then, the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it!” cried Peichi. “Come on, you guys.” All three girls hurried inside.
Peichi opened the door. “Hello-o-o!” she cried before the door was completely open.
It was Mr. McElroy.
“Oh, hi, Mr. McElroy!” said Peichi. She didn’t know what to say. “I thought you were going to be my cousin!”
“Is your family having a party?” said Mr. McElroy. “I’m sorry, I’ll come back on Monday.”
Just then, Mr. Cheng came to the door. “Hello. Scott,” he said. “Come on in. How can I help you? Would you care for a grilled vegetable wrap?
“No, thanks,” said Mr. McElroy. “Forgive me for interrupting your party. But I will need to speak with you very soon. Why don’t you give me a call at the office on Monday?”
“Is everything all right?” asked Mr. Cheng, looking concerned.
“Well, it’s—” began Mr. McElroy. He looked around.
“Please come in,” said Mr. Cheng. “We can go in my study.”
The two men walked down the hallway, and the girls went back outside.
“I wonder why Mr. McElroy’s here?” asked Peichi. “Especially since the McElroys have already moved out of the apartment we rented to them, and back into their own house. They’ve been settled for a few weeks already!”
“I don’t know,” Molly said with a shrug. “It sounds kind of serious. Maybe Amanda can send Justin another e-mail and ask him!”
“Oh wow! You sent Justin an e-mail? What did you say? Did he write back? I can’t believe you sent him an e-mail!” Peichi cried. Molly and Peichi began to giggle. Amanda blushed.
“It was no big deal,” Amanda said. “I just wanted him to know I was still trying to get the money from Ms. Brenda Barlow. There wasn’t any reason for him to write back or anything.”
“That’s too bad he didn’t e-mail you back!” excalimed Peichi. “Come on, let’s go put on our suits. I want to go swimming!”
Fifteen minutes later, the girls were playing “Marco Polo” in the pool when Mr. Cheng came to get Peichi.
“Peichi, come into the house, please,” he said. His eyes weren’t twinkling anymore. “Molly, would you please come in also?”
“O-kay,” said Molly, confused.
Peichi, for once, didn’t say a word.
Peichi and Molly got out of the water, wrapped towels around themselves, and followed Mr. Cheng into the house. For some reason, Ah-mah had gone inside, too.
What’s
going on? wondered Amanda.
Why wasn’t I
asked
to
go in? She felt a little funny being in the pool by herself. She looked around. All the adults were speaking in lower tones and had serious expressions.
going on? wondered Amanda.
Why wasn’t I
asked
to
go in? She felt a little funny being in the pool by herself. She looked around. All the adults were speaking in lower tones and had serious expressions.
Mrs. Cheng, standing near the grill, gave everyone a big smile. “Come on over, everybody. There’s lots of food here!” she called in a cheerful voice.
Amanda wasn’t hungry, but she got out and went over to Mrs. Cheng, who gave her a grateful smile. But her smile didn’t hide how worried she looked.
“Hello, girls,” said Mr. McElroy when Peichi and Molly went into the study. Peichi’s grandmother was already seated.
“Peichi, is there something you haven’t told us about? Something you may have found?” Mr. Cheng asked.
Peichi suddenly went pale.
This
must
be
about the
necklace! thought Molly.
What
else
could it
be
about?
must
be
about the
necklace! thought Molly.
What
else
could it
be
about?
Peichi nodded slowly. “Uh-huh. I found something.”
“What was it, sweetheart?” asked Mr. Cheng.
“Um, a pendant. It looks like jade, but I don’t know if it’s real.”
“And were did you find it, Peichi?” asked Mr. McElroy in a kind voice.
“On the floor, in Ah-yeh’s and Ah-mah’s store. I was going to show it to everyone, today at the party. I really was! I didn’t mean to keep it a secret!” Tears slipped down her cheeks.
“It’s all right, Peichi,” said Mr. McElroy. “We believe you.” He turned to Molly. “And Molly, were you there when Peichi found the pendant?” he asked.
Molly nodded. “Yes, sir.” Molly never said “sir” but she felt that she should say it now.
“Please get the necklace, Peichi,” said Mr. Cheng. “Okay. Can Molly come with me?” “Of course.”
Peichi and Molly padded down the thickly carpeted hallway to Peichi’s room. “Am I in trouble? Am I in really big trouble?” asked Peichi as she opened her jewelry box.
“I don’t know if you’re in trouble,” said Molly slowly. “I guess you should have shown the pendant to your grandma when you found it.”
Peichi’s eyes filled up with tears again.
“Don’t cry now, Peichi!” said Molly in a low voice. “Let’s just go back and see what’s up, okay? Maybe it’s not that bad!”
Peichi nodded. “You go first,” she said.
She was shivering.
“Wait,” said Molly. “Are you scared, or just cold?”
Peichi laughed nervously. “I don’t know!” she said.
“Well, I’m cold,” said Molly. “Let’s ditch these wet towels. Can I borrow some sweatpants?”
The girls dressed quickly, which made them feel a little better, and Molly led the way back to the study.
“Here it is,” said Peichi, handing the pendant to Mr. Cheng. Suddenly, she felt so relieved.
Ah-mah’s eyes grew wide when she saw it.
“This looks quite old!” exclaimed Mr. Cheng, as he handed it to Mr. McElroy.
Mr. McElroy looked very serious as he studied the necklace. The room was so quiet that Molly could practically hear her heart thumping.
Finally Mr. McElroy spoke. “I’m almost certain that this piece is very, very old, probably dating back to the early Ching Dynasty. If I am correct, it’s one of a kind—worth thousands of dollars. And it was stolen from a museum in China.”
Everyone gasped.
“I’ve been working on this case for a while now,” Mr. McElroy continued. “They moved me here to New York because I specialize in cases like this. I’ve been researching Chinese antiquities for months. And when I saw Peichi with the pendant, I couldn’t believe my eyes! So, I did some more research and, sure enough, this pendant was reported stolen.”
He turned to Ah-mah.
“I believe that smugglers are using your store to stash stolen items,” he told her. “Have you seen anyone suspicious in there lately?”
Mrs. Cheng turned to her son for help, and he quickly translated what Mr. McElroy had said into Chinese.
Ah-mah looked thoughtful. She spoke in Chinese to her son.
“She says that the store is always very crowded, so it would be difficult to notice such people,” Mr. Cheng told Mr. McElroy. “Luckily, there are hidden cameras throughout the store. You can look at the recent footage.”
Mr. McElroy cleared his throat.
“I’ll need to bring you and your husband in for questioning right away,” he told Ah-mah. “This is strictly routine, you understand. And I apologize for breaking up the party.”
Mr. Cheng quickly translated again, and his mother nodded her head. She spoke to her son.
“She says that she is very concerned, and that of course they will come. They will do what they can to help you,” Mr. Cheng told Mr. McElroy.
“Thank you very much,” Mr. McElroy said to Ah-mah. “Please take your time. We will leave when you and your husband are ready.”
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