What's Your Status? (42 page)

“Well, then,” Justin said, offering her his arm. “Shall we?”

Isabel smiled in triumph and they headed up the stairs together arm in arm. A moment later, I heard a despairing “Wot?
Wot?
” from Mark, above me. I heard Mark running down the stairs. I waited ten seconds, then cautiously poked my head around the side of the armchair. Mark headed over, a triumphant smile on his face.

“It’s over,” he said, accent still holding strong. “I mean, I say.”

“Sorry, Mark,” I said.

“I’m not,” Mark said. “I mean, she bought it, wot? The whole bit! She thought I was English!” He grinned at me. “I have been vindicated, eh? The drama critic can suck it!”

My phone vibrated, and I looked down at it.

La Lisse → the crew
We have the package, and it’s safe and sound.

promgirl → the crew
I’ll pick it up before Goodbye Kitty.

La Lisse → the crew
You got it. T minus 30.

“So am I done?” Mark asked. “Can His Lordship retire for the evening?”

“Maybe not quite yet,” I said. “Just in case, maybe—” My eyes widened as, over Mark’s shoulder, I saw a girl in a cream-colored dress coming out of the service staircase. “Be right back, Mark.”

“Jolly good!” Mark said as I beat feet toward Ruth.

I had some questions for her, and I was going to get some answers. Right now.

CHAPTER 25

Song: 10:15 Saturday Night/The Poems

Quote: “You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You’ll be left in a Lurch.”

—Dr. Seuss

“Hey,” I said, striding up to her. She looked surprised to see me, and let the door close behind her.

“Mad!” she said, sounding flustered. She was holding her phone in her hand, and her other hand went to her throat, where her
R
necklace usually was. “How’s it going?” She took in my dress and looked up at me, frowning. “Why are you wearing that?”

“Never mind,” I said impatiently. “I need to talk to you. In here.” I pushed the service staircase door open. Ruth took a step inside, and I pulled the door closed behind us.

“Sure,” she said. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you too—”

“Oh, sure you have,” I snapped. “Listen, I don’t really have time to do this. I just want you to know that your little plan isn’t going to work out.”

Ruth stared at me for a long moment. “What little plan?” she asked.

“The betting website,” I said, amazed that she was going to play dumb. “Race to the Crown? I know you rigged it so that I would win prom queen. The site’s registered in your name. But you should know that Kittson fixed everything. I’m not going to win, which means your site’s going to lose, so you can just give up your little game.”

“Maddie,” Ruth said gravely, and my eyes widened at the use of my nickname, which only she was allowed to use, and only in very serious situations. “I have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.”

Ten minutes later, we stepped outside the staircase, my head still spinning with what she’d just said. “All right?” I asked her, and she nodded.

“All right,” she said. She gave me a tentative smile, and we crossed the lobby area together. I checked my watch and realized that it was almost time for the crown swap—the make-or-break aspect of the whole plan.

“Madison! There you are!” I looked up and saw Andy descending the staircase. But he stopped short when his eyes fell on Ruth.

“Rue?” he asked, sounding shocked, but also delighted.

“Andy?” she asked, eyes widening. She smiled, staring at him. “What…what are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Minnesota?”

“We just moved,” he said, walking to the bottom of the staircase. “I’d been hoping that I would see you….”

“How do you two know each other?” I asked, still trying to put this together.
Ruth
was the girl from Putnam that Andy had dated?

Ruth blushed slightly, still smiling at Andy. “Science camp last summer,” she said, and Andy smiled back, nodding.

Andy was Ruth’s Mystery Science Boyfriend! He did exist, after all. I made a mental note to tell Lisa that she owed me ten bucks.

“But what are you…” Ruth said, looking from me to Andy. “How do you know Mad?”

“She’s my prom date,” Andy said.

“What?” Ruth asked incredulously, and I heard surprise—and great hurt—in her voice. “Seriously, Madison?”

“No,” I said quickly, not liking the expression on Ruth’s face at all. “Not like a real date. I’m here with Nate. My boyfriend,” I said to Andy, who looked totally lost. “Sorry. I should have mentioned that earlier.”

“Wait, what?” Andy asked, frowning, as my phone vibrated.

Dave Gold → the crew
Take the Chevy to the levee.

La Lisse → the crew
In Paris, the cafés are many. The Mona Lisa is in place.

promgirl → the crew
I’m on the move.

“I have to go,” I said, turning and heading toward the lobby. “I’ll see you later?” I tried to catch Ruth’s eye, but she was looking at the ground. I wanted to stay and sort the situation out, but there simply wasn’t time. It was ten fifteen already, I wasn’t in the lobby yet, and I had two phone calls to make.

I called Kittson, thrilled when she answered right away. “Listen,” I said, speaking as fast as I could. “You need to hack the voting system again.”

“No!” she said, sounding appalled. “Madison, I have worked too hard for this for too long—”

“Not you,” I said. “You can win fair and square. But you have to change who’s going to win prom king.”

“To who?”

“Think about it,” I said. “Who’s the one person Glen won’t beat up?”

There was a long pause, and then Kittson said, “Okay. I’ll do it, but I have to hurry. Codes are going out in ten minutes.”

“Thanks,” I said, hanging up with her and calling Brian immediately. “Brian,” I said as soon as he picked up, “I have an investment for you, but you have to do it now. But I guarantee a return. And tell everyone else the plan, okay?”

I hung up with Brian as I reached the main lobby and stopped at the designated armchair, the one near the harp, where Lisa was sitting, waiting for me. She was back in her black dress and had added red lipstick, which made her look very sophisticated—and hopefully nothing like the girl who had been helping out with catering all night.

“D’accord?”
she asked.

“Kind of,” I said, holding open my bag. Lisa looked around and placed the Hayes crown inside. I let out a huge sigh of relief when I saw it, safe and sound, back in our possession again. “Is it okay?” I asked.

“
Oui,
as far as I can tell,” Lisa said. “Isabel didn’t check her bag to make sure that it was there?”

“Justin’s very distracting that way,” I said as I pulled the edges of the bag closer together. “Ready?”

“When you are,” Lisa said with a small smile. She tilted her head toward the desk. “Bring this home, Mad.
Allez-y.
”

I took a deep breath and crossed over to the desk, which had gotten no less intimidating. In fact, it even seemed a little more so, now that I was wearing a very skimpy Reagan-era dress. I saw Mr. Patrick raise his eyebrow at me as I approached.

“Ah, Miss MacDonald,” he said. “You’re here for the crown?”

“Yes,” I said, hoping that he would take it out before Dr. Trent arrived.

“Well, I know that your headmaster is going to be here as well, to inspect that the crown has been kept safe. But,” he said, checking his watch, “we can get the process started.” I let out a breath as he disappeared behind the secret door and, a moment later, returned, reverently holding the dark blue jewelry box. The one that contained a plastic Hello Kitty tiara.

I took out my phone and updated my status as subtly as possible.