The Mysterious Invitation

BRRRING-BRRRING

The sound of the classroom phone broke the silence of the remaining students finishing their latest literature test. Ms. Resto hurried over to pick the phone up before it could ring again.

"Yes? Oh, him? Oh, okay. No, no, it's fine. He already finished his test," Marissa said to the person on the other end. Then, hanging it up, the teacher turned to find one of her favorite students. "Sean. That was for you."

"Oooh!" several students sounded, thinking that Sean Tarver had gotten into trouble.

A friendly kid that always behaved, many of Sean's classmates saw him as a bit of a bookworm. So if he had gotten into trouble, that was a stunner.

"Me?" the blond hair teen asked, his blue eyes growing wider.

"Yes, Ms. Graff wants to see you in the library. As you're finished with your test, you might as well leave now," Ms. Resto said, noting that class had around fifteen minutes left.

The mention of the library, not the office, caused multiple students to look at Sean in confusion. Who gets called down to the library? One student, a rival/enemy of Sean's, voiced his theory.

"Damn, Tarver, did you get in trouble for never returning all those books?" Austin Rusk, the school's star quarterback, snickered. "Looks like Saturday detention for you."

"Wait, they can do that? For how many books?" Dennis Conway, an obnoxious basketball player, questioned in concern. He quickly counted the number of library books he had out on his fingers.

Sean ignored the laughter directed at Denny while he gathered his things. Swiftly leaving the classroom, he headed down the hallway toward the school library. Not having any idea that came to mind for getting called to that room instead of the main office, Sean began to fear the worst.

Did something happen? Are Grandma and Grandpa okay? Are they having me go see Fawn because they know she's best friends with Aunt Brandy?

Although Sean called the librarian by Ms. Graff at school, he'd known Fawn for as long as he could remember. Aunt Brandy had been the accidental baby of his mom's two sisters. A decade younger than Bridget Tarver, Brandy had often babysat Sean and his older sister, Peyton, while growing up. Or, to be precise, Brandy often had Fawn, one of her best friends since childhood, help her do most of the babysitting.

"F-Fa--I mean, Ms. Graff, what is it?" the teen inquired after entering the library.

"Shhh!" Fawn sounded, nodding at a class working on their visit to the library. Then, motioning for him to follow, she led him toward the rear.

At thirty years old, Ms. Graff often finished high on the list of most desirable teachers. Short and slim, she had shoulder-length, dirty blonde hair, green eyes, medium-sized breasts, and a toned ass. It was that ass that Sean watched in its pencil skirt as he followed her deeper into the library. He also could've sworn that Fawn added a bit of an extra sway to her swing as she walked. Not that it would entirely surprise Sean. While kind and friendly, his aunt's old friend had a mischievous personality. Her cute face often beamed while teasing Brandy's nephew.

Looking up from the delightful tush, Sean knew the blonde had caught him based on the twinkle in her eyes behind her black 1960s-style cat eyes eyeglasses. Still, Ms. Graff didn't say anything as she motioned at him to enter the lone office for the library staff. Needing to keep the door open in case the class or their teacher needed anything, Fawn did partially close it.

"D-Did something happen?" Sean repeated his concern from the hallway.

"What? No, nothing happened," Fawn reassured after noticing his worried expression. "Well, nothing bad happened. But, what did happen is something awesome!"

Sean's face scrunched up in confusion as Fawn whipped out an envelope from behind her back. It wasn't your standard white envelope; rather, he thought it looked a bit odd. When Sean asked what it was, Fawn frowned and told him to guess. That frown turned to frustration as he shrugged his shoulders and replied that he didn't know.

"Aren't you trying to follow in your grandpa's footsteps as a private detective?" Fawn challenged. However, she didn't have any patience left and handed the envelope to him.

"Shrouded Veil? The Shrouded Veil?! No way!" Sean exclaimed.

"Uh-huh," the librarian nodded eagerly. "Why so shocked? Didn't you think that you'd hear back?"

"Honestly, no," Sean admitted. "They only hold the mystery competition every three years. Finn's team represented Honey Hollow last time, and I know they rarely choose the same schools again, and even less the next turn."

"But if a school's team does well, they remember," Fawn pointed out.

"Oh, yeah, Finn's team finished second. But that probably doesn't matter."

"Hey, am I chopped liver over here? My club won it twelve years ago!" Fawn reminded.

"Oh, right. Sorry," Sean apologized sheepishly. Then, with a resigned sigh, Sean tore the envelope open. "Still, this is probably a rejection letter."

Fawn rolled her eyes before they shot open.

"Holy shit!" Sean screamed. "They picked me! They picked us!"

"Yes!" Fawn screamed, hugging Sean. But she also remembered her job and their location. "Shhh! Keep it down."

"I-I can't believe it," Sean sputtered, beyond shocked.

"What else does it say?" Fawn queried. Neither of them noticed a flash of white hair in the stacks near the door.

"It lists the other cities that had a mystery club or team chosen. Greenwall, Azure Rocks, Redwater, and Amethyst Shores? I don't think I've ever heard of these places," Sean admitted. "I know Cherry Cove as that's the Hardaways' hometown."

"I've been to a few," Fawn revealed. "Anywhere else?"

"Blackbridge!" Sean exclaimed in surprise.

Located three and a half hours south of Honey Hollow, Blackbridge was the largest city in the region.

"I wonder if I'll know anyone on their team," Sean speculated. "It'd be cool to have a familiar person or two at the contest."

"Oh, I have a strong feeling that someone familiar will be there," Fawn hinted. "But remember, this is a competition, and competitors often play rough. The founders of this mystery contest found fame and fortune with their skills. Maybe you'll be so lucky."

The sound of a book dropping to the floor got muffled by the class bell ringing.

"So, what's next?" Fawn inquired.

"To assemble the club!"

---

The emergency meeting of the Honey Hollow Mystery Club occurred during lunch in an empty classroom. Arriving last, Sean could see their curiosity as soon as he entered the room. The club had never held an emergency meeting before.

Although proud of creating the club, Sean felt a little disappointed that it only had four members. Still, even Finn Singer, his mentor and surrogate big brother, had never managed to set up a mystery club. Sure, Finn didn't have the free time as he'd served as editor of The Buzzy Bee, the school newspaper, for two years. Thus, Finn's team at the previous mystery contest had consisted of friends and staff from The Buzzy Bee.

So Sean felt confident that a club dedicated to mystery-solving could give them a leg up in the competition. However, investigating squads were required to have six members at the competition. The biggest issue is selecting two more people to join us.

Possibly the smartest student at Honey Hollow High, Paige Noble would serve as their human-computer during the competition. Although hyperactive with an obsession for perfection, Sean had no doubt that Paige's skills outweighed her occasional tendency to be annoying. Fawn had warned Sean that competitors wouldn't have access to the internet for research, so Paige's wealth of knowledge would be an advantage for them.

Sean also felt strongly about Jessalyn Granmeyer's benefits to their club. During most days, Jessalyn had a shy, quiet demeanor that screamed bookworm. Yet, also a member of the Drama Club, Jessalyn transformed on stage into a charismatic scene-stealer. Having heard stories about the previous competitions, Sean knew that investigators often dealt with individuals acting as suspects or witnesses. Not only could Jessalyn see through their acting; she had a knack for picking up on people's tells when they lied, and her ability to transform her personality could cause other teams to underestimate her.

The final member was even more of a voracious bookworm than the other three. If a mystery or detective novel had ever been written, chances are that Wesley March had already read it. With reddish-brown hair, brown eyes behind his eyeglasses, and a slightly overweight build, Wesley didn't appear like an expert in crime. Yet, if the shy teen started talking, he'd shock most people. His extensive knowledge came from books and his father, an attorney at the largest law firm in Honey Hollow. Even Sean's private investigator grandfather, Seamus Fallon, had come away impressed by the wannabe armchair detective's expertise.

Deciding to have a flare for the dramatic, Sean whipped out the letter and began reading.

"Congratulations, Sean Tarver. The Shrouded Veil has selected The Magnifying Bees to participate in our next Young Sleuths Challenge. You have impressed our selection committee--"

"Excuse me," Paige interrupted. "Did you just call our club The Magnifying Bees? Who decided on that choice?"

"We discussed it a few months ago," Sean reminded, glancing at Wes and Jess in confusion. "You said you liked it."

"I was clearly being sarcastic," Paige stated. Then, after a sigh, she waved her hand at Sean. "Carry on."

The Honey Hollow Mystery Club president did so, reading the congratulatory letter. Sean also pulled out several other sheets from the packet. These contained information about what to expect, recommended items and clothes to bring, and several waiver forms.

"So we have two weeks to decide on our two additional members. I'd suggest we don't wait until the last minute. Maybe we could decide by Monday afternoon. That gives us the weekend to pitch how fun the trip will be to our two candidates," Sean suggested. He was glad that today was a Friday as he'd never be able to concentrate on school with all the planning that needed to be done.

"Who should we ask?" Wesley questioned, sounding excited and concerned.

"The competition is during spring break? Then, I will not be attending," Paige declared.

"What?!"

"I know that I've mentioned on at least three occasions during our meetings this month that I will be visiting the campuses of my three college finalists during spring break," the school-obsessed girl reminded.

"But this is the Young Sleuths Challenge! Think about winning The Spectacled Sleuth Cap!" Sean exclaimed. "It's one of the reasons we formed this club."

"Yes, I understand that. However, my selection of the proper university is far more consequential to my life and future," Paige proclaimed.

"Can't your tours wait? You've already received early acceptance letters from all those schools," Wes pointed out to his friend.

"While the nine colleges I applied to have all accepted me, I have not done the same for them. That is why I'm visiting my three finalists. I would need to spend three weekends on these tours, if not during spring break. That could severely impact my schoolwork," Paige responded. "I will not alter my plans."

"C'mon, Paige, at least take the weekend to think it over," Sean pleaded. Then, he looked over at Jessalyn for support and became even more freaked out as he saw tears streaming down her face. "Jess, what's wrong?"

"I-I can't g-go either," Jessalyn stammered through sobs.

"Why not?"

"M-My family...we're g-going to Europe. My dad just told us."

"So? You can go to Europe anytime in your life," Paige pointed out.

"Not helpful," Sean hissed at Paige as Jessalyn started crying harder. And considering Paige's lack of empathy to go with Wesley's awkwardness around girls, it fell to Sean to comfort their distraught clubmate.

"I'm sorry," Jessalyn apologized after calming down slightly. "This is my mom's dream vacation. I can't skip it."

"Hey, it's alright. I get it. That's a far more understandable reason than someone else in this room," Sean said, earning a laugh from Jessalyn. "Maybe you can help us think of some replacements."

"Whatever you need."

"Wes, Fletcher better not be dragging you to Cancun for spring break, or you're dead to me," Sean threatened, earning a snicker from Paige.

"Nope! I've been waiting all my life for this contest," Wesley declared.

"Great! We got two investigators on our team. Just four more to go. But hey, we get to solve mysteries in a remote mountain valley. How cool is that?" Sean asked, trying like crazy to hide his disappointment and cheer himself up.

"Didn't you say that we're staying at a summer camp? Nobody better be wearing a hockey mask. You know I hate horror movies and slasher murders," Wesley reminded, appearing sick in the face.

How does a kid never flinch at true crime killings but get sick to his stomach at fake horror films? Shit, who can I even pick?

---

Sean ran his hands along the smooth, firm legs that crossed around his sides. Looking down, he stared into the girl's lust-filled eyes. They shared an unspoken connection which let her know he appreciated her effort to cheer him up, even more by how she went about it.

Up until a couple of months ago, Sean had been a romantic hopelessly in love with a girl he'd had a crush on for years. Given a shot at making his dreams come true, he'd crashed and burned on an almost unimaginable scale. But sometimes, the darkest times bring the brightest light. That bright spot? Sean reconnecting with old friends he'd grown apart from. They had brought new people into his life. He'd also been introduced to a way to raise his spirits by draining his fluids.

"Doesn't this feel better than moping around in misery?" the girl asked, grinning. Then, she performed that action where she clenched her pussy around his cock.

"You know the best ways to cheer me up," Sean replied, moving his hands higher up her body.

They had started with her teasing Sean while sitting on his family room sofa. She'd playfully kicked and rubbed her legs and feet all over him. Then, when he'd retaliated by tickling her sides, his friend fled to the basement. In his bedroom on that lower level, Sean found her clothes almost already off. Insisting that she had to disrobe him, she only unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans before taking his cock into her mouth.

Now currently fucking, Sean worked his cock back and forth slowly. He next leaned forward to let his mouth and hands meet at the same point. Cupping both of her breasts, the blond-haired teen squeezed them while bending down to capture the bullet-hard nipple between his lips. Gently suckling at first, Sean increased the pressure, sucking harder and harder. Then, switching to the other delectable piece of fruit, Sean smiled as she began to moan louder.

"I love these tits. So firm and perky," Sean praised, lifting his head from one. With a string of saliva still connecting them, he added, "And your nipples? So sensitive. Sucking on them causes the cutest noises from you."

"Don't you wish they were bigger?" she queried, repeating one of her deepest worries.

"They're perfect little peaches. I could play with them all day," Sean responded.

"We don't have all day. Look at the time!" she exclaimed, motioning with her head toward his alarm clock.

"Mom won't be home for another couple of hours. It's--"

"It's Friday!" she interrupted.

"Oh, shit, it is!"

"We'd better hurry," she stated.

During their conversation, Sean had slowed his thrusts to a halt. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist when he resumed his motions. Yet, after the sixth turn of pumping in and out, she realized that it'd take forever for them to get off with his gentle movements.

"C'mon, Sean! Fuck me harder. Fuck me harder!" she ordered. "Imagine I'm prissy little Paige. Take out your anger on her pussy!"

"What?" Sean questioned with a surprised grin.

"Make me regret going to stupid colleges instead. Pound Paige's pussy!" However, Sean's expression showed that he found the role-playing humorous rather than hot. "Fine. Imagine I'm Jessalyn. Fuck her like--wait, forget I said that. Don't imagine Jessalyn."

"Why not?' Sean questioned, reconfirming just how clueless he could be sometimes.

"Nothing. Forget about her," she replied, placing her hand on her forehead. How does he not see that Jessalyn is Peyton's look-alike? She's your sister with a different hair color! Oh, screw this.

Suddenly, the girl beneath Sean awed him once again with her flexibility. Reaching above her head, the cheerleader gripped the headboard with both hands. Next, she spread her legs as wide as possible. Finally, she swung those legs up and over his shoulders.

"Whoa," Sean uttered.

"Now. Fuck. Me. Before. We. Get. Caught!"

Snapping out of his funk, Sean did as she commanded. The cheerleader showed her appreciation for the renewed effort by emitting a series of hitch-pitched squeals and grunts. Those sounds led Sean to piston harder and shorter strokes.

"Yes...ugh...love...cock...so...big!"

"You love my--UGH--cock?'

"Fill me...do...it!"

Sean smiled as her body arched further into the air.

"Fill me.. fill...yes...tits...milk," the petite cheerleader moaned incoherently.

"You want me to do what?" Sean asked, slowing down.

"Shoot your cum in me, so my tits get big with milk!" Lacey Stratton ordered. "I want big milky tits!"

Knowing that wasn't likely with her birth control, Sean still felt a surge of lust at the notion. Digging his toes deeper into the mattress, he leaned forward, further bending Lacey's lithe legs over her body.

The jackhammering that Lacy experienced sent her red hair in all directions as her head thrashed from side to side. Despite having sex together multiple times over the last few months, neither teen had ever let loose like this before.

Lacey's keens echoed around Sean's bedroom, filtering up through the floorboards. On the first floor, Watson, Sean's beagle, began to howl in response. This far gone, neither teen cared that Sean's mother might be already home.

In fact, at that very moment, Bridget Tarver pulled her car into the garage. Getting out of the luxury sedan, she smiled at Watson's howling. Then, mistakenly thinking the dog really missed her today, Bridget opened the door leading from the garage to the house. To her surprise, the beagle wasn't howling at that door but at the closed basement door.

Seeing his favorite Tarver family member, Watson stopped baying to wag his tag at Bridget. That's when she heard the sound of Lacey shrieking in orgasmic bliss.

---

"Did you seriously ask me to knock you up?" Sean asked while they got dressed.

"Oh, did I?" Lacey responded, playing dumb until she giggled.

"I swear, you're turning into Lana more and more," Sean chuckled, shaking his head.

"My sister has a lot of faults, but her idea for cheering you up seems to be working," Lacey admitted, checking herself in the mirror for any signs of what they just did.

"She never thought you would actually do it!"

"And she's never going to know. Remember our agreement. This is a friends-with-benefits situation. Our family can not know," Lacey stressed.

Coming off of bad experiences, that had been what they told themselves before jumping feet first into the rabbit hole. Sean and Lacey kept stressing that they weren't ready for a relationship with anyone, so this FWB situation would be alright.

"I know! Our parents would book a wedding venue within an hour of finding out," Sean speculated.

"Our moms might be bad, but our sisters would be even worse. You have no idea," Lacey remarked, opening his bedroom door.

"Crap. I better see if Watson needs to go out," Sean realized as they ascended the stairs.

Instead, they walked into the hallway simultaneously as to when Bridget let Watson back inside the house. Sean's mom acted as if she didn't see the worried-look exchange.

An Ob/Gyn doctor by trade, Bridget was a gorgeous woman with long, wavy caramel blonde hair, blue eyes, large breasts, and a curvy ass. An ex-cheerleader captain with a great sense of humor and a high sex drive, Bridget had gone through a wild, sex-filled phase during her high school years. Strangely, her two children hadn't gone through a similar coming-of-age period yet. She found that highly perplexing.

"Oh, I didn't know you were here, sweetie," Bridget said, greeting Lacey.

"Uh, we were studying," Sean mumbled.

"Again? Wow, you two are really striving to increase your grades for your final semester. I love to see that," the knowing mother remarked with a wink. "Now need to rush off, Lace. Your mom is coming over for our celebratory dinner."

"Celebra--You already know?" Sean challenged, throwing his hand up in the air in exasperation. Just once, he'd like to shock his mom with a piece of news.

"Did you seriously think that Fawn wouldn't tell Brandy? Hell, I bet she told her before you." Lacey nodded at that point. "And I was at the hospital when Brandy decided the news couldn't wait. She actually had them page me over the intercom."

Lacey giggled as she grabbed a water bottle from the refrigerator. Too wrapped up in his own complaints, Sean didn't notice his mom nod in approval as his family friend rehydrated.

"Is my dad coming too?" the petite redhead inquired.

"Nope. The jury is still deliberating," Bridget relayed about Lacey's father, the local district attorney. "Cassie is coming over. Sean, why don't you invite JoJo and Newt over? Now, what's this I hear about Blackbridge getting selected?"

"Blackbridge?! You never told me that," Lacey responded. She ignored Sean's mumble that they had been too busy studying. "Holy fuck! Maybe it's the high school that Amberly transferred to when she moved down there last summer. I need to text her!"

---

"Now, don't go and repeat Finn's mistakes," Rachel Stratton warned Sean.

A kind, caring, and buxom ginger, Rachel reminded many of her youngest daughter personality-wise. But when she got a few drinks in her, the newish elementary school principal showed where her eldest daughter, Lana, inherited her intense sex drive.

Another grade school teacher and redhead, Cassandra Singer watched Sean with sympathetic eyes. Sweet, compassionate, and tremendous with kids, Cassie often earned the credit for Sean's love of reading. One of Bridget's two best friends since childhood, Cassie also was the mother of Finn, Sean's mentor and surrogate big brother.

They, along with Joanne "JoJo" Gibble and Newt Denton, Sean's neighbors and closest friends, had joined the others to currently eat pizza from Luigi's, a local favorite. JoJo, who lived next door, was a busty yet body-shy brunette who starred on the soccer field. A dark-skinned geek, Newt lived a few houses down at the corner and was the type of kid with his face seemingly eternally glued to his phone or tablet.

"I'm so sorry, Sean. You had a smart and wonderful plan," Cassie remarked, meaning his formation of the mystery club. "But Rachel is correct. Unfortunately, Finn picked too many friends rather than the right people for the competition. Maybe if he'd been able to recruit older and younger friends from The Buzzy Bee, he wouldn't have finished in second place."

"Let's just admit the facts, Cass," Rachel said. "Finn lost because of Lana."

"Was anyone shocked? The last mystery contest happened at a haunted plantation deep in the South. Lana is fine with the heat. Maybe humidity. But not both AND a million bugs," Lacey recounted, shaking her head about her older sister.

"Peyton did call her a disaster," Bridget recalled. "Lana spent her time suntanning and fuc--screwing around. However, to be fair, Eoin also spent the competition chasing after girls. And it was Barney that dropped the porcelain map, shattering it."

"Well, my whole plan to avoid that went down in flames. I shouldn't be surprised about Paige. She's always been hyper-focused on school," Sean admitted. "It's Jessalyn that I feel bad about. She's taking it really hard. I guess the dream was fun while it lasted."

"Hey, I didn't raise you to give up before you began," Bridget admonished. "Instead of focusing on how Finn lost, maybe study how Fawn and Brandy won twelve years ago."

"Are you kidding me? Fawn's like a walking encyclopedia, Wrenn's an analytical genius, and Brandy is...Brandy. She might never admit it, but she's a natural detective," Sean rattled off.

"Y-You really think Brandy is that? She never commits to anything, can't settle down, and has zero attention span. I love my baby sis, but she gets into more trouble than she stops," Bridget commented, surprised at her son's take on her sister.

"Mom, Brandy watched and learned everything that Grandpa did. She learned how to pick locks, tail suspects, case a place, and interrogate a suspect before she was ten."

"Probably before that," Bridget admitted begrudgingly. "I guess I never saw her as a potential detective as she used those skills to make everyone's life hell."

"So does that mean that because Fawn took all her friends with her, Sean should?" Lacey asked, confused as that's the opposite of what everyone suggested earlier.

"Sean, did Fawn make any recommendations for a team member?" Cassie inquired.

"Uh, yeah, she suggested Daisy. I mean, Daisy Kirby."

"Ah, she's Fawn's little protégé," Bridget nodded knowingly.

"It's a good suggestion. Daisy's been a reporter for The Buzzy Bee all three years of high school. She knows how to recognize a story, follow leads, and put the pieces together," Sean listed. However, he hesitated before adding, "But I thought if I had to take a school reporter, then why not Ramsey?"

"NO!" All five women shouted. Even Newt looked up from his phone to shake his head.

"I get that things didn't go so well, but--"

"No buts, Sean," Bridget interrupted.

"I love Rammy like one of my own...you should not pick her," Rachel stated.

Lacey looked most shocked that Sean could even consider picking one of her best friends. Ramsey Swift, the editor of The Buzzy Bee, had been Sean's longtime crush. And when Lacey finally realized that, she'd set them up on a series of dates.

"Sean! Are you out of your flipping mind?!" the petite redhead challenged. "You bombed--nuclear bombed-- on your date with Rammy at Grubby's!"

"We might have gotten off on the wrong foot--"

"The wrong foot?! You jammed both of them in your mouth on the second date that I BEGGED her to go on with you. You know, the one at Pinheads that sent you to the emergency room," Lacey recounted.

"I wouldn't have dropped the bowling ball on my foot if you hadn't made it a double-date with you and Austin," Sean pointed out.

"It was the only way I could convince Ram to go!" she shot back. "And Ramsey thought it was your fault that Austin and I broke up a few days later."

"Well, I'm not sorry that part happened," Sean remarked.

"I bet your not," Lacey responded, jabbing a finger in his face.

Bridget, Rachel, and Cassie hid smiles at the tense bickering while JoJo shook her head. Despite Lacey and Sean's belief that no one knew about their FWB situation, the four women did. Newt probably didn't, as he couldn't sense sexual tension between people even if he pried his eyes away from his phone.

"So, do you want to go?" Sean asked, growing aroused at the arguing.

"What?" Lacey questioned, struggling to control her panting.

"Do you want to be part of my team?" Sean clarified, not realizing that he and his family friend had flushed faces.

"No," Lacey replied simply. Then, seeing Sean's hurt expression, she clarified. "My thing is matchmaking, not mysteries. It's what I'm good at. I'd just drag your chances down in a different way than Lana did for Finn. Besides, I'm going to be at Whitney's cabin for her big spring break trip."

"Oh, I guess I get that," Sean replied, looking like Watson did as a sad puppy.

"I know you mentioned wanting specific roles filled for the two leftover spots when you applied. What did you have in mind?" Cassie asked, hoping to break the room's tension.

"Oh! Yeah, I almost forgot about that," Sean admitted sheepishly. "But I also need to replace the two roles that Paige and Jessalyn held. Hey, Newt, you're the second smartest kid in school; want to take Paige's spot?"

"Second smartest?" Newt challenged, finally prying his eyes away from his phone.

"Well, uh, yeah, I mean...Paige is a shoo-in for valedictorian, and you're likely--you ARE definitely locked in for salutatorian," Sean stammered his way through the point.

"Nice pitch," JoJo muttered from his other side.

"So let me get this straight. For this competition, you're required to stay in a kids' summer camp cabin, next to a lake, inside a forest, and which is located in a remote valley. Is that correct?"

"Yep!"

"And we would be required to be out in the sun, crawling around in the woods or mountains to look for clues, while also walking everywhere," Newt continued.

"They have horses...and I think golf carts to use," Sean recalled.

"What do you think my answer will be?" Newt asked. He didn't bother waiting for a response before resuming whatever activity on his phone.

"Uh, yeah, I kinda figured. Maybe I'll hold off on the smart kid pick," Sean mumbled. "So Jessalyn had the actress role."

"Perfect! I know just the person to replace her," Lacey proclaimed. Then, looking over at the three older women, she nodded with a huge grin. "You can take Rory."

"Aurora Rusk?! No way will Austin let me take his sister," Sean declared.

"It's not Austin's decision," Lacey responded with gritted teeth about her ex-boyfriend.

"She's right. Her father is the bigger issue," Rachel said.

"But I'm sure Miranda would be in our corner. She could convince her husband," Cassie suggested. Miranda had been on the same cheerleading squad as Rachel and Bridget in high school. Cassie had also served as their unofficial student manager.

"Or Miranda could help us trick Orrin. Perhaps say that Rory is going on an all-girls trip," Bridget proposed.

"Damn, you're devious, Aunt Bridget," Lacey remarked. This going to be so fucking cool! I wanted to play matchmaker for Sean at Whitney's cabin, but I can still do it if I send Rory with him to this competition. Yay!

"Okay, let's assume that Daisy and Aurora are in; that gives you four team members, right?" Bridget double-checked.

"I guess since Wesley is going," Sean replied.

"Do you have anyone else in mind?" Cassie inquired again, attempting to get the conversation back on track.

"I wanted an athletic person. Some of the mystery club was in decent shape, but we might need a person in top shape. I had thought about taking Jayden when I mailed in the invitation. However, he's also traveling for spring break. Some big road trip with the basketball team."

"Same one as the Sugarbees," Lacey added with a scowl, referring to the rival dance squad.

"But I'm not worried about replacing Jayden. I got myself a star soccer player as a best friend," Sean announced, nudging JoJo with his elbow.

"I'm not going," the brunette said, declining his offer.

"Wait, what? Why not? You're my best friend!"

"That's why I'm not going. Just like Lacey said, solving mysteries isn't my thing. Sure, if something weird happened in our neighborhood, I'd be right at your side with a magnifying glass, but not a competition. I don't want to be the reason you don't win," JoJo explained.

"You won't be!"

"Sean, let's imagine if I was in a mixed soccer tournament that I dreamed about for years. But then, I suddenly needed a replacement player and picked you. What do you think would happen?" JoJo queried, raising an eyebrow.

"I-I'd try my hardest."

"We'd lose. I'm not saying that to be mean. It's a fact that you suck at soccer. Well, I suck at solving mysteries. Even reading one is a chore," JoJo admitted. "However, I also have a person in mind for you. She's an even better athlete--"

"No."

"--and she's outgoing, unlike me--"

"No!"

"--so I think you should take Iona."

"I am not taking Iona O'Hara. Sh-She's cruel!" Sean declared.

"Oh, I think Iona's a wonderful choice. Good call, Jo," Bridget praised.

"No, I am not taking Iona!" Sean insisted. "She'll make my life miserable on the trip."

"What if I get her to agree to tone down the flirting--"

"Teasing. Harassment. ****. But definitely not flirting," Sean corrected. "Don't call it that."

"What if I get her to agree to tone down the flirting from merciless to just intolerable?" JoJo finished her question.

"I think it's an excellent idea, Joanne," Cassie agreed. "Since she's Eoin's sister, I'm sure she's heard all about his time in the competition. That's the closest you can get to a veteran under these circumstances."

"I am not taking Iona with--"

DING DONG

"Hmm, I wonder who that could be?" Bridget asked aloud.

She didn't even need to move as the door swung open. In walked a confident, gorgeous young woman. Whitney Diamond, Honey Hollow High's queen bee and cheerleader captain, had long, straight blonde hair, blue eyes, large breasts, and a firm ass. A bossy girl with little patience, she could come across as conceited or stuck-up. However, that didn't matter to nearly everyone at Honey Hollow High, as Whitney regularly topped the list of most fuckable girls. And despite outward appearances, Whitney had an eclectic group of friends, including her co-BFFs, Lacey and Ramsey.

Sean hadn't known Whitney all that well before reconnecting with Lacey a few months back. It did turn out that her family had past connections to his, which had been a surprise. Sean's mom also seemed to have a soft spot in her heart for the girl she said reminded her of herself in high school. He'd had conversations at school with the buxom blonde but wouldn't say they were close or all that friendly. Even now, they weren't friendly enough for her to just walk into his house.

"Sorry for the intrusion. This couldn't wait," the cheer captain declared, marching into the kitchen. "After Amberly informed Lace that she never heard of The Shrouded Veil, I made inquires."

Finishing her march over to the kitchen table, Whitney plopped a folder onto the spot in front of Sean.

"Blackbridge's representative is named Napoleon Pascoe. He's a piece of work," Whitney remarked, flipping open the folder.

Sean's eyes bugged out as he saw all the crimes that Napoleon should've been charged with but wasn't. Apparently, his counterpart from Blackbridge had a knack for talking his way out of trouble, or he cooperated by giving up his friends and other people he knew of that committed crimes. Shit, this Napoleon is better suited for being the villain in the Young Sleuths Challenge.

"Don't worry, Tarver. This little shit won't be a problem for us. I know how to deal with his kind," Whitney said, walking over to grab a water bottle from the fridge.

"Us?" Sean questioned.

"Face it, Seanie, you're too wishy-washy to lead a team. You need a gal with experience. That's me," Whitney said, sitting down on the chair that Bridget offered. "This is also about the pride and reputation of Honey Hollow. As the future CEO of Diamond Corp, I can't let your little band of bookworms embarrass my city."

"Hmm, I guess you might have found your team, honey," Bridget commented, beaming at the new arrival. "That's if no one else turns you down."

"Oh, don't worry, Bridget. I never get turned down," Whitney stated with confidence. Then, she looked over at Lacey, "So who else did we add besides Rory?"

"Wait, aren't you hosting the big spring break trip at your family's lakehouse?" Sean questioned. "That's why Lacey said she can't go."

"Oh, that's still happening. I'll give the keys to one of the girls on the squad. They can still have a fun time at Wasp Lake," Whitney responded dismissively.

"I don't think I'm comfortable allowing Lacey to do that," Rachel remarked, causing her daughter to groan.

"I can always get my dad to supervise the trip," Whitney suggested.

"I'm beyond uncomfortable with notorious playboy Harvey Diamond supervising a dozen of his daughter's barely legal friends," Rachel replied.

"I'm sure Dad wouldn't screw every one of my friends," Whitney joked.

Not a single person in the kitchen laughed at her joke.