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"Well, I mean, yeah, I was inspired by the likes of Nancy Drew... and people like yourself Miss Meadows. What did you guys mean by you have been reading about me?" Emily answered the question then posed one of her own.

"Very good Emily. I like your tenacity getting to the bottom of mysteries. Truth be told, I have read a couple of stories about your exploits back in Greenfield. Seemingly out of nowhere, this new young sleuth pops up overnight, and begins foiling nefarious plots. It got my attention, especially that business with Dr Harvey Moore. The case involving experimental drug CXSE-W1 was fascinating. The hallucinogenic and suggestion susceptible effects could have dire consequences if delivered en mass. Your classmates in particular were very lucky that you were on the case." Dawn explained her interest in detail. Emily blushed from the praise coming from a woman whom she admired for her own pursuits in truth and justice.

"Is there anything more you can tell me about your friend Eliza Moore?" continued Dawn.

"Eliza? Well, I mean... we are not exactly. I mean we were, but well, after..." Emily was caught off guard by the question. But before she could finish explaining herself, Dawn Meadow's desk phone cut her off with a ring. Dawn pondered ignoring the call for a moment, searching Emily's face, then snatched it up in her well manicured hand and tersely spoke "Meadows." A moment later she swiveled her chair and plucked a sharp pointed pencil from a plastic cup, putting it to a small lined notepad, jotting things down. She nodded, asked a few follow up questions, spoke a few phrases that made Emily's ears prick up, before hanging up. Dawn continued writing for a few more moments then swiveled back around to face her guest.

"I couldn't help but overhear you say-" began Emily curiously, but she found herself cut off once again, this time by Dawn.

"I'm sorry Miss Lockwood, but I'm afraid that I am going to have to cut your visit short," she paused as if not sure what to say next. "I'm sure I can have Danny... or perhaps Mr O'Neil might be able to..." Dawn was clearly trying to think of what to do with her young visitor.

"Or I can go with you!" Emily blurted it out before she even knew it. Both young women regarded each other with green eyes.

"Absolutely not," replied Dawn after a moment of consideration. She stood up and began packing her purse.

"Why not? I heard you talking about Mr Moore to whoever that was on the phone. There is something you are not telling me, but I promise you, I can handle it!" Emily came in strong with her fight to be a relevant detective.

Dawn ran a hand over her eyes as if regretting that Emily overheard the phone conversation. "This is dangerous stuff Emily, not something for a high school girl," explained Dawn.

"I'm not afraid of danger!" countered Emily, a bit too forcefully, voice teetering on petulance. "Besides, I know more than you do about CXSE-W1," Emily added, getting herself more under control.

Dawn regarded Emily while she finished packing her bag. The hot tip she received from her informant on the phone was not something for a high school girl, but this Emily Lockwood was reminding her of someone familiar. She reminded her of herself when she was her age.

The finger pointed right between Emily's eyes to drive the point home. "You stick right by my side, do what I say, and do not take any foolish risks. Real detective work risks more peril than a few runs in your pantyhose."

Emily smacked her hands together and did a little hop. "Oh thank you, thank you! You won't regret this. And don't worry, I always pack emergency pantyhose!" she stated proudly.

Dawn rolled her eyes, realizing this girl has a LOT to learn. "Come on Miss Lockwood. I will fill you in on what I know about this lead on our way down to the parking garage. And since you have weaseled your way into this case, you might as well fill me in on everything you know about Dr Harvey Moore and the CXSE-W1 drug trials."

"Are we going to get to ride in your Jaguar?" asked an excited Emily.

60 minutes later...

"This is the place?" Emily asked skeptically. The place in question was a rundown building in a bad part of town.

"They always are," replied Dawn, reading Emily's thoughts. "Come on, and stay close," she instructed.

Inside was in no better shape than outside. The walls were chipped, water damaged, and musty. The wooden boards of the floor were forlorn after years of neglect. Both girls took gingerly steps as they made their way through vacant rooms in the building. The sound of a voice caused both girls to look at each other, and exchange the rapid consideration of thoughts. We should not be here, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Perhaps we should have dressed more appropriately for this type of thing. We should have notified someone that we were here. Every girl detective has these thoughts. It is healthy to have doubts. After all, Dawn felt the immense pressure of having Emily's safety in her care. Shaking off the paralyzing fear, Dawn signaled for Emily to follow and to be quiet. Standing on the tip toes of her flats, Emily did her best.

At the back of the dimly lit building a door stood partially ajar. Yellow light spilled out over the floor from the mysterious room on the other side. Dawn and Emily crept up to the wall, easing their way toward the door. A man's voice echoed from inside.

"Dr Moore says he needs these chemicals in order to complete the formula on the drug. After his daughter was exposed by that meddling Lockwood girl, he was nearly ruined. His practice took a devastating hit, and he lost access to the key ingredients necessary in the creation of CXSE-W1. Security has doubled at the hospital now. From what he says, this is necessary in finishing his experimental trials, and also crucial in freeing his daughter Eliza. Get this stuff onto to the truck out back. We are behind schedule. I will finish up here."

The dialogue ended with the sound of grunting and the bang of a door as one of the men exited the back of the building. Dawn kept her back pressed up against the wall, feeling her heart hammer in her chest. Glancing over at her partner, she found Emily wide eyed and curious. No doubt she too was afraid. The sound of her name coming from the mouth of a very dangerous sounding mystery man was enough to ice the courage of any teenage sleuth. Dawn once again began to regret letting Emily tag along on this case. Pulling her phone out, she peeked her head around the door, then risked snapping a couple evidence photos. Very carefully she began to draft a text message to Danny Breslin with the photos as attachments. She needed to get this information out as soon as possible. At any moment something could-

"ACHOO!" Dawn felt her heart seize. She looked at Emily and saw the very guilty and apologetic face of the teenage sleuth. Emily mouthed "I'm sorry!" for the untimely sneeze that betrayed her nose. At first everything was quiet. Dreadfully, achingly, unnaturally quiet. Both girls looked at each other, hoping against hope. They took the tiniest shred of comfort that they were both visibly trembling. But then the sound of booted feet clapped against the floor boards behind the door. The sound was coming their way! Dawn desperately tried to finish her text message while Emily turned away, cowering, her hands balled into tiny fists, cinched up around her chin as she tried to keep her teeth from chattering.

To be continued...

Description

"Well, I mean, yeah, I was inspired by the likes of Nancy Drew... and people like yourself Miss Meadows. What did you guys mean by you have been reading about me?" Emily answered the question then posed one of her own.

"Very good Emily. I like your tenacity getting to the bottom of mysteries. Truth be told, I have read a couple of stories about your exploits back in Greenfield. Seemingly out of nowhere, this new young sleuth pops up overnight, and begins foiling nefarious plots. It got my attention, especially that business with Dr Harvey Moore. The case involving experimental drug CXSE-W1 was fascinating. The hallucinogenic and suggestion susceptible effects could have dire consequences if delivered en mass. Your classmates in particular were very lucky that you were on the case." Dawn explained her interest in detail. Emily blushed from the praise coming from a woman whom she admired for her own pursuits in truth and justice.

"Is there anything more you can tell me about your friend Eliza Moore?" continued Dawn.

"Eliza? Well, I mean... we are not exactly. I mean we were, but well, after..." Emily was caught off guard by the question. But before she could finish explaining herself, Dawn Meadow's desk phone cut her off with a ring. Dawn pondered ignoring the call for a moment, searching Emily's face, then snatched it up in her well manicured hand and tersely spoke "Meadows." A moment later she swiveled her chair and plucked a sharp pointed pencil from a plastic cup, putting it to a small lined notepad, jotting things down. She nodded, asked a few follow up questions, spoke a few phrases that made Emily's ears prick up, before hanging up. Dawn continued writing for a few more moments then swiveled back around to face her guest.

"I couldn't help but overhear you say-" began Emily curiously, but she found herself cut off once again, this time by Dawn.

"I'm sorry Miss Lockwood, but I'm afraid that I am going to have to cut your visit short," she paused as if not sure what to say next. "I'm sure I can have Danny... or perhaps Mr O'Neil might be able to..." Dawn was clearly trying to think of what to do with her young visitor.

"Or I can go with you!" Emily blurted it out before she even knew it. Both young women regarded each other with green eyes.

"Absolutely not," replied Dawn after a moment of consideration. She stood up and began packing her purse.

"Why not? I heard you talking about Mr Moore to whoever that was on the phone. There is something you are not telling me, but I promise you, I can handle it!" Emily came in strong with her fight to be a relevant detective.

Dawn ran a hand over her eyes as if regretting that Emily overheard the phone conversation. "This is dangerous stuff Emily, not something for a high school girl," explained Dawn.

"I'm not afraid of danger!" countered Emily, a bit too forcefully, voice teetering on petulance. "Besides, I know more than you do about CXSE-W1," Emily added, getting herself more under control.

Dawn regarded Emily while she finished packing her bag. The hot tip she received from her informant on the phone was not something for a high school girl, but this Emily Lockwood was reminding her of someone familiar. She reminded her of herself when she was her age.

The finger pointed right between Emily's eyes to drive the point home. "You stick right by my side, do what I say, and do not take any foolish risks. Real detective work risks more peril than a few runs in your pantyhose."

Emily smacked her hands together and did a little hop. "Oh thank you, thank you! You won't regret this. And don't worry, I always pack emergency pantyhose!" she stated proudly.

Dawn rolled her eyes, realizing this girl has a LOT to learn. "Come on Miss Lockwood. I will fill you in on what I know about this lead on our way down to the parking garage. And since you have weaseled your way into this case, you might as well fill me in on everything you know about Dr Harvey Moore and the CXSE-W1 drug trials."

"Are we going to get to ride in your Jaguar?" asked an excited Emily.

60 minutes later...

"This is the place?" Emily asked skeptically. The place in question was a rundown building in a bad part of town.

"They always are," replied Dawn, reading Emily's thoughts. "Come on, and stay close," she instructed.

Inside was in no better shape than outside. The walls were chipped, water damaged, and musty. The wooden boards of the floor were forlorn after years of neglect. Both girls took gingerly steps as they made their way through vacant rooms in the building. The sound of a voice caused both girls to look at each other, and exchange the rapid consideration of thoughts. We should not be here, maybe this isn't such a good idea. Perhaps we should have dressed more appropriately for this type of thing. We should have notified someone that we were here. Every girl detective has these thoughts. It is healthy to have doubts. After all, Dawn felt the immense pressure of having Emily's safety in her care. Shaking off the paralyzing fear, Dawn signaled for Emily to follow and to be quiet. Standing on the tip toes of her flats, Emily did her best.

At the back of the dimly lit building a door stood partially ajar. Yellow light spilled out over the floor from the mysterious room on the other side. Dawn and Emily crept up to the wall, easing their way toward the door. A man's voice echoed from inside.

"Dr Moore says he needs these chemicals in order to complete the formula on the drug. After his daughter was exposed by that meddling Lockwood girl, he was nearly ruined. His practice took a devastating hit, and he lost access to the key ingredients necessary in the creation of CXSE-W1. Security has doubled at the hospital now. From what he says, this is necessary in finishing his experimental trials, and also crucial in freeing his daughter Eliza. Get this stuff onto to the truck out back. We are behind schedule. I will finish up here."

The dialogue ended with the sound of grunting and the bang of a door as one of the men exited the back of the building. Dawn kept her back pressed up against the wall, feeling her heart hammer in her chest. Glancing over at her partner, she found Emily wide eyed and curious. No doubt she too was afraid. The sound of her name coming from the mouth of a very dangerous sounding mystery man was enough to ice the courage of any teenage sleuth. Dawn once again began to regret letting Emily tag along on this case. Pulling her phone out, she peeked her head around the door, then risked snapping a couple evidence photos. Very carefully she began to draft a text message to Danny Breslin with the photos as attachments. She needed to get this information out as soon as possible. At any moment something could-

"ACHOO!" Dawn felt her heart seize. She looked at Emily and saw the very guilty and apologetic face of the teenage sleuth. Emily mouthed "I'm sorry!" for the untimely sneeze that betrayed her nose. At first everything was quiet. Dreadfully, achingly, unnaturally quiet. Both girls looked at each other, hoping against hope. They took the tiniest shred of comfort that they were both visibly trembling. But then the sound of booted feet clapped against the floor boards behind the door. The sound was coming their way! Dawn desperately tried to finish her text message while Emily turned away, cowering, her hands balled into tiny fists, cinched up around her chin as she tried to keep her teeth from chattering.

To be continued...