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“I know that,” said Ruby, blowing a strand of hair from her face.

Moments later, Garth burst into the office. He was holding up a small earring and had a triumphant look on his face.“Look what I found.”

Ruby’s jaw dropped. “Where did you find that?”

“Under your mattress, where you hid it after you took it from my office.”

“But that’s impossible!”

“Oh, Ruby, not again!” said her mother.

“But Mom, I swear I didn’t take it!”

“Then what was it doing under your mattress?” asked Garth.

“I don’t know! Maybe someone put it there?” She darted a glance at her mom and dad, who looked as flabbergasted as she did. Tears had formed in the girl’s eyes, and she was shaking her head. “This can’t be happening.”

“It is happening,” said Garth. “I’m afraid I have no alternative but to place you in custody. I’ll notify the police, who’ll come on board to take charge.”

“What police?” her dad demanded. “From where?”

“Grenadian police. They’ll decide what to do.”

“But I’m telling you I didn’t do this!” said Ruby piteously.

“Then who did?”

“How should I know? Someone who planted that thing in my room, obviously.”

A look of annoyance flashed across the security man’s face. “Look, I’m done wasting time, Miss Kettering. This is not the first time you’ve been accused of something like this. I think we’ve all been very patient with you but at some point you will understand there have to be consequences to your actions. So please remain seated. As for you, Mr. and Mrs. Kettering, you better go and pack your bags. You’ll be accompanying your daughter to the mainland. Odelia, Chase—there’s no need for you to stick around. Thanks for your help.”

When we walked out of that cabin, we were all deeply impressed with recent events. In spite of her kleptomaniac tendencies, I’d taken a liking to Ruby, and I knew Odelia had too. And now she’d have to spend the rest of her vacation in a Grenadian prison cell. It probably wasn’t how the Ketterings imagined their vacation to end.

“Poor Ruby,” said Dooley, who clearly felt the same way. “Will she have to spend the rest of her life in jail, Max?”

“I doubt it,” I said. “Not for this. Probably she’ll get a slap on the wrist and put on the next flight home.”

“And just when she met that nice boy Jacob,” said Dooley, shaking his head. “Now she’ll never see him again.”

Suddenly a voice sounded behind us, and when we looked up, we saw that Cynthia Kettering came hurrying in our direction.“Wait!” she cried. “Please wait!

So we patiently waited until she’d caught up with us. Her face was flushed and she looked close to tears. “You’re a cop, aren’t you?” she asked Odelia.

“I’m the cop,” said Chase.

“I’m a reporter, actually,” said Odelia.

“Can you please help us? I’m sure my daughter didn’t do this. She may be a thief, but she’s never lied to us before. If she’s accused of something, she always confesses. But not this time, which tells me she must be innocent.”

“Or maybe she understands the implications and she’s determined to lie,” Chase pointed out.

“You don’t know my daughter, Mr. Kingsley,” said the woman. “She’s not one for lying. On the contrary. She likes to throw this kind of stuff in our faces, sit back and watch us stew. She seems to enjoy it. Sometimes I even think the only reason she steals is so she can shock us with her behavior. Get some kind of rise out of us, you know.”

Remembering Odelia’s conversation with the girl, I’d say Mrs. Kettering was absolutely right.

“So I’m sure that this time she’s innocent for a change. Besides, how can a girl of sixteen be expected to break into an office?”

“YouTube?” Chase suggested. “You’d be surprised what you can find online.”

“Look, I don’t care if you believe me or not, but you need to help us. She can’t go to prison in Grenada. I won’t let that happen to her, and neither should you.” She was looking at Odelia intently. The latter finally nodded.

“Frankly I don’t buy this story either,” she said. “Ruby and I had a long talk yesterday, and I think I got through to her. She promised me she wouldn’t do this again, and I don’t think she was lying when she made me that promise.”

“Exactly!” Then Cynthia Kettering frowned. “You still haven’t told me what you and my daughter talked about.”

Odelia smiled.“When she’s ready I’m sure she’ll tell you.”

Mrs. Kettering shook her head.“That’s not important right now. What is important is that we find the person who broke into Mr. Dagit’s office and planted that earring in my daughter’s room.”

Odelia relented.“All right.”

“Babe!” said Chase.

She placed a hand on his arm.“Even if Ruby is lying, there’s something funny about this story, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think it’s very funny,” said Dooley.

“Oh, thank you!” said Mrs. Kettering, and suddenly enveloped Odelia in a grateful hug.

“We better work fast,” Odelia told Chase once Ruby’s mom had hurried back to start gathering their belongings before the Grenadian police arrived.

“If you say so,” said Chase, who still didn’t look entirely convinced.