“How? How?” I lamented in my seat in the Literature Club room. Maris’ eyes were focused on me as I told her about my fruitless search. “There’s nothing. Nothing hinting on rubies or mermaids! No trace of anything suspicious,” I continued.
When I was done, Maris suggested that we wait for the photos to be developed first before I jump to hopeless conclusions. “You can’t expect the clues to show themselves to you right the first time,” she said. “We might get something when we study the pictures you’ve taken.”
Even then, I was becoming less and less confident of myself. Maybe there’s really nothing there at all.
“It just means they’re being careful enough. It’s to be expected, of course, since they’re outlaws. If those guys are stupid, then the cops would’ve caught them by now,” Maris added. I knew she was just comforting me, but all that she had said made sense. She touched my shoulders with a firm grip. “Don’t lose hope just yet. Okay?”
