*I’m being featured on Six Feet Under today!  Come check out Tess’s fabulous blog, since she’s so kind to feature me!

To read the previous editions, go here.

“Birdie, wait!”  Huffing as she half-stumbled, half-ran down the stairs, Frankie reached a pacing Birdie at the bottom of the steps.  “Where are you going to in such a rush?”  Her freckled face spread in a hopeful grin.  “Are you going to go get a burger? Or a milkshake?  I’ll join you!”

“You have Irish dancing class,” Birdie reminded her.  Her toes rubbed against inside of her shoes, itching to run.

“I had piano the other day and you didn’t care if I blew that off.”  Frankie’s eyes narrowed.  “What are you up to?”

Birdie sighed.  The bottom of her feet tingled with the urge to move. “Just research right now. Listen, I promise I’ll call you tonight and tell you.  I’ve got to hurry to an appointment and then get home to Sassy. I wanted to go check on her during P.E. and Coach wouldn’t let me.”  She scowled.

Frankie eyed her friend.  “Sure you don’t want to tell me?”

“There’s nothing to tell right now,” Birdie replied, truthfully.  “I did a bunch of online research last night.  I think I’ve got some ideas, but I need to ask some questions first.”  She poked her friend in the arm.  “And if I don’t get going, I won’t get any answers to them!”

Frankie rolled her eyes.  “Go to your appointment!  You’ll drive us both nuts if you don’t.”  She gave Birdie a hopeful smile.  “But you’ll call me later?”

“Even better,” Birdie promised.  “I’ll meet you at the diner in the morning and buy you breakfast.  I’ll tell you all about it before school.”

Frankie’s eyes popped out.   She licked her lips, her freckled cheeks pink with excitement.  “Seriously?  We never have breakfast at the diner, just milkshakes or burgers.”  A bit of drool shone at the corner of her mouth.  “I’ve always wanted to try their cinnamon rolls and pancakes…”  She smacked her lips together.  “All I ever get at home is a Pop Tart and yogurt or cereal…maybe toast and eggs if it’s a big day.”

“We’ll try everything!” Birdie cried, patting her friend on the arm.  “We’ll have a feast!  I’ve got to run now or I’ll have nothing to tell you!”

Waving goodbye to Frankie, who was lost in a vision of diner pancakes, she raced down the school steps and bolted down the sidewalk.  Dodging the kids waiting for the bus and kids waiting for their parents, she zoomed down the sidewalk until her lungs burned and her breath was ragged.  Still, she pushed on.  When she finally reached the police station, her veins were pounding in her temples and sweat poured down her cheeks.

“What happened to you?” a large officer with a bulging belly boomed as he peered down at her.

“Nothing,” Birdie panted.  Wiping her sweaty hair back from her forehead, she threw back her shoulders and raised her chin with all the dignity she could muster as she gasped for breath.  “I have an appointment with Detective Michaels.”

The cop raised an eyebrow.  Without tearing his eyes from her, he bellowed, “Michaels!  Some kid here to see you!”  He scratched the underside of his belly.  “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Birdie.”

“Birdie?” the man snorted.  “What kind of name is that?”

Her cheeks burning from anger as well as the exercise, Birdie opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a smooth voice replying, “It’s her name, of course.”

She whirled around to see a tall man with dark hair that swooped over a olive forehead.  Dark brown eyes that looked like the ones on her velvet teddy bear stared down at her from a chiseled face.  Birdie noted with satisfaction he was wearing a khaki overcoat over his shirt and tie, which she assumed all good detectives did.

“Detective Michaels?”  She stuck out her hand.

“Birdie.”  He shook her hand, ignoring the guffawing cop. “Shall we?”  He extended his arm, pointing to a large floor-to-cieling glass office.

“This is going to be great,” the cop chortled.  “What are you here for, kid?  Someone steal your Barbie?”

Raising her chin even higher, Birdie stuck her tongue out at him as Detective Michaels swept her into his office.  Plopping onto a old cracked leather chair that looked like a tiger had used it as a scratching post, she waited for him to settle into the creaky chair behind his desk.  “So what are these questions about?”

Birdie folded her hands.  She didn’t trust any adult.  “What do you know about Mr. Pemberely?”

“Of the pet shop?”

Birdie nodded.  Detective Michaels picked up a pen and tapped it against his fingers.  “I know a few things; nothing concrete.  Why?  Do you have questions about him?”

“I do,” Birdie confirmed.  “And I have conflicting research. I want to know what’s true and what’s not true.”

Detective Michaels raised an eyebrow.  “Did Mr. Pemberely do anything to do?  Did he talk to you in an inappropriate manner or try to touch you or anything?”

“No.”  Birdie shook her head.  “I’m just…curious.”

“Forgive me, Birdie, but most kids aren’t curious about pet shop owners unless there is something deeper.”  The pen tapped faster against the detective’s fingers.  “What are you so curious about?”

Birdie’s fingers knotted tighter together.  “To be frank, Detective Michaels, I prefer not to say unless I know I can trust you.”

“You can trust me.”   He flashed his badge.  “I’m an officer of the law.  I’m here to help.”

Birdie gave him a wary grin.  “I don’t trust any adults until I’m sure.”

The detective grinned.  “A fair practice.”  He set down his pen and leaned forward.  “So what do you want to know, Birdie?”

Reaching down and unzipping her backpack, Birdie pulled out a thick folder of paper. Slapping it on the surface of the cluttered desk, she pulled out a white sheet.  “To start with, I want to know if this is true.”

She slid the sheet over the table.  The detective scanned the paper and raised his eyebrows.  Ignoring his surprised expression, Birdie smiled.

“I want you to tell me everything you know about Mr. Pemberely.  Because if you don’t, something terrible could happen.”

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Tomorrow we have a delectable recipe and Friday a new Dallas Jean!  Then Saturday, more whimsical fun!  Stay tuned!