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are we going to do with them? What if Marty comes
looking for Della?
If we find them, we ll take them to Matthew or
the police, hissed Sydney. She didn t answer the
second question. She didn t want to think past the
job at hand.
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Taking the flashlight, she climbed the ladder
steps until she was behind the cutout of the lady.
Cassie was holding onto the ladder, helping to
balance it.
Do you see anything? asked Della in a stage
whisper.
Not yet, returned Sydney. I just got up
here! She held the flashlight and began to look
around, pointing its light into the cutout and all
around it. I don t see anything, she whispered
back in frustration.
Look close at the beam, instructed Della
excitedly. There has to be something up there
somewhere!
The girls were too intent on what they were
doing to notice the two burly men that eased out of
cars and sauntered slowly across the street as if
headed for the bar. They silently melted into the
tree and night shadows along the edges of the bar.
The girls hadn t even seen them.
Sydney peered underneath the beam. Seeing
nothing unusual, she stepped up another step so
she could look at it from the top. She saw nothing
again. Frustrated, she slammed the butt of the
flashlight down on the beam. There s nothing up
here, nothing at all, she said impatiently.
There HAS to be, said Della frantically. Let
me up there. Maybe I can see something you ve
missed.
No, replied Sydney, you are hurt, you can t
come up here!
Uh ohhh, said Cassie, her voice floating up to
Sydney. Guess who s here Sydney, and he looks
awful mad!
Sydney leaned out to peer around the cutoff.
She saw Ryan, Dan and a policeman headed their
way, Ryan leading the procession.
Ryan saw Cassie holding the ladder as soon as
he pulled up to the bar. Della was standing off to
the side; that meant Sydney must be up on top of
it! His first reaction was heartfelt relief, his second,
196
the urge to spank her senseless! There was no sign
of Leamer or Mason, thank god!
Ryan strode over to the girls and moved Cassie
aside to yell up the ladder. Sydney Renee
Carstairs, you come down here right now!
Go to hell, Ryan Roglund, I don t need you,
she snarled back, grabbing hold of the beam. She
felt an up thrust edge that she hadn t seen before
when she had shown the light on it.
Don t make me come up there after you!
Dan and Fred looked at each other and grinned.
This was turning out to be interesting.
Go away, came the muffled reply. Sydney was
busy shining the light back on the beam. There was
an indention in the wood where the flashlight butt
had crashed into it and Sydney picked at the edging
that had popped up with her fingernail. Drat, she
muttered, it won t come up. Feeling the ladder
bounce she glanced down.
What are you doing? she hissed, seeing Ryan s
furious face ascending closer and closer. The rat
was climbing the ladder! She reached a foot out to
kick at him.
I m coming up there and so help me, if you kick
me, little girl, I will paddle your butt till you can t sit
for a week!
Sydney ignored his threat and kicked out at him,
angry to the core. Leave me alone you& you
traitor! Go back to the states and just leave me
and Cassie alone, we don t want you here!
I am here, I m not leaving, and you just earned
yourself another spanking, he growled grabbing
her foot. He held onto it until he climbed past it,
and then grunted when she found his ribs. He
reached up and smacked the pert bottom right
above him. Stop that!
Sydney was flattened against the ladder as Ryan
came up behind her. What are you doing up here
anyway? she hissed at him in frustration. She
tried to elbow him, but he absorbed the blow,
leaning into her and pinning her against the steps.
197
What are YOU doing up here is the question,
he replied cuttingly. And why didn t you let me
know what you were up to? I ve been worried sick!
Oh don t give me that worn out routine! she
snapped furiously. We both know what you
intended to do and for your information, I m looking
for the diamonds.
This is not the place or time to discuss the
PRIVATE papers you got into in my room, returned
Ryan evenly. Now why are you looking up here for
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