Beauty and the Beach Read Free Page B

from outside, and then Courtney’s high-pitched laughter, and then more talking. After a moment of silence that went on far too long, Isabelle wondered if she should step outside, or maybe switch the porch light on and off. Just when she was considering getting up, Courtney finally opened the door, then shut it quickly behind her.
    She was all smiles. “Ask me who had the best prom any girl has ever had in her entire life.”
    “Who?” asked Dad.
    “Me!”
    Erin grinned. “I take it your date went really well?”
    “It did. We’re going out again on Monday.”
    As Courtney continued to chatter about what a great night she’d had, Isabelle studied her neck. She couldn’t see the necklace, but surely Courtney’s hair had to be hiding it.
    Showing off her dress, Courtney twirled around for Erin, and when her hair lifted, Isabelle could plainly see Courtney’s neck was bare. “Courtney, where is the necklace Dad loaned you?”
    Courtney’s hand shot to her throat and she patted the skin and gasped. Her face drained of color. “I don’t know!”
    Isabelle’s heart pounded in her chest as she stood.
    Dad slowly stood, as well. “Courtney, we have to find that necklace. Did you put it in your purse?”
    Courtney shook her head wildly. “I didn’t take a purse.”
    Dad paced to the kitchen counter and put his hand to his forehead.
    Erin looked confused. “What necklace? What’s going on?”
    “We…we…” Dad turned to face Isabelle and tears shimmered in his eyes. “The necklace. We have to look for that necklace. He was stammering. “I…it’s got to be here.” He looked at Courtney. “Are you sure you don’t have it?”
    Izzy hurried to her sister and lifted her hair to expose her bare neck. She ran her fingers through her sister’s thick hair, then searched the floor. “It’s not here.”
    “That…it…the necklace is worth $100,000. I could go to jail if my boss finds out I took it.”
    Courtney started to wail.
    Dizziness swept over Isabelle and she placed a hand on the wall to steady herself. $100,000? What had he been thinking to loan such a valuable necklace to a teenager? How could this possibly be happening? “Okay, everyone. This is no time to panic. We’re going to find the necklace. We have to.”
    Erin stood. “Courtney, go to your room and take off the dress. Maybe the necklace slipped inside.”
    Courtney rushed into her bedroom and Isabelle followed and unzipped the dress before stepping back into the hall. A few minutes later, Courtney wrenched open the door. Dressed in her bathrobe, tears running down her face, she shook her head. “It’s not there.”
    Isabelle hurried into the room and shook out the dress. Nothing. Woodenly, she walked back into the living room to see Courtney all alone, lowering her cell phone. The younger girl shook her head. “Daniel isn’t answering. His phone went dead earlier when we were taking pictures at the dance and sending them to our friends. Izzy, what do I do?”
    “Did you have the necklace on at the prom?”
    Courtney scrolled through the pictures on her cell phone. She nodded. “I was wearing it at dinner and then afterward at the prom. Look.” She held up a picture of herself and three grinning girlfriends, and the necklace was plainly visible.
    “Was that the last picture you took of yourself?”
    Courtney nodded. “Yes. I accidentally left my phone in the limo when we went for ice cream afterward. We walked down to the beach, then after, we dropped everyone off and went home.”
    “What limo service did you use?”
    “I don’t know. Daniel set it up.”
    “Okay. Call your friends and see if any of them have pictures of you at the ice cream shop, at the beach, or in the limo.”
    Courtney was shaking her head. “After we got our ice cream we walked on the beach. But not together. As couples. We sort of split up to be alone, you know? And I don’t think anyone took pictures in the limousine at the end of the night. We’d