Malibu Mayhem Trilogy 02: Mystery At Malachite Mansion Read Free

“Speaking of goofs, that was a lame joke you played on us.”
    “It wasn’t meant to be a joke,” Cassie said.
    “Your
reaction
was what made it funny,” Nathan declared.
    “Well, it wasn’t funny for us,” Bess admitted.
    “Whatever,” Cassie said. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed at the mansions along the beach. “Will you check out the McMansions around here? Total waste of good beach.”
    “Not to mention a waste of power to light and heat those monstrosities,” Nathan said angrily.
    “That one over there,” Cassie said, pointing to Stacey’s house. “Is it yours?”
    “It belongs to a friend,” I said. “We’re staying with her a few extra days to help clean up the beach.”
    “A few days? Hey, don’t knock yourselves out,” Cassie said sarcastically.
    “
Our
mission to save the beach is a lifelong commitment,” Nathan said.
    “Mission?” I repeated.
    “Sure,” Cassie said. “Haven’t you heard of the Blue Greenies?”
    “Blue Greenies?” Bess giggled. “Sounds like a Pee Wee softball team.”
    Cassie glared at Bess as if to say,
Don’t even go there
.
    “The Blue Greenies are a California-based environmental group,” Nathan stated. “Dedicated to protecting the ocean and its beaches.”
    “If you’re all about saving the beach,” I said with a smile, “then you’re in the right place.”
    George wasn’t smiling; her eyes burned at Cassie and Nathan. “I’ve heard of your troublemaking group,” she said. “You use scare tactics to get your messages across. Like that coffin you sent us.”
    “So it freaked you out a little,” Cassie said. “No big deal.”
    “So what about all those
McMansions
you set on fire?” George asked. “I heard all about that, too.”
    Fires? I stared at the Blue Greenies. That was a lot more serious than a prank.
    “Don’t believe everything you hear,” Nathan sneered.
    “Right now our goal is to spread awareness of the damage done to the beach,” Cassie said.
    “While protecting our beaches and waters from oppressive members of the human race,” Nathan added.
    “Only one human was responsible for the disaster on this beach,” I said. “One
crazy
human named Roland.”
    “If you want to help clean the beach,” George toldCassie and Nathan, “why don’t you start by picking up that coffin?”
    We watched while they hoisted the coffin and carried it through the shallow water to the boat. Their friends pulled it onto the boat, and then Cassie and Nathan climbed in.
    “See you!” Cassie called as the boat zoomed off.
    “I’m not sure I
want
to see them again,” Bess said over the roar of the motor.
    “If they were so committed to cleaning up the beach, they would have offered to help us pick up oil clumps,” George said. “Or scrub down some stained dune grass.”
    “They’re too busy thinking up ridiculous pranks,” I said. “Who needs them anyway? Let’s grab those gloves Stacey keeps in her shed and start ourselves.”
    The three of us sidestepped the washed-up debris until we reached the shed near Stacey’s house. Once inside I spotted Stacey’s black wet suit, hanging from a hook. I was about to walk past it when I noticed water on the floor right below it.
    “That’s strange—it looks like there’s a puddle under the suit,” I said. Then I touched it. It was wet all right.
    “Maybe Stacey went for a dive after she got back to Malachite this morning,” George suggested.
    “She just got back a couple of hours ago,” I said.“She wouldn’t have had enough time to go swimming.”
    “Who in their right mind would go swimming in that ocean now?” Bess asked. “Thanks to Roland, it’s totally gross.”
    “Girls,” Stacey’s voice called from outside. “George, Bess, Nancy!”
    I let go of the suit and answered, “Coming!”
    “Wait,” George whispered to us. “Not a word about the diving suit, okay?”
    “Okay,” I said, but really didn’t understand why.
    As we left the shed we saw Stacey on