Mystery of the 19th Hole (Taylor Kelsey, Mystery 1) by AJ Diaz Read Free Book Online Page B

practically falling over his eyes.  “Love it.”
                  She threw another dart.  It hit the board but still missed the balloons.  “I’m terrible at this.”
                  “No, no.  You’re not bad.  Sometimes I can’t even hit the balloons.”
                  Taylor offered a coquettish smile.  Threw another one.  “Really.”  Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket, and she whipped it out.  It was a text from Susan that said, “Help!!!!!!”
                  “I think something’s wrong.  Got to go,” said Taylor quickly, rubbernecking, her hair whipping all about her.  At that moment, she heard an elephant in the background and knew exactly where to find Susan.  She ran about twenty paces when she remembered she’d forgotten to throw the last dart.  Turning while still running, she jettisoned the dart.  It zipped through the sky, over people’s heads (kids, don’t try this at carnivals), and hit the smallest balloon on the dartboard.  Taylor muttered, “Easy as pie,” and continued running toward the elephant noise, which seemed to be coming from the backside of the large white circus tent.
                  She circled around the tent the opposite way than the last time, for that’s where the noises seemed to be coming from, and found Susan there.
                  “What’s wrong?” asked Taylor.
                  Susan pointed at a semi.  Two men were prodding an elephant into it.  “I think they’re stealing it!”

Chapter 10
                  “In broad daylight!” Taylor exclaimed in a harsh whisper.  “You think they are stealing an elephant in broad daylight?”
                  Susan didn’t waste time.  “Yes.  The truck is all wrong.  There are no license plates.  And the men don’t seem to know what they’re doing.”
                  “I still don’t believe it.”
                  “Don’t you read the news?” asked Susan.  “Last month a panthera tigris was stolen from a different circus.  Remember?”
                  “A what?”
                  “A tiger.  Sorry, I just like using the technical names.”
                  Taylor watched as the men prodded the elephant the rest of the way into the truck and pulled down the large door.  Latched it. 
    “I think you’re right.  What should we do?” asked Taylor.
                  “I don’t know.”
                  “I’ll call the police.”
                  “Okay,” said Susan, “but they won’t get here in time.”  Taylor didn’t have any time to stop Susan before she ran forward and yelled at the men loud enough for people at the vendors to hear.  “Their stealing an elephant!  Their stealing an elephant!  Help!”
                  If anyone did hear Susan’s pleas, they probably thought she was insane.  Knocked in the head one too many times.  “Help!  Help!” Taylor chimed in while dialing 911.  She was just about to press the talk button when one of the men came bounding out from behind the truck and tackled them before they could even scream.  Another man was there within seconds.  Then another man who they hadn’t even seen before.  Three men in all.
                  As they grabbed the girls, Taylor’s phone flew out of her hand and bounced a few times on the asphalt before coming to a stop.  She didn’t even have a chance to press the talk button.
                  Taylor and Susan were bound, gagged, and roughly thrown into backseat of the semi.  When they didn’t think it could get any worse, they were blindfolded.
                  The eighteen-wheel diesel truck roared to a start and started driving, turning, and swaying as the elephant in the back freaked out.  The passenger window was open, and Taylor could