"Vicki," someone said, "Are you all right?" Vicki slowly opened her eyes, but didn’t see the bright light she expected. Everything was pitch black.

"Do I look all right," Vicki asked slowly and then focused on the person in front of her, "What happened?" She looked around and caught sight of C. J. sitting up a few feet away. Just as suddenly she remembered what happened earlier that day, but didn’t bring it up.

"It looks like someone turned off the breakers," Joe explained, "Someone might have already been in the house and turned off the lights. Then some guys came in, looking for something. They must have hit you two pretty hard."

"Where’s Frank," C. J. asked, looking around and not seeing him.

"He’s trying to turn the lights back on," Joe said, "He’s in your garage now. Hopefully, he’ll find the breaker and turn the lights back on." That very second, Joe flipped the switch and the lights turned on. Then the three saw what damage had been done to the room.

Shelves were pulled out and the mattresses were removed from the bed. Clothes were thrown in piles on the floor and every book on her shelf was pulled out, "I get the feeling that they were looking for something," Vicki said, "And I think I know what it is." She stood up and walked over to the secret hiding spot behind her desk. She pushed on a certain spot and the wall began to swing out.

Inside, the small box was sitting on one of the shelves. C. J. joined Vicki, "I hate to say this," C. J. told her best friend, "but I think we should call the cops now. We’ll need their help."

"No," Vicki protested, "It’s not that much damage and nothing appears to be missing. Besides, my parents think we’re on vacation. There’s no need to worry them now." Seeing that Vicki didn’t want the cops involved, C. J. reluctantly agreed. Then the two girls set to cleaning the room.

Frank walked in then and surveyed the room, "They sure rushed through the job," he said, "This must have happened a little while before we returned."

"What makes you say that," C. J. asked, looking up from the books she was holding.

"How do you explain having books on the opposite side of the room," he asked, "They didn’t waste any time and just threw the books across the room." The girls noticed that he was right.

"So either you walked inside in the middle of their ransacking," C. J. said, "or they didn’t find what they were looking for." The girls sped up the pace of the cleaning and got done in record time.

At seven, C. J’s van pulled into Ultimate Pizza. Catlin had already saved a table for the group and moved to make more room. Stephanie was there also.

"What are you doing here," Joe asked Stephanie. The others looked to her for an explanation.

"You’re kidding right," she replied, "Do you think I’d leave you alone with Catlin?" Vicki and C. J. looked at each other and started laughing, "I see that they get my point." Catlin glared over at her friends.

"I’m sorry to hear that you don’t trust me," Catlin said, resulting in more laughing, "I mean seriously, there was nothing to worry about."

"Sorry Catlin," Vicki said after they had stopped, "You know what we mean though. I can understand Steph’s concerns." They ordered a pizza and got off the current subject. Afterwards, they decided to figure out what to do next.

"The lake is open until ten," Catlin suggested. Stephanie looked over at her friend.

"But we already went this afternoon," she said, "Why should we go again?"

"Come on," Catlin replied, "How long are Frank and Joe here anyway? A few days? And the lake is very nice at night…with the lights and music."

"Don’t listen to her," Stephanie said, turning to Frank and Joe, "She’s kind of weird you know. Even I don’t trust her sometimes."

"Sometimes," Catlin asked, giving Steph a sideways glance, "You don’t trust me with anything."

Just then the door to the restaurant opened and Justin walked in. He headed straight for their table, "I’m so glad you’re here," he said, directing his words to Frank, Joe, Vicki and C. J. "The strangest thing just happened. Come on!"