Trade Secret

Trade Secret

Trade Secret

A Kim & Kelly Mystery

By: TJ Perkins

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Mystery of the Attic

TJ Perkins

Copyright TJ Perkins 2006

Published by GumShoe Press at Smashwords

ISBN 0-9777538-2-4

(previously ISBN 1-59457-623-8)

Published by GumShoe Press

www.authorsden.com/tjperkins

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A Cast of Characters

Chapter 2 The Jewel Encrusted Coin

Chapter 3 An Unexpected Guest

Chapter 4 Encounter with the Dark Lady

Chapter 5 The Mummy Walks

Chapter 6 Master of Disguise

Chapter 7 Terror in the Shower

Chapter 8 Sharing Evidence

Chapter 9 The Plot Thickens

Chapter 10 A Silent Threat

Chapter 11 Buried Alive

Chapter 12 The Dark Lady Strikes Again

Chapter 13 The Man in the Turban

Chapter 14 A Thief Among Us

Chapter 15 The Desert Wind

Chapter 16 Curse of the Coin

Chapter 17 Jewel – The Uncatchable Thief

Chapter 18 Jewel’s Secret

Chapter 19 Ambushed

Chapter 20 The Hidden Treasure

Chapter 21 Secret Revealed

Chapter 22 History in the Making

More Mysteries by TJ Perkins

FANTASIES ARE MURDER

THE SECRET IN PHANTOM FOREST

IMAGE IN THE TAPESTRY

WOUND TOO TIGHT

MYSTERY OF THE ATTIC

ON FORBIDDEN GROUND

With Eddie out of commission for the moment, Jewel turned her attention to us. She wasted no time with the assault…..

Chapter 1

A Cast of Characters

Going on a trip, especially to a foreign country, is always exciting. The hard part is getting there, the constant sitting and squirming and, worse than anything, being bored. My family and I had been flying to Cairo, Egypt for what seemed like days and I just couldn’t take too much more.

It was hard to keep in mind that this trip was more for my dad, since it was his company that had sent him, and Mom and I were lucky to get to tag along. He worked for IBM and since, for some, computers are still a new and exciting thing, Dad was assigned to help a company over-see all the technical aspects of making sure they were hooked up correctly. He did something called data communications and also dabbled in programming. I wasn’t sure about everything he did, but I knew he was an important person in his company.

Mom and I were very proud of him and hoped that everything went smoothly with the computer set-up, that way we could do some serious shopping and sightseeing. Even though Dad wouldn’t be able to go with us most of the time, Mom and I always found a way to entertain ourselves.

After several hours of shifting and squirming in my seat, I felt it was time to tell of my discomfort.

Mom, my bottom is numb, I whined, leaning close to her, pouting and making sure to sound as snobby as possible. These things always helped me get my way.

Kelly, please, my mother whispered back, stressing the please a bit more than usual and widening her eyes at me. She was a bit uncomfortable too, but was trying her best to cover it up, I know it’s a long trip and you’re bored without Kim, but try to be respectful. You know she and her mother are taking a vacation just to be with us. She’ll be along in a few days to keep you company, so keep that in mind.

She was right about that. I really did miss not having Kim around, but in a few days she and her mom would be joining us. They weren’t able leave the same time we did, so they had to catch a flight a few days later.

But I’ll simply die if we don’t get there soon, I pouted, crossing my arms over my chest in a huff.

Just think of something to take your mind off your problem.

That was easy for her to say. She would just stick her nose in a magazine and be satisfied, but not me. What could I possibly do to keep my mind off my numb bottom? I finally decided to take a look around at all the different people traveling with us. That’s what Kim would do. She’d casually watch anyone who was close by to see if they were doing anything suspicious.

Well, let’s see. There were a lot of people on our plane. Who should I watch first? I guess it didn’t matter, by the time we get there I would have roots sprouted and became attached to my chair. I released a heavy sigh and looked around as people got up, went to the back of the plane and returned to their seats. Several Egyptian women attracted my attention more than anyone. They were so exotic looking; wearing colorful shrouds, dangling jewelry, with overly painted eyes that peered through thin veils and their long, dark hair that hung down to their backsides.

Several of them got up from their seats and proceeded to the back of the plane. Each one passed close to me and I couldn’t help but stare at the mounds of bracelets piled on their left arm. However, when the last lady passed by me I was repulsed. She seemed too thick for a woman, with extremely hairy arms, no bracelets and wearing a man’s watch. Okay, I’m not stupid and anyone with an eye for catching the unusual could easily see that this was no woman.

But why would a man want to disguise himself as an Egyptian woman? It was quite obvious he didn’t want to be noticed, but I noticed and, like it or not, he had my attention. I whipped out my little tablet and started taking notes, glancing around to keep track of where he went. Kim always said I took great notes, and even though she wasn’t here yet, I wasn’t going to disappoint her.

As I kept an eye on the disguised man, another person got up and started coming down the aisle toward the parade of women. This was a big mistake because the aisle was already filled with the Egyptian women. The plump, old lady plowed through the aisle bumping into each passenger while making her way toward the front of the plane and emitting apologies as only an old lady could, each one followed by a little giggle. At first I was intrigued by the difficulty she was having, but then, I noticed something very unusual happen. As the old lady made her way to the end of the procession of women, she was quickly handed something by the disguised man – a hand off, or switch of some kind. What if it was a weapon or a bomb? My mind raced. Should I tell a stewardess what I’d just witnessed? If I did, I would only be attracting attention to myself and the two suspects would be alarmed that I had been watching them. If I said nothing and we were hijacked...well, I wouldn’t be able to do anything about that situation anyway.

Then another person caught my attention – a woman. She was young and beautiful, like someone out of a James Bond movie. In fact, she was scantily dressed like someone in one of those movies; wearing tight, black stretch pants with a tight, stretchy red top and black, high-heeled ankle-boots. She had dark hair neatly tied back in a ponytail and dark eyes with sculptured, dark eyebrows. She sure turned a lot of heads as she stood and started to make her way towards the old lady.

The aisle of the plane was beginning to get ridiculously packed with too many people coming and going at one time. I was surprised the stewardess didn’t say anything. I didn’t care if the people knew I was staring, everyone else was. I turned a bit more in my seat to get a good view, rested my chin in my hand, and leaned heavily on the armrest of my chair. This should be good; hopefully better than the movie that was being shown.

The first group of women was now lined up at the back of the plane; each one taking turns using the bathroom. The man in women’s attire continued to stay in line with the Egyptian women, possibly hoping to remain inconspicuous, and looked around to see the whereabouts of the old woman. She, if the old lady really was a she, and I had my doubts, was now face-to-face with the beautiful woman, packed together in the aisle. Each wasn’t about to give way to the other, so they forced themselves through the aisle, squeezing past each other chest-to-chest, and mumbling rude obscenities. During all the fuss they were causing, another odd thing occurred. The beautiful woman took something out of the old woman’s dress pocket. Since the old woman was wearing a rather large, roomy and quite gaudy dress that only an oversize old lady would wear; it was the perfect opportunity to pick such an easy pocket. As it was, the pocket had been puckered out and sagging with something rather heavy, but once it was removed, the pocket no longer sagged.

Shocked with alarm, I sat up straight in my seat and turned to my mother, Mom, Mom, I tapped lightly on her arm. She had plugged her headphone into her cassette player and was listening to her favorite Mozart tape, while losing herself in some home beauty magazine that only she would care to read. Detaching herself from the amusements, she turned and looked at me.

What is it now, Dear?

There’s some strange stuff going on. You see those people... I blurted out pointing toward the scene.

Please, don’t point. Haven’t I taught you anything? Mom whispered, rather annoyed.

"Yes, but if you’d just listen. There’s a man dressed as an Egyptian woman, and an old lady took a hand off from him, some type of an item or other, and