Agent Angus Read Online Free PDF Page B

Whatever. Come on, Shahid. It’s only for a day or so. I’m sure the sunglasses will speed up the investigation. Then we can get back to work on Gordon.”
    â€œWhat about Ella?” he asks.
    â€œWhat about her?”
    â€œShe might take…” He stops. He looks again at Gordon and sighs. “Fine. I’ll try the elastic.” He does, and we are operational.
    After Shahid has gone home, I email Ella a link to the site that exposes Mr. Wilder. I try to think of something clever to write as well, but I can’t. I simply sign the email Agent Angus and press Send .
    Immediately, I’m sick with regret. Agent Angus? How lame is that? What was I thinking?
    Nineteen minutes later—not that I was waiting and checking every minute or so—I receive a reply. My heart literally skips a beat as I see Ella’s name in my inbox. My hand trembles as I open the message. She writes:
    Hey Agent Angus,
    I’m happy 2 hear from u! It’s so great that u r helping me. Thank you! But i think u should check out this link to Mr. Wilder’s blog.
    C u soon!
    Ella
    I click on the link and read:
    Many years ago, I was accused of presenting another artist’s work as my own. Rightly so. I did place someone else’s painting in a gallery showing of my work. I did it because that artist begged me for this favor. She was young and fragile, and she was afraid to show her work. She feared the harsh comments of the critics. At the same time, she wanted to see if her work would be appreciated by others.
    Somehow, our trick was exposed. I made apologies. But since I refused further comment, many leapt to the conclusion that I’d stolen the work. She wanted me to save face and tell the world the truth, but I could not. You see, I was in love with her. I wanted to protect her. Eventually, I convinced her to be my wife. I took up teaching and delighted in spending time with creative young people. With summers free, my wife and I were able to travel North America and paint to our heart’s content. We enjoyed twenty blissful years together.
    Last fall, my wife passed away peacefully. Her peace came in part because I promised her I would at last tell the truth. So here I am, keeping that promise. Nothing further need be said.
    Sincerely,
    Kel Wilder
    Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. I feel like a first-class fool. How could I have been so wrong? I was certain that Mr. Wilder was a dirty rotten thief. In less than a day, I’d convinced myself and Shahid of this. I’d gone on to tell the Watchman and he too believed…something. Thinking about the Watchman reminds me of the Life Savers. The remainder of the roll is in my pocket. I pry off a candy and pop it in my mouth. I get lemon, my least favorite flavor.
    I deserve lemon. I am a lemon. I suck on the Life Saver and try to sort out my thoughts. I need to figure out where I went astray so I don’t do it again. It’s complicated, because I’m still in shock over how I misread Mr. Wilder. I’d built a false reality in my mind and—whoa! Maybe that’s what mentalists mean when they say reality is in our head?
    I call Shahid and tell him I’m a mentalist.
    He groans so loudly, I have to hold the phone away from my ear. When he finally stops, I get a chance to explain. He doesn’t respond right away. And then he says, “So I guess that’s it?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œYou’re going to tell Ella the truth?”
    â€œAre you kidding?” I ask. “No. I’m going to find out who stole the sketchbook.”
    There’s another space of silence before Shahid speaks. “We’re going to spy on Gaga Girl, aren’t we?”
    He’s right. When isn’t he? “I’ll have a plan in place by tomorrow,” I say.

Chapter Eight
    I may not know Gaga Girl, but I know where she hangs out. I’ve seen her at the skate park almost every day for the past month. I pass