Simple Genius (Sean King & Michelle Maxwell 3)

“There are lots of different kinds. You can make them up too.”

“Did you and Monk make codes up?”

“Oh sure. Lots of times.”

“I guess he wanted to keep things secret from other people. Do you know which people he wanted to keep secrets from?”

“Everybody,” Viggie said. Then she turned and gave Michelle a sly grin. “Including you.”

Michelle suddenly realized that Viggie knew exactly what she was trying to do and was having fun at her expense. Michelle decided to take a more direct tack. It carried risks but they didn’t have many options right now.

“Viggie, we’re trying to find out who took Monk away from you, do you understand that? That’s the only reason we’re here.”

Michelle watched as Viggie’s shoulders slumped. Not sure how to interpret that body cue Michelle plunged on. “If he was afraid of someone or kept secrets from people, it would really help us to know who. All we’re trying to do is help.”

“People who say they want to help, they have other reasons why.”

“Not us, Viggie, believe me.”

Viggie wheeled around and stared at her. “Are you being paid to help?”

The question caught Michelle off-guard, but she sensed lying to the girl would not be a good thing. “It’s my job to help people. It’s how I make my living.”

“So you do get paid. That’s why you’re spending time with me. You wouldn’t want to be around me except for that. I bet you’d just want to hang out with your real friends.”

“Viggie, I don’t have many real friends. In fact, other than Sean, I can’t say I have any.”

“I bet that’s not true.”

“Why, do you think everyone has lots of friends except you? And there are other children at Babbage Town, at the school.”

“None of them like me. Everybody thinks I’m weird.”

“Everyone is odd in a way. If you ever took a ride in my truck, you’d know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s a trash pit that I can’t seem to get rid of no matter how hard I try.”

Viggie stared at her. “That’s why they brought that Mr. Barnes down. Because I’m weird.”

Michelle swallowed with great difficulty. “Actually, Mr. Barnes is also helping me. To get over some problems I have… from when I was a little girl.”

“He is?” Michelle nodded. “You promise? You aren’t just saying it.”

“I promise. Poor guy, I kept getting up and walking out on him when he was asking me questions, trying to make me better.”

In a hushed voice Viggie said, “I did that too. Why did you walk out?”

Michelle hesitated. It wasn’t because she didn’t know the answer to the question. It was just hard to say it. “Because I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” Viggie said breathlessly as she stared at Michelle.

“Afraid he was getting too close to the truth and I couldn’t handle it.”

Viggie picked up her paddle. She said in a very small voice, “Me too.”

“See, I don’t really remember what happened to me. That’s why he wants to hypnotize me, to help me remember.”

“Are you going to let him?”

“I don’t know, what do you think?”