"And Edmond Senetsky will certainly not like it."
"Honey's right," Cinnamon said. "We should be absolutely sure about it first,"
"Should we tell the boys?" Rose asked.
"No," Cinnamon said quickly. "First, they would probably think we made all this up somehow. Howard would be against telling Madame Senetsky no matter what, and I don't think they'd be too sympathetic about it."
"Maybe one of them is doing it." I thought aloud.
"That doesn't explain the scarf," Rose said sadly. "I almost wish itwas Steven or Howard."
Again we were all quiet. thinking,
"All right," Cinnamon declared, moving closer with the scarf in hand. We gathered about the bed. "If we don't mention it or in any way act different because of it, he might very well come back."
"I don't want him to come back!" Rose wailed.
"Just a minute, will you? I have an idea. Tomorrow night, about the time we all retire to our rooms, the three of us will sneak into yours and camp out under this window. If someone appears on that fire escape we'll be ready for him, and then there'll be no doubts about it."
"What if he doesn't show up until after she goes to sleep?" Ice asked.
"Chances are he is more interested in seeing her undress than under the covers, Ice." Cinnamon replied dryly.
"Just asking," she said.
"Let's just try it and see what happens." Cinnamon said. "Okay?"
No one spoke.
"Okay?" she asked forcefully.
"All right." Ice said.
I nodded.
It's not just you, remember." Cinnamon told Rose. "He was at Honey's window."
"Is that what you think?" I asked.
"Boy, you are innocent," Cinnamon replied. "If you saw something on your landing and it's the same as Rose's landing. why not?"
"How come you didn't suggest such a possibility when I mentioned it at dinner?" I asked, a bit stung by her words concerning my naivete. "I thought... it might be spirits," she admitted, "So did I." Ice said.
They stared at each other a moment, and then simultaneously broke into a laugh.
"Some spirit," Cinnamon said. "Wearing a scented ascot"
"What are we going to do with it?" Rose asked.
"Keep it as evidence, what do you think?"
"I don't want it in my room," Rose said, leaning away from it as if it was contaminated.
Cinnamon gazed at it and shrugged.
"No problem. I'll keep it in mine. Unless one of you insists on keeping it," she said to me and Ice. Neither of us offered any opposition. "Thought not," she said and folded it. "Let's go back to sleep."