Page 6 of Lost Hours
Reece joined him at the case and tried to slide the glass open. A small metal lock kept it closed. “We need a key.”
“Let’s not waste time looking for one,” Nolan said. “I’ll grab the phone bag, and we can use our phones to enlarge the engraving on the trophies to see if it tells us anything.”
Nolan retrieved the bag and returned. He reached inside. Felt around. “No. Oh no.”
He pulled out a small cardboard box containing something heavy. He opened it. A lead weight taped inside. He dropped it then grabbed another and another. “Our phones are gone.”
Gabe looked up at one of the cameras. “You lied, man. Come in here and explain it.”
No response.
“My life is on my phone,” Hayden said. “We need to get him on the phone he left us, or I’m tearing this place apart until I find him.”
“We first have to find the phone,” Nolan said.
He didn’t have to tell his teammates twice. They dashed around, searching in and under things.
“Here it is.” Jude snatched it off the bookcase from behind a plant and held it up. “An old Motorola RAZR.”
“Make the call,” Nolan said.
Jude flipped it open. “It’s dead. Just for show.” He slammed it down.
“What about the door?” Gabe asked. “He lie about that and lock it? If so I’ll?—”
“I checked it. Remember? I’ll go find him.” Before Gabe could go off half-cocked, Nolan bolted across the room and twisted the knob. Didn’t budge. “Locked.”
Abby planted her hands on her hips. “He must’ve come back to lock it. Probably blasted the music so we couldn’t hear him.”
“Then we’re on our own,” Jude said.
“At least we’re safe.” Reece patted her purse. “I don’t suppose I’m the only one carrying.”
“Do you even need to ask?” Jude grinned. “The only thing we can do at this point is figure out the mystery to unlock the door.”
“Not the only thing.” Gabe glared at the door as if it were a living being and could see his response. “We could just break the thing down.”
Nolan stepped closer to his teammates. “Let’s not overreact and try figuring out the puzzle first. If that doesn’t work, then we do what Gabe says and bust out of here.”
Jude nodded. “The lockers seem obvious to me. These should have padlocks but don’t, so it’s like we’re meant to open them.”
They descended on the lockers, and each person pulled up on a hasp.
“Locked.” Gabe looked at the others. “All of them.”
Reece made her way down the row. “They’re numbered. Wait! Seventeen. That was my academy locker number.”
“Mine was one,” Nolan said.
“You’re on my left and four is on my right.”
“That’s me.” Abby ran over there.
Jude, Gabe, and Hayden located their numbers too.
“Maybe we all have to be at the right locker and open them at the same time,” Nolan said. “Let’s try it on the count of three.”
He counted. They pulled. Nothing budged.
