Everyone''s eyes were glued to Lisette.


    Lisette frowned, caught off guard. She hadn''t expected Calliope to figure it out so quickly. Calliope knew she was faking.


    Still, she stubbornly tried to pin it on Calliope. "Well, if Callie didn''t take it, who did? The ne is actually missing!"


    "Yeah, I saw it too! The ne is gone!" chimed in Zelda, her brow knotted.


    Zelda turned to Calliope, voice sharp. "Did you sneak off and take it when no one was looking? You''re nothing but a thief! And you won''t even admit it!"


    "A thief, huh?" Calliope pped her hands sarcastically. "Funny, you don''t notice the thief in your own house, but you''re quick to point fingers at me.”


    She stood up abruptly, stalking toward Lisette with a fierce look in her eyes.


    Lisette, suddenly nervous, took a few steps back, her gaze darting anxiously to Calliope. “Callie, what are you doing?"


    "Forget it. It''s just a ne. I''ll pretend I lost it."


    "No way!" Calliope insisted. "A ne doesn''t just disappear. We have to find it!"


    She smirked at Lisette. "So, why were you rummaging in your own jeans pocket just now? Got something interesting in there? How about you show everyone?"


    "Calliope, stop it!" Zelda snapped. "Why are you picking on Lisette?"


    But Calliope didn''t back down. She grabbed Lisette''s arm before anyone could interfere.


    Lisette''s hand came out of her pocket, and, clink, a ne fell onto the hardwood floor. Everyone''s attention shifted to the ne lying between them. Shock flickered across every face in the room.


    "Lisette, is that your ne? The one from your mom?" Monty''s voice was thick with disbelief.


    He''d always thought Lisette was a good kid-smart, hard-working, honest. This was so unlike her.


    It was clear now: she''d tried to frame Calliope.


    "I-I don''t


    her "Was it really in


    trembling. "Was it


    60 now!" Lisette stammered,


    my pocket? I must have forgotten..."


    t belongs to sw


    In a panic, she snatched up the ne, putting on a show of relief. "Oh my gosh, it was in my pocket the whole time. I thought I''d lost it! I''m so sorry, Callie, I shouldn''t have used you."


    She turned to the others, still acting. "I thought it was in my dresser, but it wasn''t. I''m sorry!"


    Calliope just let out a dryugh. She looked at Zelda. "Well, look at that. The ne is found."


    Zelda''s face flushed, then paled. She hadn''t expected Calliope to be innocent after all.


    "Sorry, Mom. Sorry, Callie. I shouldn''t have med you," Lisette mumbled.


    Horatio and Valerian exchanged nces. Neither of them were fools. They''d seen exactly what Lisette had tried to pull.


    Monty pinched the bridge of his


    nose, frowning at Lisette. "Next time


    you lose something, make sure you really lost it. Who in this house would take your stuff anyway? And for what?"


    Lisette cast a worried nce at him. "Sorry, Dad... Are you mad at me?"


    Monty sighed. "No, I''m not mad. Just... don''t do it again."


    He turned to Calliope. "Callie, can youe to the study for a minute? I need a word."


    Calliope nodded, shing Lisette a wry smile before following Monty out of the


    room.