SmartGirl Authors

Under Arrest

by SG Author Marissa

"You're under arrest!" Imagine your name is Bailey Anders. You live in rural New Hampshire. These words have just been said to you - and you're only twelve! At the Juvenile Placement Facility in Concord, New Hampshire, where the kids' personalities and situations couldn't be more different, they all must work together to follow through their terms. Or will the plot to finish them off follow through first?

Also by this author: Horse Whisperer and New Beginnings

Chapter 1

"You're under arrest!"

Bailey Anders never dreamed that these words would be said to her, a twelve-year-old girl living in rural New Hampshire. Yet here she was, being handcuffed.

The officer hustled her to the squad car while Bailey's mom cried soundlessly and Bailey's father watched in mere shock. He strode over, calling, "Bailey, wait! Officer!" Dad wrapped Bailey in a tight hug. Bailey wished so much that she could hug him back. Stupid handcuffs! she thought bitterly. Stupid fake money. Stupid Craig Smithens. Stupid me!

Then she was in the cop car driving away from all she had ever known.

How was Bailey caught, you ask? Well, a particularly meticulous clerk had noticed how clean and crisp the bills were and called in an investigator to examine them, who pronounced them counterfeited. Not to mention that your average twelve-year-old wouldn't normally have the money to buy a $400 bike on any given day. Unfortunately, the clerk remembered Bailey. And here she was, wishing Craig Smithens hadn't taught her to make fake money.

An awkward silence filled the car for a while. Then the officer spoke: "You'll be lucky to get two years in juvenile detention--maybe as many as twice as that. I'll have to look at the papers."

Bailey, trying to swallow a sob, failed miserably and started choking on her own saliva.

"You gonna make it?" the officer asked sarcastically, choking just as much to keep off a laugh.

Bailey, finally able to breathe, decided to be just as sarcastic. "Yep, I'm awesome!" she said way-too-brightly. "I'm going to be held hostage in a juvenile detention center for not-even-you knows how long. What more could I want?"

"Hey, don't blame me, kid," the officer reasoned. "I haven't looked at the papers. It's not my fault."

Bailey opened her mouth to make a sarcastic comeback, then shut it again, all good ones escaping her. Settling on a stormy silence, Bailey glared out the window. Wow, was this turning out to be a great day or what?