"Babysitters Club 007 Claudia And Mean Janine" - читать интересную книгу автора (Babysitters Club)

Janine opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, we heard a heavy thud. It sounded as if it had come from the first floor, not too far away. Over at Kristy's, that thud could have been her collie, Louie, letting himself inside, or one of her brothers fooling around. But we don't have any pets, and the only other person at home was Mimi.
My eyes met Janine's.
Without a word, as if we were acting as one person, we leaped up from the table and dashed out of the kitchen and through the dining room and living room to Mimi's closed door.
Janine knocked on it.
Right up until that moment, I didn't think anything was really wrong. I was sure we would hear Mimi answer, "Come in," maybe sounding a little cross.
But there was no answer.
"Maybe she's asleep already," I suggested.
"Maybe." Janine opened the door a crack, just wide enough for us to see that Mimi's light was on.
"Mimi?" Janine said.
Still no answer.
Janine opened the door all the way.
I screamed.
Janine gasped.
Mimi was lying on the floor in a heap. Before she fell, she must have been getting undressed to go to bed, because she was wearing only her blouse, her slip, and her stockings. Her shoes were lined up neatly next to the closet door.
"She's been murdered!" I shrieked.
"No she hasn't," said Janine. "But I think she had a heart attack or something."
"Is she dead?" I asked.
We both knelt next to Mimi. She looked so little, all crumpled on the floor. Her eyes were shut, and she was as white as a sheet.
Janine took her wrist in one hand. "I can feel her pulse! Claudia, call nine-one-one."
There was a phone on Mimi's nightstand. I lunged for it and called the paramedics. "My grandmother had a heart attack!" I blurted out as soon as someone picked up the phone.
"Tell them she's unconscious," said Janine.
"She's unconscious," I said. "Please hurry." I gave the person our name, address, and phone number, and hung up.
"What should we do?" I wailed.
Janine bit her lip, She was still holding Mimi's hand, patting it gently. "I don't think we're
supposed to move her," she said, "but we should keep her warm. Let's cover her with her bathrobe and try to put her slippers on. Then I'll stay in here, and you go wait outside so you can show the paramedics where to come."
"Okay," I replied. I got Mimi's robe and fuzzy slippers out of her closet. Janine put the slippers on while I covered Mimi. Then I ran outside and stood impatiently on our front stoop.
I heard the siren long before I saw the ambulance. At last the ambulance screeched into our driveway, and the attendants hopped out and wheeled a stretcher up the walk in what seemed like two seconds.
"Hurry!" I said. "She's inside. I'll show you where."
I banged through the front door with the attendants at my heels.
"Thank goodness," said Janine when she saw us, but she stayed where she was, sitting with Mimi, until the attendants lifted Mimi onto the stretcher.
"What happened?" one asked me.
"I'm not sure," I replied. "She said she was tired and wanted to go to bed early. So she came in here, and a little while later we heard
a thump. My sister and I ran in and found her lying on the floor. We didn't move her," I added, "and we tried to keep her warm."
"You did just fine," said the man.
"What do you think is wrong?" Janine asked him. She glanced worriedly at Mimi's small, still form on the stretcher as the attendants checked her vital signs. "I guessed a heart attack, but perhaps she fell. Or it's possible that she has a head injury."
"I don't think so. There's no sign of trauma to the head," the attendant said. "But don't worry. She's breathing fine, which is a good sign. We'll find out soon enough what's wrong."
While we'd been talking, the paramedics had been wheeling the stretcher toward the front door, and we'd been trailing along behind. They whisked Mimi outside and down the front walk.
"One of you want to come with us?" asked the attendant. "By the way, where are your parents?"
"They've gone out for the evening," Janine replied. "They should be home soon. Claudia, perhaps I should ride with Mimi and you should remain behind to wait for Mom and Dad. You could also try phoning them at Chez Maurice." She turned to the attendant. "When
they reach the hospital, should they go to the emergency room?"
"Yes," he replied. "If she's not there any longer, the receptionist will know where she's been taken."
"All right, Claudia?" Janine asked me. "Try the emergency room first." She acted like I was three years old or deaf or something.
"Okay, okay."
The next thing I knew, the ambulance was gone. I felt like sitting down right on the front walk and crying. Instead, I went inside, looked up the number for the Chez Maurice restaurant, and dialed it. I must have dialed too fast, though, because the voice that answered said, "Hello, the Arnolds' residence." I hung up and tried again. This time, a perky voice said, "Bon soir, Chez Maurice."
"H-hello?" I said. "My name is Claudia Kishi and my parents are having dinner there - I mean, at your restaurant. There's an emergency and I have to talk to them."
"I am tres sorry, but zey have just left."
"Are you sure?" I asked. "The Kishis? I mean, the Kishi party?"
"Certainement."
I hoped that was French for certainly.
"Okay. Thanks," I said.