The Candymakers Read online

  He took one last look, then ripped the shirt off and put on his nicest short-sleeved one instead.

  Logan held his breath as he watched Philip flip over the Harmonicandy molds, which they had coated with cocoa powder to keep from sticking. They all cheered when the harmonica halves slid right out.

  Now all they needed to do was paint the insides with melted caramel (carefully, so it wouldn’t clog up the tubes), then stick the two halves together and enrobe it. Miles and Philip took care of the caramel part, and once Logan showed Daisy how to set up the enrober, she refused to allow anyone else near it. They’d just placed the final product in the freezer when Max walked in.

  “Good morning, young candymakers!” He slipped his lab coat on over his suit. “When can I see everyone’s creations?”

  “Mine still has to harden,” Philip said. “We’ll need to keep it cold in the van, too.”

  “Not a problem,” Max promised. “The van’s set up for that. How about the rest of you? Is everyone else’s ready to go?”

  “I still need to work on mine a little,” Miles said.

  “What did you decide to call it?” Max asked.

  Miles hesitated. Logan knew he didn’t feel any better about lying to Max than he did. Miles had shown them all his bee candy. It was a shame no one else would be seeing it today.

  “I’m going to call it… Bee Happy,” Miles said finally. “Like bee, with two e’s?”

  “Wonderful!” Max clapped. “And you, Logan?”

  “Mine needs some work, too,” Logan said truthfully. “I can get it to turn from chocolate into gum, but not so much on the back-again part.”

  Max nodded. “We knew that would be a challenge.”

  “I’m going to try adding more carrageen.”

  “Good idea.”

  “Mine’s all finished,” Daisy said proudly, as though it were still going to be in the contest. “It’s called the 3G’s! Short for the Green Glob of Goop.”

  “Interesting,” Max said uncertainly. “May we taste it?”

  “Sure!” Daisy ran over to the fridge and returned with a small tray. She peeled a glob for each of them off the wax paper. The cooling process hadn’t done anything for the candy’s appearance.

  They all took a bite at the same time.

  And precisely two seconds later, they all spit it out into their hands. Only Daisy kept chewing hers.

  “What?” she said when she saw everyone staring at her. “It’s good!”

  “No,” Philip said, “it’s not good. It’s the opposite of good. No offense.”

  “Did you mash and boil the flowers before mixing them in?” Max asked.

  Daisy shook her head. “Was I supposed to?”

  “Did you cut away the base of the flowers first, or did you use the whole thing?”

  “Um, the whole thing, I think.”

  Logan could tell Max didn’t relish the news he was about to give. “I think perhaps you should consider starting—”

  “I’m thirteen!” Daisy blurted out.

  The other kids gasped.

  “What do you mean?” Max asked.

  This time it was Philip’s turn to kick Daisy on one shin, while Miles did it on the other. Logan just sent her a pleading look. If Max knew her real age, he’d have to follow the rules and alert the Confectionary Association. Telling Max now would mean she’d have to stay behind. Logan needed her to be there. They all did.

  “Daisy?” Max prompted.

  “Um, I mean, I tried to make it thirteen times already, so, you know, I don’t know how much better I can do.”

  “Well,” Max said, “perhaps fourteen is the magic number, then.”

  Logan breathed a sigh of relief.

  “Now let’s all get to work,” Max continued. “Philip, you may want to take an iron to your suit… it’s quite rumpled. Almost looks like you slept in it!”

  “Our driver is bringing me a fresh one,” Philip explained, trying in vain to smooth down his creased pant legs.

  “Excellent,” Max said. “You want the judges to take you seriously, and looking professional helps.” Max glanced at Daisy and cleared his throat. “Will someone be bringing you a change of clothes, too?”

  Daisy’s jeans were streaked with dirt and chocolate. Her T-shirt hadn’t fared much better. “My cousin will be here soon. No worries.”

  “Good.” Max checked the clock over the large sink. “I have to go sort out the directions and make sure we have all the paperwork we’ll need. Meet out front at ten sharp, with your candy securely packed up. And don’t forget to write out the recipes. Make sure you list every ingredient you used, even if it’s just a pinch.” He beamed at them. “I’m so proud of all of you! This is going to be a day none of us will ever forget!”

  “That’s for sure,” Philip said under his breath.

  As soon as the lab door swung shut, Daisy held up her hand. “Before everyone yells at me for telling Max my age, or trying to anyway, let me just say it wasn’t my idea. AJ told me to do it when Max started questioning me.”

  At their confused looks she pointed to her ear. “He’s back. He says he’s my handler till the end.” She paused for a second, turning slightly away. “Of course I had to tell them! We’re all in this together.”

  Turning back to them, she said, “Sorry. AJ says hi.”

  “No, he doesn’t,” Philip said.

  “Well, okay, he doesn’t. But don’t take it personally. Pretty much the first rule of spying is not to get attached to the people around you. He’d really like you guys if he knew you.” She gestured toward Philip with her head. “Well, maybe not you.”

  “Ha ha,” Philip said.

  Logan found he was actually glad that AJ would be nearby in case anything went wrong. “But why did he want you to disqualify yourself before we even got to the contest?”

  “Don’t be mad, he’s just trying to protect me. The whole get in, do the job, get out thing. In fact, he’s outside now with my clothes. I’ll be right back.” But instead of heading toward the front door of the lab, she ducked inside Max’s small office and closed the door.

  The boys exchanged puzzled glances. A minute later Daisy emerged wearing the same yellow dress she’d worn the first day they met her, except someone had sewn on pockets! She pulled at the collar and scowled. “AJ’s warped idea of a joke. Here’s your pie.” She thrust a white bakery box at Miles. “It’s peach cobbler.”

  Miles took the box. “But… how?”

  She gestured with her thumb toward the office. “Window.”

  Logan was pretty sure he didn’t want to know how AJ and Daisy knew that Max’s office had a window. Wait! That window didn’t actually open! When he pointed this out, she held up what looked like an ordinary silver pen.

  “Cuts through anything,” she explained, slipping it back into her dress pocket.

  “But…” He was about to explain about how the lab needed to be kept at exactly 71 degrees with 40 percent humidity, when Daisy said, “Don’t worry, the other end of the pen reseals it.”

  Logan must have looked doubtful, because Daisy said, “Not to change the subject or anything, but this is for you.” She held out a note.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Your mom gave it to me this morning while you were showering.”

  Once he heard it was from his mom, Logan knew it must be his daily special message. He felt a little strange opening it in front of them, but he knew they were curious. He cleared his throat and read: “ ‘List your blessings and you will walk through the gates of thanksgiving and into the fields of joy.’ ”

  He folded it back up and stuck it in his pocket. He didn’t need a note to remind him to be grateful, but maybe he needed a nudge to tell the others how he felt. “I just want you guys to know… whatever happens this afternoon, I’ll never forget what you’re doing for me. And for my family.”

  “Oh, it’s not for you,” Daisy assured him. “It’s for the candy!”