Whatever this ghost thing is, it’s definitely a mystery. It looks like my friends and I not only play sleuths in TV but also will become sleuths in real life.

Chapter Four

The three of us don’t have much time to think about ghosts for the rest of the morning, though. Paul finds us and hands over our scripts, and soon enough we’re in hair and makeup and trying on outfits in the wardrobe department. After a quick table read—which is where all the actors read through their parts of the script, start to finish—it’s time to rehearse and film.

Often, in TV shows, scenes are filmed out of order. It has to do with the budget and what makes most sense with what actors are on set which particular day. Although this Sadie Solves It episode starts with Sadie in her town’s library, where it’s been reported that an ancient book full of magical pizza recipes has been stolen from the rare books room, the first scene today is one much later in the mystery. In the scene we’re shooting today, Sadie and her little sister, Pepper, are at Giovanni’s Pizza Shop, trying to track down who could have stolen the spooky book of recipes and what they might want with it. Footprints shaped like chef’s clogs have led Sadie and Pepper to Giovanni’s. It makes sense that a pizza maker would want the ancient book, since the recipes are rumored to enchant someone into craving pizza 24–7.

Right now, I’m crouched down, shining a flashlight under a dining table with a checkerboard tablecloth. Amelia, as Pepper, stands behind me, waiting to see if I’ve found anything. Sadie and Pepper are working on this mystery together. Amelia really fought for that with the writers—she complained that Sadie’s little sister wasn’t in the show enough, and that Sadie and Pepper should team up. The writers went for it.

“The book’s not here,” I recite. It’s my first line.

Amelia—as Pepper—slaps her sides. “But how can that be, Sadie? The footsteps led us straight to this place!”

“Sometimes, the clues don’t lead where we want them to go,” I say. I stand back up. But suddenly, I feel warm air on my back.

I freeze. Is it the ghost again? Betty?

I tilt my head, waiting. No lights flicker. I don’t feel the warm air again. Maybe it was nothing?

I look at Amelia, continuing my lines. “It’s all about trying to figure out if someone would have motive, Pepper. And Giovanni—”

“Cut!” Paul calls, before I can say the rest. I stop and look up.

Paul comes over from behind the camera and looks at me, puzzled. “Everything’s really good, Hayley. Really. But you seemed a little…distracted. What was with that pause in your lines? That’s not how we rehearsed it.”