Read Online Dead Silence by Brenda Novak - Free Book Online

with the others, they would’ve liked her, too. Kennedy was the leader. He formed his own opinions and judgments, and for the most part the others followed him. It was Kennedy she’d not so secretly admired. Yet Raelynn, the one girl who shouldn’t have been nice to her, had been kindest of all. And Kennedy, the one boy who could’ve changed everything, hadn’t bothered to acknowledge that she was alive.
    â€œNothing specific,” she said. “See you when you get here.”
    Â 
    â€œHow’s your mowing service going?” Kennedy asked Teddy as he backed out of his parents’ drive. Kennedy had told Camille he wasn’t staying for dinner, but his father had seemed particularly interested in seeing him tonight, and his mother had everything on the table when he’d arrived. He’d decided to stay for his father’s sake, and they’d eaten together. Then he and Otis had talked politics for a while. It was nearly eight o’clock by the time he’d collected his boys and, taking the leftovers Camille wanted to send home with him, gone outside to the Explorer.
    â€œHe got into trouble today and had to sit in the corner,” Heath volunteered. Kennedy’s oldest son was now big enough for the passenger seat, but Kennedy made him sit in back, where it was safer. Raelynn had been on her way to have her hair cut when she veered into the center of the road to avoid a car that had suddenly turned in front of her—and hit a semi coming from the other direction. Nothing could’ve saved her from an impact like that. But Kennedy wasn’t taking any chances with his children.
    â€œShut up, Heath,” Teddy said. “You don’t have to tell Dad everything. ”
    Kennedy glanced at his youngest son in the rearview mirror. It was getting dark out, but he could still see Teddy’s scowl. “What happened?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œWhat’d you do?” Kennedy persisted.
    Heath pointed at his window as they drove past Evonne’s. “He went to that house.”
    Kennedy guessed Grace had parked her Beemer in the detached garage because it was no longer sitting out front, as it had been when he passed by earlier. Kirk Vantassel’s truck was there now, and all the lights were on inside the house, which meant Grace was probably entertaining her stepsister. Madeline had been seeing Kirk for a long time. “Why’d that upset Grandma?”
    â€œHe’s supposed to stay away from Main Street. It’s too busy.”
    â€œI went through the alley and the back gate,” Teddy argued.
    â€œThat doesn’t matter, stupid,” Heath replied. “Evonne’s dead. Someone else lives there now.”
    â€œHey,” Kennedy warned, but Teddy was already responding.
    â€œ You’re stupid! I know someone else lives there. I met her. She gave me an extra dollar for pulling weeds and said I could mow the lawn in a few days.”
    â€œYou have to mind Grandma,” Heath said. “He can’t go there anymore, right, Dad?”
    Kennedy turned left at the stop sign and, another block down the road, Evonne’s house disappeared from his mirrors. He knew Grace didn’t like him and was tempted to tell Teddy to stay away because of that. But he remembered all too well how isolated she’d been as a girl and was determined not to support that again. “I don’t see why it would be any different than working for Evonne.”
    Teddy made a face at his brother. “See?”
    â€œGrandma won’t like it,” Heath said.
    â€œSo? Grace is giving me cookies tomorrow,” Teddy insisted. “Now I’m not gonna bring you one.”
    Heath stuck out his tongue in return. “You wouldn’t anyway.”
    â€œMaybe I would,” Teddy said.
    Kennedy thought there was actually a pretty good chance of it. Teddy might be headstrong, but he was also generous. “I’ll