Read Online Mourning Moon (A Guinan Jones Paranormal Mystery #2) by Callista Foley - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Callista Foley
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either. It was unthinkable that she'd attend her best friend's funeral by herself. "I'm riding with Luke. I'll ask him to pick you up."
Her face fell. "No, thanks."
" Sinder, come on. Why don't you like him?"
"Duh. He's arrogant. And I thought he was a bad influence on Desmond. Luke was so much wilder, you know. He used to have a drinking problem."
Drinking problem? "But he's only sixteen."
Sinder snorted. "A cousin on my mother's side was an alcoholic at eight years old. It can happen to anybody."
" Does Luke still drink?"
She shrugged. "All I know is Desmond stopped."
"It sounds like Desmo nd was a good influence on him," I said, smiling.
She narrowed her eyes. "Look, I know you like Luke, but—"
"As a friend," I said quickly.
"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. "But your friend isn't who you think he is." She started walking away.
"That's it?" I said. "You're going to leave me hanging?"
She stopped and gazed at me. "I believe the best way to truly know someone is to discover who they are for yourself. Know what I mean?"
I realized my mouth was gaping. I headed to my next class and half-listened to a lecture on Greek mythology and daydreamed about Zeke. I wished he were here now, to walk beside me among these strangers. I wondered where he was right this moment, whether Tim was actually giving him a similar lecture.
When the final bell rang, I jumped up from my seat as if it were on fire. I returned to my locker to retrieve a book for homework. I unlocked it, and a white envelope fell to the floor. Someone must have slipped it through a slit on the door. I picked it up and turned it over. It was blank. I opened it with a shaky hand. A few dried flower petals fluttered to the floor. Faded orange. A marigold? I unfolded the paper and read the typed words:
When you die, no one will hear your thoughts.
Chapter Ten
"You're right about one thing," Granddad said. "Anybody who followed the case could have done it."
I sat on the edge of my bed and watched him pace. I'd shown him the petals and the note as soon as I got home. But I hadn't shown my mother. I didn't know whether to be scared or angry.
"Someone's idea of a stupid joke," I said.
He nodded and brushed a hand across his head. "You have to tell your parents."
"No way," I said in a low voice.
He stopped and shook a finger at me. "Guinan, they have to be involved in this. They need to know."
I shook my head.
"I know you're nervous, hon, but forget about the past. They're your parents. They love you."
My lips trembled. I knew exactly how they'd react, and maybe they'd be right. Who was I to second-guess whatever they decided to do? Why was I so afraid of letting them in?
"Maybe we could just—"
"No," Granddad said. He slid my desk chair close to the bed and sat. "I can't tell how wonderful it is that you can confide in me, but it's time to let them in."
"They'll freak out ."
He touched my arm. " Probably."
Panic rose from my stomach to my throat.
"What are you terrified of?" he said. "What do you think is going to happen?"
I studied the floor. My brain felt foggy and unfocused. "Later. I'll tell them later."
"Guinan, if something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself. You want that on your conscience?"
I knew it didn't fit the situation, but I laughed and felt the tension release.
He grunted. "I'm glad you see the humorous side of things. So, when are we telling your parents about this?"
I let out a long sigh. " Soon. I promise. I just can't handle everything at once."
Looking unconvinced, Granddad rose from the chair, returned it to the desk, and rubbed the back of his neck. "At best, someone's playing games with you. At worst, it's a warning."
"Trust me, okay?"
He scoffed. "Can't you do the same with your parents?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't know what to say.
I stayed awake most of the night wondering if Embry, Ione, Sinder, or Luke put that envelope in my locker. Why would my friends do that to me? But
Her face fell. "No, thanks."
" Sinder, come on. Why don't you like him?"
"Duh. He's arrogant. And I thought he was a bad influence on Desmond. Luke was so much wilder, you know. He used to have a drinking problem."
Drinking problem? "But he's only sixteen."
Sinder snorted. "A cousin on my mother's side was an alcoholic at eight years old. It can happen to anybody."
" Does Luke still drink?"
She shrugged. "All I know is Desmond stopped."
"It sounds like Desmo nd was a good influence on him," I said, smiling.
She narrowed her eyes. "Look, I know you like Luke, but—"
"As a friend," I said quickly.
"Okay," she said, rolling her eyes. "But your friend isn't who you think he is." She started walking away.
"That's it?" I said. "You're going to leave me hanging?"
She stopped and gazed at me. "I believe the best way to truly know someone is to discover who they are for yourself. Know what I mean?"
I realized my mouth was gaping. I headed to my next class and half-listened to a lecture on Greek mythology and daydreamed about Zeke. I wished he were here now, to walk beside me among these strangers. I wondered where he was right this moment, whether Tim was actually giving him a similar lecture.
When the final bell rang, I jumped up from my seat as if it were on fire. I returned to my locker to retrieve a book for homework. I unlocked it, and a white envelope fell to the floor. Someone must have slipped it through a slit on the door. I picked it up and turned it over. It was blank. I opened it with a shaky hand. A few dried flower petals fluttered to the floor. Faded orange. A marigold? I unfolded the paper and read the typed words:
When you die, no one will hear your thoughts.
Chapter Ten
"You're right about one thing," Granddad said. "Anybody who followed the case could have done it."
I sat on the edge of my bed and watched him pace. I'd shown him the petals and the note as soon as I got home. But I hadn't shown my mother. I didn't know whether to be scared or angry.
"Someone's idea of a stupid joke," I said.
He nodded and brushed a hand across his head. "You have to tell your parents."
"No way," I said in a low voice.
He stopped and shook a finger at me. "Guinan, they have to be involved in this. They need to know."
I shook my head.
"I know you're nervous, hon, but forget about the past. They're your parents. They love you."
My lips trembled. I knew exactly how they'd react, and maybe they'd be right. Who was I to second-guess whatever they decided to do? Why was I so afraid of letting them in?
"Maybe we could just—"
"No," Granddad said. He slid my desk chair close to the bed and sat. "I can't tell how wonderful it is that you can confide in me, but it's time to let them in."
"They'll freak out ."
He touched my arm. " Probably."
Panic rose from my stomach to my throat.
"What are you terrified of?" he said. "What do you think is going to happen?"
I studied the floor. My brain felt foggy and unfocused. "Later. I'll tell them later."
"Guinan, if something happens to you, I'll never forgive myself. You want that on your conscience?"
I knew it didn't fit the situation, but I laughed and felt the tension release.
He grunted. "I'm glad you see the humorous side of things. So, when are we telling your parents about this?"
I let out a long sigh. " Soon. I promise. I just can't handle everything at once."
Looking unconvinced, Granddad rose from the chair, returned it to the desk, and rubbed the back of his neck. "At best, someone's playing games with you. At worst, it's a warning."
"Trust me, okay?"
He scoffed. "Can't you do the same with your parents?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but I didn't know what to say.
I stayed awake most of the night wondering if Embry, Ione, Sinder, or Luke put that envelope in my locker. Why would my friends do that to me? But
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