Read Online No Accident by Emily Blake - Free Book Online Page B

everything. She liked to hold tight to her aces.
    Alison’s eyes drifted past the two tall, cherry jewelry cases and several smaller leather cases. She glanced at the stacks of coin boxes and framed pieces of art leaning against the vault wall. At the back of the giant safe she saw a leather accordion file filled with papers. Without looking closely—there would be time for that later—Alison grabbed a handful of the papers and hurried out of the small airless room. Careful to leave everything as she found it, she tucked the papers inside one of the textbooks in her bag and tiptoed down the back stairs and out the service exit near the garage.
    Outside, Alison leaned against the house and waited for her racing heart to slow. Now that she was out of the house and safe, she was keenly aware of the danger she had just put herself in. But nobody was coming after her. Nobody had heard a thing.
    Careful to avoid Fernando, the chauffeur, Alison walked back up the same stone path atthe front of the house she had walked up just a few minutes before. Then, as noisily as she could, she opened the door and stepped into the foyer.
    â€œHello, Grandmother! I’m home!”
    Alison walked across the marble entry and poked her head into the library. Her grandmother narrowed her eyes, indicating she was on the phone and did not appreciate the interruption. Turning away, Alison dashed up the stairs to her own room, grinning.

Chapter Eighteen
    Kelly hated to be disappointed. Luckily she rarely was. She got her way most of the time, and when she didn’t get her way? She just made it look like she had.
    It was a certainty that she was not going to Hollywood. Now the trick would be making it look like staying was an even better idea. Kelly wasn’t worried. She was good at tricks.
    All day at school Kelly kept her secret. She talked to Tom and Chad about the houses her aunt was looking at for them. She told Kate and Ruby and her other followers about the places she would shop when she arrived.
    â€œI don’t think I’ll even bother taking mostof my clothes— they’ll be all wrong for the West Coast,” she announced in the bathroom. She saw Ruby’s eyes go big. She knew the other girls would die for her castoffs. She knew they would also die before asking Kelly for them. Smart cookies.
    If nothing else, when Kelly “changed her mind” she would get some serious sympathy. Half the school was thinking about life in Hollywood and how great Kelly was going to have it.
    At Stafford she was all smiles and perky excitement. Now that she was home, she ground her teeth together. She’d burned a few bridges too early —especially with her mom. Making amends was not her strong suit. She refused to apologize. But she had to do something.
    What would Alison do if she were me? Kelly wondered. The thought of asking her cousin for help was laughable. But she was the family “favorite,” so she must be doing something right. Kelly would take a page from her book—just this once—and play nice. It was so simple it might work.
    Pasting her happy face back on, Kelly walked into her kitchen. It was something akin to walking into a Williams-Sonoma, only without the salespeople. Phoebe Reeves kept her copper gleaming and had every single culinary gadget imaginable. Though lately, not even cooking was brightening Phoebe’s mood.
    â€œHi, Mom,” Kelly greeted her easily.
    Phoebe sat at the kitchen table limply looking through catalogs. When she heard the “m” word, she perked up.
    Then Kelly stoked her fire. “What’s for dinner?” she asked lightly.
    Phoebe’s cheeks grew pink. Kelly hardly ever ate anything at home. She hated family mealtime and always complained about whatever was served, pushing it around her plate until she was excused. This one little question was like a gift for Phoebe.
    â€œWell,” her mom stammered, “I have everything for