Read Online The Ghost of Cutler Creek by Cynthia DeFelice - Free Book Online

we having dinner?” she asked.
    â€œYour dad and Michael will be home shortly. We can eat as soon as they get here. Why, are you hungry?”
    â€œSort of,” Allie said. “But the reason I asked is that I have to go back to Mr. Henry’s to feed Hoover. And Dub wants me to go to his house afterward.”
    This wasn’t the whole truth, either. The need for secrecy that went along with seeing ghosts seemed to be making Allie into a habitual liar. But she was going to call Dub right away to ask him if she could come over. She had to tell him about her dream.
    Also, Allie was hoping James would be home. She wanted to ask him what Mr. Cutler had been doing at the pet store.

Ten
    Allie was glad to see that Michael showed no signs of allergies at dinner. Since he’d been happily fishing instead of sleeping during the time she’d been having her dream that afternoon, she didn’t have to worry about his sharing the disturbing vision she’d had of the dog named Belle.
    â€œIt was this big , Allie,” he was saying, holding his hands way up over his head, about two feet apart. “But I let it go ’cause Dad said it was a mommy and it was full of eggs.”
    â€œThat’s a mighty big perch,” Allie said. “The biggest one I ever saw was maybe this long.” She held her hands ten inches apart.
    â€œWell, this one was humongous , right, Dad?”
    â€œIt sure was,” Mr. Nichols answered, winking at Allie. “And it’s been getting bigger all afternoon.”
    â€œThe mark of a true fisherman,” Mrs. Nichols said with a laugh.
    â€œWhat is?” Michael asked, looking down at himself as if expecting to see some sort of mark on his chest.
    â€œThrowing back a mommy fish so she can hatch her eggs and make baby fish,” Allie answered quickly. “That was a good thing to do, Mike.”
    Michael nodded proudly. “I know.”
    â€œWe missed you, Al,” said her father.
    â€œI was sorry I couldn’t go, Dad,” she said. “But Dub and I had to see this kid L.J., and we have to go back to his house tomorrow.”
    She had a plan, of sorts, for finding out what her dream had been trying to tell her. She and Dub would have to return to the Cutler place, though. She hoped Dub would be game.
    â€œThat’s nice of you, Allie, but tomorrow is Sunday, remember?” said her mother.
    â€œOh, right,” said Allie. School had just gotten out and she was already getting the days mixed up. Her parents tried to make Sunday a family day. They usually went to church and did something together.
    â€œHow about we all go fishing?” Mr. Nichols suggested.
    â€œOkay,” said Allie.
    â€œSounds good to me,” said Mrs. Nichols.
    â€œBut it’s not fair,” Michael complained. “Mom and Allie always catch the most fish.”
    â€œIf you’re good, I’ll tell you the secret of my success,” Allie told him.
    â€œAnother secret! Yay!”
    Allie frowned at him and held her finger to her lips. Luckily, her parents didn’t seem to notice.
    â€œSo how was your visit to this boy L.J. today?” asked Mr. Nichols.
    Her parents would have a fit if she told them what had happened at the Cutler house that afternoon. Allie would never be allowed to go there again. Not that she wanted to go. But the ghost dog had led her in that direction, and if she was going to find any answers, she had to follow every clue.
    â€œOh, fine,” she answered vaguely.
    â€œSo you and Dub liked L.J., after all?” asked Mrs. Nichols.
    â€œWell, he seems to need friends,” Allie said, silently congratulating herself on coming up with an answer that was, from what she’d seen, true. Not that he was ever likely to make any friends acting the way he did, and with his father making it plain that visitors were not welcome. She didn’t plan on being L.J.’s friend, but she did need to return