Read Online The Golden Couple (The Samantha Project Series, # 2) by Stephanie Karpinske - Free Book Online

all windows, providing a jaw-dropping view of the ocean. I could see massive waves off in the distance. Jack said the beach was known for surfing, which is probably what had drawn Luke there.
    “Did Luke stay here long?” Jack asked.
    “Oh, I’d say he was here for maybe five or six weeks. Not long. I barely noticed him living here. He was real quiet.”
    Jack glanced at his watch. “Well, Agnes and I are in a bit of a hurry. I’m taking her on a tour of colleges, and we have an appointment at USC soon. So if we could just get Luke’s things.”
    “All right. They’re in his room. This way.” The old man led us to a side bedroom. It was very small. There was just enough room for a twin bed, a tiny desk, and a bookshelf. “His stuff’s all there in that box. He didn’t have much. Just some surfing trophies and some books.”
    Jack took the box, scanning the room for any other clues about the boy. “What about his clothes?”  
    “Clothes? Why would you want those?” The old man gave Jack a strange look.  
    “My son. Agnes’ brother. He wanted them. You know, something to remember his cousin by. My son’s the same age as Luke.”
    The man didn’t seem to buy the story. “There’s a bag of clothes in the closet. I was planning to donate them, but go ahead and take them if you want.”
    “Great. Thanks.” Jack handed me the box, then went to the closet to retrieve the bag of clothes. “Well, we should be going. Thank you again for saving his things for us.”
    “No problem.” The man looked at Jack suspiciously. “So tell me again what happened to his parents? His mother was your sister, right?”
    Jack tried to stay calm, but I could tell his mind was scrambling to come up with a story to tell the guy. We knew nothing about Luke or the family who raised him.
    “Um, yes. She died in a car accident a while back. Along with Luke’s dad.” Jack started walking toward the door. I followed, deciding that now was an appropriate time to read the old man’s mind. I had to know what he was thinking.
    “Luke said he never knew his dad.” The old man wouldn’t let it go. He knew Jack was lying.
    Jack opened the door and the old man grabbed it from him. “Are you sure you’re Luke’s uncle? Because he never mentioned an uncle. Or a cousin.” The old man glanced over at me.
    “We weren’t that close, but yes, I’m his uncle.” Jack hurried through the door.  
    As we left, I focused on hearing the old man’s thoughts. “These people aren’t related to Luke. They look nothing like him. I gotta call Bill down at the station. Have him check this guy’s story out.”
    In trying to listen to him, I tripped going through the doorway, spilling the contents of the box all over the ground. Jack set his bag down to help me pick up the mess. The old man shook his head and shut the door.
    “Jack!” I whispered. “The old man. He’s on to us. He’s calling some guy at the police station. We gotta get out of here.”
    Jack stood up and looked down the street. “It’s been almost 20 minutes and I don’t see our van yet. Let’s get down there. Hurry.”
    We walked fast toward the meeting spot. With my superior vision, I spotted our van off in the distance. “I see it, Jack. But it’s at least a mile away, and there’s all these people blocking the road, trying to walk over to the beach. It may take a few minutes for the van to get here.”
    Suddenly we heard sirens in the distance. Then the sirens got louder. Jack grabbed my sleeve and yanked me behind a large flowery bush.  
    He kept his eyes on the street. “I can see the van, now. I hope Erik knows to turn around.”
    “This would be a good time to have a cell phone,” I mumbled.  
    “Cell phones are nothing more than human tracking machines and listening devices, Sam. They’re the fastest way to get caught.”
    I sighed. “Yeah, I know.”
    The van kept driving toward us despite the sirens. “Why does Erik keep going this way?” Jack