Read Online The Magician's Bird by Emily Fairlie - Free Book Online

mother opening the refrigerator. “Who wants pie?” her mom yelled from the kitchen.
    Laurie unfroze and quickly hurried past the door and up the stairs. “I do!” Laurie called down, once she was safely in her room. It was a lie, though. The way her stomach was churning, she didn’t think she’d be able to eat a single bite.
    Bud was waiting for the pages he’d found to finish printing when his dad came up behind him. He was watching the printer, which was super slow, so he didn’t even realize his dad was there until he felt a hand on his shoulder.
    â€œWhat’s this you’re looking up?”
    Bud almost hit the ceiling, but he managed to smile back at his dad. He didn’t want to come off like a jumpy freak, even if he was one.
    â€œOh, I was just looking up some stuff.”
    His dad picked up the papers from the printer. “Alphonse Marchetti?” His dad looked confused. “This isn’t for the scavenger hunt, is it?”
    Bud shifted uncomfortably. “I was just looking him up because of that stuff in the paper. You know.”
    â€œI must’ve missed that article.” Bud’s dad frowned. Bud wasn’t surprised, actually. They didn’t get the Morning News , and Bud sure as heck wasn’t about to suggest that his dad read the article about his school’s murderous founder.
    â€œOh, it’s stupid. Just some stuff about Maria Tutweiler, you know.”
    Bud’s dad’s frown deepened. “No, I don’t know. Is it something I should see?” He turned and called into the other room. “Flora? Did you see an article today about Maria Tutweiler?”
    Bud groaned inwardly. Flora Downey was the music teacher at Tuckernuck Hall, and she and his dad had been seeing each other since the beginning of the year. Whichmeant that Bud had been seeing her, too. A whole lot of her. Way more of her than he wanted to.
    Flora Downey came into the office from the living room, carrying a couple of foreign artsy-type DVDs. She was wearing a T-shirt and shorts. Bud tried to avert his eyes. There was just something very wrong about seeing a teacher in shorts.
    â€œYou’re not taking that article seriously, are you, Wally?” Miss Downey rolled her eyes. “It’s ridiculous.”
    â€œWhat? What did it say? It looks like I’m the only one who didn’t read it.” Mr. Wallace gave a half smile, but Bud could tell he was concerned. He was always concerned when it came to school stuff.
    â€œJust some ridiculous accusations, claiming she’s responsible for everything from the stock market crash to the Kennedy assassination to the Great Chicago Fire.”
    Bud was glad she’d put it that way, instead of listing the things Maria Tutweiler had actually been accused of doing. It sounded crazier Miss Downey’s way.
    â€œShe wasn’t even alive for all of those,” Bud said, fixing his eyes on Miss Downey’s sandals. Sandals that exposed her toes. A kid should never have to see a teacher’s toes.
    â€œExactly.” Miss Downey smiled at Bud. “Now, whichof these do you want to see?” Miss Downey held up two super-serious-looking movies with pictures of gloomy people on the covers. One was in Swedish and the other one was in Japanese. Bud sighed. Family movie night was going to kill him.
    â€œThey both look really good,” Bud’s dad said. “But what about this article? Is this going to hurt Bud’s future, if colleges associate him with a criminal?”
    â€œOf course not. It’s just muckraking, that’s all it is. Nothing to worry about.” Miss Downey smiled. “Guess I get to be the deciding vote. Swedish it is!”
    Note from Mrs. Wanda Pinkerton to Mr. Mel Pinkerton
    ----
    Mel—While you’re out could you pick me up some more glue for the hot glue gun? I don’t know how I’ve managed to go through it all so fast. Also, pick up