Read Online The Secret of Willow Lane by Virginia Rose Richter - Free Book Online Page A

breeze stirred the dolphin mobile.
    Her mother came into the room with Jessie’s dinner on a tray. It smelled delicious. Phillip followed. He wore a little sailor suit and white tennis shoes. He shook his head back and forth and chanted, “No, no, no,” as though he liked the sound of it.
    “Hungry, Jess?” asked her mom.
    “Starving. I don’t remember eating lunch.”
    Her mom plumped some pillows behind Jessie and set the tray beside her. Phillip’s blue eyes peeped over the edge of the bed. For once, he was quiet.
    “Pizza! Thanks, Mom!” She started to eat.
    Her mother pulled a chair from the desk and put it next to the bed. She picked up Phillip and sat down with the baby on her lap. “You know, Jessie. You could have told me about what you were up to.”
    Jessie looked at her mom. I think I hurt her feelings, she thought. “Well, sometimes—when you know what I’m doing—you get upset and make me stop. I feel like I can’t do anything.” She thought a moment. “But this time I was wrong. Because Tina got hurt and so did I. I should have told you what was happening.”
    Her mom was quiet. Then she said, “I owe you an apology, Jess.” Her eyes glistened with tears. “I really haven’t been paying attention lately. I’m too distracted by the baby and the office. I’ve been neglecting my number one child. I promise I’ll do better and try to be more understanding.”
    “I was afraid today. That man chasing me—it was so scary.”
    “It must’ve been. I’m so glad you’re home safe!”
    Someone knocked at the bedroom entrance. “Jessie?”
    Tina appeared in the doorway.
    “Tina!” cried Jessie. “Come in!’
    Jessie’s mom stood up with Phillip under her arm.
    “Well, Tina. It’s so good to see you. Just what Jessie needs.”
    Tina came into the room looking fresh and rested, as though nothing bad had ever happened to her. She held out her arms to Phillip, took him from his mother and gave him a kiss. “Hi, you cute thing. Did you miss me?”
    Phillip leaned back and stuck out his tongue.
    “What is this?” asked Tina. “Where’d he learn that ?”
    “I’d like to know,” said Jessie’s mom. “He just started doing it one day. We’re trying to ignore it.”
    Jessie ate her pizza and said nothing.
    “I’ll leave you two,” said Jessie’s mom, taking the baby from Tina. “I know you have lots of catching up to do.” She left with Phillip looking back over her shoulder. He stuck out his tongue at Jessie and Tina.
    When her mom was out of earshot, they dissolved into wild laughter.
    “He’s hilarious!” giggled Tina. “Did you teach him that?”
    “Not teach. But I stuck my tongue out at him and he imitated me,” laughed Jessie. “Do not tell Mom.”
    “Don’t worry. So how’s your ankle?”
    “Your dad says to take it easy for two weeks. It’s just a sprain. I should have ordered a first aid kit instead of a detective kit.”
    Tina laughed. “I hear you did some pretty good detective work on your own.”
    “I think my parents are worn out with me,” said Jessie.
    “Oh, I don’t know. They sounded proud of you. You know very well your folks never really get mad at you.”
    “Tina, how’d you fall off your bike?”
    “I heard a car start and looked behind me. I must have hit the curb. I really don’t remember.”
    “I think I made a big discovery,” Jessie said. “Go over to my desk and open the middle drawer.”
    Tina walked to the desk, opened the drawer and gave a small gasp. “Whose picture is this? Is this you ?” She lifted out the copies that Jessie had made of the newspaper photos of Alice Johnson.
    “No! That’s Alice Johnson. Miss Tyler found those pictures and I copied them.”
    “But…what’s the deal? They look just like you!” said Tina. “Same eyes, same hair, same dimple, same everything!”
    Jessie took a deep breath. “Remember the newspaper never mentioned anything about C.G. and Alice’s baby—at Alice’s funeral, I