Read Online What Holly Heard by R.L. Stine, Bill Schmidt - Free Book Online Page A

was there, though. Looking totally psycho. I guess he hasn’t been sleeping.”
    Miriam wiped her palms on her comforter. She pulled it up to her chin, feeling safer under its warmth. “I don’t want to talk about them, Ruth. I just can’t.”
    Ruth leaned forward. “You know, Miriam,” she said sharply. “You’re not the only one hurting. Holly was my friend, too.”
    Miriam shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry, I know you’re right. I’m just so miserable. And frightened.”
    Ruth sat down on Miriam’s bed. “Holly and Ididn’t always get along. But still, I can’t believe she’s gone.” Ruth met Miriam’s gaze. “I’m controlling my emotions, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have them.”
    Miriam sat up in bed. “I
never
thought that, Ruth,” she replied, gripping her friend’s hand. “I know you must be upset too. It’s just that …”
    â€œWhat?”
    Miriam tried to smile. “I miss her already.” A tear rolled down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. “I miss her, and I haven’t been able to think about anything else. Every time I close my eyes, I see Holly’s face.”
    â€œI know,” Ruth replied. “The school is having an assembly tomorrow. Kind of a memorial. They’re going to talk about Holly’s death, lecture on school safety, all that stuff.”
    She paused. “The school counselors think everyone will go nuts if they don’t talk about their feelings. Maybe it would do
you
some good to talk about it.”
    Miriam sighed. “I’ve been talking to myself all day, and
that
hasn’t helped. My mom says I have to go back tomorrow. She thinks I need to get back into the routine. That it will help me forget.”
    Forget Holly’s death? Miriam thought.
    Never.
    Miriam threw her pillow at the wall, feeling a burst of rage. “Everyone thinks I should forget about seeing Holly’s body! How is that possible?”
    â€œI didn’t mean it that way,” Ruth said quickly.
    Miriam nodded, her anger fading back into sadness.“I know. I was talking about everyone else—my parents and Jed. Not you, Ruth—you understand how I feel. I couldn’t get through this without you.”
    Ruth looked away. “I’m not so strong. On the inside.”
    â€œI wish
I
was as tough as you,” Miriam persisted. “I always have. You keep your cool. You didn’t miss school. I know you’ve been through this before with your father. But that doesn’t make Holly’s death any easier to take.”
    â€œHolly’s
murder,”
Ruth corrected her.
    Miriam shivered. “I don’t want to think about that.”
    â€œWe have to, Miriam,” Ruth argued. “We know who did it.”
    â€œNo, we don’t.”
    â€œYou’re going to sit there with a straight face and say Mei and Noah didn’t kill Holly?” Ruth jumped to her feet.
“Come on,
Miriam! Didn’t you tell the police anything last night?”
    â€œNo!”
    Ruth looked incredulous. “Why not?”
    â€œThere’s no proof.”
    Miriam’s voice caught on the words. She knew her argument sounded lame. Mei and Noah were guilty. Why couldn’t she accept that? They killed
her best friend!
    Ruth’s hand tightened around Miriam’s.
    â€œMei and Noah are the only two who had a reason to kill Holly,” Ruth whispered. “And you know it!”
    Miriam couldn’t argue. She
did
know it.
    â€œHolly knew it, too,” Miriam replied after a moment. “And
we
didn’t believe her.”
    She stared at Ruth in grim silence.
    Finally Ruth asked, “What should we do?”
    â€œWe can’t do anything,” Miriam insisted. “It’s not that I don’t want to. But we have no proof. The only thing we can tell the police is that Mei and Noah talked