Caught in the Act by Deb Loughead

Author:Deb Loughead
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV028000, JUV006000, JUV024000
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2013-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seven

The rest of the weekend was pretty much perfect. On Sunday morning, Mom’s boyfriend Brent rented a boat and took me, Mom, Gran and Monica for a long cruise out on the lake. Mom was practically delirious to have a whole day off in the middle of a long weekend. She never stopped smiling. We ate lunch on a restaurant patio overlooking the bay, and Brent treated us all.

None of my friends called, but Cory messaged me on FB to say he was grounded for the weekend and hoped I’d find something to do without his help. No problem. Monica was sitting beside me at the computer when I read it, and she hugged me and laughed.

I had dinner at her place on Sunday evening, since Mom was busy with Brent. Then we spent the holiday Monday hanging out at the community docks, fishing and swimming. The highlight, though, was watching the evening fireworks with Monica from a log at the secret beach. The night blazed with explosions of color that lit the sky and reflected across the bay. But the best part was when Monica leaned in and kissed me.

After that, I so didn’t want the weekend to end and Tuesday to come, but there was no stopping it.

I woke up late on Tuesday morning. I couldn’t believe it. I thought I’d set my alarm clock for six thirty so I’d have plenty of time. But I’d accidentally set it for seven thirty. I only had half an hour to shower, grab breakfast and then pedal my bike across town to Granitewood Lodge.

Which is why I was riding like mad at seven fifty, chewing on a granola bar and trying to make up for lost time. So it wasn’t great when I spotted the cruiser coming toward me. And even worse when it stopped at the corner and Nicole waved me over.

“Good news, Dylan,” she said. “One of your friends ’fessed up. He told us who threw the clothes into the trees on Friday night. So now I have my robbery suspects.” Then she frowned. “Why didn’t you tell me yourself, anyway?”

I could hardly believe what she was saying. Or maybe I could. Maybe one of my friends was desperate to get back some summer freedom. Maybe he had to rat out Garrett in order to save his own skin.

“So who was it?” I said, still wondering if this was a trick to pry the truth out of me.

“Why don’t you tell me?” Nicole said, then smiled.

“Because I don’t want to accuse the wrong person,” I said. Which was the total truth.

Nicole squinted in her perceptive way. “You know more, don’t you, Dylan?” she said.

“The only thing I know for sure is that I’m almost late for my first day of work,” I said. Then I steered my bike past her cruiser and on toward the lodge.

I parked my bike in a rack around back but went in through the front door again. And I was half disappointed that Heather wasn’t there, waiting to give me a hug.

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