Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern Read Free Book Online Page B

song.
    About an hour into the two-hour drive to House on the Rock, I remember I told my mom that I’d call the police back. Basking in the state of Wisconsin masked but didn’t rub out the whole point of this impromptu journey: Penny the kidnapee.
    â€œI have to call the police.” I turn down the stereo and yell over the open windows, “To tell them I don’t know anything.”
    â€œLying to the cops. Nice!” Josh enthuses. I doubt he’d be that way if he was the one doing the calling. Actually, he probably would.
    â€œI need to center myself. Get my lie face on.” I close my eyes and try to remember why I’m covering for Penny in the first place. Hummer. Babysitter. Olive tree. I feel a pluff on top of my head, and I look up to see that Josh has installed the cheese hat on me.
    â€œYour disguise,” he informs me.
    â€œNaturally,” I agree. “Roll up your window so I can hear.” Josh uses the hand crank on the aged Eurosport door to muffle the highway noise, and I clear my throat. I beep through my phone to find the cop’s number, then will myself to hit Send.
    â€œSergeant Sundstrom.” His serious voice answers after one ring.
    â€œYeah, hi, this is Lillian Erlich. You left me a message….”
    â€œRight, yes. We’re looking for Penny Nelson. We believe her to be missing. You were the last person she spoke to. Did she say anything about going out? Meeting up with someone? Leaving town?” His questions sound slightly accusatory, as if he knows I know something. Is there some heat reader that can sense my guilt through the phone? I grip the cheese hat for strength.
    â€œNo, sorry, she didn’t say anything. Is she going to be OK?” I fake distress, but it’s difficult when Josh grabs my knee and busts up. I shoot him a shut-up look, and he takes his hand off my knee to put a shush finger to his lips.
    â€œWell, what did she call you about at four thirty in the morning?” He clips as if calling someone at four thirty in the morning is something unheard of. Does he remember being eighteen? I argue with him in my head, convincing myself I’m completely in the right.
    â€œJust, you know, to talk. About her night. Her boyfriend.”
    â€œWhat can you tell me about her boyfriend?” Is this a trick question? Am I somehow going to drag Gavin into this? Should I? Wouldn’t be so bad for the cops to put a little scare into him. Why not.
    â€œWell, truthfully, officer, he’s kind of a dick. Pardon my French. Cheats on her. Says nasty things to her. Maybe worse. Hard to say. She doesn’t tell me everything.” There’s a pause, and I can hear him scribbling everything down. “Look, I kind of have to go because I’m driving and shouldn’t really be talking on the phone for safety reasons, but if you hear anything, please keep me posted. I’m really worried.”
    â€œSure thing, miss. I’ll be sure to call you if I need to talk to you.” Again with the tone. We hang up.
    Josh claps admirably. “Well done, Cheesehead.” I pull the sponge hat off and toss it into the backseat. Josh and I roll our windows down, and the loud music resumes.
    That wasn’t so hard. Lying to the police. It almost helped suppress the guilt I’m sort of feeling about not telling Penny’s parents. Maybe I should wear a cheese hat more often.

CHAPTER EIGHT
    We drive up the winding gravel road that leads to the House on the Rock around three in the afternoon.
    â€œWhat the hell is this place?” marvels Josh as we walk toward the building.
    You wouldn’t know it from the approach, but the House on the Rock is a glorious, never-ending collection of FREAK. I have only been here once before, when my extended family stopped during a fishing trip to Minnesota. Its grandiose grotesqueness awed me then, and I hope it doesn’t disappoint now that I’m older.
    The