Hearths of Fire by Kennedy Layne Read Free Book Online Page A

weren’t together, his parents had raised him as a gentleman and he wouldn’t
     stop being one now. Her fingers dropped from the fabric and when he glanced down at
     the movement, he saw that he was still carrying. Knowing that he wasn’t allowed to
     do so on school property, he shook his head at the delay. Carrying his weapon, especially
     of late, had become habit. “We’ve got to head back to the truck. I need to stow my
     weapon.”
    “I can wait here,” Charlotte said, her eyes flittering across the crowd just inside
     the gate. “If I see Mandy I’ll stop her so that she can say hi to you.”
    Neal weighed the options and although he wasn’t comfortable leaving her standing here
     alone, she technically wasn’t by herself. He scanned the swarm of people as well and
     didn’t notice anyone wearing all black. The school colors were prevalent among the
     people showing their support. He went ahead and paid for their tickets, handing them
     to her and positioning her right by the gate.
    “Don’t move. I’ll be back in a minute.”
    *
    “Ms. Whitefall?”
    Charlotte had been watching for any sign of her sister when a young voice spoke from
     her left. Turning, she saw Rebecca Garson, a friend of Mandy’s standing there with
     her purse clutched in her hands. The young brunette was a volleyball player with an
     athletic build and always had her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her heart-shaped
     face seemed taut with tension though.
    “Hi Becky. How are you?”
    “Good. I’m glad I caught you though,” Becky said, stepping to the side of the ticket
     booth to join Charlotte. “I was going to stop in the bookstore tomorrow, but this
     saves me a trip into town.”
    “What’s wrong?” Charlotte’s heart sank, knowing full well that Becky was going to
     say something about Mandy that would only increase the worry.
    “Well, I overheard Garreth talking on his phone after school today. I told Mandy about
     it but she didn’t believe me.”
    Charlotte glanced across the parking lot and found she couldn’t see Neal from this
     angle. She wished he was present to hear what Becky had to say, but it wasn’t like
     he couldn’t follow up with more questions later tonight. Holding the tickets tightly
     in her hand, Charlotte steeled herself for what Becky had to say.
    “What did you overhear?”
    “I don’t know who he was talking to, but he was said something about a ritual on All
     Hallows’ Eve.” Becky appeared to be waiting for Charlotte to say something, but she
     didn’t know what and tried her best to keep her agitation down. The girl was obviously
     upset about something. “You know…Halloween? Mandy and Garreth have a big date planned
     because it’s both their birthdays.”
    Charlotte schooled her features the best she could, not wanting to alarm Becky any
     further. She hadn’t known that Mandy and Garreth had a big date planned. This whole
     time Charlotte had been planning a girls’ night out for the two of them and Mandy
     knew that. If her sister had other plans why hadn’t she said something?
    “Are you sure that’s what you heard?” Charlotte asked cautiously, her mind spinning
     in a million directions of what Garreth might have meant by ritual .
    “Yes, I’m sure.” Becky shifted her feet side to side in an agitated motion. “Mandy
     didn’t believe me, but she hasn’t been herself lately. The girls and I thought that
     maybe you should talk to her.”
    “I think you need to tell Sheriff Plinkton what you heard,” Charlotte urged the young
     girl. If the sheriff had enough evidence to start investigating this cult, then maybe
     she and Neal wouldn’t have to be the bad guys—which was how Mandy would undoubtedly
     see them. “Will you do that for me?”
    “Sure.” Becky’s hesitation was evident when she strung the word out longer than necessary.
     “There’s something wrong with those people, Ms. Whitefall. I don’t want to be the
     reason they get