Home Invasion by Monique Polak Read Free Book Online Page A

street?”
    â€œPatsy,” I corrected him.
    She must’ve heard me say her name, because she turned in our direction.
    â€œPatsy!” Clay called out before I could stop him. “How are you doing, neighbor?”
    She paused for a second, then came over to our table.
    Clay stood up. I thought he was trying to be polite, but it turned out he had to go to the bathroom. He tapped Patsy’s elbow when he passed her. “Nice to see you,” he said.
    That left just me and her. For a second, neither of us said anything. Patsy was the one who broke the silence. “I saw you the other day,” she said. She’d put her hands in the pockets of her shorts, and she was shifting from one foot to the other.
    â€œI know.”
    â€œWhat were you doing in a cop car anyway?”
    I stared down at my plate. What would Patsy think if she knew the truth — that I got a weird thrill from spying on other people, including her? “It was a case of mistaken identity,” I said when I looked back up at her. “I’m thinking of suing the police, you know — for tarnishing my reputation. For treating me like a common criminal. I mean, what are people supposed to think? Especially people who saw me on my way down to the station.”
    â€œPeople who know you would never think you were a common criminal.”
    â€œThanks,” I said, smiling up at her.
    â€œAn uncommon one, maybe,” Patsy said, smiling back.
    I laughed. The thing was, Patsy had no idea how right she was. “So what have you been up to?” I asked her. I figured now was a good time to change the subject.
    â€œOh, you know, unpacking, getting my room arranged. I met this girl, Tasha, who goes to Royal Crest. She said she knows you. We’ve been hanging out.”
    â€œTasha’s okay,” I told her. “So how are your mom and dad? Getting settled in okay too?”
    Patsy shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know about you, but my parents just keep getting weirder and weirder.”
    I wanted to know more, but Clay interrupted us. “You two should do something together sometime. Why don’t you make some plans with her, Josh?” he said, pulling his chair out from the table. Then he clapped me on the shoulder.
    I felt my face get hot. Why did he have to be such a jerk?
    Patsy took her hands out of her pockets. “Well, I’d better get some bagels,” she said. Then she tilted her chin toward me. “It’d be great to do something sometime…” she said.
    â€œI — I’ll come by your house.”
    Clay waited for Patsy to walk to the counter at the back. Then he leaned over and nudged my elbow. “You’re some smooth operator,” he said.
    I gritted my teeth. Then I closed my eyes and tried to remember what my life was like before he came along and ruined it.

Chapter Eleven
    We ran errands after breakfast. We returned books to the library, dropped off clothes at the dry cleaner, shopped for groceries. I had to come since I was under you-know-who’s supervision. I tried not to notice the cop car parked by the grocery store, but when I got out of the car, I felt eyes on me. Clay must’ve noticed too, because he put his arm around my shoulders, only I shook it off.
    I unpacked the groceries. If I hadn’t, Clay would’ve left them out in the hallway all week.
    â€œI’m gonna have a little nap,” he announced, stretching his arms. “Part of my plan to catch the home invader. I read about this study that says people think better when they’re lying down. What are your plans, Josh?”
    I hadn’t counted on having unsupervised time. “Ahh, I guess I’ll play on the computer, send Mom an e-mail.”
    â€œSay hi from me. Don’t worry. No mushy stuff. Just hi.” Clay grabbed a mystery from the pile on the living room table. Was that also part of his plan for catching the home invader?
    I