Raising the Dead by Mara Purnhagen Read Free Book Online

lunch. We’re going to be here longer than expected.”
    “Yeah? Why’s that?”
    “We’ve made a very unique discovery. I’ll tell you about it later. You okay until dinner?”
    “That depends on what you’re bringing home to eat.”
    Mom laughed. “How about Giuseppe’s?”
    “Perfect. Can Avery eat with us?”
    “Of course.” She put her hand over the receiver. I could hear her muffled voice as she spoke to someone. It sounded like she said, “You’re sure about that?” A second later, she was talking to me. “Sorry. Have to go. We’ve found another one.”
    “Another what?” I asked, but she had already hung up.
    “Everything good?” Avery was stirring the noodles.
    “Yeah. They’re bringing home Giuseppe’s pizza for dinner.”
    I could practically see her mouth water from across the room. “And yes, you can stay.”
    “I’ve been dreaming about that pizza.”
    “For now you’ll have to settle for mac and cheese.” I turned off the stove. Avery got out the bowls while I stirred in the neon-orange cheese powder. When everything was ready, we sat down.
    “This is so good. I’ve been living on frozen waffles and granola bars.”
    After we ate lunch, I got dressed and we settled in to watch one of my favorite old movies, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir , which Avery had never seen. Then we described our dream houses, which would of course be on a quiet beach like the one in the film.
    “But mine won’t be haunted by a dead sea captain,” I said.
    “No, you’ll get a gnarly surfer dude ghost.”
    I gave her a playful punch. “Gnarly? Did you really use that word?”
    “He’ll wear baggy shorts and nothing else,” Avery gasped between giggles. “And he’ll turn up the radio every time a Beach Boys song comes on.”
    “The horror!” We laughed and watched more movies and turned on the stereo as loud as it would go so we could dance on the furniture.
    Around five, the phone rang. I was expecting my parents to call, so I went into the living room with a finger pressed against my ear to block out some of the music and answered with a perky, “Silver Family Disco. We shake our butts like we’re nuts.”
    “Um. Charlotte?”
    I felt a little flash of embarrassment. “Hi, Noah.”
    “You okay?”
    I was relieved that he couldn’t see me and my lack of dancing skills. “Avery’s here.”
    “Right. Say no more. Listen, your folks wanted me to get your pizza order.”
    “Oh.” I looked over at Avery, who was dancing on top of the coffee table. “Sure. But why didn’t they call me?”
    “Change of plans. My mom and I are bringing the pizzas over. Your parents and Shane will be home soon, but I guess they made some great discovery, so they’re heading back to the morgue after dinner.”
    “Do you know what the discovery is?”
    “No clue, but they’re giddy about it. So, what do you like on your pizza?”
    After consulting with Avery and placing our order, I ran upstairs to change out of my sweaty T-shirt and less-than-flattering sweatpants.
    Avery stood in my doorway and smirked. “Any particular reason you’re changing your clothes?”
    I dug through a heap of jeans on my floor. “I’m sweaty and gross, that’s why.”
    “Right.”
    “You can borrow something, if you want,” I offered.
    “I’m good, thanks.”
    I settled on dark wash jeans and a tight-yet-comfortable T-shirt. A quick spritz of lavender-scented body mist and I was good to go.
    My parents arrived before the pizza. Dad immediately went to the computers set up in the living room and began downloading his digital camera. Mom stopped to say hello to Avery. “I’d give you a hug, but I’m afraid I smell like formaldehyde,” she said with a shrug. “It’s an occupational hazard when you spend all day in a morgue.”
    “Please change,” I said. “No offense, Mom, but you reek.”
    “I’m going to take a quick shower. Dad can fill you in on what we found.”
    I was dying to know about their big discovery,