'Tis the Season by Judith Arnold Read Free Book Online

sweatshirt over his head. He couldn’t go downstairs and get his jacket. He hoped it wasn’t too cold outside.
    â€œThrough the window.”
    She darted past him to his window. The screen was easy to unhook—he’d already done it—and it opened onto the roof of the garage. From there, he could reach the oak tree and shimmy down. He’d climbed the oak tree lots of times, and he’d been able to swing from one of the limbs onto the garage roof, so he knew he’d be able to get back in once his mission was accomplished.
    Gracie seemed excited and a little frightened. He hoped she wouldn’t race downstairs and tell on him the minute he was out the window. If she did tell…well, he’d sure be in trouble. Grounded for life, probably. “You’re not going to tell, are you?” he asked, making sure his sneakers were laced tight.
    She shook her head. Her eyes were so wide they looked like they were going to pop out of her face. “What if there is a ghost?” she wanted to know. “What if you don’t come home? What should I tell Daddy?”
    â€œThere’s no ghost. Whatever is in the house, I’ll figure it out and tell you.” That promise ought to keep her from tattling on him. “And I’ll come home. Why wouldn’t I come home?”
    â€œBecause if there’s a ghost, it might kill you.”
    â€œWe don’t believe in ghosts. Right, Gracie?”
    She thought about that for a minute, then nodded uncertainly. “Right.”
    â€œOkay. See ya.” He shoved the window as high as it would go and then maneuvered himself over the sill. The garage roof was right beneath his feet. This was so easy he wanted to laugh.
    Climbing down the tree was easy, too. He jumped the last few feet to the ground and glanced through the sliding glass door in the family room. He could see across the family room into the kitchen, where Dad and his friends were playing cards around the table. Dad had his back to Billy.
    Convinced that his father was too caught up in the game to notice him missing, Billy turned and started into the woods. The three-quarter moon shed a lot of light, and the path was visible. He’d gone to the stone house enough times to know his way.
    About halfway there, he started hearing footsteps behind him. Or imagining them, probably. It was dark, and even though he pretended to be tough for Gracie, he had to admit he was, well, not scared but a little nervous. He knew there wasn’t a ghost in the house—but something had been in there. He’d seen it move, and it had scared the heck out of him on Sunday. He really wished he could have gone back to check the place out during the day, when there was still some sunlight.
    But he couldn’t stand not knowing what he’d seen. Day or night, he had to go back for another look.
    He took a few more steps and halted. Definitely someone was following him.
    Sucking in a big breath, he curled his hands into fists, just in case he had to fight off a monster or something, and turned around.
    Gracie stood on the path in her pink nightgown and her Minnie Mouse slippers, with her denim jacket— his denim jacket—pulled around her shoulders. She stomped toward him, snapping twigs and trampling on leaves and breathing heavily. “What are you doing?” he asked. He could hear the impatience in his voice.
    â€œI thought I should come, too.”
    â€œYou climbed out the window? Gracie, you are so stupid! You could’ve gotten hurt! I can’t believe how stupid you are!”
    Her mouth started twitching like she was going to burst into tears. “I’m not stupid!” she wailed. “Take it back!”
    She was stupid. No way would he get caught if he was doing this himself, but with her along…How was she going to get back into the house? Maybe she could climb down the tree, but she was too little to climb back up. He was going to have to