When by Victoria Laurie Read Free Book Online

sparkled in the light from the streetlamp. Squinting, I could just make out the figures of two people in the car. My heartbeat ticked
up. It was Wallace and Faraday. I waited for them to get out of the car and come to the door, but as the minutes passed they remained where they were. Finally, after about fifteen minutes, the
agents slowly pulled away from the curb and drove off.
    I knew then that no matter what alibi I’d offered them, this wasn’t over.
    The next day passed in a fog. I was jumpy and on edge the whole time, and even Stubby couldn’t make me feel better. “They can’t prove you had anything to do
with it, Maddie,” he said as we rode home together.
    But I didn’t have a good feeling.
    Stubby and I parted ways at the midway point between our houses, and I pedaled hard toward home. It was Halloween, and I had to make sure we had enough money in the grocery envelope for candy
for the few kids brave enough to ring our doorbell. There’re lots of kids in the neighborhood, but our house never sees much traffic. Too many people have heard the rumors that Ma and I are
witches.
    As I sped down the street, my thoughts were occupied by the need for a backup plan if there was no cash in the envelope. As I turned the corner onto my block, I had to lean to the side to avoid
the large truck parked between our house and Mrs. Duncan’s. Taking a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure there were no cars behind me, I was ready to begin making the turn into our
drive when I turned back to the road, and all of a sudden, two men, hoisting a plastic-wrapped sofa between them, stepped out from the back of a delivery truck and right into my path.
    Tensing, I squeezed the hand brakes with all my strength. It caused the bike to skid, then wobble, then crash right into the front of the sofa.
    I went down hard and felt the pavement burn the side of my leg all the way to my thigh. My hip took the brunt of the fall, and it hurt so badly I cried out, squeezing my lids shut as hot tears
stung my eyes.
    A moment later I heard my neighbor, Mrs. Duncan, exclaim, “Oh, my goodness! Maddie, darling!” followed by a quick shuffle of feet. I focused on the pavement and the cluster of shoes
hurrying toward me, while I tried to get my bearings. Then there were hands pulling at the bike and at my arms. It all muddled with the pain searing my leg and thigh.
    Belatedly, I realized that the bike was still on top of me, and I was gritting my teeth hard against the pain. “Let go of the bike, sweetie,” a male voice said. “Come
on…that’s it. Let it go.”
    I unclasped my hands and the bike was lifted off of me. I was crying too hard to do much else. “Oh, dear! I should get your mother!” Mrs. Duncan said, hurrying away.
    Meanwhile, the two delivery guys helped me up. One was talking low and gentle, but I couldn’t focus on anything but the shock of the crash and the pain that radiated up and down my leg. I
couldn’t seem to stop sobbing. Deep down I knew it wasn’t all about the fall.
    “Wes,” one of the men said, “get the first aid kit from the truck.”
    I was handed off, and the guy named Wes disappeared into the cab. “Here, honey,” the first guy said. “Let’s sit you down on this, okay?” I saw him motion toward
Mrs. Duncan’s new sofa, which had ended up in the middle of the street.
    I took a few shuddering breaths and limped over to the couch, where the guy helping me eased me carefully onto the plastic covering before he bent down to inspect my leg. “Can I roll this
up?” he asked, pointing to the cuff of my jeans.
    I swallowed a sob and nodded. He rolled up the pant leg, and I hissed as it brushed against my raw skin. He whistled and shook his head, his body partially hiding the wound from my sight.
    “Is it…is it bad?” I blubbered.
    He lifted his chin. “Yeah,” he said gravely, and then the corners of his mouth quirked and with a wink he added, “But I don’t think it’s fatal.”