Dangerous Designs Read Online Free PDF Page B

to try it again, but to enter from the mine side so she could have her exit ready and have the benefit of daylight inside. If Eric had been able to open the door, she should be able to as well. What was the chance of the mine having power and working lights? And then, after checking it out thoroughly from that side, she'd try going through the floor again.
    "I have to go out for a bit. What time is dinner? I promise, I'll be home and I'll eat."
    "Around six. Where are you going?"
    "Just downtown. Maybe buy a new pair of jeans." Like hell. She hated shopping. Still, she had to find some excuse.
    "Do you need money?" Her mother brightened at the mention of such a normal, girlie activity. She reached for her purse and pulled out a couple of twenty dollar bills. "Here. I can't think of the last time you asked me for some. You're such a good kid."
    Storey knew better than to answer that statement. Pocketing the money, she thanked her mom and headed back outside. She started walking in the direction of the mall. Once out of sight of her home, she changed course and retraced the route she'd taken home with Eric that morning. She knew the area vaguely. When she came to the gravel road, she knew she was on the right track. In her mind, she'd half doubted that the door would even be there. Rounding the bend, she stopped in relief. There it was. She ran the last few yards. At the entrance, she looked around and frowned. This was too accessible. Shouldn't they have made this entrance more secure? To stop kids from going inside.
    She tried the door knob. Locked.
    No surprise. She opened her backpack and pulled out a thin metal tool she'd gotten from Jeff months ago. They'd watched this cool video that had demonstrated how to pick locks. She'd tried it on her own house and had managed it with both a bobby pin and a credit card. This wire thingy was the best.
    Bending down, she studied the side of the knob. This door had a different locking mechanism than the one at home. She frowned. This might not work. She played with the steel pick for several moments, then switched to using her bank card. Still, it wouldn't open. Frustration mounted. She wanted in. Damn it. She studied the surrounding area.
    Eric had gotten in. If he could get in, then so could she. Ten minutes later, she had to give it up. The damn thing wouldn't budge.
    Hands fisted on her hips, she considered her options. Should she go home and try to enter from her room again? With a flashlight, she should be able to find the door from inside the mine.
    This method certainly wasn't getting her anywhere.
    The return trip home was fast. She slipped onto the back porch and into the kitchen without letting her mom know. She hurried to her room. Gathering up a piece of chalk and a bottle of water, she searched for her flashlight, finally locating it under the bed. At the last minute, she snatched up her hoodie and checked that she had her cell phone...just in case. Turning her attention to the sketchbook on her floor, she hooked her backpack on her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, Storey hopped onto the bed, stared down at the picture in front of her...and jumped.
    She landed on the floor. "Damn it." Scrambling back up onto her bed, she tried again. Nothing. What was wrong? And if it worked once it would work twice. So what was different this time? She considered this issue while standing on her bed, looking down. She'd been scared and angry last time, could that have made the difference? If so, she was getting pretty damned pissed just thinking about it now. She jumped. Nothing. Feeling like an idiot, she climbed up and said, "Open sesame." Then jumped.
    Nothing.
    Shit .
    This was ridiculous. "Why is it not working?" She sat on the edge of her bed, picked up the book and studied the sketch. She bolted upright. "What the hell?"
    The door in her sketch was no longer open. Somehow, though her hand hadn't touched a pencil to paper, the door in her drawing now appeared closed.
    She hadn't