Ghost Girl in Shadow Bay: A Young Adult Haunted House Mystery Read Online Free PDF Page A

speaking from experience. My life has been totally out of whack
ever since my dad died. I've moved on, but part of me just can't
let go. Your dad's probably going through sort of the same thing.
Can you understand that?"
    Bryant nodded. "When you put it that way."
He paused. "Do you think that might have something to do with what
happened at the bay?"
    Peyton looked at him wide-eyed. "Does everyone know about that?"
    He smiled crookedly. "Sorry, this is a small
town. Word travels fast. People love to gossip."
    "I never said I saw my father in the water,"
she said defensively. Good thing, because that would've been way
too scary.
    "I know. But maybe the thing with your dad
and not being able to let go made you have some kind of illusion in
the form of a girl."
    Peyton sneered. "Thanks for the
psychoanalysis."
    He grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Just a
thought, like yours about what my dad might be dealing with."
    Peyton thought it was clever how he used her
own words so effectively against her. Maybe she should drop the
subject. The worst thing would be for Bryant to think she had gone
off the deep end.
    "Whatever you heard, Bry, there was a real girl in that water--as close to me as you are now--and
it wasn't some weird manifestation of my dad coming back to
life."
    Bryant met her eyes. "So who do you think it
was?"
    "My mom thinks it might've been a local girl
playing a trick on me because I'm new in town."
    "That's some trick, Peyton."
    "Yeah, sure." She sighed. "I can describe
the girl I saw. Maybe you know her..."
    "Maybe I do."
    Peyton concentrated on the girl, as if back
in the bay face to face with her. Though unnerving, she made
herself focus on the details.
    Bryant listened intently as Peyton recounted
what the girl looked like.
    "Hmmm...Can't say she rings a bell."
    "Figures." Peyton fluttered her lashes
disappointedly.
    "Hey, that doesn't mean I don't believe
you," he said quickly. "It's just that I don't know that many girls
in the neighborhood. I could ask around..."
    "Would you?" Peyton looked up hopefully.
"Maybe she's missing...and still down there."
    Bryant frowned. "This girl really freaked
you out, didn't she?"
    "You would've been freaked, too, if you'd
seen her!"
    "You're probably right if she looked
anything like you described." He tugged the leash to keep Hugh from
trying to break free. "Maybe together we can get to the bottom of
this."
    Peyton sighed, wondering if Bryant really
believed her. If so, he might be the only one, making him even more
special.
    On the way back home, Peyton gained the
courage to ask what had been on her mind, aside from her own trials
and tribulations.
    "So, do you have a girlfriend, Bry?" Please say no.
    "Nope." Bryant brushed against her. "I was
seeing a girl for a little while, but it didn't work out." He
paused. "She met a guy who had what I didn't, I guess."
    Peyton couldn't imagine this other guy being
more of a catch than Bryant. Not in her book anyway.
    "What about you?" he asked. "Did you leave
someone special behind in San Diego?"
    "Only my best friend, Erica," she said.
"Most of the guys in San Diego are into surfing, partying, and
hanging out with each other."
    "Their loss," Bryant said. "You don't need
guys like that."
    Peyton blushed. "You're right, I don't."
Especially when she was with a guy who made her forget all
others.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    As Peyton entered the house, she heard
laughter coming from the living room. She looked in and saw her
mother and Luke seated on the sofa. They were drinking coffee like
old pals.
    They both looked up on cue and stopped
talking as if they'd been conspiring.
    Peyton's mother smiled sweetly. "Honey,
you're back."
    "Yeah."
    Frowning, Luke stood. "Guess I'd better get
going."
    Melody got to her feet. "Thanks so much,
Luke, for taking care of the roof."
    "No problem. That's what you pay me
for."
    Peyton watched the two and, for some reason,
felt uncomfortable with Luke being in the house without Vance's
presence. It was as though her