Invasion of the Boy Snatchers Read Online Free PDF Page A

going to see Massie Block in her underwear.”
    “Shhh.” Claire didn’t want to miss a second of her parents’ conversation.
    “I am so going online and ordering spy gear.”
    “Don’t you dare,” Claire hissed. “I’ll tell Dad.”
    “That’s fine.” Todd nodded. “We can tell him about your cell phone at the same time.”
    Claire folded her arms across her chest and turned to face her parents.
    “Todd, you can have the guest room next to Massie’s,” Kendra said.
    “Awesome! Thanks, Kendra,” he said with a devious smile.
    “Jay and Judi, you can take the upstairs room in the attic,” she continued. “And since Inez has the downstairs room, Claire will have to share with Massie.”
    “Yayyy!” Claire cheered. “Thanks, everyone.” She ran around the kitchen hugging and kissing the parents. “This is going to be so much fun.” Things had turned out even better than she could have ever imagined. Sharing a room with Massie would be like Aspen all over again. They could stay up all night talking about Cam and Derrington, and they’d have even more inside jokes than they already did. This was definitely going to be a great year. She kissed her father twice on the forehead and hugged him as hard as she could.
    “I love you.” Claire beamed.
    “Sure, now you do.” Jay chuckled.
    Claire turned to Massie and held out her arms. “How ah-mazing is this going to be?”
    “Amazing,” Massie said calmly. And then her smile faded away completely.

T HE R IVERA E STATE
W ELCOME TO W ESTCHESTER P ARTY
    Sunday, January 25th 6:43 P.M.
    “Is this really Alicia’s house?” Claire asked Massie as they climbed the stone steps that led to the arched mahogany door. She froze when she saw the cast-iron gargoyle knocker. “This seems like the kind of place that would have a drawbridge and fire-breathing dragons.”
    “Wait until you see the inside.”
    A deeply tanned butler wrapped in a full-length brown fur coat was positioned outside in the cold, welcoming guests to the Rivera home.
    “Names, please,” he said to a stack of papers on his clipboard.
    “Hey, Alvie.” Massie pushed past him.
    “Oh, hello, Miss Block.” He lifted his head. “And this is?”
    “Claire Lyons. She’s with me.”
    “Very well.” Alvie lowered his clipboard. He extended his white-gloved hand toward the brass knob and pushed the door open, giving way to what looked like the inside of a Manhattan art gallery. “Coat check is beside the restrooms.” He eyed the red distressed-leather sack Massie was dragging across the floor.
    “Thanks, Al.”
    A thin neat man with slicked-back gray hair hurried toward Massie, pinching a white plastic tag between his thumb and index finger.
    “I’ll take that for you,” he insisted.
    And just like that, her bag was gone.
    The Riveras always had their parties in the front foyer because it was the only space on the estate that wasn’t packed with expensive antique furniture. But the room was hardly empty.
    The ceilings were so high, Massie had to tilt her head all the way back if she wanted to admire the colorful stained-glass dome ceiling. Enormous walls peppered with hundreds of oil paintings in ornate gold frames never failed to impress parents, but Massie preferred the collection of freaky Oriental masks mounted between them. No matter where she moved, their hollow eyes seemed to follow her.
    A pack of young kids were chasing each other up and down the long spiral staircase that punctured the center of the room. The shape reminded Massie of a giant version of the corkscrew that Franco, the waiter at the club, used to open her father’s wine. The brass banister was wrapped in red and yellow streamers, probably meant to represent the Spanish flag, and a banner that spelled out CUMPLIMENTAR, NINA in silver glitter hung off of it.
    Waitresses were offering guests silver trays filled with tapas while waiters doled out alcohol-free sangria. Hundreds of orange candles filled the room