Silent Night 2 Read Online Free PDF Page B

get going?”
    Pres put a hand over hers to stop her. “No. Wait. Let’s wait t-ten minutes. Make sure Dalby doesn’t come back.”
    Diane obediently shifted back into Park. She sighed impatiently. “What time is it?”
    Pres glanced at the dashboard clock, then remembered it was stuck at three-thirty. “Must be a little after seven. I told you, Dalby leaves at seven. I watched four mornings in a row. He’s always right on schedule.”
    He started to crack his knuckles. Remembering Diane’s protests, he stopped himself. A car rolled by, a station wagon loaded with kids. Pres ducked low in the passenger seat and turned his face away.
    â€œOh, sigh,” Diane murmured. “I wish this was over.”
    â€œAnd we were home counting our money,” Pres added, tapping his fingers on the knees of his jeans.
    â€œWhere’s her bedroom—upstairs or down?” Diane asked, her tight voice revealing her nervousness.
    â€œUpstairs. On the left,” Pres answered. “I watched the light go on two different nights. I know how to find it.”
    Diane tugged at a strand of hair that tumbled out from a black baseball cap pulled low over her forehead. Her worried expression suddenly changed. She flashed Pres a toothy smile. “This really is like the movies—isn’t it!” she exclaimed.
    Pres didn’t smile back. He narrowed his dark eyes. “Yeah. But I don’t exactly feel like a movie star,” he said dryly.
    â€œYou will when we have a million dollars!” Diane insisted.
    â€œLet’s get it over with,” he said. “Come on. Pull up.” He motioned with both hands.
    Diane shifted into Drive and inched the car along the curb until they were at the Dalbys’ driveway. “Should I pull up the drive?” she asked, peering at the tall hedges that surrounded the Dalby property on all sides.
    â€œNo. Keep it here,” Pres instructed. “By the drive. But don’t block the drive. It might look suspicious.”
    He grabbed the door handle. “And keep the engine going. Once we’ve got her, we have to bomb out of here—fast.”
    He started to push open the passenger door.
    â€œHey—kiss for luck!” Diane called after him.
    He leaned toward her and accepted a quick kiss. Then he jumped out of the car and hurried towardthe driveway, his head low, his hands buried in his jacket pockets.
    The morning sun was a red ball climbing up the Dalbys’ enormous house. Pres’s breath came out in puffs of white steam as he jogged toward the side of the house, keeping in the deep shadow of the tall hedge.
    He was halfway up the drive when he saw the black Doberman attack dog coming for him.
    Pres stopped short. “Hey—where’s your chain?” he called.
    The big dog lowered its head and snarled out a warning. Its eyes flashed red and locked on Pres. It pulled back its lips and, with another furious snarl, bared its teeth.
    Pres fought back the wave of fear that surged over him.
    â€œI’m ready f-for you, doggie,” he called. His hand was trembling as he reached into his jacket pocket.
    He kept his eyes on the growling dog. The dog stopped at the edge of the driveway, preparing to attack.
    Pres pulled out the strips of bacon he had brought, and thrust out his hand to show the dog. “Bacon!” he cried. “No dog can resist bacon—right?”
    Pres tossed the bacon onto the grass.
    â€œGo get it, boy. See? Pres is your friend.”
    The dog ignored the bacon. Opening its jaw and pulling back its lip to bare its teeth, the Doberman leapt for Pres’s throat.

Chapter 7

A PIECE OF CAKE
    P res cried out as the snarling dog attacked. He thrust up both arms to shield himself.
    The weight of the big Doberman forced Pres to stagger back into the hedge. The dog’s mouth closed around the sleeve of Pres’s leather bomber jacket and held on.
    Pres frantically