Silent Song (Ghostly Rhapsody) Read Online Free PDF

today.”
    “I can hardly believe he’d trust his pupils to do that! The man is such a perfectionist.”
    I shrugged. “Well, he did give us a list in the end. And anyway, I think the owner in question will have something to say about what’s taken out of his home, no?”
    “Mmmhmm.” She made a non-committal sound while she cut a boiled egg in even slices. “Isn’t it a bit too soon to start worrying about decor? I would have thought that you’d do the rehearsing first and that you’d get ‘the real thing’ together just a week or two before opening day.”
    It was true. The fancy stuff never got done this early on. We usually spent the semester rehearsing with jeans and whatever props we could find, including brooms and empty burlap bags. The fact that part of the decor would be moved in already was mind-boggling, but I waved it off. I wanted those settees and those low tables, and furthermore… I wanted Keith to be a fixture of our routine for the next week. Mr. Hedford wanted him to set up the sound, so he’d be hanging around, finding places for the cables and speakers, and showing us how the “original soundtrack” went along.
    He’d have no reason to be there if not as sound tech, so I desperately wanted to start putting the stage together.
    Rather, I wanted his music.
    “Mom, is it a problem?” I asked when the silence stretched on for too long. Attack always was the best defense mechanism.
    She looked uncomfortable, as I had hoped she would.
    “No, honey, you know I want you to be with your friends and enjoy your theater group. I just found it odd.”
    “So you thought I lied.”
    “No. I was thinking that we know nothing about this house you’re supposed to visit tomorrow.”
    “I won’t go alone, Mom. Anna and Dave and Lena will come for sure. And Lena will rope the guys from the football team to help move around the weight, so it’ll be an army of us!”
    “Is that supposed to help your case?” In spite of the words, her eyes shone bright and a hint of a smile curled her lips. She knew the bunch of us together were more likely to cause some mischief, but she loved that I always came home laughing and breathless from those adventures.
    I thought she did, anyway. 
    “There’s no fooling you, Sherlock. Of course we intend to wreak havoc, but I promise it’ll look like an accident and the cops won’t find a single clue.”
    She grabbed the giant bowl of salad, still smirking. “I’ll hold you to that. Go and get your father, will you?”
    I got up, stood outside the kitchen door, and bellowed, “Dad!” Then I sat back down with a smile, ignoring Mom’s disapproving look, and started to eat as fast as I could without losing my manners in the process.
    I wanted to be done soon so I could call Anna to plan for tomorrow.
    ***
    “I present you the master list!” Anna waved a piece of paper with a drawing of our stage, a few big squares drawn in it, and scribbled notes in the back that were illegible for anyone but her. I’d been her best friend since second grade and still could not decipher her handwriting.
    “What we need is the address.” Dave shifted his weight, hopping from foot to foot uncomfortably. The temperature had fallen fast, autumn giving way to wintry days, and the cold had taken the three of us by surprise.
    Yes, three. In the end, it was Anna, Dave and me. Even Ray had deserted us, saying there were better things to do on a Friday evening.
    “Of course we do. Good thing I’m always ready.” She sighed to add more drama and produced another piece of paper with a flourish, this one written with the orderly capital letters of Mr. Hedford. She shoved it into Dave’s chest. “You’re the man. You get us there.”
    He punched the address into his cell phone’s GPS without complaint and pointed down the road. Not typical manly, but effective.
    “That way,” he said. “Just ten minutes or so.”
    It turned out to be closer to half an hour. Not because we took any