SummerHill Secrets, Volume 2 Read Online Free PDF

backing out, maybe getting cold feet about gathering clues to find her mom.
    Fortunately, I didn’t have to wonder long. When Ashley and Lissa finished eating, they excused themselves. At last, Chelsea and I were alone.
    “Is it safe to talk now?” I glanced around.
    She leaned close, whispering, “I found something in my parents’ bedroom this morning.”
    I was all ears. “Something important?”
    “My mom’s diary,” she said. “I’ll show you when you come over.”
    “That’s terrific! Any leads?”
    She kept her voice low. “It’s hard to say. There’s so much repetitious writing in it.”
    “What do you mean?”
    She explained. “The same sentences are written over and over.”
    “Like what?”
    “Things like, I will turn off my mind and let things float .”
    “Uh-oh.” My heart sank.
    “What?” Chelsea frowned. “What do you think it means?”
    “I really can’t be sure, but it sounds almost hypnotic.”
    “Really?” Chelsea was wide-eyed. “Why would my mom want to hypnotize herself? That’s stupid.”
    “How many times did she write it?”
    “Over a hundred, I think.”
    I shook my head. This was truly frightening. “What about your dad? Does he know what you found?”
    “Dad had to leave early this morning to get to the bank. He’s frantic about the missing money. I hated to ask him anything about that strange couple that kept inviting Mom to go places.”
    “I understand.” I sighed as helpless feelings swept over me. “So you must’ve been snooping around this morning?”
    Chelsea nodded. “ That’s why I didn’t have time to eat breakfast. I was upstairs in my parents’ bedroom, turning the place upside down. I found the diary between the mattresses on Mom’s side of the bed.” Her eyes glistened. “None of this makes any sense. I’m scared to death.”
    I wished I could tell her I was trusting God for her, that I was praying, but “Everything’s going to be all right” was the only thing I managed to say.
    She pushed her long, thick locks off her shoulder. “I sure hope you’re right.”
    I gathered up my trash and stuffed it into my empty cup. “We can’t give up. We’re just getting started, you know.”
    She slid her chair back and stood up with her tray. “I know, Mer. Thanks for being there for me.”
    “Any time.”
    Together we headed for the kitchen and deposited our trays. Even though Chelsea appeared to be feeling better physically, I knew deep inside she was carrying a sorrowful burden.
    I sighed, praying and hoping and counting on God to take away her burden—and to bring Chelsea’s mom back home. The sooner, the better!

Chapter
7
    After school, the long yellow bus automatically stopped near the willow grove on SummerHill Lane.
    I called to Mr. Tom, the driver, that I wasn’t getting off. “I’m going over to Chelsea’s today.”
    He waved his hand. “No problem!”
    When we arrived at the Davises, I spotted a car in the driveway. “Hey, look! Someone’s home.”
    Chelsea groaned. “It’s my dad’s car. This can’t be good news—he’s home way too early.”
    We made our way down the narrow aisle toward the front. The bus door screeched opened and we got off.
    “Why do you think your dad’s home so early?” I asked as we moved toward the bricked walkway.
    Chelsea didn’t speak. Her eyes scanned the front of the house.
    “I hope it’s not about…” I didn’t finish. No need to heap worry on top of whatever else was flitting through her mind.
    “C’mon, Mer.” She pulled me around to the side of the house where a massive white ash tree stood sentinel. “We’re not going inside yet. I have an idea.”
    For a second, I grinned. Chelsea was starting to sound like me. “What’s up?” I asked.
    She pointed to a slight clearing in the woods behind their house. “Remember the old hut back there? The one that nearly scared us silly when we were kids?”
    I strained to see past the thick underbrush, but I knew very well