The Creek Read Online Free PDF Page A

porch with Mrs. Albright and Mrs. Bukvic.
    The three women were deep in conversation, glancing up occasionally to eye the kids. They were probably organizing the annual Fourth of July block party, Penny thought. The Fourth of July was a big deal on Mockingbird Lane. The day-long block party featured tons of food, kegs of beer for the grownups, and contests and games. They were all looking forward to it in a few short weeks.
    Mrs. Bukvic was in charge of the block party this year, which was perfect because Mrs. Bukvic was probably the bossiest person on the block.
    A police car drove slowly down the street.
    “It’s the fuzz patrol,” Mac said under his breath, acting cool.
    For a brief moment Penny worried that the police were coming to get them because someone found out they’d stolen wood from the skeet range.
    The car slowed as it passed, and Officer Cox, a balding, round-faced man with splotchy red cheeks, leaned out the window and gave the kids a big smile.
    “Hi, kids,” he said. “You guys keeping cool? Stayingout of trouble?” His eyes lingered on Mac when he said “trouble.”
    Mac gave a fake showy smile and said, in a syrupy voice, “Everything’s just swell, Officer.”
    Officer Cox narrowed his eyes.
    “Hi, Officer Cox,” Penny said, deflecting the attention away from Mac. Penny liked Officer Cox. He came to her school once a year and gave them lectures on being safe and about how they should never get into a car with strangers. He had a nice smile, a smile that said he was a trustworthy person.
    “You having a good summer, Penny?” he asked, killing the engine.
    “So
far.”
    Mrs. Bukvic came striding over, still wearing heels and a dressy blouse, her plump arms swinging, her little white toy poodle Buster yipping away at her heels. Mrs. Bukvic was a paralegal at a law firm, which was why until recently Amy had always spent afternoons after school at Penny’s house. But ever since Amy turned fourteen in December, she was allowed to stay at home by herself, and she ignored Penny completely.
    Following behind Mrs. Bukvic were Mrs. Albright and Mrs. McHale.
    “Why, hello, Officer Cox,” Mrs. Bukvic said sweetly, a tabloid reporter buttering up her victim.
    “Ma’am “he said politely.
    “And how is your sweet wife?” Mrs. Bukvic asked.
    “Vicki’s fine, thanks for asking.”
    “And little Jack?”
    “Jack’s doing fine, too. Starting third grade next year.”
    “Well, isn’t that lovely,” Mrs. Bukvic cooed. She turned to the other women. “Isn’t that just lovely, girls?” They made murmuring sounds of agreement.
    Mrs. Bukvic lowered her voice. “Have you given any thought to that little problem I called you about?”
    Officer Cox regarded her with a level gaze. “Unless there’s been a crime committed, there’s nothing I can do.”
    “Typical,” Mrs. McHale muttered in disgust, shaking her head. Her curly hair was the same color as Mac’s, but on her it looked brassy. “Nobody did anything last time, either, and you remember what happened then!”
    “And he’s definitely back,” Mrs. Bukvic said.
    Mrs. Albright pressed forward, hands together. Benji’s mom was a petite woman, and sweet. She gave the lads big glasses of lemonade and homemade cookieswhen they went to her house. She was the opposite of Mrs. McHale, who was always on a diet and kicked the kids out of the house whenever she was dating a new man, which was all the time. She had once gone out with the Phys Ed teacher, which had infuriated Mac to no end.
    “Everyone knows that Ruthie’s sick,” Mrs. Albright said reasonably. “They probably let him out to come visit her.”
    Mrs. Bukvic nodded in a way that said she had the inside scoop. She looked around and whispered, dramatically,
“Cancer.”
    Officer Cox nodded wearily. “I can’t do a thing.”
    The women eyed him with scorn. Buster yipped as if in agreement.
    Mrs. Albright jockeyed forward and said, in a soft, urgent voice, “But these children