The Secret of the Skeleton Key Read Online Free PDF Page A

to the floor and rubbing her tired legs as the fourth and final member of the Code Busters Club emerged from the shadows.
    As Luke LaVeau reached the clubhouse, Quinn widened the door to let him inside. The tallest in the group, Luke had to duck to enter, knocking his New Orleans Saints cap off. He pulled the door shut behind him, set down the metal bar, then looked at Cody and smiled shyly.
    Cody felt herself blush and hoped the others didn’t notice. She’d never admit it to anyone, but she had a little crush on Luke, with his curly black hair, mocha skin, liquid brown eyes, and super-broad shoulders. She also liked that, although he seemed fearless, he acted a little shy around her. She loved the way he said certain words, like “Y’all” instead of “You guys,” and “N’awlins” instead of “New Orleans,” in his southern accent. He was born in Louisiana. But his parents had died in the flooding after Hurricane Katrina, and he and his grandmother, whom he called Grand-mère, ended up living in Berkeley together.
    â€œSorry I’m late,” Luke said, setting down his battered, decal-decorated skateboard and retrieving his cap. “I heard something in the bushes and went to check it out. Thought it might be that mountain lion the principal told us about. But I didn’t see anything.”
    â€œYou didn’t actually go looking for the mountain lion, did you?” Cody asked. “That’s just plain crazy. What if it really had been the lion?”
    Luke and the others joined Cody, sitting cross-legged on the metal floor. There was just enough room in the cozy clubhouse to fit them all comfortably.
    â€œI was careful,” Luke said, shrugging.
    Cody shook her head.
    â€œSo what’s up, Quinn?” M.E. asked, pulling out the note she’d received from him that morning. “Your message was Code Orange.”
    Quinn took off his sunglasses and looked at each of them before speaking, as if building up the suspense. He took a deep breath and began. “Okay. You know the fire at Skeleton Man’s house?”
    â€œYeah,” M.E. said. Luke and Cody nodded.
    â€œLast night,” Quinn continued, “before the fire, Cody and I saw these two weird people at his house.” He told the story of the mysterious activities he and Cody had witnessed the previous night—the drawings on the window, the face behind the curtain, the two strangers talking on the porch, the rescue of Skeleton Man, and the sudden disappearance of the man and woman after the fire.
    â€œWeird,” M.E. said, rubbing the goose bumps on her arm. “Skeleton Man totally creeps me out— and now he’s got two creepy friends?”
    â€œHe creeps me out, too,” Quinn said. “And I live next door to him. One time when I was in the backyard, he started shouting at me from his window. I couldn’t understand a word he said. He’s always spying on us.”
    â€œPlus I heard his house is haunted,” M.E. added. “And this kid I know said he buries his cats in his yard when they die. He’s got, like, fifty of them.”
    Cody shook her head at the silly rumors. “I don’t believe in haunted houses or cat graveyards or ghosts. Besides, he takes good care of his animals. I’ve watched him feed his cats and work on his lawn sculptures. He’s just old. I feel sorry for him.”
    â€œI don’t know anything about his house being haunted,” Quinn continued, “but I think those two weirdos were up to something. Cody and I overheard them talking about a treasure.”
    â€œTreasure?” Luke looked up from studying his athletic shoes. His dark eyes gleamed.
    Quinn shrugged. “Yeah, but then the house suddenly caught on fire and—”
    â€œYou think those two people started it?” M.E. interrupted, her eyes wide.
    â€œNo clue,” Quinn said. “But they were definitely