Read Fiona Frost: Order of the Black Moon for Free Online Page B

nothing,” I lied , crumbling the n ote .
    I ran over to one of the main trash bins , tossed it in, and came back to my stool, staring at my pizza, trying not to launch into a fit of tears .
    She knew I was lying , but what was I going to sa y —I was sad because Wolfe was only friends with me? That was to be expected.
    “ W hat did the note say? Who wrote it? ” she said , slapping her hand on the lunch table .
    “It’s nothing . No worries. I just don’t feel good ,” I said, diverting her attention away from the note; “ I think I might be coming down with what Janice has . Let’s see what Detective Chase has to say.”
    Her brows contorted into an uneasy angle as her expression turned sullen.
    “How is Mrs. Santa Claus feeling ? ” she asked , chewing on the end of her last F rench fry .
    We often referred to my nanny as Mother Christmas because she had a striking resemblance— white hair in a perfect bun, thin - framed glasses, and rosy ch eeks with a pale complexion . Ironically, she often wore red velvet dresses.
    “ M y mom said she was doing worse this morning , so she’s going to the doctor today. She ’s never been sick like this ; I don’t know what to do! I’ve never seen her with more than a minor head cold . ”
    Wolfe’s note flooded to the forefront of my mind as I pulled out my phone . T he room moved in slow motion around me . A full panic launched in side of my head. My mind was in a conundrum , thoughts scattered, bouncing around in my skull . I didn’t know if I should scream, cry, or rush out of the cafeteria to find him in class . Every cell in my body ached to admit how I felt. I calmed myself and forced my fingers to pull up the report from the detective.
    “Okay, here it is,” I whispered loudly as I pulled up t he email. I scanned the text of the report. “Here’s the victim’s description — Jody James, 45, short brown hair, brown eyes. She was only 105 pounds and 4’10” tall. Oh my gosh, she was tiny like my mom !”
    Maddie propped up on her elbows , attempting to read his email upside down from across the table.
    “ She was so small . How could such a small person do anything worth murdering her over ? ”
    “ Let’s see. It says she was wearing a gray pl aid hoodie, had thin, tattooed and shaved eyebrows, a crooked nose — which he says here it might have been broken before ,” I said, skimming the email, “ H ere’s a possible reason for murder —s he was a major criminal.”
    “Really ? For what ? ”
    Maddie leaned forward to get a smidge closer .
    “Miss Christie, please get off the table and sit down in your seat,” an infamous voice resonated from a bullhorn across the cafeteria. It belonged to our big-nosed principal, Mr. Dinges.
    “Yes, sir,” Maddie whispered as she settled back down onto her stool.
    I smiled for the first time since seeing Wolfe’s note.
    “Burglary, a few assault s , forgery, identity theft, impersonating a medical professional. Wow, she wasn’t a nice person . ”
    “ Are you not hungry ? ” she inquired softly, pointing to my tray of food.
    “Nah, you can have it if you want . I ate breakfast this morning,” I lamented. “With Janice sick, I ate a bag of chips . Chips keep me full all day. ”
    She grabbed my tray and slid it in front of her, picking up my pizza .
    “ There’s an argument — the murderer clea n ed up society,” she chuckled.
    “Not right to say that , ” I countered bluntly, my foul mood was surfacing.
    “I know, I’m only joking ,” she said, taking a giant bite of the pizza.
    “ S o here’s the scoop on our main suspect . It seems as though Sydney Sergeant told the police last night after her arrest she was the last of the members to arrive at the cave for the meeting. She wasn't an official member of th e vampire club, by the way. He says here you are not an official member until you are burned with the letters NA o n your arm.”
    “For not applicable ?”
    “I ’m thinking it m