Read The Bloodwater Mysteries: Skullduggery for Free Online

then he would focus on his other work—and on her.
    She had never seen him so motionless. He looked so vulnerable lying there.
    Andrew Dart’s eyes snapped open.
    â€œSweetie Pie? Is that you?”
    Jillian looked into his eyes and forced herself to smile.
    â€œYes, Andrew,” she said. “It’s me.”

13
    turkey tail
    â€œYou’ll never guess what I’ve got in my hand,” Brian said.
    â€œA telephone?”
    â€œMy other hand.”
    â€œNever mind that. How are your legs?” Roni asked.
    â€œLet me check.” Brian looked down at his legs. “Still attached.”
    â€œI mean, do they itch?”
    â€œNo. Why?”
    â€œMine are completely covered with poison ivy.”
    â€œOh!” Brian suddenly remembered seeing Roni wade through the patch of poison ivy at the base of the bluff. He had meant to tell her so she could give herself a good scrubbing when she got home, but then they’d heard Dr. Dart calling for help, and things had started happening, and it had slipped his mind. “I did see some poison ivy out there,” he said. “You must have walked through it.”
    â€œI’m afraid it’s terminal,” Roni said.
    â€œDon’t die just yet. I have something to show you.”
    â€œI can’t believe how much this itches.”
    â€œI have a suggestion.”
    â€œWhat? Calamine lotion? Hot compresses? Amputation?”
    â€œDairy Queen.”
    Roni didn’t say anything.
    â€œHot fudge sundae,” Brian added.
    After a couple more seconds, Roni said, “I guess it can’t hurt.”
    Â 
    After the unfortunate demise of Roni’s pink bicycle, Imelda, Nick had helped Roni buy a used Vespa motor scooter.
    Roni loved her scooter. She had named it Hillary after Hillary Clinton, who had a lot of spunk and just kept on going. A lot of people said Hillary Clinton was too pushy. Too pushy? Roni thought. How are you supposed to get anywhere in this world if you don’t shove once in a while?
    Roni careened into a spot right next to the Dairy Queen. Brian was waiting for her with his skateboard under his arm. He mainly carried the thing around. Brian wasn’t very coordinated, but occasionally he would push himself along on a nice flat stretch of sidewalk.
    Brian patted the Vespa’s front fender as if it were a dog. “How’s good old Hill?” he asked.
    â€œShe’s toodling along just fine, thank you very much.”
    â€œI waited for you to order.”
    â€œHow thoughtful!”
    â€œActually, I’m kind of broke. I was hoping you’d buy.”
    â€œFigures,” said Roni.
    They stood in line behind a family of five kids who were ordering dinner.
    â€œWhat are you getting?” she asked him. Brian was variable. He ordered as the mood struck him. Roni had two things she liked. She was always torn between them—a hot fudge sundae with whipped cream and nuts, or a chocolate dip cone with sprinkles.
    â€œI’m going for the Three Musketeers Blizzard,” he said. “Or maybe a banana split.”
    â€œSince I’m on a diet I’m just going to get a small—”
    Before she could finish Brian butted in, “—chocolate dip cone with sprinkles.”
    Roni laughed. “Precisely, Watson.”
    â€œHey, nice socks!”
    â€œSocks?” Roni looked down at her legs. They were bright pink from ankles to knees. “That’s calamine lotion,” she said. “For my poison ivy.”
    â€œI was just kidding.”
    â€œThanks a lot. I’d actually forgotten about it for ten seconds. Now it itches like crazy.”
    â€œThink chocolate dip cone with sprinkles,” Brian said.
    Amazingly, as soon as she started thinking about ice cream again, the itching subsided.
    They both ordered. Brian changed his mind at the last second and got a Buster Bar. They brought their ice cream over to a picnic table and sat down.