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pillow, trying to shut out the sound.
    “I couldn’t sleep. I heard strange noises all night,” Kody complained. She rested her chin in her hands. She hadn’t touched her toaster waffles. “You’ll get used to the sounds,” Mr. Frasier said casually, wiping orange juice off his upper lip. “Is there any more coffee, dear?” “Plenty.” Mrs. Frasier stepped behind him with the coffeepot. “How does your side feel this morning?” “Not great,” Cally’s dad admitted. He turned to Kody. “I’m afraid you’re going to have to go up on the ladder this morning when we work on the porch roof. I don’t think I can.” He gripped his side. “This thing is still throbbing, and I don’t want to tear open the stitches.” “No problem,” Kody told him. “I like climbing ladders.” She glared at Cally. “Did you hear anything weird last night?” Cally finished her orange juice, then shook her head. “No,” she lied. “Not a sound.” She didn’t tell Kody about the strange knocking on the door. She wasn’t in the mood to hear any more ghost talk from her sister.
    Mrs. Nordstrom, the new housekeeper, entered a few moments later. She was a short, squat, gray-haired woman with lively dark eyes and a short stub of a nose. As she was pulling out mops and sponges to clean the kitchen, Mr. Hankers arrived at the back door. He greeted everyone with a solemn nod. Then he hurried down to the basement, closing the door behind him. The phone rang as Cally got up from the table. “Hey—our first call!” she exclaimed. She picked up the receiver and talked for a few minutes. When she turned back to the others, her expression revealed her disappointment. “That was Sally at the boutique,” she told them. “They’re doing inventory. They don’t want me to start work till Monday.” “Great!” Mr. Frasier cried cheerfully. “You can help Kody on the porch. I don’t think I’m going to be too useful today.” Cally wasn’t a skilled worker like her sister, and she didn’t enjoy carpentry. But she knew she had to pitch in, and she knew it was important to get the house in better shape. So, after changing into a pair of baggy, faded jeans and an old Gap single-pocket T-shirt, she tied her hair back with a rubber band. Then she followed her sister to the front of the house. The sun was already high in the sky. But little sunlight filtered down through the old trees to the front yard. “The tree guys are coming later this morning,” Kody said, staring down toward the street. “They’re going to start cutting down some trees in the back.” “Good. Maybe we’ll get a little sunlight in our bedrooms,” Cally replied. “I was cold last night.” She stopped and brushed her sister’s shoulder with her hand. “Hey, Kody?” “What?” Kody asked coldly. “Sorry about last night,” Cally said softly. “I mean, losing my temper and everything.” Kody avoided her sister’s eyes. “It’s okay,” she muttered. “Let’s get to work.” “Maybe we can drive to town later,” Cally suggested. “You know. Just you and me. Check out the stores. Maybe grab some lunch at that little restaurant near school.” Kody’s eyes lit up. “You just want to see that boy again. Anthony.” She laughed. “Maybe,” Cally replied. She could feel her face growing hot “Let’s see how much we can get done,” Kody said, turning to the porch. “I’m getting paid by the hour, remember?” A tall aluminum ladder was already propped up against the edge of the porch roof, stretching above it. The tree limb had been pulled away. The hole it had made in the roof was visible from the ground. “I’m going to climb up and pull off all the damaged shingles,” Kody said. “The limb crashed right through, which means the wood under the shingles is probably rotted.” She started up the ladder, her eyes on the roof. “I may have to tear the wood planks out too.” “What should I do?” Cally asked, brushing a spider off