Read The Puzzle Master for Free Online

up and watched them scatter around as if it was the end of the world.
    “Funny you should mention that place; I was going to go there today. Need to drop off some things.” So she was the type who got rid of their junk and gave it to Luke , he thought. He wondered how many things he’d looked at in the past that was from her. It kind of made him feel weird. He decided right there he’d rather not know who the owners of all the stuff were.
    Then an idea hit Marshall. “You think you could tell him I’ll be there next Monday?” he asked, heart pounding a little.
    “Why of course I could.”
    “Okay, thanks. I feel so awful about him not knowing I’m here.”
    “Anything else you want me to say?”
    He moved the rake from one hand to the other and adjusted his hat. “No, just that.” He couldn’t he tell her the sordid details. She was liable to tell his mom and dad even more stuff he didn’t want them to know and get him grounded for another week. “No, but thanks.”
    She smiled and went back to the house. Figured as much. She didn’t really care that the cat was in his way; she just wanted to talk to someone. He frowned. Mrs. Kelso had been nice, but maybe he shouldn’t have said anything at all.
    ***
    He didn’t see Mrs. Kelso for the rest of the week. He wondered if she’d relayed the message. But Monday morning came, and the bus was at their door at 8:10. Marshall was so glad for the first day, mostly because he could go to Luke’s after school. It was something he did a few days a week last year. He only hoped it stayed the same this year; and that his freedom to roam a few hours a week remained too.
    “Hurry up Mason!” Marshall was at the door. The bus was idling, and after the second honk, ready to leave without them. Leila was waiting to go to, but she went on a different bus. Kindergarten through fifth grade went later. Sixth through twelfth grade went first.
    She was singing, with her pink backpack around her shoulders, spinning around in her new skirt and brown leather shoes. “First day of scho-ool ,” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
    “I’m coming, I’m coming.” Mason waltzed into the front room. He smelled like cheap cologne, and his hair was gelled into a style Marshall had never seen before.
    “What did you do?” Marshall moved his mouth into a frown as if he had just tasted a lemon.
    “It’s the first day of school,” Mason replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m trying to look my best.”
    “You smell awful.”
    “I think he smells good,” Leila chimed in.
    Mason winked at her just as their mother walked into the room. “ Okay,” and she looked them over and hugged them. “I’ll see you after school, boys.”
    Marshall nodded. He wanted to tell her that he loved her, and wanted to thank her for sticking up for him in the argument with dad, the one that he wasn’t supposed to hear. But he was too angry over being grounded .  He’d intended to thank her days ago, but could never form the words to tell her. So he mumbled a goodbye instead.
    The bus was already full. The seniors sat in the back and the middle-graders in the middle and front. Mason was off to the back before Marshall had a chance to tell him goodbye. Stupid brother, he thought. Not good for a whole lot.
    He saw the Williams twins, who looked like they’d grown a foot over the summer. Michael Marks was there too, his blond hair shining in the morning light. Marshall had promised something cool to show him, but the whole puzzle thing was something no one knew about. It was kind of a secret; something he loved that was unknown by all of his friends. No one except for Iris, and he’d just met her. So she didn’t count as a friend.
    At least, he didn’t think so.
    Getting excited over a new puzzle wasn’t going to win over his friends. He still needed something else.
    He sat down in the only spot left and the bus started to move. Becca Anderson was next to him. She was