Read The Super Spies and the Pied Piper for Free Online Page B

and found it empty. Alex and Scott had disappeared. And so had the Stalker.
    â€œWhere’d they go?” Lacey asked, twisting the hem of her shirt in her hands.
    â€œI don’t know.” Sarah frowned suddenly feeling ill. She swallowed the saliva that had flooded her mouth and took a deep breath.
    Out of the corner of her eye she spotted movement to her right. A door opened, and then the Stalker stepped into view. Sarah grabbed Jackie and pulled her into the shadow of the building they had just exited. “He’s looking for the guys,” she whispered. “Stay very still.”
    Lacey followed her sister’s lead, and joined her and Jackie in the shadows. Twirling her long, blond hair around her finger, she bit her lip. A whimper escaped her mouth, earning her a wicked glare from her sister.
    The Stalker searched up and down the alley then cursed and pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. He walked further out into the alley and spoke into the phone. His voice sounded gravelly, like someone who smoked all the time. But Sarah couldn’t make out what he was saying. He walked toward them, still speaking. Sarah’s heart hammered her chest as she inched back toward the safety of the doorway. Bumping into Jackie, Sarah motioned for her to get moving.
    The girls made it into the entryway just as the gravelly sound of the Stalker’s voice filled Sarah’s ears. He walked into view, but kept his back to the girls. Sarah’s mouth went dry as cotton.
    â€œThey’re gone,” the Stalker said, sending some stones from the dirt road flying with an angry kick. “How do I know who they were?” His belligerent tone sliced through the humidity as he sent more stones flying with another kick.
    He strolled away from the girls, but didn’t speak. Sarah guessed he was listening to the other person. She crouched down into the corner and pulled Jackie and Lacey with her. As the girls huddled, Sarah placed her hand over her heart, trying to calm it. At the same time she took short gulps of air hoping the Stalker couldn’t hear her breathe.
    â€œI don’t know what they’re connection is. I just know they had a picture and were showing it around town,” the man grumbled.
    Sarah’s heart lurched into overdrive and her throat seemed to squeeze shut as she tried to breathe. He’s talking about us! How does he know we were showing a picture around town? She grabbed Jackie’s hand and squeezed, willing her to be still.
    â€œAll right,” the Stalker said. His gravelly voice had turned into an irritated growl. He disconnected the call and sighed. Then he looked up the alley and back down before he turned and walked east, away from the girls.
    Sarah exhaled slowly and then inhaled. Her stomach fluttered. He had been so close . She remembered looking at the white of his scalp through his thinning hair as he gazed up at the sky while he spoke on the phone.
    The sound of shoes scraping across gravel sent shudders through Sarah’s body. Is he coming back ? Her chest tightened as the sound grew louder, meaning the Stalker was coming closer. She clutched Jackie’s hand and tried to make herself invisible by crouching lower in the corner.
    â€œWhat are you guys doing?” Alex asked, peeking around the corner. He kept his voice low and his eyes on the notorious man in the alley.
    Sarah exhaled a sigh of relief. “Am I glad to see you!” She stood and brushed dirt off of the back of her skirt. “I thought you were that guy.”
    â€œHe’s further down the alley,” Scott reported as he stood at the edge of the entryway like a sentry watching for signs of trouble. “We’ve got to follow him,” Sarah said, stepping forward. “He was definitely following us and I want to know why.”
    â€œHow do you know?” Scott asked.
    â€œBecause he was talking on the phone to someone and said that we were passing around a