Don't Tell Anyone Read Free Page B

homework finished. It must be a really important client, and Mom must expect the call to take a long time.
    Megan decided to return to the field and copy down all the information from the sign. Maybe there would be aphone number to call. She could tell whoever answered the phone about the cats.
    She put a small notepad and a pencil in the pocket of her windbreaker. Then she filled a plastic sandwich bag with cat food and put that in the other pocket. Even though she had already fed the cats once that day, Mommacat needed extra food right now.
    Kylie wandered into the kitchen. “Why are you putting cat food in your coat?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s for some stray cats.” Megan started for the door.
    â€œCan I go with you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œI want to see the cats.”
    â€œNot today,” Megan said.
    Kylie’s lower lip stuck out. “You never let me go anywhere with you,” she said.
    That’s because my ears get tired, Megan thought.
    At the field, Megan refilled the food bowl and then went to the white sign. As she was copying the construction dates, a blue pickup truck pulled up to the curb beside her.
    The man who was driving rolled down the window and called to her. “What are you doing?”
    He looked about Mrs. Perk’s age, with dark hair that was thinning in front. He wore a denim work shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
    â€œI’m writing down what the sign says.” Megan mounted her bike as she spoke, uneasy about talking to a stranger. If he got out of the truck, she would ride away.
    â€œWhy?” he asked. He did not get out.
    â€œIt says someone plans to start building apartments here next week,” Megan said. “But they can’t do that.”
    â€œWhy not?” he asked. “What’s the trouble?”
    â€œSome feral cats live in this field,” Megan said. “I don’t want them to be killed when the land is cleared. I bring them cat food and water every day.”
    The man frowned, clearly upset by what she said. “What kind of cats did you say?” he asked.
    â€œFeral. You know, wild cats that live on their own. One of them is expecting kittens any day now. I’m going to call the company that put this sign up; maybe they will delay the apartment building until the cats can be caught.”
    â€œCats!” the man said, as if he had never heard of such an animal. He stepped on the gas and roared away.
    Megan stared after the truck for a moment, puzzled by the man’s odd reaction. Then she returned to copying the information from the sign. She had just finished when the blue truck returned.
    Again the man spoke to her without getting out.
    â€œIt won’t do any good for you to call,” he said. “They’ll never pay attention to a kid.”
    Megan was already worried about that. She was hoping Mom would call for her.
    â€œI’ll call the county building department,” he continued. “I work in construction, so I deal with problems all the time; I know who to ask for.”
    â€œThat would be great,” Megan said. “I’ll ask my momto call, too, but I don’t know when she’ll have time to do it.”
    â€œDon’t have her call. It’s better to let one person handle it. I’ll take care of it; don’t worry.”
    He drove off again, and this time he did not return.
    Megan was glad to have an adult concerned about the cats, but she wished she knew his name. How would she know what the people at the building department said?
    What about the property owner and the company who would be building the apartments? Someone should talk to them, too, and ask them to wait until the cats were rescued. She wished the man in the blue truck had not been in such a hurry.

    Shane slammed his fist against the steering wheel as he drove away. Of all the rotten luck! Just when everything was going his way, some kid finds a bunch of cats living in the