Framed & Dangerous (9780545443128) Read Free Page A

seat.
    â€œMr. Gray, our school janitor, was there early yesterday morning and saw the building in flames. He called 911 and rushed to the field house to try to help put the fire out with an extinguisher. Unfortunately, he was hurt and is being treated in the hospital now for smoke inhalation and other injuries.”
    A hush fell over the crowd. This was even worse news. The field house was just a building. It could be replaced. Mr. Gray was a person. And a nice one, at that. He always smiled and waved as you passed by. My eyes got all watery at the thought of him lying in a hospital bed. How could something like this happen?
    As if he knew that would be the next question, Mr. Plati said, “We’ve been told from the fire department that there’s a chance this was arson.”
    Fiona leaned in and whispered, “What does that mean?”
    I knew the term from watching Crime Scene: New York with Darcy. “It means it wasn’t an accident,” Iwhispered back. “Someone tried to burn down the field house on purpose.”
    I felt eyes on the back of my head, like someone was watching me. I turned in my seat and found Zane staring at me with a worried look on his face.
    Normally, I’d be excited to catch Zane staring at me. But his expression made a shudder go down my spine.
    I remembered the e-mail he got.
    You’ll be blamed.
    That didn’t have anything to do with the fire … did it?

Fiona and I walked out of the auditorium together. Zane had left with his soccer team friends, after giving me one last desperate look over his shoulder.
    Fiona threw her hands in the air. “This is terrible!”
    â€œI know.” I shook my head sadly. “Poor Mr. Gray.”
    Fiona arched an eyebrow as if she’d forgotten the fact that Mr. Gray was currently in the hospital fighting for his life. “Well, yes, that’s horrible, too,” she said. “But I was referring to the tragedy of our new field house being destroyed.”
    I shrugged, not getting why she was being so over-dramatic. “They’ll rebuild it.”
    Fiona opened her mouth wide like I’d said thedumbest thing on earth. “Not in time! They can’t build a new field house in two weeks.”
    â€œIn … two … weeks?” My mind searched for what could possibly be so important to her. Fiona was a cheerleader for the football team. They played outside.
    â€œThe school dance, Norah!” she said, exasperated.
    Oh. That. I’d seen new posters for the dance hanging in the hallway just that morning, but I hadn’t given a thought to the dance yet. “It can be in the gym,” I suggested.
    Fiona looked offended. “That nasty old place? It smells like dirty socks!”
    She started walking quickly, letting her fingers trail along the lockers. I rushed to keep up with her as she chattered on.
    â€œI suppose you’re right, though,” she said. “The Dance Committee barely has enough money for decorations. We can’t afford to have it anywhere off school property. We’ll have to do it in the gym.”
    The words poured out of her mouth in a stream of anxious babbling.
    â€œThe Dance Committee is really going to need some creative ideas now. People have the most unrealistic theme suggestions, and now I have to deal with thismess.” Then, like a lightbulb had lit up in her head, she stopped and pointed at me. “You.”
    I put a hand to my chest. “Me?”
    â€œYes, you.”
    â€œMe what?”
    â€œYou need to join the Dance Committee.”
    Did she have smoke inhalation? The Dance Committee was made up of all the most popular girls in school. Girls who wouldn’t bother to even speak to me, never mind listen to my ideas. Fiona must have been insane. I started to back away. “Uh, no thanks. I’m, uh, busy.”
    â€œWait.” Fiona grabbed the sleeve of my hoodie. “I need you, Norah. You’re