Mystery Rider Read Free

touched his brown hair, but he didn’t pull back. “I can get it for you, buddy.”
    Kate glanced at the girl, then at her brother. It had amazed her the first time she’d seen this soft side of Melissa with her brother, and it still had the ability to surprise her. Not that she wasn’t glad. Melissa could as easily have been mean to Pete. So many people didn’t understand kids with problems. “Thanks, Melissa. But I’ll take him.”
    Melissa gave a short nod. “Okay.” She headed back to the couch and sank into the cushions.
    â€œPete?” Kate’s mom stepped into the room. “There you are. Come on, honey, let’s go.” She extended her hand, and Pete moved to her side but didn’t reach out to her. “You kids go ahead with your planning, and I’ll get this little guy back to bed.” She touched Pete on his back and urged him toward the hallway.
    Kate called after them, “He wants water, Mom.”
    â€œI’ll take care of it. Thanks, Kate.” Mom disappeared around the corner.
    Silence fell over the group. Then Melissa got up. “I’d better go. Mom said she’d be waiting outside at seven thirty, and it’s twenty-five after now. Thanks for inviting me. I hope you have fun the rest of the night.” She smirked slightly.
    â€œBye, Melissa,” their voices chorused as Melissa headed out the door.
    â€œKeep thinking of ideas,” Kate called after her.
    Colt grabbed the remote. “Want to watch a scary movie?”
    Tori groaned. “I hate scary movies. They scare me.”
    â€œThat’s the idea, silly.”
    Kate elbowed him. “We don’t even own any scary movies. What did you guys think about Melissa?”
    Tori sobered. “What do you mean?”
    â€œI don’t know. She was helpful and everything, but she seemed … odd somehow. I can’t explain it.”
    Colt rolled his eyes. “You’re imagining things, Kate. If anything, she’s more normal than we are.” He grinned.
    Tori huffed. “Colt, sometimes I want to smack you.”
    He shrank away as though scared but grinned again, wider.
    â€œSeriously, I didn’t notice anything weird about her,” Tori reasoned. “Except for the comment about not looking cheap, but that didn’t really surprise me. Maybe she was worried she wouldn’t fit in. We’re not exactly the crowd she runs with, you know.”
    Kate thought for a moment. “Well, it kinda bugged me. I guess it’s still hard for me to believe she wants to be our friend after the way she acted toward us for so long.”
    Colt kicked off his shoes, leaned into the couch, and planted his heels on the coffee table. “Ah, she’s all right. I don’t think she’s a Christian, though. I guess it’s up to us to do the right thing and make her feel welcome.”
    Kate hesitated. “I just don’t want to get burned. Know what I mean?” Melissa seemed decent enough now, but was she only playing a game, maybe because she was bored? Would she then go back to her old self?
    The other two were quiet, as if thinking.
    Finally Tori announced, “But we should give her a chance, right?”
    â€œRight,” Colt said swiftly.
    Kate chimed in with her agreement a bit more slowly. “I wonder what else she had to do tonight. A little late to be heading to another friend’s house, and with school out, there’s no homework.”
    Colt drew in a deep breath and blew it out, his eyes closing. “If you don’t want to watch another movie, maybe I’ll take a little nap.”
    Kate waved a hand in front of her face. “Remember what we said about your stinky socks? We weren’t kidding!” She placed her foot next to his ankle and pushed. “Ugh. Boys are gross.”
    Colt sat up. “Aww! You’ve stuck a knife right through my heart.” He chuckled. “I