The Super Spies and the Cat Lady Killer Read Free

dew had dried on the grass. Smiling, she turned her face to the sun, enjoying the heat.
    Sarah listened to the sounds of the morning, the twittering of birds, the buzzing of insects, and the occasional bark of a dog. She loved this morning melody and her body tingled with anticipation.
    Jackie arrived right after breakfast. Lacey beat Sarah to the door, and when she met Jackie she insisted on being included. Sarah didn’t put up much of a fight and the three girls sat on the stoop making plans for the day.
    Jackie studied Lacey. “Hey, you guys could almost be twins.”
    Sarah laughed. “No way.”
    â€œWay,” Jackie insisted. “You guys have the same blonde hair and green eyes.”
    â€œBut, Lacey’s taller than I am and her hair goes all the way to her waist,” Sarah pointed out. “Mine stops at my shoulders.”
    â€œYeah,” Lacey agreed.
    â€œBesides, our personalities are like night and day.”
    â€œSo, where does it say twins have the same personality?”
    Sarah rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
    â€œWe should go to the willow tree,” Jackie said, pulling on one of her curls.
    â€œWhat? Bored with the conversation already?” Sarah teased.
    Jackie cracked a wide smile. “Yeah. Let’s go to the willow tree.”
    â€œWhere’s the willow tree?” Sarah asked.
    â€œIt’s down by the creek.” Jackie stood and descended the stairs. “I know. We can play truth or dare. Have you ever played?”
    â€œI have.” Sarah stood to follow Jackie.
    â€œHow do you play?” Lacey asked.
    Jackie explained the rules of the game as they walked to the creek. Sarah tuned her out and focused her attention on the world around her. Listening to the neighborhood as it came to life, she heard the roar of a lawnmower as a neighbor fired it up to mow. She heard the spish, spish, spish , of a sprinkler as it watered someone’s parched lawn, and then the buzz of a bee as it flew by, searching for flowers. When she felt the sun’s prickly heat on her skin, Sarah realized she loved summer.
    The Cole girls followed Jackie to the end of a cul-de-sac. Beyond it, Sarah spied a sandy trail stretching through the weeds like a discarded shoelace, long and skinny. Walking single file behind Jackie, Sarah winced when the weeds clutched at her calves.
    When the girls reached the creek, they continued to follow their new friend. She walked along the bank, chasing the current downstream. The scent of wild flowers wafted past Sarah and she took several deep breaths. Her chest loosened as her lungs filled with the heady perfume. Sarah cracked a smile as her body tingled. This summer is definitely better than I expected.
    The smell of wildflowers mixed with the sound of the water making its way to the ocean sent shivers of delight down Sarah’s spine. It surprised her to find the creek only a few blocks away from her aunt and uncle’s house. In the city, there wasn’t a body of water within walking distance of their home. Even finding a mud puddle is a rare occurrence.
    Walking along the bank, the girls came to the large willow tree and quickly claimed it as their secret hiding place. Creeping beneath the pliable branches, Sarah sighed, happy to be out of the sun. Jackie sat down on the ground and started playing in the soil with a stick. Sarah and Lacey plopped down next to her.
    â€œOkay, Lacey why don’t you start,” Jackie said.
    â€œOkay…Jackie, truth or dare?”
    â€œI guess…truth.”
    â€œOh, you big chicken,” Lacey whined, a disappointed pout on her face.
    â€œI’m not chicken. I just think you’ll give me a wimpy dare,” Jackie said thrusting her nose in the air. “So, truth.”
    â€œOkay, would you ever French kiss a boy?”
    â€œOh, what a lame question,” Sarah grumbled . “I can tell this is the first time you’ve played this