Broken Hearts by R.L. Stine

wondered. I hope everyone’s okay.
    A short while later Melissa, her forehead pressed against the cool glass, saw two police officers come walking out. Their faces, caught in the porch light over the McClains’ front door, were grim. One of them was shaking his head.
    They talked for a short while to Mrs. McClain, who remained in the house, holding open the glass storm door. Then the two officers walked slowly to their squad car, turned off the flashing light, and drove away.
    The McClains’ porch light went out, casting the rambling old house into total darkness.
    Melissa yawned. She was dying to know what had happened, but it was too late to call. She’d have towait until morning. Anyway, things looked pretty normal.
    Yawning again, she tugged the curtains back into place and crossed the room to start getting undressed for bed.
    â™¦ ♦ ♦
    â€œThat one policeman looked sick,” Josie said quietly. “You know, the redheaded one. When he saw Muggy, I thought he was going to puke.”
    â€œThey both acted really grim,” Erica agreed.
    The two sisters were in their nightshirts, lying on Erica’s bed. Erica’s head was on her pillow. Josie was stretched out across the foot of the bed.
    Mrs. McClain was in Rachel’s room. The house was silent now.
    Josie ran her hand along Erica’s quilted bedspread. She closed her eyes and pictured the hideous scene on the kitchen floor. After the officers left, promising a serious investigation and warning the McClains to lock their doors from now on, Mrs. McClain had tried to clean up. But the blood had soaked into the linoleum, leaving a dark reminder of the murder that had taken place there.
    Josie shuddered. “Poor Muggy.”
    â€œI can’t believe it,” Erica said, sitting up and unhooking her long, jangly earrings and setting them down on the bedside table.
    â€œSomeone must have come in through the back door,” Josie said. “But why? To rob us?”
    â€œNothing was taken,” Erica said, shifting her weight.
    â€œThen whoever it was came in just to kill Muggy,” Josie said, thinking out loud. “They knew Muggy was my dog, and . . .”
    â€œWe don’t know that,” Erica said. “We don’t know who—or why.”
    â€œDidn’t you hear anything?” Josie asked almost accusingly. She sat up. “Didn’t you hear anything at all? In the backyard or the kitchen? Didn’t you hear Muggy barking or anything?”
    Erica shook her head thoughtfully, struggling to remember. “Not a sound,” she said finally. “Melissa came over for about half an hour . . .”
    Josie made a sour face.
    â€œThen I took Rachel up to her room,” Erica continued. “I tried to get Rachel to watch television so I could study, but she seemed nervous tonight, edgy. So I read to her for a while, and then—”
    â€œI don’t need a minute-by-minute account of your thrilling night,” Josie snapped impatiently.
    â€œWell, I didn’t hear a sound. Mom went grocery shopping. She got back a little after eight-thirty. I remember hearing her talking to Muggy when she put the groceries away. And I remember her yelling at Muggy to stop barking when she was talking to Daddy on the phone. That was at about nine-thirty, I guess.”
    â€œI know who did it,” Josie said bitterly, lost in her own thoughts, barely hearing a word of Erica’s. Her eyes watered over. She blinked several times, then wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her nightshirt. “Jenkman.”
    â€œHuh?” Erica pushed herself upright.
    â€œJenkman,” Josie repeated, her eyes brimming with tears. “That creep. He wanted to hurt me. I’ll bet he murdered Muggy to scare me and make me think the threats he’s been sending are going to come true.”
    â€œIt wasn’t Jenkman,” Erica told her sister, speaking softly but firmly.
    Josie turned