The Ghost and Mrs. Hobbs by Cynthia DeFelice Page B

him, “That’s the bell! Call me later!”
    Allie sat for a moment, listening to the dial tone, then groaned and hung up.
    Her father called up the stairs to say it was timefor lunch. As they were eating, Michael imitated the sound of the fire sirens that continued to blare across town, and Mr. Nichols asked, “Who was that on the phone?”
    â€œIt was Chief Rasmussen, but the fire alarm rang and he had to go.”
    â€œPoor guy’s having a busy day,” said Mr. Nichols.
    Allie was glad her father didn’t ask anything more. She didn’t mention that the chief had information for her about Mrs. Hobbs.
    Michael was blissfully trying to feed his grilled cheese sandwich to Vulture-Breath. “Can we go to the game now?” he asked.
    â€œAs soon as Vulture-Breath finishes his lunch,” Mr. Nichols answered.
    Ordinarily Allie loved watching lacrosse. But sitting in the high school bleachers next to Michael, she found it impossible to concentrate on the figures racing about on the field. Even when the Seneca Heights Hornets scored and Michael and her father rose to their feet, cheering excitedly, and the stands around her were going wild, Allie’s thoughts were far from the game.
    Either she had to figure out a way—and find the courage—to finish the interview with Mrs. Hobbs, or she had to pick somebody else. She didn’t have much time: she had to make her presentation on Monday.
    Her father and John Walker himself had both toldher to stay away from Mrs. Hobbs. Mrs. Hobbs had warned her off, and Dub had put in his two cents on the subject, as well. But Mrs. Hobbs was Allie’s only link to John Walker. Mrs. Hobbs was the reason John Walker was stuck on earth as a ghost. Once the murder was exposed and justice was done, John Walker would be able to rest in peace, like Lucy Stiles. Everything led Allie to this same conclusion.
    Her thoughts were interrupted by the sight of Dub walking by the bleachers with a hot dog in his hand. His face broke into a smile, and she rose from her seat to holler to him. She was about to open her mouth when she realized he wasn’t looking her way. He began climbing the stands to join someone. Allie craned her neck to see who it was. A sick feeling washed through her as she watched Dub sit down next to Pam Wright. Pam playfully grabbed the hot dog, took a bite, and handed it back to Dub.
    Allie could feel her face burning, and she quickly closed her mouth and looked away, trying to appear unconcerned. But it was too late: she’d been caught. To her dismay, her eyes fell on the smirking face of Karen Laver, sitting with her older brother and his cool friends several rows behind Allie and her family. Karen, who had obviously been watching the whole scene, gave Allie a pout of mock sympathy and mouthed the words “Poor baby” before breaking into a wide smile.
    â€œDid you see that shot?” Allie’s father shouted excitedly. “He faked the goalie right out of his shorts!”
    Michael and Mr. Nichols exchanged a high-five to celebrate the score, and Michael shouted along with the crowd, “Go, Hornets! Sting ’em!”
    Allie quickly turned away from Karen, furious with herself for revealing her feelings, and furious with Dub for making her look like a fool. She’d often wished that Pam would wise up and quit following Karen around like a loyal puppy dog. But now that Pam seemed to be doing just that, Allie felt angry at her, too.
    Allie tried not to see the backs of Dub’s and Pam’s heads as they laughed and talked together in the bleachers below her, but her eyes kept being drawn in their direction. She hated them, and she hated the way she felt, but she couldn’t stop herself.

Sixteen
    As Allie, Michael, and their father joined the crush of people leaving the lacrosse field after the game, they heard someone shouting loudly across the parking lot. A horrified murmur ran through the