Secrets in the Shadows (Secrets 2)

breakthrough. I don't recall anyone talking to him that

long."

"He's not bad," I said. "Sorta interesting in a

strange way."

"Strange?"

"Different." I looked at her. "Like me." She smiled.

"He wants to give me a ride home later. I said

he could come by at nine-thirty, okay?"

"He's got his own car? Why is he always

walking everywhere?"

"He said he had a scooter he was fixing and it

would be ready to go tonight."

She looked worried.

"If he goes fast, I'll make him stop and walk," I

promised.

"Something happens to you here and I'm dog

food," she said.

"Nothing will happen. Bad, that is."

"Okay. I guess I had better get used to having a

teenager under my wing. Just like your grandfather

warned." "It'll be all right, Zipporah."

She hugged me.

"I know it will. Let's get back to work," she

said.

I did, and with a new spurt of energy that

surprised me the most.

Because we weren't that busy and I had time to

loiter, I kept looking to see if Duncan had arrived

early. I probably would have been thinking about him

anyway. Aunt Zipporah caught me watching the front