CHAPTER 28

astronomical odds

Almost instantly after Bones and I had yelled, we heard a voice coming from upstairs. “Is everything okay down there, Annie?”

Annie looked at us with a smile still on her face. She obviously thought it was very funny how scared we got when we saw her. “Everything’s fine, Mom! Just a couple of friends stopped in to say hi!”

Then she started talking to us like she had just invited us in for some cookies and milk. “Hi, guys, how’s your summer going? I haven’t seen you since the lacrosse game.”

There was an awkward silence, so I had to ask, “How did you know we were in the house?”

Annie laughed. “I was upstairs and heard some noises. And then I saw Hank come out of the bushes.” She laughed some more. “How could anyone miss him!?”

I elbowed Bones in the ribs to remind him of his buffoonery.

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