Bad Moonlight by R.L. Stine

Outside, the moon seemed brighter. She shivered and reached for the curtain.
    Her arm stopped in midair.
    That shadow on Cliff’s fort—was it there before?
    Every muscle tensed as Danielle watched the shadow slide across the tattered cardboard and into the cold light of the moon.
    Someone lurked in the backyard, staring up at her bedroom window.

Chapter 21

    BAD NEWS
    D anielle ducked back behind the folds of the curtain. Hidden in the darkness, she struggled to catch her breath.
    Then, cautiously, she peered around the curtain again.
    A face, pale in the moonlight, tilted toward her window.
    Billy’s face.
    Danielle leaned out the window. “Billy!” she called in a loud whisper. “What are you—wait! I’ll come down.”
    She didn’t want to wake her aunt and Cliff. On tiptoe, Danielle made her way downstairs and into the kitchen. She unlocked the back door and eased it open.
    Billy crept inside. In the glow of the moonlight that followed him into the room, Danielle could see that he was nervous. His hazel eyes darted around the kitchen, not meeting Danielle’s gaze. His hands stayed jammed into the pockets of his faded cutoffs.
    Something was wrong.
    â€œWhat is it?” Danielle asked. “And how come you came sneaking through the yard like that? You really scared me!”
    â€œSorry. I—” Billy’s gaze shifted to the kitchen door. “I started to the front door, but I didn’t see any lights and I didn’t want to disturb your aunt.”
    â€œWhat’s the matter?”
    â€œThe matter? Nothing.” Billy glanced around the kitchen again. “I—uh—I wanted to make sure you’re ready for tomorrow night’s show.”
    Danielle stared at him. Billy wouldn’t stake out her backyard at midnight just to make sure she was ready for a performance.
    â€œBilly—”
    â€œThe show is here in Shadyside,” Billy interrupted quickly. “Makes it a lot easier, right? No packing, no driving, no depressing hotels.”
    â€œRight,” Danielle agreed. What is his problem? she wondered, studying his face.
    â€œIt’ll be good to play in front of a hometown audience,” he went on. “The manager says we’re sold out.”
    â€œThat’s great.”
    Billy took his hands out of his pockets, put them onhis hips, then shoved them back in his pockets again. He stared at his feet.
    â€œBilly, what is it?” she demanded. “You’re so nervous, you’re giving me the creeps.”
    At last Billy met her gaze.
    Danielle jerked away. His eyes! His eyes gleamed with desperation!
    Licking his lips, Billy shifted his weight and began inching toward Danielle.
    â€œDanielle, I have—”
    â€œWhat?” Danielle cried. She took another step back and bumped into a kitchen chair. “What is it? Just tell me!”
    Billy kept moving closer to Danielle. “Bad news,” he whispered. “I have very bad news.”

Chapter 22

    DANIELLE GOES HUNTING
    â€œB ad news?” Danielle edged around the chair and glanced toward the door leading into the hallway. She suddenly wanted to get away from him. Fast. “What is it?”
    â€œIt’s Dee,” Billy answered.
    â€œDee?” Danielle stopped moving. “What about Dee?”
    â€œShe quit the band.”
    Danielle stared at him. “She quit?”
    Billy nodded. “I would have talked her out of it, but she didn’t tell me in person. She left me a note.”
    â€œDid she say why?”
    â€œNot really,” Billy replied. “She wrote that she couldn’t handle what was happening.”
    â€œShe meant me. I know she did,” Danielle declared.“She hated me, hated having to share the lead with me, and—”
    â€œNo!” Billy broke in. “It wasn’t you, Danielle.” He closed the gap between them. “I know it wasn’t because of