Ghost Boy of Mackenzie House by Patti Larsen Page B

up to her, looking this way and that as if he had been followed.
    She got up and went to him while he continued to scope out the backyard.
    â€œReady?” she asked.
    â€œShhh!” he hissed at her. “No talking until we’re a safe distance. Never know who could be watching.” He slunk off into the night. Chloe, still amused, started after him. A flicker of light above her brought her to a halt. The boy was standing in the window, watching her. Chloe waved at him. He vanished.
    Knowing she was doing what he wanted made her feel better. Chloe turned and plodded after Marsh. She caught up with him at the edge of the grass where he waited for her with obvious impatience. He moved off again, leaving her to follow. She had to hurry, knowing how fast Marsh moved, but needn’t have worried. He was so wrapped up in his game that he was going much more slowly, stopping to check imagined noises and make sure they hadn’t been followed. Chloe found it hilarious.
    Once they were far enough away from the house, Marsh spoke up.
    â€œCan’t be too careful,” he told her. “Spies everywhere. Need to keep this operation clean and professional.”
    Chloe nodded in agreement. “Gotcha,” she said. “Now what?”
    â€œWe head for the back of Joseph’s place,” he said. “After I make sure the coast is clear.”
    A thought occurred to her as they slunk through the night (him by choice, her because he would shoot looks at her if she didn’t).
    â€œWhy didn’t we ask your parents?” She felt kind of foolish as she realized how much easier it would have been. It was seventy years ago. They would know who the boy was.
    Marsh shrugged, dropping out of character for a minute.
    â€œMore fun this way,” he said. “Besides, I’ve seen the stones. I know what we’re looking for. Follow me.” He went back to slinking.
    Chloe was trying to decide if Island kids were more weird than cool. Her friends in Ottawa would never do anything like what she and Marsh were up to.
    Chloe could see the fence up ahead in the glow coming from the cottage windows. Just on their side of it, Marsh grabbed her and hauled her into the grass where he crouched, watching Joseph’s place with an eagle eye.
    â€œHave to wait for the lights to go out,” he said. Chloe found a comfortable spot and sat down. It wasn’t long before the leftover moisture in the grass wet through the seat of her jeans. And the mosquitoes were out. After a few minutes of slapping, Chloe was losing her enthusiasm for the whole adventure. Marsh, however, had thought of bugs and produced a small can of spray. After a liberal dose of the stuff, Chloe was no longer tormented by insects, but she was stinky. That coupled with her wet jeans made her wish she could just go home, but she decided to stay. J was worth it.
    When Marsh produced a large chocolate bar from his jacket and gave her half, Chloe started warming back up to the idea. Especially when her stomach growled to remind her she had skipped dinner.
    It seemed like forever that they sat there in the long, damp grass. Marsh kept lighting up his watch from one of the buttons on the side. Chloe tried not to focus on the time. Every time he turned it on, however, she couldn’t help herself. 11:12. 11:17. 11:25. The time dragged on and on. And her candy bar was a long-forgotten memory. She amused herself by wadding up bits of grass and mud and throwing them at Marsh. Every time she hit him, he would shoot her a look that made her want to laugh out loud. His attempts to shush her led to another packed ball tossed his way.
    As his watch read 11:43, the light in the cottage went dark. Marsh made her wait another five minutes before parting the barbed wire and helping her through the fence. On the other side, she was surprised to find Marsh was starting to rub off on her. She felt like a secret agent or a treasure hunter in dangerous