Ghost Town by Phoebe Rivers Page B

challenged.
    â€œJust a feeling,” I mumbled.
    â€œWhat—?”
    â€œBack off, okay?” Lily interrupted Miranda. I could feel her watching me. She didn’t seem skeptical, though.
    David appeared at my side. “Kids are all out. But seriously, Sara, I’m not seeing anything bad inside. I don’t know what you want me to do.”
    I didn’t either. Was someone going to set a fire? Or was something inside the house going to ignite?
    I reached into my pocket for the stone. Protection from evil. I needed it now more than ever. My hand touched my camera. I pulled it out, an idea slowly forming. Shading the digital screen with my hand, I scrolled through all the photos I had taken inside Midnight Manor. There had to be something we missed.
    Lightbulbs. Dusty window ledges. The chandelier’s pulley system. A fake skeleton hand. Mahogany stairs. Mirrors.
    The photos revealed nothing out of the ordinary.
    And then . . .
    I gasped, then pressed the wide-angle button to enlarge the next shot.
    â€œDavid.” My voice came out in a whisper.
    A vision of flames flashed before me. The crackling of embers reverberated in my ears. Had I found what I was looking for?
    â€œDavid,” I began again. I raised the screen so hecould see it too. “See all the candles?” The panoramic shot revealed a room filled with dozens of electric candelabras. “How do they light up?”
    â€œElectricity. They’re plugged in. Why?”
    I could hear my dad. Cautioning me. Telling me the dangers of old houses and their out-of-date wiring. “Are there a lot of sockets?” I asked.
    â€œNo, just one. There’s an extension cord behind that sofa there that’s loaded up.”
    Now. Help now.
    The voice. The old man shimmered to my right. He raised his cane and pointed inside the house.
    â€œLet’s look there.” I hurried inside with David. He expertly wound his way through the maze-like rooms until we reached the candelabra room. I could feel the old man with us. His fear mixed with mine. My fingers clutched the pink stone.
    David heaved the brocade sofa from the wall, exposing a network of tangled extension cords piled with plugs. “Seems okay,” he murmured. Then he put his hand to the wall by the lone outlet and let out a quick yelp. “The wall is burning hot!”
    He whipped out his cell and dialed 911.
    â€œWe need to get out of here now,” he said. “Fire trucks are on their way.”
    Once outside, we heard the approaching sirens. In minutes, firefighters and police officers rushed the building and pushed the growing crowd back.
    My cell phone buzzed from my back pocket. A text from Dad.
    Where are u kiddo? Time to be home.
    Sorry. On my way.
    Want me to walk u?
    No. Im good.
    I tucked the phone in my pocket, then slid the gemstone, still warm from my grasp, next to it.
    I gazed at the house, now alive with activity. Word filtered through the onlookers. The wall had been opened, and the wires inside were smoldering. They were only moments away from sparking into a blaze.
    The disaster of a fire had been stopped.
    I noticed that the dark feeling had lifted. A calmness came over me. I felt light, free, and remarkably alone. The old man’s spirit was nowhere in sight.
    Neither was Lily, Miranda, or David. They were lost in the crowd.
    I did it, I realized. I stopped a really bad thing.
    My knees wobbled as I thought about it. I needed to be away from the noise to wrap my mind around what just happened. I turned to leave. I’d text Lily later.
    â€œWait. Sara, Wait!” David jogged over to me.
    I stopped several yards from the house.
    â€œHow did you know?” he asked, looking me straight in the eye.
    I looked away and focused my eyes on his worn black canvas sneakers.
    â€œHow did you know about the fire?” he asked again.
    I raised my gaze to meet his. Should I tell him everything?

CHAPTER 15
    â€œExcuse me. Pardon