Free Vampire Kisses by Ellen Schreiber Page B

the moon was smiling over Becky and me. I was ready for the infiltration in camouflage night gear. I was wearing matte black lipstick instead of gloss, black turtleneck, black jeans, and a tiny black backpack with a flashlight and disposable camera. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling were in Europe. Their Mercedes was not in sight. Creepy Man must have gone to the store, and if he pushed his shopping cart as slowly as he drove, I’d have plenty of time.
    The rusty iron gate stood in front of me. All the answers to the rumors lay on the other side. A quick climb over and the investigation would begin.
    Unfortunately the adventure was going to be delayed, because Becky was terrified about climbing.
    “You didn’t tell me we’d have to climb the gate! I’m afraid of heights!”
    “Please! Just get over. The clock is ticking.”
    Becky looked at the harmless old gate like it was Mt. Everest. “I can’t. It’s way too tall!”
    “You can,” I argued. “Here.” I put my hands together for a boost. “You’ll have to put your whole body weight into this!”
    “I don’t want to hurt you.”
    “You won’t. Let’s go.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “Becky! I’ve waited months for this, and if you spoil it because you were afraid to step into my hand, I’ll have to kill you.”
    She stepped and I grunted, and suddenly she was suctioned to the gate like a terrified spider.
    “You can’t just hang. You have to climb!”
    She tried. She really did. I could see every muscle in her body strain. She wasn’t heavy, but she wasn’t strong either.
    “Pretend you’ll go to jail if you don’t climb up.”
    “I’m trying!”
    “Go, Becky, go!” I chanted like a cheerleader. She climbed slowly and finally reached the spiked top. Then she really freaked out.
    “I can’t go over. I’m scared.”
    “Don’t look down.”
    “I can’t move!”
    I was starting to panic myself. She could have spoiled everything right then. A cop could have come by or some nosey neighbor. Or Gothic Guy himself might have come down from his attic to see what was making more noise than his blaring Cure CD.
    “Here, I’ll go.” I pulled myself up the gate, maneuvered around Becky and flipped over the top. “Now you!” I whispered as I hung on the other side.
    She didn’t move. Her eyes weren’t even open.
    “I think I’m having a panic attack.”
    “Great!” I said, rolling my eyes. “You can’t do this!” Maybe I should have brought Nerd Boy. “Becky?”
    “I can’t!”
    “All right, all right! Slide down.”
    We both slithered down the iron gate on opposite sides. The iron bars separated us, but not our friendship.
    “I hope I didn’t spoil everything,” Becky said.
    “Hey, at least you gave me a ride.”
    She smiled appreciatively. “I’ll keep an eye out here.”
    “No, go on home. Someone may see you.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “It was fun hanging around with you,” I joked. “But I gotta go now!”
    “I hope you find everything you’re looking for.”
    Becky drove off to the safety of her plaid couch and I continued on, minus one detective. I was the RBI—Raven Bureau of Investigation. I had to put an end to these rumors. And if they were more than just rumors, the world had to know.
    The only light came from the curtained attic window. I could hear the faint wailing of an electric guitar, as I tiptoed around the side of the house. Fortunately, I didn’t hear the sound of barking dogs. I found my favorite window. There were no boards or bricks, and the broken window had been replaced. If they fixed one thing in this Mansion, why did it have to be this particular window? I scrambled around and checked the other windows. They were all locked. Suddenly I noticed something catching the moonlight. I crouched over and lying by a bush was a hammer, and next to the hammer was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. It was a window, propped open with a brick. A caulking gun and putty were still sitting on the ledge. Someone had