Free The Curse (Seacliff High Mystery Book 2) by Kathi Daley

get the stuff ready to pack up. We’ll take a load out to the barn, then I’ll come back into town to get Trevor and Eli and Alyson’s stuff. What about you, Caleb? Do we need to stop by to get your stuff?”
    “No, my mom rented me a pickup truck for the weekend so I’d have it to get back and forth between town and the barn. I’m all loaded up.”
    “Why don’t you just buy a truck?” Chelsea asked. “You have like a zillion dollars now. You can certainly afford one.”
    “Yeah, I know. I just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”
    “The first thing I would have done if I had inherited a lot of money would be to buy a car,” Chelsea commented. “A red convertible. And not some domestic one either. Something sexy and German.”
    “Actually, I’m thinking about getting something used,” Caleb commented.
    “Oh please, tell me you aren’t going for the whole poor-little-rich-boy routine,” Chelsea complained.
    “So, back to the schedule for the afternoon,” Devon interrupted again. “Eli and I have already loaded our stuff into my Expedition, including one requested camp stove and two cast-iron pots for Alyson’s mom’s wonderful contributions.”
    “Your mom cooked?” Trevor grinned.
    “Something simple,” Alyson answered. “I don’t think we’ll be having baked lasagna.”
    “The simplest fare from your mom is worlds better than the most expensive gourmet dish at most restaurants.”
    “Thanks. I’ll tell her you said that.”
    “What’s with all the camping stuff and the food?” Chelsea asked, “I thought you were just going to drop this stuff off.”
    “We decided to camp out and keep an eye on the stuff,” Caleb explained.
    “Everyone?” Chelsea looked around the room.
    “Everyone here.”
    “I want to come.”
    “Huh?” Mac looked shocked. “You do know there won’t be any room service?”
    “I know. I’m not stupid.” Chelsea pouted.
    “Devon doesn’t have any more sleeping bags,” Mac added.
    “I have a sleeping bag.”
    “You do?”
    Alyson could see Mac was running out of arguments. Chelsea along on this camping trip spelled disaster. There was no way anyone wanted to listen to her whine for two days straight.
    “Sure. I go to cheerleading camp every summer.”
    “We’re cutting school on Friday,” Mac tried again. “You’d miss cheerleading practice.”
    “That’s okay. They can manage without me for one practice. Besides, the football team has a bye this week. We’d even talked about canceling practice tomorrow because the football team won’t be practicing. It’s no fun cheering if they aren’t on the field.”
    “But you’re not packed,” Mac pointed out.
    “I’ll go home and pack after school, then meet you guys out there.”
    “The rain washed the road out. I doubt your little Miata can make it.” Mac looked at Alyson with desperation in her eyes.
    “Then Devon can pick me up. Or maybe Alyson. They both have four-wheel drives.”
    “You think your mom will let you spend the night in the barn with a bunch of boys?” Mac tried one last time.
    “Are you kidding? I’ll lie. That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it? I can’t imagine your mom going along with this plan.”
    Mac shrugged. “Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. We’ll be sleeping on the ground and there will be lots of spiders. Really big ones. And probably snakes.”
    “You’re just trying to scare me, Makenzie Reynolds. Besides, I have a tent and a cot. I’ll be perfectly fine. I even have a space heater.”
    “There’s no electricity in the barn,” Alyson said.
    “It’s battery operated. Has a long-lasting battery too.”
    A heater would be nice, Alyson thought. And a cot. “You don’t happen to have any extra cots, do you?”
    “Actually, I do. Want to borrow one?”
    “Yes, please.”
    “I have one for you too, Mac, that I will graciously lend you even though you tried to talk me out of coming.”
    “Thanks,” Mac said grudgingly. “And a tent