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Fear trickled through ain as I looked around wildly "No, Mother, we should just--" But it wasn’t the stranger It was our across-the-street neighbor, Lewis Tiing by his posture and the lowering of his hairy unibrow, he was not pleased

"What’s this I hear about you sauntering through the street in your negligee?" Lewis yelled across at us

"If you think a bathrobe and curlers count as a negligee, then your wife has been bored with you since the beginning,"out of this! Jackie, you can’t waltz down the middle of the street in a bathrobe and curlers like the town harlot" Lewis flung his finger through the air to punctuate his words "There are children on this street, for goodness’ sake Is that the kind of example you want to set for them? One of loose ed around her bulk just enough to see her sly ss "What kind of whorehouses are you visiting that the service providers show up in tatty bathrobes and pink curlers? I always knew you were cheap, but I didn’t know you were that cheap And don’t worry about the children I’ht old farts like you It’s a good lesson to learn, you , which was how these face-offs usually ended My ument that taboo subjects couldn’t silence

She harruirls We’re letting all the heat out"

"Actually, it’s Friday," Veronica said in a limmered with ht Yes, of course" My mother shoved her way to the door "Stay out of trouble And for heaven’s sake, Penelope, get an umbrella!"

"Today’s not a good day to scout the neighborhood," I whispered as my mother disappeared into the house

Veronica’s expression fell, and the glimmer of analysis sparked in her eyes "What’s the , because since you ca ju an u Ronnie just thinks I’on," I said quickly

"Well, of course she is" Myin his doorway "Why doesn’t he just get lost? I swear thatdeals with him is beyond me" She shook her head and returned her attention to us "That’s why I let you go I knew a few haunted houses would scare you straight Ghosts are terrifying Giving theht way to play it You don’t want a de you around the rest of your life Can you ioat!"

"Oh hbors" I pushed at her "Get inside"

"Do not take the Lord’s na lady I raised you better than that And don’t ile as a battle-ax," I muttered

"But if you didn’t want a demon to attach itself to her," Veronica said with a furrowed brohy let her go see haunted houses?"

"Bah" My ht away "Tourist houses aren’t properly haunted No A properly haunted house stays shut up No one wants to wander through it You don’t make money on terror, just on fear"

Veronica stared at oing to argue, but the statele "Huh," Veronica finally said

"Here" Myht"

"But…" I looked out at the wide-open space, searching for anything that could get me out there

"Penelope" My mother leveled me with a stare "It’s necessary" She pushedme than I was her, and closed it on us a hborhood watch

Chapter Twelve