Between a Book and a Hard Place Read Online Free

plenty.
    â€œI wonder what got her panties in a twist.” Ronni wound a chocolate brown curl around her finger. “Unless it directly affected her, ordinarily Nadinewouldn’t care about an alien invasion or the town teenagers.”
    â€œYou’re right.” I nodded slowly. Nadine’s concern was out of character for her. “I’ll mention that inconsistency to Noah when we get together after this meeting.”
    â€œDidn’t you tell me you had a date with Jake tonight?” Ronni raise a brow.
    â€œHe sent me a text saying that he had to cancel.” I didn’t look at Ronni, not wanting to see pity in her eyes. “Meg is acting up again.”
    â€œAt this rate, Shadow Bend will have to open its own loony bin pretty soon.” Ronni giggled, then jerked her chin toward the front of the room. “And we should reserve an entire wing for that guy.”
    I tuned in to the professor just in time to see him lean into the microphone. I studied him. If it weren’t for the picket-fence teeth, Albert Einstein hairdo, and Mr. Magoo glasses, he might have been a nice-looking man.
    After a dramatic pause, Hinkley said, “Extraterrestrial forms of life range from the simple microorganisms to far more complex beings that are superior to humans.”
    â€œLet’s hope ours are the bacteria-like ones.” I snickered. “Otherwise, we’re in a lot of trouble. Can you imagine Hizzoner trying to negotiate with a really smart ET? Shadow Bend would be under alien rule before they could even get the probe up his butt.”
    Ronni laughed, but before she could respond, the professor said, “What I’d like to do is set up a series of large radio antennas and telescopes on the property where most of the unusual lights have been seen.”
    He glanced toward me, and I quickly turned my head. No way was I allowing this crackpot on Sinclair land. And I’d like to see him try to convince our neighbor Tony Del Vecchio to permit him on his ranch.
    â€œProfessor.” Boone spoke from his place behind the conference table. “What do you hope to accomplish with the antennas and such?”
    â€œCommunication, my dear man.” Hinkley rubbed the sparkly green glass ball on the top of his cane and gazed heavenward. “I want to welcome them to Earth.”
    With that statement, the spectators went wild. Voices rose and arguments started. Most folks seemed alarmed at the thought of receiving a visit from spacemen, but a few expressed some interest in meeting Alf, Mork, the Great Gazoo, and Marvin the Martian. One guy asked if any of them would look like Seven of Nine or Starfire.
    I had to use my phone to Google that last one. Turns out that Starfire is a comic-strip character from the planet Tamaran. Considering the guy who asked about her was practically drooling, I was not surprised to see that she was drawn with huge boobs and a costume that resembled a couple of potato chips and a cracker.
    I noticed that as the professor fielded questions from the audience, Boone kept glancing at his watch. He seemed relieved when Noah returned and took his seat at the conference table. The men put their heads together, then Boone pulled out his cell phone and I watched as his thumbs flew over the screen. What were those two guys up to?
    Mayor Eggers spent the next fifteen minutes trying to regain control of the proceedings. ProfessorHinkley was less than eager to relinquish the spotlight, and Hizzoner finally took the man by the elbow and escorted him down the aisle and back to his seat.
    As Hinkley edged past me, he said, “So your family owns the land near the contact site? I’d like to explore the area tomorrow morning.”
    â€œNo.” I figured short and succinct was the way to go with this guy.
    â€œHow about the afternoon?” He had a small leather planner in his hand.
    â€œNever.”
    â€œBut you must.” The professor clutched my arm