Case File 13 #3 Read Online Free Page B

said, as he handed over the last item. “I hope you’re happy. I’ll probably starve tonight.”
    Mom pressed her lips together, weighing the pile of loot. “Unzip your jacket.”
    â€œWhat?” Carter’s mouth dropped open. “That’s everything.”
    â€œGive it up.” Nick laughed. “I told you. X-ray vision.”
    Carter snorted and opened the front of his hoodie. Inside was a full package of Oreos.
    â€œI’ll keep an eye on those,” Dad said, getting up from his log.
    â€œNot a chance, buster,” Mom said with a smirk. “I’m not having cookie crumbs in my tent attracting bugs and who knows what other creatures. I’m putting this all in the car, safely out of the reach of boys big and small.” She turned to Nick and his friends. “Okay, time for bed. And don’t stay up all night laughing and talking. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow.”
    As the boys took off their shoes and climbed into their tent, Angelo whispered, “Too bad about the cookies. Those would have been great to snack on tonight.”
    Carter peeked out the tent door to make sure Nick’s mom wasn’t watching and reached into his sleeping bag. A second later he pulled out a twelve-pack of Mountain Dew and another package of Oreos. He winked. “Double Stuf.”

Nick was dreaming about being chased through his school by a mummy. Although themummy should have been shuffling slowly along, in his dream it was racing up and down the halls on roller skates. A vampire rowing a boat past a bank of lockers told Nick to hide in the girls’ bathroom. But even though the school was closed for the night, and there wouldn’t be any girls in the bathroom, Nick was too embarrassed to go in. He was trying to convince the vampire to steal the mummy’s skates when something jabbed him in the ribs.
    â€œYou can’t make me go into the girls’ bathroom,” he mumbled.
    â€œWho said anything about the girls’ bathroom?” a voice asked.
    Nick squinted into a blinding light. “What’s going on?”
    â€œWake up,” the voice said.
    Nick realized someone was pointing a flashlight directly into his eyes. “Get that out of my face,” he said, blocking the light with his hands. The flashlight moved away and in the darkness he could just make out Carter staring down at him.
    For a moment Nick thought he was home in his room. Then he looked around and saw Angelo struggling to climb out of his sleeping bag.
    â€œWhat time is it?” Nick asked, sitting up. As the sleeping bag slipped down to his waist, the cold air reached his arms and face, raising goose bumps.
    â€œAlmost three,” Angelo said, after pushing on his glasses and checking his watch. “What are you doing waking us up in the middle of the night, Carter? If it’s Godzilla again, tell him to find a new game.”
    Carter pointed his light toward the door of the tent. “I heard something out there.”
    â€œAre you kidding me?” Nick lay back on his air mattress and pulled his sleeping bag around his shoulders. “Go to sleep.”
    â€œNo, really,” Carter insisted. “I heard something outside, moving around.”
    Angelo ran his fingers through hair that poked up in every direction. “It’s probably just a chipmunk or a squirrel.”
    â€œTrying to break into the car?”
    At Carter’s words, Nick pushed himself up. “Squirrels break into trashcans and coolers, not cars.”
    Carter gave an exasperated huff. “That’s what I’m saying! Something is out there and it was trying to get into the car.”
    Angelo took off his glasses and polished the lenses on the front of his T-shirt before peering at Carter through the darkness. “Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?”
    â€œIt wasn’t a dream.” Carter held the flashlight against his chest, his features oddly