Dangerous Deception Read Online Free Page A

much.”
    â€œIt’s always nice to see young people doing an unselfish deed,” Mrs. Freeman said. “Your parents must be proud of you.”
    Her comment shot holes in my good mood because as soon as she said it, I realized that by talking to my neighbors I had added a whole lot more people who knew what I was doing. My community service team might as well open a Facebook page and announce ourselves to the world. Even without Mrs. Braider, it would be a miracle if Mom and Dad didn’t learn that I had asked my neighbors to donate food for a needy family.
    In less than an hour my bag was full, and so heavy I could hardly lift it. It would be a challenge to carry it to the school bus tomorrow, but I couldn’t ask Mom to drive me. She’d want to know what I had in the bag.
    Back home, I found a second tote bag and divided the load, to make it easier to carry. I also wrote a note which I put in one of the bags. “For Sophie and her family from a secret friend.” I smiled as I imagined Sophie reading it.
    The next morning, I counted on Mom not paying much attention to me. She’s usually distracted in the mornings, getting herself ready to leave for work. I ate my breakfast slowly. I planned to wait until it was time to leave for the bus, and then slip into my room, get the two bags, and hurry out the door.
    When I heard the hair dryer turn on in the bathroom, I hollered, “Bye, Mom. I’m leaving!”
    â€œLove you,” she called.
    â€œLove you, too!” I grabbed the groceries, and was on my way.
    I lugged the tote bags up the steps of the bus and stopped next to Lauren. Usually we sit together, but the seat beside her held a big brown paper bag full of food. She lifted it onto her lap to make room for me. I put one tote bag on the floor between my feet and held the other one.
    â€œLooks like you collected a lot,” Lauren said.
    â€œSo did you.”
    â€œI could have gotten even more,” Lauren said, “but I didn’t have any way to get it to school. If we collect food again, I have plenty more neighbors I can ask.”
    Hunter met Lauren and me at the door of our classroom. “Mrs. Reed said to put your bags of food in the supply closet,” he said.
    Abby brought a cardboard box with the tops of cans, boxes, and bottles of catsup and salad dressing sticking up like a city skyline. Soon Shoeless and Jelly Bean arrived. They each had two bags of food, too. I hadn’t been sure they would actually follow through. Shoeless consistently avoided his homework, and Jelly Bean had a million excuses for not doing what he was supposed to do. This time, they surprised me.
    â€œChance has the car,” Jelly Bean said. “He drove me to school, and he’ll deliver all the food for us after school.”
    The rest of the day dragged. Thoughts of Sophie’s little sister filled my mind. Trudy was hungry, and we had a whole lot of food for her. It seemed too bad that she had to wait until three o’clock to get it.

CHAPTER THREE
    A t recess, Lauren said, “I Googled the Cedar Hill food bank last night. It’s in the main room of the Community Center, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from ten until two.”
    â€œDid it say what you have to do to receive food?” Abby asked. “Do you have to somehow prove that you qualify as low-income or can anyone show up and get free food?”
    â€œIt didn’t say,” Lauren said.
    â€œI’ll find out,” Shoeless said. “I’ll go there Saturday morning and ask for something to eat, and if they give it to me we’ll know you don’t have to fill out paperwork.”
    â€œThey probably don’t hand out food to kids,” Lauren said.
    â€œWhy not?” Shoeless said. “Kids get hungry. We got started on this project because of Sophie and Trudy. I’ll say I’m representing a community service project for the sixth grade at Challenger