Ghost Town Read Online Free Page A

How could she leave Kelley at a time like this? The show was being put together for all of the kids with disabilities at the stable, and Kelley had been looking forward to the whole family being there to see her ride. Plus, Katani had wanted to help out at the event.
    â€œDon’t worry. I’ll be there, Kelley,” Patrice said from the doorway. Katani wasn’t sure how long Patrice had been standing there. “And I’ll borrow my friend’s video camera. We’ll videotape the whole thing, and Katani can watch it when she gets back.”
    Kelley still looked a little skeptical.
    â€œYou’ll see, Kelley. We’ll all be there to cheer you on. I bet Candice will even come home from college,” Patrice said, giving Kelley’s hand a squeeze. “Katani will be sending you cheers, too . . . all the way from Montana!”
    Kelley’s grimace slowly turned into a grin. “Okay,” she conceded, “but Katani, you have to watch my Wilbur video the
minute
you get back.”

CHAPTER
4
The Big Idea
    Whoa! Maeve, slow down,” Avery said between bites. “You lost me somewhere between Cary Grant and mucho spending money.”
    â€œHey! You’re the one who wanted me to hurry up!” Maeve protested. She checked her watch. Yikes! With all their different after-school activities, she was able to get only fifteen minutes with the BSG at Montoya’s to brainstorm for the Western Movie Festival.
    I guess that’s just life when your friends are very busy and important
, Maeve thought to herself with a smug smile.
    â€œMaeve and Isabel need help raising the two hundred dollars for the trip,” Katani explained matter-of-factly. “So we’re all going to pitch in by setting up a food table at the Western Movie Festival this weekend.”
    â€œOh! That does sound cool!” Avery motioned for Maeve to continue.
    â€œAs I was saying,” Maeve said, taking a deep, dramaticbreath, “I thought we could have a real hoedown.”
    â€œA hoedown?” Isabel asked. “Isn’t that, like, a square dance or something?”
    â€œYou know what I mean—a western theme. I loved the way Charlotte decorated her place for the brunch. Imagine the Movie House like that—bales of hay, red bandanas, cowboy hats. Ooh, I have this sequined cowgirl outfit from my dance class that’d be perfect!”
    â€œMaeve, I’m not sure the decorations and costumes are what we should be worrying about right now,” Katani started to say.
    The girls exchanged looks as Maeve presented her to-do list with a grand “ta-dah!”
    â€œMaeve, there are like twenty-five different things there,” Charlotte exclaimed.
    â€œI have an idea. Why don’t we just stick to snack food?” Isabel suggested. “People love to grab quick snacks at the movies.”
    â€œBut . . .” Maeve protested, afraid that her dream of a western hoedown feast was being swept away like popcorn on the Movie House floor.
    â€œMaeve,” Katani said, “the point here isn’t to throw a huge party with gourmet food. It’s to raise as much money as we can in a short amount of time. So I say we pick things that are cheap and that we can sell for a good profit. And we can all wear bandanas!”
    Maeve looked at Katani like she was speaking Greek.
    â€œTrust me, Maeve,” Katani reasoned. “In this case, less is definitely more.”
    â€œElena Maria makes a great homemade salsa. Andtortilla chips from warehouse stores are always super cheap,” Isabel recommended.
    â€œGreat idea!” Avery agreed. “Your sister’s salsa rocks!”
    â€œAnd she also makes the best jalapeño cornbread,” Isabel proudly assured them.
    â€œHey, I bet my brother would help us. He makes the most awesome cookies and cupcakes,” Avery added.
    â€œYour brother would really do that?” Maeve asked.
    Avery nodded