Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach

crackling noisily.
    â€œI can’t read this,” Jack announced.
    â€œThat’s because you can’t read,” Simon said.
    â€œI can read.” Jack glowered at him. “I can’t read this . The letters are too small, and it’s got too many big words.”
    â€œI’ll help you,” said a familiar voice.

CHAPTER 10
    THE MISSING
    T HEY TURNED TO SEE D ELILAH standing by the shelves watching them.
    â€œYou followed us,” Simon said accusingly.
    â€œNo, I didn’t.”
    â€œThen what are you doing here?”
    â€œI just felt like coming to the library,” Delilah said nonchalantly. She pulled up a chair next to Jack’s. “Here,” she said. “That says ‘Pioneer Days Draw Big Crowd.’”
    â€œHe doesn’t need your help,” Henry said. “Jack, just read the headlines. If anything important happened, it’ll be in big letters.”
    â€œLook!” said Jack. “It’s a picture of the parade.”
    The top newspaper on Jack’s pile had a grainy black-and-white picture of the Pioneer Days Parade. Delilah’s ribbon-festooned bike was nowhere to be seen, thank goodness.
    â€œWhat are you looking for?” Delilah asked.
    Henry and Simon exchanged beleaguered glances. “Nothing,” they said simultaneously.
    â€œJust tell me. I’ll look too.”
    Henry hesitated. There were too many newspapers to cover by themselves, especially with Jack not able to read very well. He glanced at Simon. “It would go faster.…”
    â€œYeah,” Delilah echoed.
    Simon relented. “Okay, you can go through Jack’s pile with him. We’re looking for stories about Superstition Mountain. About anything bad that happened up there.”
    Delilah scooted her chair closer to the table and gamely sifted through the pages. “Why do you think something bad happened on the mountain?” she asked.
    Henry slid over to make more room for her. “Well, are you allowed to go up there?”
    Delilah considered. “No. When my mom’s at work, I’m not supposed to go anywhere outside the neighborhood. She’s afraid I’ll get lost. Or somebody will take me.”
    Simon snorted. “Are you kidding? Nobody is going to take you.” Delilah scowled at him, but he continued casually, “Is your mom at work right now?”

    She nodded, turning newspaper pages.
    â€œAha!” Simon crowed. “When we were at your house, you said she was napping. ”
    â€œThat was this morning,” Delilah said calmly.
    Henry studied her. “So she really was napping?”
    â€œNo,” Delilah replied, unperturbed. “She was at work.”
    Jack jumped to his feet on the chair and thrust his finger in her face, shouting, “You lied!”
    â€œShhh, Jack,” Henry and Simon both hissed at once.
    â€œNo, I didn’t,” Delilah said evenly. “My mom might have been napping at work . Her job is really boring. And anyway, I’m not supposed to tell strangers I’m home alone.”
    Henry shot a defeated look at Simon. This girl had an answer for everything. But he was mildly interested in the idea of Delilah being left home on her own. Mr. and Mrs. Barker claimed that even Simon was too young for that yet. Another kid’s family was like a whole other civilization, Henry often thought—different rules and habits, different snacks that were allowed or forbidden, different bedtimes and acceptable television shows.
    â€œWell, you are still a LIAR, ” Jack declared, undeterred, and Henry felt glad, in this case, that it was impossible to reason with him.
    Delilah ignored him. She shuffled through the papers as he leaned over her, peppering her with deafening whispers, “What does that say?” “What’s that one?”
    After a few minutes, she sat back in her chair and said, “It’s a boring town. Nothing happens