LITMIR.BIZ

Скачать книгу

when she told it to Mom. You do that all the time too. Right, Grandpa?”

      “No.”

      “Maybe you should try it. It worked with us and Mrs. Delong.”

      “This Pamela person.”

      “Yep,” Rachael said. “She is just so cool with us kids on stuff parents do not need to know.”

      At first it was quiet at the other end. Then their grandfather muttered to himself, something Rachael could not quite understand, but it probably included some swear words. “What did you say, Grandpa?”

      “I said, do you have a copy of that email Mr. Lasnikov sent you?”

      “Yes, we printed one and then deleted the message from Mom’s laptop. Why?” Rachael grinned at Alexa as they high-fived.

      Mission accomplished!

      “How about if I stop over in a few minutes. I want to take a look at this mysterious email for myself.”

      “Will you tell Grandma?”

      “I told you. She is working late at the store tonight. The big push to wrap up Halloween, you know. Tomorrow will be the same, even though it is Saturday.”

      “Cool,” Rachael said. “I mean, I am sorry she must work but it will give us time to get together and talk about our plan.”

      “You two Super Kids will be the death of me yet. See you in a few minutes.”

      Rachael hung up the phone and looked at her sister. “How did I do, Lex?”

      “Rache, you are awful. Why did you tell Grandpa such a story?”

      “To get him to help us. That is what we wanted all along.”

      “Mrs. Delong, though. It was not the way you told it.”

      “I know, but it got the job done.”

      “It was just a stupid vase that got broken at Pam’s--Mrs. Delong’s--house. She hated that vase, the whole thing was an accident, so she never told Mom.”

      “Do NOT tell Grandpa.”

      “Rache, how could you?”

      Rachael merely smiled. “Take a lesson from the story master, Lex. You want results, just call me.”

      CHAPTER 3

      GRANDPA AT THE DOOR

      “Let me get it,” Rachael said when the doorbell rang.

      She ran to the front door, peeked out, unlocked and pulled. Their dismayed grandfather stood there.

      “Thanks for coming, Grandpa. So glad to see you.”

      “Yeah, right,” he mumbled and stepped in.

      “Here, let me take your coat.”

      “Your sister here too?”

      “Of course I am, Grandpa,” said Alexa as she peeped out from the kitchen, reluctant to join them. This would be a great time to use my newfound power of invisibility, she thought. “How are you doing?”

      “I have seen better days. For one thing, I should be home at the moment, preparing your grandmother’s dinner.”

      “Yeah, sorry about that. Like you said about that good old crock pot, though...” Alexa entered the foyer, followed by their beagle Peanut. The loving pooch made a big crying dancing fuss over Grandpa as he returned the greeting (Without the crying and dancing, of course!). In their adventures Peanut played a key role as home monitor for the Casaday superhero family. She faithfully provided the eyes and ears to protect them from outside dangers. Grandpa understood.

      After an awkward pause he continued, “Okay, so where is this message from our dear friend Mr. Lasnikov.”

      “On the kitchen counter. I printed a copy,” Rachael said.

      Grandpa and the girls went to the kitchen, followed by Peanut and her squeaky chew toy, something she used constantly to break the tension in situations such as this. She failed today.

      “You want a hot apple cider, Grandpa? It will only take--”

      “Alexa. I want to see the note.”

      “Yeah, sure.”

      He leaned over the counter and stared at their printout:

      To: Alexa Casaday, Rachael Casaday

      Subject: Parting Gift

      My Dear Casaday Sisters:

      In my haste this afternoon I forgot to leave a keepsake for you. It is a key to unlock the portal beyond the large blue door that you no doubt saw in the factory. By taking that door you will enter the vast system of tunnels beneath the building. You will be astounded by the treasures you discover. Also, by unlocking the portal you can free your friend Mr. Fromme. We provided minimum nourishment for his survival, so he is no doubt in a severely weakened condition. Alas. Such is life for the undead.

      I buried the key on the northern side of the office building. Your grandfather will recognize the spot of recently disturbed soil. Lift the stone marker and dig down six inches. You will find that key in a jeweled gold box.

      If you dig down another twelve inches you will also discover the remains of the late Mrs. Edwina Fromme.

      Good-bye for now.

      Your next adventure awaits.

      DL

      Grandpa reread the note, shaking his head. Both girls fidgeted, waiting for his response. Finally he looked away.

      “Okay. I saw enough, you two.”

      “What is our plan, Grandpa?” asked Rachael, eager to move forward.

      “Plan? You do not get it, do you? There is no stinking plan, except to stay away from that factory.”

      “Grandpa--”

      “No, Rachael! I could think of a dozen reasons to run from this so-called adventure. Be smart for a change and throw that message into the trash.”

      “What about Mr. Fromme?” Rachael stared into his face--a pleading fixed look.

      “Fromme? Did you read what it said? Your so-called victim is not even human. He must be a vampire, maybe a zombie. Who knows?”

      “Maybe he is a good vampire. There is such a thing, from what I read online.”

      “Then again, maybe not, Rachael. Perhaps he is just one of those standard everyday vampires who sucks your blood and makes you one of the undead.” He suddenly realized what he said. “Oh no! Now I sound like a believer in all this silliness, too.”

      I need to provide another angle, Rachael thought to herself. Quickly. “You saw the note. According to what it said, Mr. Fromme is very weak, so even if he is a vampire--”

      “Good or bad, as you say.”

      “Yes, Grandpa...he is too sick to hurt us, even if he wanted.” Rachael could see the wheels turning as their grandfather pondered.

      Grandpa Maguire shrugged and looked at the two girls. “To venture down, beneath that nasty old factory, into some god-awful catacombs--”

      “Mr. Lasnikov called it a land of treasures. Something like that.”

      “That is another thing. Are you sure Lasnikov left New Jersey for Washington?”

      Alexa remained quiet the first few minutes--until now. “He said he was leaving when we saw him today.”

      “You cannot trust that conniving old fiend to do what he says, Alexa. After what happened the last few days I have no confidence in his word. Period.”

      “I side with Lex on this one--something I never do,”

Скачать книгу