Читать книгу Casaday Girls, Book 2: The Creature Returns - Michael Markey - Страница 5

“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,” Rachael said, jumping back in on the conversation. “Mr. Lasnikov is on a bigger mission and he cannot accomplish it hanging around our town.”

Grandpa thought. He needed a fresh approach to this problem. “Even if you are right, and he left Voorhees, think about what you plan to do. The two of you are gonna dig up the key, go back into that dark filthy building, and venture down into a moldy cavern full of who-knows-what. Maybe this tomb will be loaded with slimy creatures--snakes, spiders, and other nasty vermin.”

Alexa’s eyes widened.

“You really want to do that?” Grandpa continued.

She shivered. Even THINKING about those things made her squirm and she knew Rachael was not far behind in sharing her thoughts. If they were to see even a spider web--

“We are too brave to let that bother us, Grandpa. Lex and I can do it, you know,” Rachael said. Need to show Grandpa our confidence.

“Yeah, uh, if that is what Rachael tells you. Bravery got us through it the last time, right?” Alexa added. What did I say? I must be crazy.

Grandpa stared at Peanut. Wish I had the gift of communication with animals. Maybe I could get YOU to talk some sense into them. He looked back at his granddaughters, giving them a weak smile. “What was this bonding thing between you kids and Mrs. Delong? Why would she lie to your mother to get you out of trouble?”

Rachael laughed nervously. “Funny you should mention that, Grandpa. I guess I made too big a deal about it.”

“A big deal?”

“Well, we had a little party at the Delong house--some of us soccer players, plus a few others--like Lex. Things got crazy that day. You know how kids are, Grandpa.”

He could only nod his head in reply.

“Well, we were dancing, and a vase got knocked over in the game room. There was china stuff--tiny pieces--all over the place. I am not totally sure, but maybe I was in the middle of things when it happened.”

“You have no clue?” asked Grandpa

“You were right there. I saw you, Rache,” Alexa said, to keep the blame in her sister’s corner.

“So things got out of hand.”

“Yeah, Grandpa. As it turned out, it was not all that big a deal to Pam.”

“Mrs. Delong.”

“Yeah...Pam. She told us later not to worry about it. She really hated the vase.”

Grandpa Maguire gritted his teeth as he studied what she just said. Rachael immediately recognized her slip.

“Now that I think about it, though, it could have been an expensive--” she continued.

“Hold on, grandchild. You told me a little while ago that Mrs. Delong got you out of a jam, kept it a secret from your parents, and that she would not hesitate to run you girls back out to certain danger at the old factory building. This was your backup plan when I said, ‘no way.’”

“The broken vase MIGHT have been big trouble. How do I know? What if maybe it was an urn that had her aunt’s ashes in it.”

“It was not anybody’s ashes, right? It was a piece of junk that did not matter to anyone. Especially Mrs. Delong.”

Rachael slowly nodded.

“You think adults will do what you want, strictly based on a minor incident like that? Behind your parents’ back?”

“Rache, I told you Grandpa would not buy it.”

“Lex--just shut up.”

“That is no way to talk to your sister.”

Grandpa is right, but I need to be more convincing. Time for Plan B. Hopefully it will be an award-winning performance. Rachael began to sniff. Tears trickled down her cheeks. “What else can I say to make you change your mind? Yes, it was scary out at that big old building, and who knows what we might find there now. However, we think Mr. Lasnikov is correct. The sickly old man is trapped in the tunnels and if we let him there something terrible will happen to him. I will feel awful for the rest of my life if we do nothing to save him.”

“If this man is dangerous, why in the world should we pull off this rescue mission?” Grandpa asked.

“That is the issue. Rachael and I think that if he was a dangerous vampire, he would have gotten out of this tomb on his own. He would regain the strength to heal without our help.”

Alexa entered the conversation again. “Maybe he did. How do we know that he is still there?”

The answer was obvious. Rachael said it aloud. “Only one way to know for sure. We must go back.”

“Aw, guys--” Grandpa began.

“I told you a moment ago. I read all kinds of stories about good vampires and all the cool things they do for people. I bet Mr. Fromme is one of them,” said Rachael.

Grandpa shook his head and sat down. “You better make me that hot cider now.”

While Alexa got to work Rachael dried her eyes with a tissue.

“This next question scares me, but I suppose you two have all the answers for this one, too. What are going to tell your parents so that we can slip away and investigate? After what happened last time they will get suspicious, not to mention the part where they will go crazy. Your folks are not as dumb as you think.”

“Yeah, we know.”

“Grandma too, Rachael. You know I am powerless to fool her.”

Grandpa is beginning to cave, thought Rachael. I can feel it. “How about telling our parents you are taking us Christmas shopping? The holiday will be here before you know it and we do need to find stuff for Mom and Dad.”

“Rache. Can we get through Halloween first?” asked Alexa.

“Sounds like a good year to start early for a change, girls. We can make it a little family shopping adventure, and it will get us out of the house for an afternoon.”

“We could also include Grandma’s gifts, too. Have you started with her shopping, Grandpa?” Alexa asked as she brought his cider.

“Of course not, kids. I usually wait until the last possible minute.”

“Make an exception this year. We could say we are helping you with holiday ideas. Make sense?”

“It might work. A lame excuse like that, Rachael,” he said and took a small sip from his cup. “Wait a darned minute! What are you pulling on me?”

Rachael ignored the remark. “The next question is, when do we do it?”

“Oh dear. This is moving too fast,” said Grandpa.

“Tomorrow is Saturday.” Rachael pressed forward despite his objections. “Neither one of us has anything going in the morning, so tomorrow is ideal.”

“We can take a ride back to that factory, off to rescue Mr. Fromme in this new adventure,” Alexa added.

“We must take garlic--and a crucifix, right? It is a religious thing, I know, but in my mind--”

“Of course, Grandpa. Whatever you want.”

“Oh, and in case Fromme is NOT the good vampire you hope for, how about if I bring along a hammer and wooden stakes,” Grandpa added.

“Oh! That is so gross.”

“Alexa, I take no chances this time--to protect all three of us.”

“A hammer and stakes. Really?”

“What if we go down into the underground place and we discover more of them?”

At that point Peanut came to Grandpa for a little ear-scratching attention. Alexa could read the pup’s mind as she did so. Good thought, Grandpa. Maybe I could go along, to bark like crazy and scare off these vampires. They mean well but these two sisters take too many risks.

Thanks, girl. The three of us can handle it, Alexa mentally cut in and replied to Peanut.

“Okay, we go prepared this time,” said Rachael.

“I’ll pick up more garlic tomorrow before I stop by. Nobody questions a large quantity buy of that stuff in Jersey.”

“Would ten o’clock be too early?” Alexa asked.

“Definitely not. I like the idea of approaching that old factory in total daylight, girls.”

“Hope it is not too late to rescue the old guy, Grandpa.”

“Alexa, if this all turns out the way you hope, what is your next step?”

“Huh?”

“Well, if Mr. Fromme is down there and he is still alive--barely, we predict--what happens then? Do we just take him home and dump the guy on his front porch?” Good questions from Grandpa.

Alexa and Rachael looked at each other.

“Should we take him to the hospital?” Rachael asked.

“If we do, I hope your friend has some kind of vampire health insurance plan. These places do not work for free, you know.”

“Guess we can decide that when the time comes.”

“Oh boy. Here I go again, getting mixed up in one of your crazy schemes,” Grandpa mumbled as he shook his head one more time.”