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The Lunatic Cafe :: Гамильтон Лорел
Страница: 206 из 234I heard footsteps behind me.
"Louie, are you down here?"
Something moved in the darkness below me. It sounded big. "Louie?"
Elvira was standing at the head of the stairs. She was framed by the light, as if standing in a body-sized halo. "Ms. Blake, I must insist you get off my property this moment."
My skin was still twitching with whatever had been on the lock. Only my hand on the banister kept me standing. "You do the spell on the door?"
"Yes."
"You're good."
"Not good enough apparently. Now, really I must insist you come up the stairs and get off my property."
A low growl came up from the darkness. It didn't sound much like a rat, and it certainly didn't sound human.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," I said.
The growling got louder, closer. Something large and furry darted across the pale band of light. The glimpse was enough. I could always say I thought it was Louie. I leaned against the banister and screamed. I screamed for help with every ounce of sound I could make.
Elvira darted a took behind her. I heard the distant yells of police coming in the front door.
"Curse you."
"Words are cheap," I said.
"It will be more than words when I have the time."
"Knock yourself out."
She ran into the house, not away. Was I wrong? Had Louie been inside all along, and I was down here with a different fur ball? Was it Jason?
"Jason?"
Something came to the stairs and peered up into the dim light. It was a dog. A big, furry mutt dog, the size of a pony, but it wasn't a shapeshifter.
"Damn."
It growled at me again. I got up and started to back up the stairs. I didn't want to hurt it if I didn't have to. Where was Dolph? He should have been back here by now.
The dog let me ease back up the steps. Apparently it was only supposed to protect the basement. Fine with me.
"Nice doggy."
I eased up until I could touch the broken door. I slammed it shut, holding the doorknob. The dog hit it with a roaring crash. Its own weight kept the door closed.
I opened the back door, slowly. The kitchen was long, narrow, and mostly white. Voices came from farther in the house. A low growl filled the house, reverberating. The sound raised the hair on my neck.
"No one has to get hurt here," Dolph said.
"That's right," Elvira said. "Leave now, and no one gets hurt."
"We can't do that.
"Louie, are you down here?"
Something moved in the darkness below me. It sounded big. "Louie?"
Elvira was standing at the head of the stairs. She was framed by the light, as if standing in a body-sized halo. "Ms. Blake, I must insist you get off my property this moment."
My skin was still twitching with whatever had been on the lock. Only my hand on the banister kept me standing. "You do the spell on the door?"
"Yes."
"You're good."
"Not good enough apparently. Now, really I must insist you come up the stairs and get off my property."
A low growl came up from the darkness. It didn't sound much like a rat, and it certainly didn't sound human.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are," I said.
The growling got louder, closer. Something large and furry darted across the pale band of light. The glimpse was enough. I could always say I thought it was Louie. I leaned against the banister and screamed. I screamed for help with every ounce of sound I could make.
Elvira darted a took behind her. I heard the distant yells of police coming in the front door.
"Curse you."
"Words are cheap," I said.
"It will be more than words when I have the time."
"Knock yourself out."
She ran into the house, not away. Was I wrong? Had Louie been inside all along, and I was down here with a different fur ball? Was it Jason?
"Jason?"
Something came to the stairs and peered up into the dim light. It was a dog. A big, furry mutt dog, the size of a pony, but it wasn't a shapeshifter.
"Damn."
It growled at me again. I got up and started to back up the stairs. I didn't want to hurt it if I didn't have to. Where was Dolph? He should have been back here by now.
The dog let me ease back up the steps. Apparently it was only supposed to protect the basement. Fine with me.
"Nice doggy."
I eased up until I could touch the broken door. I slammed it shut, holding the doorknob. The dog hit it with a roaring crash. Its own weight kept the door closed.
I opened the back door, slowly. The kitchen was long, narrow, and mostly white. Voices came from farther in the house. A low growl filled the house, reverberating. The sound raised the hair on my neck.
"No one has to get hurt here," Dolph said.
"That's right," Elvira said. "Leave now, and no one gets hurt."
"We can't do that.