finish up here tomorrow.”
“Since when is anybody living in that scary old place?”
Dunc shrugged. “The guy’s name is Professor Brainard. He just moved in a few days ago. My dad hasn’t actually met him yet. He makes most of his deals over the phone. The professor’s buying up a lot of real estate around town and everybody is wondering what he’s up to.”
Amos picked up his bike. “Are you sure we have to go out there?”
Dunc reached for his backpack and pulled out a large manila envelope. “Yup. That’s the address. Why?”
“Danny Johnson told Brian Watson that he and Benny Rodriguez saw some weird things going on out there a couple of weeks ago.”
“What kind of things?”
“Brian said they told him they saw colored lights and smoke coming from inside the house and then stuff started flying around in front of the windows.”
Dunc slid on his backpack. “Brian Watson also said he once played quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Come on.”
Amos sighed. “Okay. But if anything happens …”
“Nothing’s going to happen, Amos. Trust me.”
• 2
Dunc rode his bike through the ancient wrought-iron gate and down the long tree-lined gravel road to the old Grogan mansion. He stopped in front of the fenced-in yard and waited for Amos to catch up.
Amos pedaled up and leaned his bike against the iron bars of the fence. Vines had woven in and out of the bars like large green snakes, and weeds had completely overrun the yard and flower gardens.
Two hideous gargoyles with long forked tongues jutted out from the wall at the second story. Amos shuddered. “Who in theirright mind would want to live in a place like this?”
Dunc shrugged. “Maybe they’re planning on fixing it up.” He pulled the brown envelope out of his backpack and started down the walk.
Before he could take two steps the front door swung open and a pudgy little man stepped out. He was dressed in a suit, which he had barely managed to button around his middle.
“It’s Mayor Dudley,” Dunc whispered.
The little man walked past them without a word. He stared straight ahead and continued until he reached his car. Then he got in and drove away.
“That was strange.” Dunc frowned. “The mayor is usually a lot friendlier than that.”
“I guess he had something on his mind. Come on, let’s get your dad’s papers delivered so we can get out of here.”
There wasn’t a doorbell so Dunc raised the large brass knocker and let it fall. Almost immediately the massive wooden door creaked opened. A black cat brushed past their legs and a large man with a bored expressionon his long face looked down at them through half-closed eyes. “What you want?”
“Are you Professor Brainard?” Dunc asked.
“I’m Moose, his, uh, assistant. What you want him for?”
“I have something for the professor. Is he home?”
“I’ll give it to him.” The man thrust a muscular arm toward the envelope.
Dunc took a step back. “My dad said to deliver it to him personally.”
The man studied them a few seconds and then opened the door. “Okay. You can come in.” The door slammed shut behind them. “Don’t touch nothin’ while I find out if the professor wants to see you.” He left.
Amos stuck his elbow in Dunc’s ribs. “What’s all this stuff about personal delivery? I thought we just wanted to deliver the papers and get out of here.”
Dunc looked around the large musty-smelling room. Sheets were draped over the furniture and crates marked PRIVATE were stacked around the room. “I wanted to get alook inside the house. Something about this place is beginning to bother me. I can’t quite put my finger on it—”
“You can stop right there. I know what you’re doing because it’s what you always do. It’s what you live for. You think you’re going to find some big mystery in this creepy place, don’t you?” Amos started for the door. “Well, you can count me out. I don’t want anything to do with
“Since when is anybody living in that scary old place?”
Dunc shrugged. “The guy’s name is Professor Brainard. He just moved in a few days ago. My dad hasn’t actually met him yet. He makes most of his deals over the phone. The professor’s buying up a lot of real estate around town and everybody is wondering what he’s up to.”
Amos picked up his bike. “Are you sure we have to go out there?”
Dunc reached for his backpack and pulled out a large manila envelope. “Yup. That’s the address. Why?”
“Danny Johnson told Brian Watson that he and Benny Rodriguez saw some weird things going on out there a couple of weeks ago.”
“What kind of things?”
“Brian said they told him they saw colored lights and smoke coming from inside the house and then stuff started flying around in front of the windows.”
Dunc slid on his backpack. “Brian Watson also said he once played quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. Come on.”
Amos sighed. “Okay. But if anything happens …”
“Nothing’s going to happen, Amos. Trust me.”
• 2
Dunc rode his bike through the ancient wrought-iron gate and down the long tree-lined gravel road to the old Grogan mansion. He stopped in front of the fenced-in yard and waited for Amos to catch up.
Amos pedaled up and leaned his bike against the iron bars of the fence. Vines had woven in and out of the bars like large green snakes, and weeds had completely overrun the yard and flower gardens.
Two hideous gargoyles with long forked tongues jutted out from the wall at the second story. Amos shuddered. “Who in theirright mind would want to live in a place like this?”
Dunc shrugged. “Maybe they’re planning on fixing it up.” He pulled the brown envelope out of his backpack and started down the walk.
Before he could take two steps the front door swung open and a pudgy little man stepped out. He was dressed in a suit, which he had barely managed to button around his middle.
“It’s Mayor Dudley,” Dunc whispered.
The little man walked past them without a word. He stared straight ahead and continued until he reached his car. Then he got in and drove away.
“That was strange.” Dunc frowned. “The mayor is usually a lot friendlier than that.”
“I guess he had something on his mind. Come on, let’s get your dad’s papers delivered so we can get out of here.”
There wasn’t a doorbell so Dunc raised the large brass knocker and let it fall. Almost immediately the massive wooden door creaked opened. A black cat brushed past their legs and a large man with a bored expressionon his long face looked down at them through half-closed eyes. “What you want?”
“Are you Professor Brainard?” Dunc asked.
“I’m Moose, his, uh, assistant. What you want him for?”
“I have something for the professor. Is he home?”
“I’ll give it to him.” The man thrust a muscular arm toward the envelope.
Dunc took a step back. “My dad said to deliver it to him personally.”
The man studied them a few seconds and then opened the door. “Okay. You can come in.” The door slammed shut behind them. “Don’t touch nothin’ while I find out if the professor wants to see you.” He left.
Amos stuck his elbow in Dunc’s ribs. “What’s all this stuff about personal delivery? I thought we just wanted to deliver the papers and get out of here.”
Dunc looked around the large musty-smelling room. Sheets were draped over the furniture and crates marked PRIVATE were stacked around the room. “I wanted to get alook inside the house. Something about this place is beginning to bother me. I can’t quite put my finger on it—”
“You can stop right there. I know what you’re doing because it’s what you always do. It’s what you live for. You think you’re going to find some big mystery in this creepy place, don’t you?” Amos started for the door. “Well, you can count me out. I don’t want anything to do with
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