CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: This Chancy Rendezvous

As Annie walked away from Halstead, past the dense row of pine trees and bushes that bordered the winding road, she shivered with the cold and pulled her new muffler up higher. Well, new to me, at any rate, she thought with a smile. The very muffler Michael had worn as the drunken coachman in The Mummy, thank you very much! Inhaling the tobacco and cedar smell of the old wool, she chuckled at the memory of her victory at Monday night’s trivia contest. Even after the horrors Michael had evoked with the story about his director friend, she’d managed to recover in time to trounce her only real competition – some creepy know-it-all grad student down from Miskatonic who thought he was in for easy pickings. She showed him. As if she wouldn’t know which two actors were first offered the Donald Pleasence role in Halloween! When she’d returned that night flush with victory, Archie had just laughed and shaken his head at the pile of prizes that she’d strewn in his lap. He’d been happy though, because, for a little while at least, she’d been happy, too.

Archie. Annie sighed and felt her good humor abruptly fade. Even with what she’d just written to Maria, even though she’d promised herself she wouldn’t let things affect her relationship with Archie, she knew they already had. She knew she was pulling away from him, disconnecting, as if doing that could prevent something bad from happening to him. She hadn’t told him about Michael’s story, hadn’t shared with him her concerns about the evil she felt sure Carandini was plotting. She hadn’t told him about the letter she’d written and was about to send, because she knew he’d insist on driving her, or walking with her. He’d want to know what was so important she needed to post it in the dead of night. She just couldn’t get him involved. And she certainly hadn’t told him what she’d done last Tuesday.

Her half-day off had been spent at the Port Legard library searching the Internet, but she’d only gotten hits that referenced Carandini’s papers and lectures on history, literature and archeology. Desperate to find something incriminating, anything to prove that the professor was up to no good, she’d waited yesterday until he’d gone into the village with Ronnie, then she'd searched his room thoroughly. Annie thought her heart would hammer right out her chest, she’d been so sure that he’d come back to find her rifling through his things. Nothing she saw, however, told her he was anything but what he said he was - an extremely well off, obsessively tidy and well-educated man. The copy of Faust in the original German that lay on his bedside table, while ironic, would hardly convict the guy. There had to be someplace else in the manor he was using. Some other room or hidey-hole.

She knew she could manage to wheedle some information out of Edmund; unfortunately she also knew the easiest way to get on his good side would also be the most unpleasant. Yet another reason not to confide in Archie, Annie realized. He’d never forgive her.

Thunder rumbled in the distance and Annie felt a few drops of rain on her head. “Great. Thank you so much,” she called up to the sky. “It never rains here except when I have to walk two miles into town.”

Picking up her pace, Annie passed the bend in the road where the forest cut off all view of Halstead. Fumbling in her coat pocket, she pulled out a flashlight and clicked the switch.

Nothing happened.

“Well, fuck,” she muttered, shaking it. "I just changed the damn batteries…”

That was when she heard the rustling in the bushes behind her.

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Edmund knocked on the bedroom door, the red letter clutched in his fist. He nervously glanced up and down the hallway, then smoothed back his hair and hoped he didn’t look as sick as he felt.

The door cracked open and a young boy frowned up at him.

“What do you want?” the child asked suspiciously.

“Uh, hi…” Edmund said, attempting a smile. “Antoine, isn’t it?

“It’s Tony,” the boy glowered.

Edmund raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, whoa. Whatever. Sorry, Tony. I’m Edmund.”

“So?”

“So…I’m here to see your Mommy.”

Tony leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms. “Are you a servant or what?”

Edmund gritted his teeth and calmed himself by imagining dear little Tony’s head on a pike. “Just…get her for me, will ya, kid? Before I-“

A soft voice called out from inside the room. “Tony? Who is that? Is it-“

“Ronnie? It’s me, Edmund. I…got your note.”

Edmund started to ease past Tony into the room, but the boy’s next words froze him to the spot.

“I wonder wonder wonder,” Tony whispered in a singsong voice, his eyes bright with malice, ”what the professor would say….”


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In the secret passageway alongside Roderick’s bedroom, Alexandra backed away from the disturbing and distasteful scene she’d just witnessed, wanting nothing more than to blot the image from her mind. In her haste, however, she snagged her heel on the hem of her gown and lost her balance. Twisting around, she managed to stop her fall by grabbing onto a jagged outcropping where the plaster had crumbled away. Pulling herself back up and catching her breath, she realized that one of the bricks had come loose in her hand. She was about to replace it when something caught her eye. There was something in the hole reflecting the dim light and sparkling back at her. Carefully pulling out a few more bricks, she reached in and slowly drew out what looked to be a large amulet on a heavy chain. It was hard to make out the design, but Alexandra thought it must be of a face – yes, and those two rubies are its eyes! Trembling with excitement and wondering if there was anything else to be found, she eagerly stretched her hand farther into the hole. She touched something smooth and solid, and with a little effort she was able to pull the heavy object out. Large and square, it was wrapped in oilskin and secured with leather straps. A gasp of delight escaped her lips. A book? Perhaps the very sort of book she was looking for! She had to get back to her own room and examine it – quickly!


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Annie turned at the sound and peered into the dark, but the rustling had stopped. She shrugged, blaming the wind and her imagination, and continued down the road.

A few paces later, the noise came again, and this time it was accompanied by a low moaning sound.

“Okay, whoever or whatever that is,” she called out, still walking calmly, but feeling her pulse start to race, “you are fucking with the wrong girl here. I’m not one of those bimbos who starts running through the forest at the slightest sound and then trips over a damn root while looking back to see if the monster is following her. That ain’t gonna happen here, so just forget it. “

She gripped the flashlight more tightly, slapping it against her thigh as she walked. The noise behind her was getting louder, moving with her, but whatever it was, was staying hidden amongst the trees.

“And if you are just some pervert,” she said, raising her voice even more, “you should know I am perfectly capable of ripping your balls off and sending them home with you in a box.” Annie chose her moment carefully, and then swung around with the flashlight, intending to throw it at the sound. As she raised it up, however, the light suddenly came on, illuminating the bushes in front of her.

Two huge eyes reflected back at her like a pair of glowing silver dollars, and Annie could make out what seemed to be two gleaming rows of teeth, pulled back in a red, wet grimace. The awful face looked directly at her and snarled.

“Oh my god,” she whispered in horror. “Nice…kitty?”

Backing away, she stumbled into the middle of the road, knowing she had no chance of outrunning the thing or fighting it off with her flashlight. She could tell the monster was readying itself to spring, when suddenly its attention was diverted by something off in the distance. Then Annie heard it too – it was car, and it was coming from Halstead! Bright lights came swiftly around the corner, and with an angry roar, the thing in the bushes bounded away. Annie ran towards the oncoming headlights, frantically waving her arms and yelling. The driver slammed on his brakes and expertly skidded to a stop only a few feet away from her.

“Thank you so much for stopping!” Annie crossed quickly around to the driver's side. “I’m sorry I jumped out at you like that, but-“

As the car window rolled down to reveal her anonymous savior, Annie’s words caught in her throat.

“My dear…Annie, isn’t it?” said Professor Wilton Carandini, giving her a cool smile. “Don’t you know how dangerous it is for little girls to be out in the woods at night all alone?”



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Alex made it back to her room without further incident, tightly clutching her new discoveries. Setting them down on her vanity table, she cut the rotting leather straps off the package with a pair of sewing scissors and tore away the wrapping. She nearly shouted with joy; inside was exactly what she’d hoped for - a very large and very old book that had all the markings of a grimoire. It was edged with metal clasps and secured, unfortunately, with a heavy padlock. Well, locks are made to be broken, she thought. The book had no title, only three wide black burn marks on the dark leather cover. She traced one of the marks with her forefinger and felt an odd tingle run up her arm. The marks made a double cross: one parallel line with two horizontal lines bisecting it. But as she turned the book sideways to look at the lock more closely, she realized that the slashes formed the letter “H”.


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“Good heavens. A giant…cat, you say?” Carandini asked, raising an eyebrow. He downshifted and expertly negotiated the sleek sedan around another sharp turn. Annie had to stifle an insane impulse to laugh when she realized she was sitting in a black Jaguar.

But between the monster in the woods and the one driving, I'm not sure which is more dangerous.

“I really don't know what it was…sir," Annie finally replied. She looked away from Carandini and kept her eyes on the road. It had started to rain in earnest, and the steady tick of the windshield wipers filled the silence. Settling back into her plush leather seat, Annie forced herself to relax and tried to collect her thoughts. After her little display of hysterics on the road back there, she’d had no other choice than to accept the professor’s insistent offer of a ride into town.Obviously, he didn’t believe her. That didn’t matter. What was important now was making sure he did believe that she was absolutely no threat to him.

I am a non-entity I am just a brainless servant nothing to see here nope nothing at all just keep moving…

“I…oh, sir, I guess I just got spooked. I sure thought something was following me. It was probably just a stray…dog.”

“Whatever it was, I am only glad I saw you in time.”

He’s going to ask you why you are out here. Make up something, quick.

“I guess I deserve to be scared out of my wits. Heh, that’s what I get for sneaking out on my own just to have a beer with my friends in town.”

Carandini gave a dry chuckle. “Ah, but how can you be blamed when there is so little here to stimulate a young person such as yourself? Forgive me for saying so, but you do not strike me as someone who is suited to the life of a menial servant. I confess to a certain...curiosity about you, Annie.”

Ok, so much for blending into the woodwork…

“I’m just trying to do my job, sir. That’s all.”

“And you do it splendidly, my dear! In fact, you seem to do the job of ten!” Carandini cut her a sharp glance. “My room has never been cleaned so…meticulously.”

Annie looked down at her hands, carefully schooling her face to show no reaction. Oh crap, he knows I searched his room. He’s just playing with me now, he’s going to pull the car over any second now and make me cut out my own heart, and boy is that going to mess up this nice leather interior; he’s going to…Don’t let him know what you’re thinking don’t think of red eyes and blood and...think of something else…anything else…song lyrics, that’s it!

Annie started humming a favorite Cars tune under her breath.

'Oh well uh you might think I'm crazy to hang around with you…'

Carandini gave her a quizzical look. “I meant no insult, my dear,” he said in a reassuring tone. “I merely meant that with your obvious talents, you seem to be capable of so much more than changing sheets and…dusting antiques.”

What the hell…? Was he trying to get into her head? Or into her pants? Damndamndamn don’t think don’t... ’You think you're in the movies and everything's so deep’…

Peering ahead desperately, Annie finally saw what she’d been waiting for – the lights of Port Legard, dead ahead.

“OH LOOK, here we are! You can just let me off on the corner there, sir. I’ll be fine. I really appreciate you stopping for-"

Carandini showed no sign of slowing the car. “You know, Annie, I can read most people like a book.” His voice was low and soft, seductive. “But you…intrigue me…”

Carandini lifted his right hand from the wheel, and for a horrifying moment Annie feared he was going to touch her.

That was when the realization hit her. That’s how he does it! He can’t control you unless he makes physical contact! Don’t let him-

The tension was shattered by the wail of an ambulance approaching fast behind them. Carandini glanced in his rear view mirror and frowned, then put his hand back on the wheel and pulled over to let the ambulance pass.

Annie suddenly had an awful premonition that had nothing to do with Carandini; something bad had happened in town to someone she knew. Really bad. Please don't let it be Michael. Let Michael be okay, she prayed to herself. Please don’t let it be at-

The ambulance stopped in front of the Slaughtered Lamb.

Annie leapt out of the car before Carandini could pull away again, and she ran towards the small crowd gathered in front of the pub. The red lights from the ambulance flashed in the rain, casting a weird strobe effect over the scene. A police car was parked there, too, and the static drone of the radio dispatcher's voice could be heard calling another unit to the scene. Annie frantically searched the crowd for a familiar face – there!

Michael stood huddled in the doorway, talking to the sheriff. Even at a distance, she could see that her friend looked awful; his face was gray with shock and misery. She was about to cross over to him when the policemen parted the crowd. Annie could now see what had been covered from view – it appeared to be a crimson-spattered pile of clothes on a stretcher. But as the paramedics lifted it up, a long white arm was exposed, and Annie could see that it was streaked in blood.

“What a shame,” murmured a voice close behind her, startling her. It was Carandini. She hadn't even sensed his approach.

Annie turned to reply, so surprised by the man's sympathetic comment that, for a moment, she forgot to be afraid. But any response she might have had was stilled by the look on his face - it was one of utter disdain. Annie then realized Carandini was gazing, not at the pitiful corpse being loaded into the ambulance, but at the wide, red pool of blood that was being washed away into the gutter by the rain.


L.A.G.