"He's pouting. He doesn't like to be left in the car," Granny Relda said as she jotted something into her notebook.
"Awww, my little baby," Daphne said, trying to pull the two-hundred-pound dog onto her lap like an infant. She showered the Great Dane in kisses. "Is somebody sad? Did somebody get left in the car? I won't ever leave you in the car."
Elvis gave her a lick on the cheek and the girl giggled.
Granny spun around in her seat with a delighted look on her face. "Lieblings, you know what all this means?"
Sabrina groaned. "We're in the middle of a mystery?"
"Isn't it exciting?" the old woman cried.
"Yes, and pointless," the girl argued. "You heard Charming and his ridiculous spider theory. He knows the Scarlet Hand killed Mr. Grumpner, but instead he lies about it. Grumpner was a human, so Charming couldn't care less. Why should the Everafter mayor and the Everafter police department do anything at all? No, they'll just cover up his death, and we'll run into one dead end after another."
"We are Grimms and this is what we do," Daphne said.
"Exactly right, little one. We are Grimms and part of what we do is make sure that this kind of thing doesn't go unpunished. We'll just sit here until everyone is gone and then we'll go back inside and have a look ourselves," the old woman said. "I have a feeling there are a lot more clues in that room."
Suddenly, Mr. Seven was tapping on the car window. He motioned for Granny Relda to roll it down and looked around nervously.
"Good evening, Mr. Seven."
"Mayor Charming has requested your presence at the mansion."
"You mean Billy?" Granny said, turning in her seat to wink at the girls.
The dwarf chuckled. "He has something he wishes to discuss in private."
Granny Relda and Mr. Canis shared a suspicious glance. After a moment, Mr. Canis nodded his approval.
"Tell Mr. Charming we'll be there," the old woman said.
The dwarf nodded and walked over to the mayor's long white limousine. He buffed the silver stallion on the hood with his shirtsleeve then climbed onto the stack of phone books on the driver's seat, and soon the limo was pulling away.
"Are you sure you're feeling up to this?" Granny said, putting her hand on the old man's shoulder. Mr. Canis nodded. He started the car and it sputtered to life with a series of backfires that Sabrina was sure could be heard in the next town.
They followed Charming's limo through the quiet country roads of Ferryport Landing. Sabrina gazed out at the sleepy little river town that her great-great-great-great grandfather Wilhelm Grimm had founded. Anyone driving through it would think it was just another boring little town. They would never know that many of the residents were princes, pigs, witches, and fairies, all in disguise. And on the rare occasions when one of the really big Everafters caused trouble, such as one of the giants or dragons, the endless acres of firs, Chinese maples, and oak trees that surrounded the town acted as an excellent cover from prying eyes. In addition, the invisible magical barrier that Wilhelm and the witch Baba Yaga had constructed around Ferryport Landing meant no Everafter, no matter how big, could leave the area. As for the humans who lived in town, they were none the wiser. The Everafters were too good at covering up their magic and mischief. Sabrina often wished she were oblivious, too. Ferryport Landing was a perfect place to live, unless you knew that it was all a lie, and the lie kept Sabrina from getting comfortable in her new life.
As they pulled into Charming's sprawling estate, Sabrina realized the mayor was the only person in town she could trust. He was corrupt, but at least he was upfront about it. He planned to buy the town piece by piece and recreate the kingdom he had given up when the Everafters came to America. He didn't care if you liked it or not and he didn't care if you thought it was wrong. Charming could always be counted on to do what was right for himself. He might not have any morals, but at least he was consistent.
Mr. Canis parked the car and turned off the engine. The last time Sabrina had been at the mansion it had been lit up like a Christmas tree for the Ferrnyport Landing Ball, an annual event for which the Everafter community came together to be themselves and to celebrate. Without all the glitz and glamour, Charming's mansion looked vacant. The lights were off and the fountain, which featured a lifelike sculpture of Charming, was drained and full of dead leaves.
"Mrs. Grimm, if it's OK with you I believe I will stay here," Mr. Canis said as he opened the car door for Granny Relda. "I'm feeling a bit tired and I suspect Charming will only make it worse."
"Of course, Mr. Canis," Granny Relda said. "I don't believe Mayor Charming poses any threat to us."
Elvis whined when he saw that the family was leaving him in the car.
The Unusual Suspects (The Sisters Grimm, Book 2)
Michael Buckley's books
- Alanna The First Adventure
- Alone The Girl in the Box
- Asgoleth the Warrior
- Awakening the Fire
- Between the Lives
- Black Feathers
- Bless The Beauty
- By the Sword
- In the Arms of Stone Angels
- Knights The Eye of Divinity
- Knights The Hand of Tharnin
- Knights The Heart of Shadows
- Mind the Gap
- Omega The Girl in the Box
- On the Edge of Humanity
- The Alchemist in the Shadows
- Possessing the Grimstone
- The Steel Remains
- The 13th Horseman
- The Age Atomic
- The Alchemaster's Apprentice
- The Alchemy of Stone
- The Ambassador's Mission
- The Anvil of the World
- The Apothecary
- The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf
- The Bible Repairman and Other Stories
- The Black Lung Captain
- The Black Prism
- The Blue Door
- The Bone House
- The Book of Doom
- The Breaking
- The Cadet of Tildor
- The Cavalier
- The Circle (Hammer)
- The Claws of Evil
- The Concrete Grove
- The Conduit The Gryphon Series
- The Cry of the Icemark
- The Dark
- The Dark Rider
- The Dark Thorn
- The Dead of Winter
- The Devil's Kiss
- The Devil's Looking-Glass
- The Devil's Pay (Dogs of War)
- The Door to Lost Pages
- The Dress
- The Emperor of All Things
- The Emperors Knife
- The End of the World
- The Eternal War
- The Executioness
- The Exiled Blade (The Assassini)
- The Fate of the Dwarves
- The Fate of the Muse
- The Frozen Moon
- The Garden of Stones
- The Gate Thief
- The Gates
- The Ghoul Next Door
- The Gilded Age
- The Godling Chronicles The Shadow of God
- The Guest & The Change
- The Guidance
- The High-Wizard's Hunt
- The Holders
- The Honey Witch
- The House of Yeel
- The Lies of Locke Lamora
- The Living Curse
- The Living End
- The Magic Shop
- The Magicians of Night
- The Magnolia League
- The Marenon Chronicles Collection
- The Marquis (The 13th Floor)
- The Mermaid's Mirror
- The Merman and the Moon Forgotten
- The Original Sin
- The Pearl of the Soul of the World
- The People's Will
- The Prophecy (The Guardians)
- The Reaping
- The Rebel Prince
- The Reunited
- The Rithmatist
- The_River_Kings_Road
- The Rush (The Siren Series)
- The Savage Blue
- The Scar-Crow Men
- The Science of Discworld IV Judgement Da
- The Scourge (A.G. Henley)
- The Sentinel Mage
- The Serpent in the Stone
- The Serpent Sea
- The Shadow Cats
- The Slither Sisters
- The Song of Andiene