The Secret of Skull Island by Zack Norris Read Free Book Online

in the lobby, gurgling and whooshing.
    By the time they reached the bathroom, water was rushing out from underneath the door. They opened it and saw water all over the floor, pouring from the toilet tank.
    Maxim and Aunt Edith ran up behind them. “Oh, no!” cried their aunt as she looked at the flood.
    Cody bent down and turned the knob that shut off the water. Otis grabbed some towels off the rack and threw them down to soak up the water. Then he took the top off the tank and peered inside.
    â€œThis is a nightmare!” Aunt Edith wailed. “I think a pipe burst!”
    Rae appeared, her towel slung around her neck. She eyed the overflowing toilet. “No, no, Aunt E.—it’s not that bad,” she said. “I think the toilet just overflowed. The water kept running because the overflow tube was clogged up.”
    â€œWhat’s that?” asked Aunt Edith.
    â€œIt’s a tube where water drains from the tank back into the bowl. The flotation device has been tampered with, too. There was no way for the tank to ‘know’ that it was full. So the water just kept on running.”
    â€œDid you read that in a plumbing textbook?” Maxim asked. “Honestly, Rae, the things you and the twins know never cease to amaze me.” He chuckled.
    â€œWe had that problem when a contractor redid our bathroom, that’s all,” said Rae.
    â€œWe’ll just clean it out then, right, Cody?” Otis said. Cody nodded. “Don’t worry, Aunt Edith.”
    â€œI’m going to run and change,” said Rae. “See you all later.” She took off up the stairs. On her way, she passed Albert McNab.
    Aunt Edith raised a hand to her forehead. “It’s one thing after another since I’ve opened this place. I’m just worn out.”
    â€œNow, now, calm down, dear,” Maxim said gently.
    â€œI can’t calm down,” said Aunt Edith. “This wasn’t an accident.”
    Cody shook his head. “Can you think of anyone who would want to sabotage the inn?”
    Aunt Edith sucked in her breath. She hesitated a moment and then said, “Actually, there might be someone who would. I had to fire a worker. He was always late, left early, disappeared for hours. He was pretty angry when I let him go.”
    â€œMaybe he came sneaking back here and made sure some things went wrong,” said Cody.
    Aunt Edith looked thoughtful. “Do you mean that maybe he drained the hot water heater and caused the chandelier to fall and put that snake in my bed?”
    â€œIt’s possible,” Cody replied. He rinsed the dirt and pebbles from the return tube and fixed the flotation device. “Good as new,” he announced.
    â€œI hope we’ll get to relax for a while.” Aunt Edith sighed.
    â€œWell, I’m not feeling very relaxed,” said a voice in the doorway. They looked up and saw McNab. “My room has been ransacked,” he said.

[Chapter Eight]
    T he room had been ransacked, all right. The mattress had been pulled off the bed, the linens and pillows scattered everywhere. The clothes had been pulled off the hangers in the closet and were piled on the floor. Every drawer had been dumped out.
    â€œLook at that note,” McNab said, pointing to a piece of paper taped to the inside of his door. Written in jagged letters that looked almost as if they’d been slashed into the paper were the words, Get out while you can.
    â€œWhat a mess! What happened?” said a woman’s voice outside the door. It was Muriel Esposito, and when she saw the wreck someone had made of the room her face went pale.
    â€œOh, goodness,” she said, her body sagging as she leaned against the wall. “I can’t take all of this. My constitution is just too delicate.” She gazed at McNab. “You should leave. You’ve been threatened!”
    â€œDon’t get all worked up,” McNab said hurriedly.