Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls by Ann M. Martin Read Free Book Online Page A

Stacey.
    â€œShhh.” I held the phone away from my ear and listened intently. I definitely heard footstepsin the garage. “Stacey, Stacey,” I said urgently. “Have you found my b—I mean, did you see my—Have you found my … my …”
    â€œYour red ribbon?” whispered Stacey.
    â€œYes!” I gasped.
    â€œYes, I did. I mean, no, I found—I …”
    â€œDid you find my blue—Oh, no, Stacey, someone’s at the garage door. I can hear the knob rattling!”
    â€œI’m going to call the police.”
    â€œClaudia?” called a deep voice.
    It was all I could do not to shriek. “He called my name!” I yelped to Stacey.
    â€œClaudia,” said the voice again, “we’ve misplaced the house keys. Can you let us in, please?”
    I let my breath out in one long, shaking sigh. “It’s the Marshalls, Stace,” I whispered. “Gotta go. I’ll call you when I get home.”
    I ran to the back door, unlocked it, and flung it open. I have never, ever in my whole life been so glad to see anybody.
    â€œHi, Claudia,” said Mrs. Marshall.
    Mr. Marshall was standing behind her, patting his pockets and muttering, “I can’t figure out where those darned keys went.”
    I held the door open for them. “Sorry for theconfusion,” Mrs. Marshall went on. “The house keys may be at Mr. Marshall’s office. Here, dear, use mine,” said Mrs. Marshall to her husband. She took a ring of keys from a peg in the back hall and handed it to him. Then she turned to me. “How were the girls tonight?”
    â€œOh, just fine,” I said. “Nina went to bed as soon as her show was over.”
    â€œGood. No problems, then?”
    â€œNone at all.” I was still shaking.
    Mrs. Marshall began rummaging through her purse for money.
    A few minutes later, as Mr. Marshall was opening the door to walk me home, the phone rang. I heard Mrs. Marshall pick it up and say hello. Then I heard her hang up, saying, “That’s strange.”
    I shivered. It was strange, all right.

Thursday, October 23
    This evening I baby-sat at Watson’s. It’s hard to believe Watson will become my stepfather next year. Oh, well.
    As I promised the rest of the club members last Saturday, I’ve been bringing our club record book to school every day so each of us can check the appointments and see where the others will be baby-sitting. After tonight, I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. See, Karen, Watson’s five-year-old daughter, was so nervous about the woman next door who she thinks is a witch that she was making me nervous. Then, just when I was about the most scared I’veever been, the phone started ringing … and ringing … and ringing….
    Poor Kristy. I’m glad she and Watson, her mother’s boyfriend, finally get along better. But I guess it is a little frightening to sit at his house. I’ve never done it, but Mary Anne has. She was spooked, too. And that was a while ago, before we knew anything about the Phantom Caller. For starters, Watson’s house is huge, practically a mansion, and the house next door, which is also huge, is gloomy and rambling, with turrets and towers and dark windows everywhere. If that weren’t bad enough, little Karen is convinced that Mrs. Porter, who lives there, is a witch named Morbidda Destiny, who has put two spells on Boo-Boo, Watson’s fat cat. On the night Kristy was baby-sitting, Karen had a new twist on her fears about Mrs. Porter.
    Kristy arrived at Watson’s at seven. She can’t baby-sit very late on weeknights, but Watson was only going to Parents’ Night at Karen’s private school, so he was going to be home early. Usually, his kids, Karen and Andrew, don’t stay with him during the week, but since his ex-wife had broken her ankle, Watson was taking them more often than usual.
    â€œHi,