Grimm by Mike Nicholson Read Free Book Online

them,” he said pointing to Rory’s can of Zizz. “It’s a rare thing to see a visitor coming to the hotel these days.” Ramsay smiled revealing sharp pointed teeth. “The Grimm’s guest book does have an unfashionably high and rather off-putting body count.”
    “So I’ve read,” said Rory. “So what is the story? What makes it such an evil place?”
    “Evil?” said Ramsay in derision. He started laughing and as he did so the rats began squeaking uncontrollably. “I do apologise,” he said after taking some time to compose himself and his pets. “That was extremely rude of me. Disorganized it may be. Grubby in places it certainly is —although not in my part of the building. Evil it is most certainly not!”
    “So what about the small matter of dead guests, poltergeists and beasts?” asked Rory.
    “There has been a run of … misfortune,” said Ramsay seeming to choose the word carefully.
    “Misfortune?” said Rory. “It certainly is a bit unlucky if you’re one of the ones who didn’t make it out alive. Isn’t there more to it than that?”
    “Well …,” said Ramsay, pondering before speaking again. “Some would say that the misfortune is a direct result of the Curse of the Stonemason.”
    “Curse … what curse?” asked Rory.
    Ramsay’s eyes narrowed. “You seem a little bit unprepared for your meeting if the Curse of the Stonemason is news to you. You’ll see some signs of it if you go a little further on. You can’t miss the wolf waiting to greet you as you approach the front door.”
    Rory opened his mouth to speak but was cut off before he could ask for further explanation.
    “Much as I would love to sit here and tell stories, it really is time I departed.” Ramsay pulled a watch from the depths of his coat. A dozen noses twitched up at him in anticipation. “Boys, we must be off”, he said pulling his coat together. “You must excuse me,” said Ramsay addressing Rory. “I have something to take out of the oven.”
    Rory was trying to imagine what this straggly man in a hairy coat with a rat hanging from every limb might be about to remove from an oven. Then it occurred to him where he had read the name Ramsay Sandilands in the last few days.
    “You’re the pancake man! You did the world record with Lachlan Stagg. I remember now.”
    Ramsay gave a slow nod, clearly pleased at being recognised. “That is I,” he said. “And now I am the chef at Hotel Grimm.”
    “So what’s in the oven?” asked Rory trying to hide his discomfort at the rat owner’s revelation.
    Ramsay pulled himself up proudly. “Today we have Broccoli and Cheese soup followed by Shepherd’s Pie, with Summer Fruits Pavlova to finish. I would humbly suggest that it is likely to be some of the finest food you have eaten in a long time.”
    Rory couldn’t help wondering whether Shepherd’s Pie made atHotel Grimm would actually have bits of shepherds in it.
    “Well I hope to have the pleasure some time,” he said as politely as he could.
    Ramsay made a theatrical closing bow.
    “I do wish you all the very best with your meeting,” he said. “A genius is what is required. Let us hope you are the one.”
    Watching Ramsay skip his way through the rocks and disappear Rory forgot for a moment why he was perched on the side of Scrab Hill, and then with a start and a glance at his watch he realized that he had just twenty minutes to get up to the hotel for his appointment. Packing up and throwing on his backpack, Rory set off at a fast pace, fearful of the consequences if he were to turn up late. Thanks to Ramsay Sandilands, he was now feeling even more apprehensive with the prospect of an imminent encounter with a wolf and a curse.
     
    Just above the ledge he passed the upper cable car station. The eerie whistling of the wind in the empty building made him pick up speed. Onwards, upwards and as quickly as the rough stony surface would allow, Rory finally puffed his way around a large boulder and