Grimm by Mike Nicholson Read Free Book Online Page A

stopped in his tracks. He was only about thirty metres from the hotel, the last bit of the path being formed by huge, jagged slabs of slate zig-zagging up to the front door. In front of him, lying on its side at edge of the path, was an enormous snarling wolf carved in stone in the act of leaping on some unseen prey. The fearsome creature’s head reminded Rory of the emblem on the letter that had commanded him to attend the meeting in the first place.
    It seemed an odd place for the statue to be, almost as though it had been discarded there. Rory stepped closer. It occurred to him that among the deaths he had read about, one involved an elderly guest being scared to death by a wolf statue. Whatever the story was, the statue was magnificent. Despite being carved in stone, the fur appeared to have a soft texture, while the ferocious head was too life-like for comfort, even though the lolling tongue and some of the teeth had broken off. Rory was clear now about the wolf mentioned by Ramsay Sandilands, but he was none the wiser about the Curseof the Stonemason.
    The creak of rusty chains distracted him for a moment, and Rory looked up to see a battered wooden sign, on which he could just make out the wording: “Hotel Grimm. Aberfintry’s Finest.”
    Rory swallowed hard as he began to walk up the steps that led to a vast wooden door. By the time he reached the black stone walls it was set into, he seemed to have stepped into deep shadow and a shiver passed through him. Above him, frozen in stone, was a fearsome leering gargoyle that looked down and mocked him as he stood on the top step. The enormous iron door knocker, was another wolf’s head and Rory toyed with the idea of running straight back down the hill, diving through his front door and hiding under his duvet. Then he remembered the one fear that was greater than being here. Not being here. What would happen to him if he didn’t turn up?
    With an air of resignation he stretched up, heaving the giant wolf’s head upwards, before letting it thump down into the wood in the centre of the door. The sound echoed and then faded to silence. A slow shuffling sound and some hacking coughs began and gradually became louder. Eventually, a tiny wooden hatch in the door shot open.
    “ GO AWAY !” snapped a voice and the hatch slammed shut again.
    I think that they need to work on their customer relations for a start
, thought Rory.
    He raised his hand again, but before he could even reach the knocker, the hatch flew open once more.
    “ DIDN’T YOU HEAR ME? ” squawked a grumpy voice. “ GO AWAY! ”
    “But I have an appointment with Granville Grimm,” Rory stuttered.
     
    There was a pause and some grumbling and mumbling from behind the door. After a short silence, there was a slow creak and the front door of Hotel Grimm opened.

     
    Beware of Mr Granville Grimm,
    the madman on Scrab Hill
    He’ll know if you’re not listening,
    so start by sitting still.
    He can curse you with one look
    so if you want to live,
    You’d better do just as he says,
    and full attention give.
    Local cautionary tale to encourage
    children to behave

9. Granville Grimm
    For the briefest of moments, daylight revealed the grubby stone-clad hallway as Rory stepped through the front door of Hotel Grimm. He caught a glimpse of fur and teeth from some dilapidated, stuffed animal heads on the wall, but before he could make out any more detail there was a thunderous thud as the door closed and he was consumed by darkness, leaving him in no doubt that he was inside Hotel Grimm for the foreseeable future.
    Rory blinked hard, his eyes desperately seeking out some light source, however faint. Gradually a glimmer from a low wattage light bulb, and a crack of light from between two curtains began to help him. As his eyes fought to make sense of anything in the gloom, the faintest detail of carpets, curtains, paintings, pillars and a marble staircase began to emerge.
    As his eyes worked overtime, his ears