Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews Read Free Book Online Page B

choosing such an obvious fake.
    As we were watching, the chief got a phone call. His end of it was monosyllabic and not very interesting, but once he hung up, he filled us in.
    â€œSammy found where our intruder gained entry,” he said. “Used a pair of wire cutters to make a hole in the chain-link fence at the far end of that big open field where Dr. Blake keeps all the antelope and buffalo and other herd animals.”
    â€œGrandfather’s going to need better security,” I said. “And for that matter, so is Dr. Smoot.”
    The chief nodded.
    â€œDid you find any fake body parts when you checked out the haunted house?” he asked Aida.
    â€œI found plenty of them, not that I was looking,” Aida said. “Dr. Smoot has a bunch of them lying around as part of the décor. But I was looking for evidence of an intruder, not fake feet and such.”
    â€œDo you suppose Dr. Smoot would even notice if a prankster left more fake body parts in his house?” Michael asked.
    â€œAnd more important, why would the pranksters leave them there?” I asked. “It wouldn’t fulfill the task, would it? The list doesn’t just say ‘leave a fake body part lying around somewhere.’ It says ‘scare someone with a fake body part.’ Who would be scared by one more disembodied hand at the Haunted House?”
    â€œLet’s hope that whoever is running the game is less particular than you are,” the chief said. “Because having additional fake body parts turn up at the Haunted House would be a lot less disruptive than some of the places where the pranksters have been leaving them. And who knows where it could escalate by Halloween night?”
    â€œThen if some of the pranksters consider the Haunted House a soft target for today’s tasks, maybe a lot of them will be turning up there—so wouldn’t it be a good place to catch them?” I asked. “Assuming we could enlist Dr. Smoot’s help. Ask him to note the locations where he’s already decorated with fake body parts, so we’ll know if anyone adds any.”
    â€œGood point,” the chief said. “I suppose I should go and talk to him.”
    He didn’t sound that keen on the prospect. I remembered how much Dr. Smoot annoyed him.
    â€œYou’re busy with actual crimes,” I said. “How about if I talk to him? I need to go over there anyway. Rob seems to think I might have more luck than he’s had at calming Dr. Smoot down.”
    â€œBe nice if someone could,” Aida muttered.
    â€œI’d very much appreciate it,” the chief said.
    â€œIn fact, maybe while I’m there, I can get Dr. Smoot to give me a complete tour, and I can document all the fake body parts that are supposed to be there,” I said. “I can take pictures of everything, and then at least we’ll know how many of them are there, and where, so if any more turn up, we’ll have proof.”
    â€œThat would be excellent,” the chief said.
    â€œLet’s catch up with the tour party and see if we can arrange an alternate ride home for the boys,” Michael said. “Then we can go straight to the Haunted House when we leave here.”
    â€œWhat about that hand in the lion’s den?” the chief asked, turning to Aida. “Are they making any progress toward clearing the lions out so we can process it?”
    â€œThey’re working on it,” she said. “It’s not as if they can just pick them up by the scruff of the neck like kittens.”
    Michael and I followed the boardwalk through the rest of the indoor swamp. Along our way we spotted beavers swimming in their habitat. We resisted the temptation to peer into the glass side of the beaver lodge. We didn’t pause to listen to the chorus of bullfrogs, perhaps croaking their relief at being in a separate pond from the alligators who, in the wild, would have found them