The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson Read Free Book Online Page A

making supper, and they're up in the playroom. Why?"
    "I just had the feeling something was wrong."
    This was the first time his in-laws had visited the house, so George had to show his mother-in-law where the kitchen was located. Then be and Jimmy hefted the tree into the livingroom. "Boy! That's some fire you've got going there!"
    George explained that he just couldn't warm up; hadn't been able to since the day they moved in, and that he had already burned ten logs that day. "Yeah," Jimmy agreed. "It does seem kind of chilly around here. Maybe there's something wrong with your burner or thermostat?"
    "No," answered George. "The oil burner's working fine and the thermostat's up to 80 degrees. Come on down to the basement and I'll show you."
    In the Rectory, Father Mancuso's doctor had warned him that one's body temperature normally rises after five in the afternoon. Even though he was uncomfortable and his stomach hurt, the priest's mind kept turning to the strange telephone problems the Lutzes were having.
    It was now eight o'clock, and his repeated attempts to contact George had been fruitless. Several times he had asked the operator to check to see if the Lutzes' phone was out of order. Each time it rang interminably until a supervisor called him back to report no service problems with the line. Why hadn't George called him back? Father Mancuso was sure George had heard what he said about the second floor room. Was there now something terribly wrong? Father Mancuso did not trust 112 Ocean Avenue, he could wait no longer. He dialed a number he normally used only for emergencies.
    The Christmas tree was up at the Lutzes' home. Danny, Chi-is, and Missy were helping their Uncle Jimmy trim it, each urging him to hang his own ornaments first. George had returned to his own private world by the fireplace. Kathy and her mother were in the kitchen talking. This was her "happy" room, the one place in the new house where she felt secure.
    She complained to her mother that George had changed since they moved in.
    "Ma, he won't take a shower, he won't shave. He doesn't even leave the house to go to the office. All he does is sit by that damned fireplace and complain about the cold. And another thing-every night he keeps going out to check that boathouse."
    "What's he looking for?" Mrs. Conners asked.
    "Who knows? All he keeps saying is he's got to look around out there and check on the boat."
    "That doesn't sound like George. Have you asked him if there's anything the matter?"
    "Oh, sure!" Kathy threw up her hands. "And all he does is throw more wood on the fire! In one week, we've gone through almost a whole cord of wood."
    Kathy's mother shivered and pulled her sweater tighter around her body.
    "Well, you know, it is kind of chilly in the house. I've felt it ever since I came in."
    Jimmy, standing on a chair in the livingroom, was about to fix George's ornament to the top of the tree. He too shivered. "Hey, George, you got a door opened someplace! I keep getting a draft on the back of my neck."
    George looked up. "No, I don't think so. I locked up everything before."
    He felt a sudden urge to check the second floor sewing room. "I'll be right back."
    Kathy and Mrs. Conners passed him as they came in from the kitchen. He didn't say a word to either woman, just ran up the stairs. "What's with him?" Mrs. Conners asked.
    Kathy just shrugged. "See what I mean?" She began to arrange the Christmas gifts under the tree. When Danny, Chris, and Missy counted the meager number of prettily wrapped packages on the floor, there was a chorus of disappointed voices behind her.
    "What are you crying about?" George was back, standing in the doorway. "Knock it off! You kids are too spoiled anyway!"
    Kathy was about to snap back at her husband for yelling at the children in front of her mother and brother when she saw the look on George's face.
    "Did you open the window in the sewing room, Kathy?"
    "Me? I haven't been up there all day."
    George turned