The Midnight Tour by Richard Laymon Read Free Book Online Page B

You’ve all heard of her, right? She happens to be a very good friend of mine, and my employer.
    “After surviving her ordeal, she wrote a nonfiction book called The Horror at Malcasa Point . It contains portions of Lily Thorn’s diary, a general history of Beast House, and a detailed account of the terrible experiences she had there in 1979. It also has quite a few photographs, including those photos I mentioned of the dead beast.” She smiled toward someone at the rear of the bus and said, “Unfortunately, Marv, the photos don’t show the area you’re so interested in.”
    “I’m not that interested,” he protested. “Just wondering if what they say is true, you know?”
    “Well, can you make the Midnight Tour?”
    “Not likely. I’ve gotta get back to Chicago on Saturday.”
    “In that case,” Patty said, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. I have it on good authority that the matter you’re curious about is true. But you didn’t hear it here. For those of you who don’t know what we’re talking about, you can satisfy your curiosity by going on the Midnight Tour or by reading either of Janice’s books. One of which is The Horror at Malcasa Point , a nationwide bestseller published in 1980. How many of you have read it?”
    Owen raised his hand. Looking around, he saw that only three other people had their hands up. One of them, a heavy bald guy near the back, he suspected of being Marv.
    “Four out of about fifty. Not bad, considering it is a book. How many of you have seen any of the Beast House movies?”
    Owen raised his hand. So did Monica. So did nearly everyone on the bus.
    “Let’s not get into the movies just yet. I need to finish plugging Janice’s books. First came the big bestseller, The Horror at Malcasa Point . It only took her two months to write, which is a truly remarkable feat in itself, considering her injuries and all the horrors that she’d just gone through. I think it’s amazing that she was able to write about those things at all. But she’s such a strong person...” Patty stopped and looked away for a few seconds. Then she faced the passengers again and continued. “Anyway, the book has been in print ever since 1980, and has been published in over fifteen different languages. If you’re interested in purchasing a copy, they’re available at the Beast House gift shop and at Janice’s museum. You can buy the book in paperback, hardbound, or in a special limited edition with a white leather binding that simulates beast skin. Janice is usually around to sign the books, but she’s off on an extended vacation with her husband. She did autograph a bunch of copies before she left, though, so nobody will have to be disappointed in that regard.” A grin spread across Patty’s face. “Though why anybody cares about autographs is beyond me.”
    “It makes them more precious,” said an elderly woman sitting near the front. She had a soft, sing-song voice. “I’m Matilda.”
    “Nice to meet you, Matilda.”
    “I have an autographed copy of A Light in August by Mr. William Faulkner, and it just means the whole world to me.”
    “Well, Janice Crogan ain’t no Faulkner, as the saying goes. But she is a whole lot prettier. And she did sign a pile of books before she left on her trip. If you’re interested, you’ll be able to buy autographed copies at the same price as those that aren’t. Of both books. Which brings me to Janice’s second book, Savage Times , which is also available. It was published in 1990, and...How many of you are familiar with that one?”
    Owen raised his hand. So did Marv. Nobody else.
    “We have a couple of real fans here. Savage Times is an absolutely gorgeous book, but it’s not cheap. It’ll run you eighty-five bucks, plus tax. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s worth more. We’re talking about a very complete, detailed history of Malcasa Point and Beast House, and it even gets into the background of the beasts. Janice prepared the