What the Witch Left by Ruth Chew Read Free Book Online

front door.
    A thin young woman stood on the stoop next door and rang the bell. Mrs. Hastings opened the door.
    “I’m Miss Feldman from the Department of Health,” said the young woman.“Are you the person who telephoned about animals in an apartment?”

    Nora ran over to stand behind Miss Feldman. She had to make some excuse for Tad’s being in Maggie’s apartment.
    Mrs. Hastings was talking. “Yes,” she said. “Come in. I’ll let you into the apartment upstairs.” She turned to Nora. “What is it?”
    “I have to tell Tad to come home. He’s in Mrs. Brown’s apartment,” Nora said.
    “What’s he doing there?” asked Mrs. Hastings.
    Nora said the first thing she could think of. “Feeding the cat.”
    “You see!” said Mrs. Hastings to Miss Feldman. “This woman’s business is taking care of people’s cats, but she has no time for her own.”
    Nora felt that she had just made matters worse.
    Mrs. Hastings led the way up the stairs. The woman from the Department of Health followed her, and Nora came after.
    “Hello,” called Mrs. Hastings. “Is anybody home?”
    Taffy ran down the hall barking. Miss Feldman took out a notebook and a pen and wrote something down.
    Tad came to the top of the stairs andopened the gate. When he saw Nora, he grinned and made a funny rumbling noise in his throat. He clenched and unclenched his hands and scratched them against the bannister.
    “Is Mrs. Brown here?” asked Mrs. Hastings. “Miss Feldman would like to see her.”
    “Maggie’s still out cat-sitting,” said Tad.
    Mrs. Hastings turned to Miss Feldman. “Why don’t you take a look around while you’re waiting for her?” she said.
    “I suppose I might as well,” said Miss Feldman. “Where shall I start?”
    Nora noticed that the whole apartment smelled of the stuff from the spray can. She thought she liked the zoo smell better.
    Mrs. Hastings took Miss Feldman into the living room. Henry the cat met themat the door with a loud meow. Miss Feldman looked at him and made another note in her book.
    Suddenly Nora saw Lew. He was standing quite still on one side of a row of books, which was propped up on the other side by an iron elephant. The big lizard didn’t even blink.

    Miss Feldman looked around the room and then went out. She looked into both bedrooms and the bathroom. When shereached the kitchen, she said to Mrs. Hastings, “I don’t see anything but a cat and a dog. Where are the rats and snakes you called about?”
    “They must be hidden somewhere in the apartment,” said Mrs. Hastings. She went from room to room, searching in closets, opening drawers, and looking under the furniture.
    Nora felt sure Mrs. Hastings would find the other animals, no matter how well Tad had hidden them. Tad was still making that noise in his throat. He stood beside Nora in the kitchen. Now he put his head on one side and rubbed it against Nora’s shoulder. Miss Feldman tapped her pen against her notebook. Nora could hear Mrs. Hastings in Maggie’s bedroom slamming drawers.
    Nora noticed a pan of fudge on the kitchen table. The fudge had been crisscrossed with a knife and cut into pieces.Nora saw that three pieces were missing. So that was what was wrong with Tad!
    Nora looked at Miss Feldman. There was no time to lose. Any minute Mrs. Hastings would find the kittens or the sparrow or brush up against Lew. Nora pointed to the pan of fudge. “Mrs. Brown makes the best fudge in the world,” she said.
    Miss Feldman smiled at Nora. “It looks delicious,” she said.
    “It sure is delicious,” said Tad. Before Nora knew what he was up to, Tad took a piece of fudge and put it in his mouth.
    Nora was afraid Tad would bite her if she tried to take the fudge out of his mouth. Before he had time to swallow it, she grabbed him by the shoulders and pushed him out of the kitchen.
    “I know Mrs. Brown would want you to have a piece.” Nora held up the pan to Miss Feldman.
    Suddenly Nora heard a cackle. Miss Feldman