House of Grimm: Book One of the Grimm Trilogy

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Two

"Ladies and gentlemen, I've gathered you all here tonight for a spectacular evening!"

I hear Wilhelm's voice but I'm not sure where it's coming from. He's like some sort of crazy magician, disappearing and reappearing at a moment's notice. Ryan had snuck us each a gun, and we'd hidden them under our clothes. We'd split into two teams to look for Rella; team one, Jakob, Ryan, and me, and team two...Charles.

When Charles asked why he was in a group by himself, we told him it's because he knows Rella best.

He ate it up.

"As you all know, this house hasn't been open to the public for over eighty five years," Wilhelm is saying, from who knows where. I turn my head in all directions, but all I can see are townspeople all around me, their eyes glued to the ceiling.

"And tonight, for the first time in Grimsby history, I would like to share my wonderful home with all of you!"

Applause. Radiating applause. The clapping and cheering is so loud that it hurts my ears and I can't focus on anything. Then, suddenly, a great black cloud of smoke materializes out of nowhere and every party guest looks up; Wilhelm is standing on one of the ceiling rafters.

Jakob and I exchange a glance.

"Please, everyone, help yourselves to as much food and drink as you wish! And dance your full!"

He does a little jig on the rafter, then teeters a bit as if he's going to fall off. A few women in the crowd gasp and I roll my eyes. Like he would be clumsy enough to die from his own trick. I'd be so lucky.

Ryan must be thinking the same thing because she snorts next to me.

"If he'd just die here and now my job would be so much easier," she whispers, shoving a pastry in her mouth.

I look at her for a minute, sizing up the hatred in her eyes. There's so much of it there, you can tell she's really disgusted when she looks at him.

"Why do you hate him so much?" I ask her, taking advantage of the crowd's distraction. Jakob's arm is snaked around my waist and he's listening intently to our conversation. Taking everything in.

"Why do you think?" she spits back, swallowing. "Look at him. The man made us all up and he can't even help boasting about it. It's pitiful."

Jakob's grip on my waist tightens as she says this, and he stares up at his brother.

"No," I say. "I know that but...I mean...I feel like you hate him in a different way than I do."

I think for a minute, trying to understand what I'm saying. The truth is, I don't. I just have this feeling that there's something more to Ryan Red than she's letting on.

"Enough questions," she snaps. "Let's just find these girls."

Definitely more than she's letting on.

***

After a few songs Jakob and I realize that losing Charles is going to be harder than we thought.

"See anything suspicious?" Jakob whispers to me as I watch Charles stealing hors d'oeuvres at the food table.

"Nothing yet, I don't know where he's hiding them," I say.

"Man these are good," Charles says, coming back with his mouth full of crackers. "I think they're tomato basil."

I roll my eyes as he offers me one, and Ryan just swats it out of his hand.