The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1) (22 page)

"We don't know what you're talking about," Daphne cried.

"One," Charming began counting.

Sabrina looked over at the clock. There were only seconds left before the magic would wear off, but more than the five Charming had promised them.

"We're Relda Grimm's granddaughters," she blurted out desperately.

“Two.”

"We used a magic wand to change our shape so we could sneak into your house," Daphne cried. Oily tears leaked from her eyes.

“Three.

"We're not part of any revolution!" Sabrina begged. "We just want our grandmother back!"

“Four.”

"We're not lying to you!" Daphne sobbed.

“Five.”

Sabrina closed her eyes tightly and awaited her death, wondering if she would be stuffed like the other bear in Charming's office or if her body would change back after her heart had stopped beating. But when nothing happened, after a few more moments, Sabrina bravely opened her eyes. She and her sister had magically transformed back into their normal states. The only evidence of their disguises was the oily smears on Daphne's cheeks.

"Ladies, I could toss you into jail and throw away the key for what you've done," Charming said, removing the arrow from his crossbow. "You've used a magical item to help a known criminal escape from jail, infiltrated an Everafters party without an invitation, impersonated Everafters, committed espionage against a government official, broken into my home, put the Ferryport Landing Ball in serious jeopardy, and ruined two pairs of Sheriff Hamstead's pants."

"We didn't ruin your stupid party," Sabrina argued.

"If that crowd downstairs sees the two of you here, the top of this house will fly off," Charming replied. "The only way we're going to prevent a mob is to have Hamstead toss you in some old sacks and carry you out the servants' entrance. He can take you down to the jailhouse and let you cool off in a cell."

Sabrina lunged for the video camera. The wires came with it and the image of the giant faded from the television screen.

"We're not going anywhere without our grandmother and Mr. Canis," Sabrina said. "This tape is all the evidence we'll need. How do you think those people downstairs are going to feel knowing you intend to buy up this town and smash anyone that gets in your way?"

Sabrina expected Charming to fight for the tape, but instead he only laughed.

"You are just like your parents." Charming chuckled. "Henry was always shooting his mouth off before his brain could catch up and Veronica was the suspicious one. What an unsettling combination you are."

Suddenly, something moved in the window. Sabrina turned her head, but nothing was there. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" Charming asked as a giant, puss-filled eye peered into the house.

"ENGLISHMAN!"
a booming voice growled, shaking the windows in their frames.

"That!" the girls shouted.

Charming calmly picked up the phone on his desk and dialed a number. "Mr. Seven, are you aware that there is a giant outside?" he said into the receiver, as if he were informing a waiter that there was a hair in his soup. "Oh, you didn't know. Well, now you do . . . No, this isn't some kind of emergency drill . . . Well, I agree, we should do something about it before the guests panic. Maybe you should send the witches out to put a protection spell on the house . . . Well, of course it's a good idea!"

Charming slammed the phone down, crossed the room, and dragged both girls roughly out of the office and down the hall.

"Where are you taking us?" Sabrina demanded.

"Keep your heads down and don't say a word," the prince sneered. "I'm taking you outside."

An acidy fear rose up in Sabrina's throat as they stumbled out of his office and into the second-floor hallway. "You can't take us out there with that thing!" Sabrina cried, pulling at Charming's vise-like grasp.

"You wanted to find your grandmother. Well, her ride just showed up," he said.

"HELP!"
Sabrina cried as they turned a corner and headed down a long hall toward the back of the house. Daphne took her sister's cue and called for help as well, causing many of the guests to look up and see what was happening.

"Those are the Grimm children!" an orangutan shouted angrily.

"No need to let it ruin your evening," said Charming, with his toothy smile. "I have the situation under control."

"They're spying on us!" the Queen of Hearts gasped. "Off with their ..."

"They aren't spies, my friends," the prince said as he changed course and pulled the girls down the stairs with him into the angry crowd. "Please, go back to the celebration."

But before he could get the words out of his mouth a horrible crunching sound filled the room. The partygoers looked to the ceiling, only to see it ripped away right before their eyes. Pieces of plaster fell down around everyone and a collective scream erupted among the Everafters.

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" a chicken cried as it raced for the door, only to get caught in a stampede of terror when the hole in the roof was replaced by the giant's horrible, gnarled face, breathing its rancid, rotten-egg breath down on the crowd.

The Queen of Hearts ran to a nearby window, threw open the curtains, and tried to climb out. Her playing card attendants rushed over in time to catch her from falling over. The rest of the crowd ran in all directions, and the panic gave Sabrina and Daphne a chance to break Charming's grip. They rushed into the crowd and ducked between legs and feathers as all sorts of unusual creatures rushed around them.

"Where is the murderer?" the giant bellowed.

"He's not here, big boy. The murderer is not here," Charming shouted as he turned to face the monster.

"Liars! You protect him," the giant growled. "I smell his murderous blood. He released me only in hopes of killing me but my fate will not be like that of my brothers and sisters. He is here and I will have him."

Charming looked up the staircase to the violinists, who were scattered in fear. "I didn't tell you to stop playing," he said, snapping his fingers at them. Bewildered, the musicians went back to their overturned chairs, set them upright, and began playing music as if a giant wasn't staring down at them.

"Fe, fi, fo, fum, I smell the blood of an . . ."

"I think we've all had enough of your temper tantrum," Charming interrupted. Suddenly, three figures fluttered into the air and hovered around the giant's head. One of them was an ugly old woman darting through the air on a broom; the second was a strikingly exotic beauty dressed all in black, who levitated off the ground; and the third was a blond lady inside a silver bubble. As she floated by, Sabrina recognized her as Glinda from the hospital. All three had magic wands that they waved threateningly at the giant. The monster swatted at the witches, but they weaved and bobbed out of the way of his massive hand. The ugly witch waved her wand and a rocket of flame shot out of it and exploded on the giant's chest, searing his shirt and causing him to scream in agony.

"Stop!" Daphne cried. "Our family is in his pocket!" The little girl broke away from her sister and ran outside. Sabrina, followed by Charming, rushed after her.

The witches had flown out of the hole in the roof and now continued their assault.

"Leave while you can, Giant!" Charming shouted.

The second witch raised her wand and a stream of lightning fired out of it, hitting the giant in his face. The giant roared with pain and raised his hands to block the bolt. A charred, black smear was added to the other ugly features on his grizzled face.

Glinda waved her wand and a spray of ice froze the giant's backside and continued to cover the rest of his body. Within seconds, the massive man was encased in an ice tomb, but soon cracks appeared and, with flexing muscles and a powerful roar, the giant broke free. Enormous chunks of ice rained down on the parking lot, flattening an unlucky car.

The doors of the mansion were thrown wide and a dozen men rushed out past the girls. Each was in a purple tunic embroidered with a red lion on the chest. Swinging their swords wildly in the air, they roared a war cry as they rushed toward the giant. At the front of the attack was a man Sabrina instinctively knew to be King Arthur. The knights charged the giant's feet, and together they whacked angrily at an exposed big toe. The giant roared at the assault and stomped his feet angrily, trying to squash his attackers. Each of the men was lightning quick and dodged the giant's blows, managing to strike at his exposed ankle in the process. Shrieking in pain, the giant quickly turned and fled.

Charming knelt in respect as the king and his knights turned to face him.

"I am indebted to the Knights of the Round Table. Thank you, Your Highness," Charming said.

"Your thanks will not be enough, Charming," King Arthur barked. "The beast destroyed my car. Trust that you will find a repair estimate in the mail this week."

Charming scowled, but as the party guests filed out of the half-destroyed mansion, he forced a smile. Mr. Seven rushed to the prince's side, carrying a large black pot he held out to the approaching crowd. "Friends, who says nothing exciting ever happens in Ferryport Landing?" The prince chuckled. But this time his wit and charm fell on angry ears. The people passed him, returning his laughter with disgusted looks.

"Is this what we're paying you for?" the White Rabbit said as he hopped past.

"People, there's no need to leave," Charming said. "We'll have the mansion back to its old self in just a matter of moments. There's plenty of food and drink and we've even arranged a door prize."

"As the elected leader of this community, I would have thought you'd take the safety of your constituents much more seriously," a Bengal tiger said as he stalked past them.

"I assure you, Shere Khan ..." But the tiger didn't stop to hear Charming's assurances.

"Well, if you all must go, please don't forget to donate to the Ferryport Community Fund," the prince continued, kicking Mr. Seven, who immediately held the pot higher so that everyone could see. But not a single penny was added to the donations.

"I do believe this town is in need of some new leadership," the Queen of Hearts said, as she left. Charming said nothing as he watched the last of his guests drive away.

"Put the pot down, Mr. Seven," he said. The dwarf slowly lowered the empty pot and took a peek inside.

"We want our grandmother and her friend," Sabrina demanded.

"This is all your fault!" Charming shouted as he turned on them.

"What?"

"You two brought him here."

"If you can't control your giant, then maybe you shouldn't be working with one," Daphne advised.

"I'm not working with any giant. Only a fool who wants to be someone's lunch would make a deal with a giant," Charming said.

"That's a lie," Sabrina yelled. "He's one of your goons, just like those guys you met at the cabin."

"Ladies, I am nobility. I don't have goons. Those men don't work for me. I was there to arrest them and their boss."

"Well, if you're not their boss, who is?" Sabrina demanded.

Charming snatched the video camera from Sabrina's hand. He opened a side panel where a small LCD screen folded out. Then he rewound the recording, pressed the Play button, and handed the camera back to the girls.

The image was shaky at first but then suddenly it cleared up as the person holding the camera set it down on the hill that overlooked Applebee's farm. Four men were talking to one another.  Two of them were extremely tall, another was short and fat, and the fourth couldn't be seen. It was obvious who the other three were—Bobby, Tony, and Steve—the goons who had attacked the family at the hospital. Finally, the fourth figure stepped in front of the lens, leaned down, and grinned broadly. It was Jack.

"That's evidence we found on Jack when he was arrested. He wanted a tape of himself killing a giant," Charming cried. "It had nothing to do with the farmhouse. In fact, he admitted he thought the farmer had left town."

Jack laughed wildly at the camera, held up a small white bean, and then rushed down the hill. Soon, the familiar footage of the beanstalk and the destruction of the giant played again.

"So, you're not trying to buy up the town to rebuild your kingdom?" Daphne asked.

"On the contrary, I am trying to buy up this town," Charming said. "But there are better ways to get what you want than to let a giant loose on the countryside."

Sabrina didn't know whether to be furious with his admission or respect his honesty.

"So why did you send the sheriff after us?" Daphne asked.

"He was supposed to pick you up and take you somewhere safe until we could hunt down the giant and find your grandmother," Charming said.

"Every Everafter in this town wishes we were dead," Sabrina said. "Why would you want to help us?"

"I have my reasons."

"I'm confused," Daphne said. "Why would Jack bring us here and tell us this story about you being the bad guy?"

"And why did he want to stay in contact with these, if he was just going to take off?" Sabrina said, handing Charming her walkie-talkie.

"Because, if he kept you busy he could go back to your house," the prince said.