The Fairy-Tale Detectives (The Sisters Grimm, Book 1) Read online

  The deputy screamed and continued to crawl, but the carpet hunted him slowly around the room.

  "I'm a law enforcement officer now!" Crane shouted, trying to muster all his courage. "A defender of the peace. I can arrest you for . . . for . . . riding a horse without a head. That's a serious crime in this town," he cried.

  "Your laws mean nothing to me. I've come for something, Crane, and I will have it!" Sabrina bellowed.

  "What do you want?" the deputy cried.

  "Your head!" Sabrina groaned.

  Crane burst into tears. "No! Please, not my head!" he begged.

  "Very well, if not your head, I'll take something else."

  "Anything, anything. Whatever you want!"

  "I want the keys to the jail."

  Crane was silent for several moments.

  "Why do you want the keys?"

  "Would you prefer I take your head instead?" Sabrina moaned just as an unlucky bounce of the carpet knocked Daphne off Elvis's back. She fell to the ground, knocking a trash can into a radiator. The sound couldn't have been more appropriate, but Daphne was down for the count. Unable to see, she flailed in her costume, causing more commotion and sending a computer crashing to the floor.

  Crane, who seemed to think this was part of the Headless Horseman's attack, shouted, "Here, the keys!" and tossed them at Daphne's feet.

  "Now go, or I will change my mind!" Sabrina said. Crane leaped to his feet and ran, not noticing Sabrina as he rushed out the station door. Once she was sure he was gone, Sabrina stood up and turned on the lights. Daphne was still rolling around, unable to see anything.

  "Get me out of this," the little girl cried. Sabrina unhooked the top buttons and Daphne's head popped out. Elvis, who had stepped off the carpet, was ready with a lick to her face.

  "You were very convincing." Sabrina laughed as she helped her sister to her feet.

  Daphne reached down and scooped up the keys. "Let's get him out of here."

  Sabrina rolled up the carpet, flung it over her shoulder, and the two girls raced to find Jack's cell.

  Down a long hallway at the back of the building were two jail cells. The one on the left was empty, but the one the right held Jack. He stood with his arms reaching through the bars as the girls entered the room.

  "Give me the keys," he pleaded, but before they could, Elvis lunged angrily at the cell. Growling and barking wildly, the big dog sniffed and snarled at Jack.

  "Elvis, it's OK, he's a friend," Daphne said, which seemed to calm the dog down, but still his nose was sniffing and at full alert.

  Sabrina handed Jack the keys and he sorted through them.

  "Corking! I told you it would work," he bragged.

  He found the right key, stuck it in the lock, and turned it from inside. The door clicked and he pushed it open.

  "Crane ran like he'd seen the devil himself," Sabrina said proudly.

  "I've seen the devil, and you're not him," a voice said from down the hallway.

  Sabrina turned and found Deputy Crane standing in the doorway, blocking their exit. He was so angry he was shaking.

  "Listen, Crane, just let us pass and no one will get hurt," Jack said.

  "Get back in your cell, Jack," the deputy ordered, pulling his billy club from its strap and swinging it threateningly.

  "Sorry, Ichy. I wish I could help you but I've just been hired for a rescue mission. Now, are you going to let us pass or are we going to have to get rough?" Jack threatened.

  Daphne grabbed his undershirt and yanked on it. "You promised, no one gets hurt."

  Jack scowled. "I wouldn't hurt him . . . badly," he said.

  "Do your worst!" Crane stammered as he backed up a step.

  "Crane, I mean it. I'm not staying in this jail."

  "Bring it on, you washed up has-been."

  Jack laughed. "That's what I am? A washed up has-been? I'd watch what you say, Ichy. Things can change in the blink of an eye.

  "Not in Ferryport Landing, Jack."

  The two stared at each other for a long time. Sabrina could almost feel the heat and rage in their eyes.

  "Carpet, let's wrap this up!" Jack commanded and the carpet lifted off Sabrina's shoulder. It darted down the hallway and, like an anaconda, wrapped Crane inside it. He fumbled and fought but couldn't break free.

  Jack walked over to the rug and patted it lightly.

  "Nothing personal, Ichy, but destiny awaits," he said. He grabbed an end of the carpet and pulled it roughly, causing Crane to spin away like a top. After several rotations, the skinny man collapsed to the floor, overcome by dizziness. Jack set the carpet on the floor and stepped onto it.

  "All right, ladies," he said as he extended his hand to help the girls onto the rug. Elvis rushed to join them and stood like a guard between the girls and Jack.

  "Carpet, up," Sabrina said, and it rose a few feet and then sank slowly back down like a balloon with a hole in it.

  "Why aren't we going up?" Sabrina cried.

  "We must be too heavy!" Jack groaned. "Can we lose the hound?"

  Elvis answered him with a threatening snarl.

  "Very well. Carpet, take us to the Grimm house!"

  Though it was weighed down, the carpet didn't lack any of its speed. It zipped along, three feet off the floor, down the hallway, through the main room, and out the front door of the police station. It sailed across the parking lot and made a left into the street, causing a pickup truck to screech to a stop. As they passed, the girls waved a friendly "sorry" gesture to the bewildered driver.

  "That was almost too easy," Jack said. But no sooner had he puffed out his chest than the sound of a police siren wailed in their ears. A moment later, a police car turned the corner and raced in the group's direction. Ichabod Crane was behind the wheel.

  "Tenacious, isn't he?" Jack said.

  "Tenacious?" Daphne asked.

  "It means persistent," Sabrina said.

  "And what does persistent mean?" Daphne asked.

  "It means he's not going to give up."

  "And I wouldn't have it any other way," Jack assured them. "Carpet, faster!"

  Close behind, Crane turned on his squad car's flashing lights.

  "Is this the best idea?" Sabrina shouted, holding on to an end of the carpet as they sailed between cars and ran through a red light. "We're attracting a lot of attention!"

  "It's about time this little burg saw some action!" Jack cried out happily. "Ferryport Landing, you haven't seen anything yet!"

  Sabrina heard a horrible crunching sound behind them and turned back to see what could have made such a loud noise. What she saw stole the breath from her lungs. The road behind them began to rise, like a massive wave rolling in from the ocean. It was followed by another horrible crunching sound.

  "What's happening?" she cried as she watched parked cars get tossed aside like toys.

  "We're in luck, ladies," Jack said. "We've already found our giant."

  Suddenly, a giant foot planted itself in the middle of

  Main Street

  . The impact caused windows in nearby businesses to shatter. The ground exploded and a gas main underneath the street burst, shooting flames high into the air.

  "What do we do?" Daphne said.

  "We have two choices. Stand and fight and die a horrible, messy death, or run," Jack said.

  "Carpet, get us out of here!" Sabrina shouted, and the little rug jumped in speed.

  Unfortunately, the giant was not discouraged by how fast the group was making its getaway. A single stride put the monster right behind them, even when the rug increased its speed again. And with every step the big monster took, the pavement crumbled beneath him. Electrical wires snapped, spraying sparks everywhere. The few drivers on the road at that early hour lost control of their cars and crashed into buildings. Jack turned to see the chaos and a broad grin came to his face.

  "Finally, this is getting interesting." He laughed.

  The carpet took a sharp left turn and Sabrina felt luck
y that she hadn't tumbled off, when she noticed that Daphne was no longer sitting next to her. In fact, Daphne was hanging from the back of the carpet, holding on desperately with both hands.

  "Jack!" Sabrina cried. The spiky-haired "legend" reached down and grabbed the little girl by the back of her sweatshirt and pulled her onto the carpet.

  "Blimey! This is better than a roller coaster." Jack laughed as he sat the girl safely on the carpet.

  Daphne hugged her sister. It was the first time Sabrina had ever felt her sister shake from fear. She didn't like it.

  "We're going to get ourselves killed," she shouted as the carpet narrowly missed being crushed by a delivery truck filled with chickens.

  "Nonsense, we can't die like this. We're immortal," Jack replied.

  "You're immortal, we're not. We have to get off this road," Sabrina demanded.

  "I see. Must be quite a pain to be human, but the carpet picks the route." Just then an eighteen-wheeler pulled directly into their path and stopped.

  "CARPET, UP!" everyone shouted. The carpet slowly rose, sputtering as if it were the little train that couldn't.

  "We're not going to make it!" Sabrina shouted.

  "Lie down flat," Jack commanded.

  "You can't mean what I think you mean!"

  Jack nodded, and the two girls reluctantly lay on their backs.

  "Elvis, play dead," Daphne said, and the dog lay on his side. The little girl turned a worried face to her sister. "He's not going to do what I think he is, is he?"

  "CARPET, DOWN!" Jack shouted, and the carpet fell from the sky until it was literally skidding across the pavement. Its momentum carried the group underneath the truck to the other side and down the street. When they sat up again, the young man was already laughing—until he looked up and saw the street cleaner barreling toward them.

  "CARPET, UP!" they all shouted and the little rug struggled higher, narrowly missing the boiling-hot water and sharp bristles the machine used to scour the street. The carpet continued to rise until it had cleared the vehicle. Sabrina sat up and turned around. Ichabod Crane was out of his car, angrily ordering the owners of the eighteen-wheeler and the street cleaner to move. Unfortunately, the traffic problems did little to stop the giant. It's monstrous foot soared high above the commotion and landed only yards from the carpet.

  "THAT THING IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE," Sabrina shouted. "Carpet, we have to get away from the main road!"

  The carpet made an abrupt turn toward Ferryport Landing's farm community. The giant followed closely behind and the little rug dodged each deadly footfall. Several times the ugly brute reached out to squash the group in his hands, but each time the carpet zipped out of his reach. He grunted and roared at them, but eventually became exhausted by the chase and gave up, shaking his fist into the air and roaring with frustration.

  "Don't cry, big boy," Jack shouted to the giant as he disappeared behind them on the horizon. "You'll be seeing me again, very soon!"

  • • •

  As the magic carpet coasted up the driveway, it was barely six inches off the ground and had lost all of its kick. When the group finally stepped off of it, the beautiful little rug dropped to the ground and rolled itself up, just as it had been delivered to the girls. Daphne leaned over and picked it up gingerly, the way one would a tired kitten, and cradled it in her arms.

  "Poor thing is all worn out," she said, cooing.

  Sabrina looked toward the forest. Hamstead's squad cars were still perched in the tall trees behind the house, but he and his men were nowhere to be seen. Reaching into her pocket, Sabrina removed Granny Relda's enormous key ring and began the tedious job of unlocking all the bolts. Jack watched attentively until she had unlocked every one. Before Sabrina could say the magic words that gained them entrance, Daphne pulled her aside, cupped her hand over her big sister's ear, and whispered, "Should we let him in?"

  It was a fair question. Every time they had broken one of Granny Relda's rules they had regretted it, but they were in a tough situation. Jack was probably the only person in the world who could confront a giant, and he had offered to help.

  "I don't think we have much of a choice," Sabrina whispered back. She made a fist and knocked on the door. "We're home."

  Jack cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

  "Family tradition," Sabrina said in hopes of throwing him off. "Granny does it and it makes Daphne laugh so I picked it up, too."

  Daphne faked a laugh.

  Jack shrugged. "Whatever."

  "What's he doing here?" Puck said as he floated down from the sky.

  Jack turned around and eyed the flying boy, whose huge wings flapped hard to allow him to hover over them.

  "He's offered to help," Daphne explained, but this time her diplomacy was falling on deaf ears.

  "Help us do what, try on some big pants?" Puck sneered, taking a jab at Jack's recent job. "You weren't supposed to bring him back."

  "Listen, you little brat, I'm the only hope you've got," Jack replied. "Two little girls and a garden gnome aren't going to stop a giant."

  "Who are you calling a garden gnome?" Puck said, pulling his flute from his sweatshirt. "My royal army knows how to deal with insolent peasants."

  "Boys!" Sabrina and Daphne cried in unison. "That's enough!"

  Puck and Jack backed off. The girls looked at each other. Apparently, there was a bit of Granny in them both.

  "What happened to Hamstead and his deputies?" Sabrina asked.

  "Charming came by and picked them up," Puck said, staring a hole into Jack. "I sat up on the roof and watched him scream at them for half an hour. It was hilarious."

  "Good, we could use a break," Sabrina said, turning and opening the front door.

  Elvis rushed past her and into the kitchen, returning a moment later with Granny Relda's handbag. He dropped it at the girls' feet and began to snarl at it. The girls ignored him. Daphne headed into the living room, set the carpet tenderly on the floor, and plopped down, exhausted, into a chair. She pulled a book out from underneath the cushion she was sitting on and tossed it aside.

  "So, this is the famous Grimm house," Jack said as he wandered from room to room, lifting up photographs and snooping around. "Oh, I wish I had my camera with me. No one will believe I was actually inside."

  "Make yourself at home, please," Sabrina said. If Jack heard the sarcasm in her voice, he pretended not to and continued his snooping.

  "So girls, where can I take a kip?" he asked.

  Daphne looked at Sabrina for a definition but Sabrina shook her head.

  "I have no idea what that means."

  "You know, hit the sack?" Jack said.

  "You want to go take a nap?"

  "I'm zonked."

  "We didn't break you out of jail so you could camp out in our house."

  "Kids, I was on a lumpy jail cot all night. I need to get some rest, and besides, my big plan can't go into effect until tomorrow night, anyway."

  "What big plan?"

  "Right now, it's best that we don't discuss it." Jack fell onto the couch and stretched his arms behind his head.

  "He doesn't have a plan!" Puck snapped.

  "Yes, I do!" Jack replied. "We'll talk about it later. I just need a couple of hours of shut-eye." He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

  Puck looked at the girls, turned, and stomped outside, slamming the door behind him.

  "What do we do now?" Daphne said sleepily.

  "I suppose we might as well get some rest, too," Sabrina said, seeing her sister's head bob. She scooped her grandmother's handbag off the floor and set it on the table, then gently urged Daphne out of her chair. Elvis whined at the girls.

  Sabrina turned and whispered into the dog's ear, "Elvis, keep an eye on Jack."

  The dog's eyes reflected an understanding, and he seated himself like a stone guardian, watching the sleeping man. The two girls went up to their bedroom. It had been a long day.

  • • •

  Sabrina didn't
remember falling asleep, but when she woke up she was still in her clothes and it was already nine o'clock in the morning. She crawled out of bed, leaving her snoring sister alone, and walked down the hallway. She heard a sound from Granny Relda's room and decided to investigate, but when she opened the door, no one was there.

  She stepped inside and noticed a framed photo on the old woman's dresser. It was of Granny and Grandpa, hugging happily under an apple tree. As usual, Mr. Canis was standing nearby. His face seemed slightly out of focus and the camera flash had turned his eyes a bright blue color. Sabrina reached into her pocket and pulled out the photo she had found in Granny Relda's handbag. Comparing the two, she found the same odd effect over Mr. Canis. Sabrina was surprised she hadn't noticed it before.

  "What are you doing in here?" Puck's voice asked. It startled Sabrina and she dropped both the picture and the framed photo to the ground. Luckily, the glass didn't break.

  Sabrina looked around the room, searching for the boy, but didn't see him. "Where are you?"

  "Up here, ugly," said Puck.

  Sabrina looked up and nearly screamed. A housefly the size of Elvis was sitting upside down on the ceiling above her. But its enormous size wasn't nearly as disturbing as its human head, which had shaggy blond hair, a gold crown, and a mischievous grin. Apparently, Puck had a whole bag of disturbing tricks.

  "What are you doing in here?" Sabrina demanded.

  "Uh . . . it's the only quiet room in the house," Puck replied. "Besides, I know you and Jack have got your big plans. Wouldn't want to get in the way."

  "Could you come down here?"

  Puck suddenly morphed back into his human form and fell clumsily to the bed below.

  "You're being a baby," Sabrina said. "Jack wants to help, and you can't stand not being the center of attention."

  "Whatever," the boy replied. "But when he gets you into trouble, don't be angry when I remind you that I told you so."

  "You got a better plan, then let's hear it, 'cause all I've heard from you is the never-ending buzz of your flapping lips," Sabrina snapped. "My parents ran out on me and Daphne almost two years ago. We've been through the ringer and have been bounced around for far too long. I admit, when we met Granny Relda I didn't want anything to do with her. But now that I know she's the real deal, I'm going to do whatever it takes to get her back. I've lost one family. I'm not losing another. So if you have a better idea, then I'm all ears!"