Larceny and Lace Read Online Free PDF Page A

corner behind the caskets.
    “"What’'d’'ya know?”" I said, coming up behind him. “"An open window. Is there a ladder out there?”"
    “"No,”" my dad said. “"He was a resourceful burglar. Probably the same one the night watchman heard. There are two huge wooden wire reels below the window, stacked, one atop the other.”"
    Dad turned back to me. “"You need to be proactive, Madeira. Get an alarm system. Now.”"
    “"I was proactive. I chased him away. But yes, I agree on the alarm system. I should have had it done during the construction, but this is Mystic, after all. I didn’'t think it needed to top my list. I was wrong.”"
    “"Can you afford the expense of an alarm system right now?”" Aunt Fiona asked. I sighed. “"I expected to bleed money for a while. I’'m okay, and I love this place. I really do.”" Ghost, burglar, lack of second-floor lights, and all. “"Now can we open the storage room?”"
    “"You need new locks on these windows, too,”" my father said, checking them all.
    “"Are you sure you don’'t need an investor?”"
    “"No. Thank you, Dad. Just make a note. Window locks, an alarm system, and reel removal.”"
    He pulled out his trusty notebook and started his list. He enjoyed this partnership, of sorts, as much as I did. I’'d accepted his presence and his expertise, yes, but I would not accept his money.
    “"Time for the grand opening,”" I said. “"We should have brought trumpets.”" I attempted to insert the key that Dolly said would fit the lock. “"Scrap! My key doesn’'t work!”"
    Another NiCad fluorescent went out.
    “"Mad, didn’'t you get a new front door?”" Eve asked. “"Which key are you using?”" I sighed. Either my intruder upset me more than I thought, or my lack of sleep was catching up with me. “"I’'m using the new one, of course, also known as the wrong one .”"
    “"What did you do with the original, Madeira?”"
    My father’'s tone made me feel like a child. “"I gave it to you .”" Aunt Fiona smothered a chuckle.
    Dad shot her a look as he unhooked a hefty key ring from the key safe on his belt and began flipping through, somehow managing to identify most of them. I held up a fluorescent to shed light on his quest as he tried several before one finally turned in the lock.
    “"Woo-hoo!”" Eve’'s shout echoed in the cavernous room.
    “"Don’'t take that key from the lock,”" I said, grabbing a bottle of Red Passion nail polish, industrial strength, from my purse. With the brush, I dabbed a spot on the faded tab that once identified the key. “"Now we’'ll always be able to find it.”" My father cleared his throat at my efficiency after his scold. “"I’'ll have a copy made for you tomorrow.”"
    “"Thanks, Dad.”"
    Dante appeared, probably because he was curious about the polish. When Aunt Fee grinned his way, he winked at her, and she blushed. Once the nail polish dried, I let the key disappear into my father’'s stash. God knew, nothing could be safer.
    “"Madeira,”" my father said, stepping away from the doors. “"Care to do the honors?”"
    I tried pushing, until Dante told me to pull. The squeal level of the doors scraping the floor reminded me of fingernails across a chalkboard, or harbingers of doom. I shivered as Eve pulled the other half door in the opposite direction.
    When they finally stood open, they revealed a darker pit than any I’'d seen tonight. The last of Nick’'s fluorescents died as we stood there, unable to see our hands before us.
    “"Faulty phallic symbols,”" Eve said into the darkness. “"What does that signify?”" Fiona giggled and Dante chuckled.
    “"Madeira,”" Dante said. “"The switch is a flat-topped, round button to the right of the doors.”"
    “"Got it.”" Some minutes after I pressed the button, a pair of long old-fashioned fluorescent bulbs clickety-click-clicked, teasing us with the possibility of light, as they repeatedly glowed and dimmed, while emitting a weird