Mystery of the Sassafras Chair Read Online Free PDF Page A

you have a nightmare?”
    Timor glanced worriedly at Wiley, then back at Odessa. He was expecting her to give an incredulous gasp at the sight of the chair’s occupant, for now she was looking directly at Wiley. But she seemed entirely unaware that a third person was in the room. And there was Wiley as plain as day! Couldn’t she see him?
    For a moment Timor hardly knew how to reply to her. Then he managed to stammer, “I—I guess I’ve been dreaming. Th-there’s so much I don’t understand. Everything is so—so strange. About the chair, I mean.”
    â€œWell, it is rather odd,” she admitted, not understanding all that he meant. “But it’s nothing to have nightmares about. Put out your light and try to get some sleep.”
    He turned his light off and waited until Odessa had gone back to her room and closed the door. Then he whispered cautiously in the dark, “Mr. Pendergrass, are you still there?”
    â€œSure I’m here, ding blatt it—but my juice is gettin’ low. Leave the light off. Mebbe I can talk to you longer.”
    â€œBut—but why couldn’t Odessa see you?”
    â€œBecause she’s like most other folks—she ain’t got the power. And you have. You’re the only person that can see an’ hear me—which means you’re the only one that can help me. But mind, Timmy; don’t let on to nobody about this, or they’ll just say you’re cuckoo an’ batty in the head.”
    â€œOdessa will understand,” he whispered. “And I’ll need her help.”
    â€œDon’t tell her too soon. Kinda work up to it first. Now, the main thing you gotta do is talk to Nathaniel, quick as you can. The only way to find out what happened is to get everybody’s side of it—”
    â€œDon’t you know what happened?” Timor burst out. “You were there!”
    â€œSh-h-h-h!” Wiley cautioned. “Keep your voice down, or you’ll wake your uncle. Sure I was there, Timmy, but I don’t know what happened either.”
    â€œYou must have seen something! Where were you before the deputies started chasing you?”
    â€œWell, it’s this way, Timmy,” came Wiley’s voice from the chair. “I had some business with a feller down at the Forks, so I drove there about dark an’ parked my truck in them pines behind Nathaniel’s place an’ the diner. I didn’t see a soul when I got out the truck. Near everybody was in Fritz Grosser’s store, an’ their cars were all out front. I slipped in the back of the store, found the feller I was lookin’ for, an’ had a quick private talk with him. Didn’t take but a minute—but that was the very minute Nathaniel was being robbed. You see—”
    â€œMr. Pendergrass,” Timor interrupted, “who was the man you were talking with?”
    â€œCan’t tell you, sonny. Wouldn’t be right. What I mean is, there’s a heap of complications in this, an’ they don’t have nothin’ to do with the robbery.”
    â€œBut he could clear you!” Timor protested. “You can’t be in two places at the same time, and if you were talking to him when—”
    â€œSh-h-h-h!” said Wiley. “You trying to wake folks up? Ding blatt it, I done told you I ain’t got time to get cleared. We gotta find that little box, an’ find it quick!”
    â€œWell, if you only stayed a minute in the store, you must have started back to your truck at the same time Mr. Battle’s robber ran out the back of his gem shop. Didn’t you notice anything?”
    â€œTimmy, I didn’t see nobody till I got halfway back to the truck. Then I heard a feller yell out, ‘Stop him! Stop him!’ I didn’t recognize the voice, it was so hoarse, but when I looked about quick I seen one of them deputies comin’ round the side of the diner.