Mystery on the Bayou

                                                                                       Chapter 14

                                                                                       Unexpected

     Jessie, Esther and Grace had only been asleep for about an hour when Jessie woke up with a start.  A loud scream from downstairs had wakened her from her sound sleep.  But Esther and Grace hadn't moved a muscle.  They were still fast asleep.  Suddenly Jessie heard loud door knocking noises coming from the floor below them.  She knew something was dreadfully wrong.

     So Jessie got on her cell and called Sheriff Frank Mathews at home.  "Frank" she started as soon as he answered, "We've got trouble here.  I heard a loud scream and now there is loud knocking on doors on the second floor.  You better get over here as fast as you can!"  "Hang on," the sheriff told her, "Make sure your doors are locked and you ladies go to the guest closet and hide."

     Frank knew the closet wouldn't really give them any protection, but it was the best thing he could think of at the moment. "Okay Frank," Jessie said, and then she rang off.   While Jessie was rousing Grace and Essie, Ron, Grant, Floyd and Doogie were all quietly moving down the hallway to Jessie's room.  They had all heard the screams and then the racket on the second floor.

     Ron said, in a voice that he thought one of the ladies would hear, "It's us Jessie.  Let us in," he spoke through the keyhole in order to be heard.  Jessie immediately opened the door.  The guys rushed in and Doogie locked the door being the last one in.  Jessie immediately told them, "I called Frank.  And he, and I presume his deputies will be here as soon as possible."

     "There's a trap door in the ceiling at the end of the hallway," Grant said,  "A bell boy told me about it.  It's one of those pull down ladder things.  Any of us guys can reach the steel loop, by which the trap door opens and the ladder comes down," he ended.  Grant had just finished his sentence when Grace and Esther came out of their bedrooms.  Grace ran to Ron's arms where he hugged her and said, "It's alright.  We have a place to hide."  "And we should go now!"  Floyd said nervously.

     "So Ron peeked into the hall, to make sure it was safe.  He could still hear the door knockings down stairs.  "Come on, quickly," he said, ushering Jessie, Grace and Esther up the hallway, Grant, Floyd and Doogie following.  They reached the attic door just as they heard the steps on the stairwell.  Luckily they weren't running feet.  Ron quickly reached up and grabbed the pull string and down  came the ladder.  Then everyone quickly hurried upwards.

     Doogie was about to climb up when the sound of steps on the stairs grew much louder, faster and nearer.  "Hurry up Doogie!" Floyd urged him in hushed tones but still a frantic voice.  Doogie just made it in before a man came around the corner of the staircase.  Ron pushed a button on the attic floor and the stairs came shooting back up and settled in the ceiling once again.  "Thank God for that button," Grant said.  How did you know that was there?  I mean it's really small."  I installed one for my mom a couple of years ago," Ron said with a grin.

     Everyone looked around the attic room.  It wasn't at all what they were expecting.  Essie was afraid there would be cob webs and spiders all over the place.  But there wasn't.  The Oak floor was very clean.  And as most attics and basements, it was used for storage.  Large bins were stacked neatly against all four walls.  A neon sign from the restaurant across the street shone it's light threw the attic window.  "Grant glanced at it and said, "Well, at least we don't have to sit in the dark."  "There are no chairs," Jessie observed, "So we will do that "sitting" on the floor."