The Librarians ...and the Sleepwalking Caretaker (Budapest Mysteries - part 2)

Nothing is what it seems to be

The place was nothing like the one they left a day before. The table was covered with books, dust and webs. Dust on the floor suggested that no one had set foot there for a very long time.

"I feel like going back in time," whispered Cassandra. "Do you remember when we first entered here? It was exactly like that."

Flynn was already walking around things, frowning in an attempt to find an explanation for the phenomena, while Eve started to search through the various objects on the table.

"What are you looking for?" Asked Jake.

"The clipping book. It should be somewhere on the table but I can't put my hands on it."

"Let me help you," proposed Stone.

Realising that the mathematician was still at the door, apparently unsure about what to do, he offered her to join and search for the book as well. The girl instantly ran to the table, happy to comply.

Ezekiel had walked to the location of the back door that was only a cabinet door at that very moment. The device they used to teleport was missing. He quickly scanned the room, but just as he feared, it was nowhere to be seen. Yet the thief knew that Jenkins kept it close by at all times, in case of an emergency travel for instance.

There was only one other place where he could be found. Jones knew that he had to check it and, despite his best efforts, he couldn't shake away the bad feeling that was growing up inside him. Leaving his friends, he walked to Jenkins' laboratory.

As he feared, there was no sign of the caretaker in the Magic Lab. Even worse, it seemed as if it had been abandoned for quite some time. Yet Ezekiel could tell that Jenkins had worked in his lab. Everything was neat and well organised. One thing was certain: the caretaker didn't leave in a hurry. When Jones found the lab coat with the "J" letter embroidered, his heart felt suddenly heavy. The piece of clothing had turned grey over time, another proof that the Annex hadn't seen anyone in a long time. As he was about to leave, he noticed something faintly glowing in a dark corner of the lab. He walked cautiously towards the origin of the weak blue light and relief washed over his body when he recognised the shape of the object. Seconds later, his hand was gently brushing over the teleport device. The globe was open, revealing the strange circuitry that usually allowed them to travel through space. He carefully rolled it out and into the main room of the Annex, attracting the group's attention.

"Oh great, you found it!" Exclaimed Flynn with enthusiasm.

Baird on the other hand didn't look too impressed.

"It still doesn't explain why the Annex is deserted."

"But it might give us some clue about Jenkins' whereabouts," counter attacked the thief.

"Since when do you care about him?" Smiled Jake. "You two don't usually go along too well."

The glance Ezekiel sent him took him aback. His friends seemed equally surprised about his reaction and refrained from making any further comments.

"What do you propose we do to locate Jenkins?" Gently inquired Cassandra, playing the diplomatic card to ease the sudden tension that had arose.

"It's still active, so I suggest we use the back door, focusing on Jenkins. If we are lucky, we will be able to follow him wherever he has gone."

"That's actually an excellent suggestion," agreed Flynn.

He purposely ignored the sceptical expression on his guardian's face and helped Jones plugging the device.

An idea suddenly stroke Eve.

"What about the small clipping books?" She said out of the blue.

They all turned towards her:

"We can't find the one that is normally here, but we still have yours, right?"

She was talking to the three freshly appointed librarians who responded by checking their book. All of them were blank. For an untrained eye, they looked like a fancy notebook that hadn't been used yet.

"This is not good," whispered Carsen. "Not good at all. I really wish I knew what is going on."

"Right now, there is only one way to find out," firmly said Ezekiel operating the back door device without further notice.