A Web of Lies

Chapter 7

Trevor frowned. It was 10:00 in the morning and Dr. Weston still wasn’t here. Mrs. Stuckfold was on the phone with the Royal Institute of Natural History trying to postpone the meeting they had set up today. They were supposed to present Dr. Weston’s new findings to the institute, but with Dr. Weston absent, and no idea where his fossils were, they had nothing to present.

            Trevor had checked the professor’s office, but it hadn’t been touched since yesterday. There was no note, and the crates of fossils were no where to be seen.

            “What could make him do this?” Mrs. Stuckfold fretted while on hold. The most important day of his career and he decides to skip out on holiday? It doesn’t make any sense.

            “I know he had his fair share of spirits at the party last night, but a drunk, Dr. Weston isn’t.”

            “He hasn’t called or said anything?” Trevor asked.

            “Not a peep.” She said, shaking her head.

            Trevor scratched his scalp as he wandered back into the restoration room. A mutter of voices stopped as he entered the room.

            “It’s alright.” Trevor said. “It’s just me.”

            “Oh. Trevor, my boy.” Good to see you.” Lord Chesterton said, crawling out on top of the book case. “Richard was just telling us about the lively events of last evening.”           

            “Certainly the most interesting dinner party I’ve been to in a long time.” Trevor said.

            “I am most sympathetic to Dr. Weston for his plight.” Richard said. “To have to deal with so dreadful a man, well I find myself brought to a rage just at the very thought. It is most unfortunate. To have set the oven to 300 degrees without anyone noticing. I only wish I were in a spot to have warned someone. What will that blasted man think of next?”

            “Well maybe that’s why the professor didn’t show up today.” Trevor said.

            “What’s this?” Chesterton asked.

            “Mrs. Struckfold says she hasn’t been able to reach him all morning.”

            “Most peculiar indeed.” Chesterton replied.

            “We can’t find any of the fossils either. Could be that he’s just working on them at home and lost track of time. We saw one on his desk when we were at the party last night.” Trevor said.

            “Please, Trevor, start your sentences with proper subjects. It’s just unseemly to go about stating fragments as if they were complete sentences. What would people say?” Chesterton said.

            “Sorry.”

            “You mean to say, ‘I’m sorry.’ Please, Trevor, we just went over this.” Richard said.

            “Right. I’m sorry. I was just going to say I am heading over to his house to see if he’s there. You’re more than welcome to come along if you’d like.”

            “Oh, with this old exo-skeleton? I think not.” Chesterton replied. “But Richard, what say you?”

            “I’d certainly love another adventure, if it’s no imposition.”

            “Not at all.” Trevor said. He held out his hand and Richard crawled to his shoulder.

            “Forgive me, but how is it that you are able to venture forth at this time?” the spider asked. “Do you not have duties at the museum to perform?”