18-THE RED DOOR

THE RED DOOR "Let's check it out," whispered Thea, pulling her camera from her apron pocket. First she took a shot of the hall and the royal portraits hanging on the walls. Then she took a close-up of Count von Ratoff's door. It was covered in dark red velvet. "Wait a minute, shouldn't you be ironing Snowball's gown?" I asked my sister. Thea sniggered. "I'd rather iron her mouth shut," she replied, "Anyway, we need to find Trap. After we do, Ms. Snobby Tail will be ironing her own gown. Of course, she will have to figure out how to turn on the iron first! What a ninny!" I pushed the door open a little wider. The count's room was a vision in red. The deep

red carpet was the same color as the ceiling. Shiny red wallpaper covered the walls. Heavy red drapes hung over all of the windows. We approached the four-poster bed. I drew back the red satin curtains and jumped. That was odd. There was no mattress! I noticed a strange hook screwed into the wall above where the mattress should have been. I wondered what that was for. Then I spotted a glass containing a pair of dentures. Count von Ratoff's teeth were pretty sharp! On the same bedside table sat a crystal glass filled with a red liquid. Could it be BLOOD? What is it with these royal rats, I thought. Do they enjoy seeing a grown mouse cry? "I am going to "faint!" I realized.