Chapter 9

Chapter 9 "Jellybeans? What are you talking about?" Josh asked. "I think Ruth Rose wrote this list," Dink said. "And she used Nate's Party Purple crayon." "Oh, yeah, now I remember," Josh said. "But why would she make the list?"

"I don't know," Dink said. "And why did Mr. Linkletter let us come up here without giving us a hard time? Why was the door left partly open?" "Unless Mr. Linkletter and this vam-pire guy are trying to pull something," Josh said. Suddenly Josh grabbed Dink's arm. "Maybe Dr. Cula captured Ruth Rose and forced her to write this list!" "I suppose that could have happened," Dink said. He picked up the Band-Aid box and emptied it onto the table. Each Band-Aid was wrapped in thin paper, but Dink could see the round shapes through the paper. "You know what I think?" Dink asked. Josh shook his head. "I can't think at all," he said. "My brain feels fried." "I think these Band-Aids belong to Dr. Cula," Dink said. "And I think he gave one to Ellie. Then he gave Mr. Paskey and Mr. Linkletter theirs, too." "After he bit their necks?" asked Josh. "I don't think he bit anybody," Dink said. "Then why would he give them Band-Aids?"

"Good question," Dink said. He set the box on top of the purple list. "And I think we'll get the answer when we find Ruth Rose." Josh scratched his head. "But … that doesn't make any sense," he said. "How could Ruth Rose know anything? She's just as confused as we are about what's going on." Dink shook his head. "No, her phone message said she'd figured it out," he said. "So where is she?" Josh asked. "And where's the guy who checked into this room, whoever he is?" "Well, they're not here," Dink said, glancing around the room. "Let's see if we can get any more information from Mr. Linkletter." Just as the boys stepped through the door, they heard the ping of the elevator. Dink yanked Josh back into the room. He shut the door, and they bolted toward the closet. The two boys jumped into the closet and pulled the door closed.

Inside the dark closet, Dink hid behind the cape, tugging Josh with him. With their backs to the wall, they listened. Next to him, Dink felt Josh shaking. Dink could hardly hear anything other than his own racing heartbeat. Then he heard a door open and close. Feet whispered across carpet. Something creaked, a chair or the bed. Then only silence. "They're not here," Dink heard a voice whisper. "Unless they're hiding in the closet," a different voice responded. Dink tried to push through the wall behind him. He tried to shrink. He closed his eyes and willed himself to become invisible. Nothing worked. Suddenly the door was yanked open. "Come on out, you two," said a familiar voice. Dink opened his eyes and peeked from behind the vampire's cape. Ruth Rose was standing in the open closet doorway with a big grin on her face.

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