"No offense, Relda, but my kid is freezing out in the cold somewhere. I don't need an old woman and two kids, I need the police department," Hamelin said.
"I've got the best tracking dog in the world in the car," Granny said. "I'd take Elvis over a hundred police officers any day. We'll find your boy."
The principal sat down in his chair and rolled it over to the icy window. "It's so cold out there," he whispered.
"My girls were chasing Wendell this afternoon," Granny said.
"I heard all about it," the man responded, without turning away from the window.
"Then you know he's involved with the deaths."
Hamelin spun around in his seat angrily and pointed his finger at the old woman. "He didn't do it," he shouted.
"I know that, Piper. In fact, 1 think he's been trying to stop what's going on in this school."
"He's so curious. One afternoon we watched an old black-and-white detective movie on TV together and he was hooked. Now, everything's a mystery. I should have known he'd get himself in trouble."
"He also seems to have picked up his father's flair for music. I hear he's using a harmonica to control animals."
"Relda, he's a good kid," Hamelin said.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Mr. Sheepshank entered.
"Oh, hello, everyone. So sorry to interrupt," he said, pointing to the wristwatch on his freckled arm. "Mr. Hamelin, it's time."
"Counselor, my son is missing!" the principal shouted angrily. Sabrina turned to look at the rosy-cheeked man, who smiled nervously.
"Of course. We can talk later," he said. He closed the door and was gone.
Daphne took her silver star out of her pocket and pinned it to her chest so that everyone could see her badge. "Mr. Hamelin, we don't want you to worry. We'll find your son and bring him back to you."
Granny Relda smiled at the little girl.
"Why are you so eager to help me?" Hamelin asked.
"That's our job," Daphne said. "To protect and serve." The little girl reached down, yanked on her belt, and pulled her pants up. Sabrina almost burst out laughing, but quickly stopped herself when Sheriff Hamstead's angry face told her he recognized the little girl's impression.
"I know you've had a history with my family, Piper, but I like to think we're never too far along to start over," Granny said, extending her hand. Hamelin stared at it for a moment, then shook it firmly.
"All we need is his locker number."
The principal punched a key on his desktop computer and the screen lit up. He typed in a few strokes and smiled.
"He's number three-two-three. That's right around the corner, near the boiler room door," he said. "What should I do? Can I go with you?"
"Wait here," the sheriff said as he stood up from his chair. "We'll call you as soon as we know anything."
Hamstead and the family walked out of the office and down the hall until they found 323, right where the principal had told them it would be.
"Do you have some kind of magic that opens locks?" Sabrina asked, as she eyed the combination lock on the door.
Granny opened her handbag and pulled out a hammer.
"I wouldn't call it magic, exactly," she said, handing the hammer to Puck. The boy grinned and raised the hammer high over his head. He brought it down hard on the lock and it snapped in two.
"Can I do another?" he asked, but the old woman snatched the hammer out of his hand and placed it back into her handbag. Then she tossed the broken pieces of the lock to the floor and opened the locker. Inside was a winter coat Wendell had left behind. Granny pulled it out and tucked it under her arm.
"I really appreciate this," the sheriff said.
"Don't think twice about it," the old woman said.
Back in the parking lot, the Grimms and Puck found Mr. Canis still meditating on the roof of the jalopy.
"We're heading into the forest," Granny said, opening the back door and letting Elvis out. "Why don't you stay here in case Wendell wanders back to the school."
"Are you sure you won't be needing me?" the old man said.
"We've got this one handled," Granny Relda said.
"Can I ask you a question, Mr. Canis?" Daphne asked.
"Of course, little one."
"What do you think about when you're sitting on top of the car?
Mr. Canis thought for a moment, then looked up at the moon, now high over the nearby forest. "I concentrate on all the people I hurt when I was unable to control myself."
"And that helps you stay calm?" Sabrina asked.
"No child, it helps remind me of my guilt," he replied.
Sabrina didn't know a lot of fairy-tale stories. Her dad used to say fairy tales were pointless. When other kids were reading about the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, her father was discussing the news with his daughters or reading them the Sunday comics using different voices for the characters. Sabrina and Daphne had done their fairy-tale reading on the sly or at school. Still, everyone knew the story of Little Red Riding Hood, and as Sabrina looked at Mr. Canis, a terrible realization ran through her. This man sitting on the car roof, who slept across the hall from them at night, had killed an old woman once upon a time. Only it wasn't a story, it had really happened. He'd tried to eat a child, too. How could Granny let him live in the house? No wonder her dad had forbidden even a copy of Mother Goose from entering their home. He was trying to protect them from the truth.
Granny was busy holding Wendell's coat under Elvis s nose. The giant dog took a deep lung full and was soon trotting across the school lawn, sniffing madly in the grass.
"Looks like he's got the scent, lieblings," Granny said. "Let's go find our Wendell."
8
Chapter 8
EIvis's big feet crunched on the hard ground. The night had grown bitterly cold and every once in a while Sabrina spotted a snowfiake floating toward the ground. She was freezing, even in her heavy coat. If Wendell was still alive out in the woods without his, it would be a miracle.
Elvis sniffed the air. Once the big dog caught a scent, he never lost it. When he reached the edge of the trees, he stopped and barked impatiently at the family. It was obvious they were slowing him down.
"Oh, I wish I could bottle his energy," Granny Relda said, taking Sabrina's arm in order to help herself across the school's icy lawn. "I'd be a rich old lady."
When they finally reached Elvis, he led them into the woods. He sniffed wildly, rushing back and forth along a path, following the scent, but managing to stick close to the family, as if he knew the old woman would have a difficult time keeping up with his pace.
Sabrina heard a branch snap in the distance and saw the dog's keen ears perk up. She expected him to run off howling in the direction of the sound, but instead he continued to follow his invisible path.
It seemed as if they had been searching for hours and Sabrina's toes were getting numb. Puck complained and suggested that they give up several times, insisting that Wendell's rabbit army had probably turned on him and were now feasting on his chubby body. Sabrina was also ready to give up, when they came to a small clearing and a sight so incredible even Granny Relda gasped.
On the ground at their feet was a mound of fur nearly four feet high and six feet wide. At first, Sabrina thought it might be a small bear, but as they got closer they realized it wasn't a single animal, but a group of many. In fact, it was a pile of rabbits huddling together in the cold. Elvis growled at the pile, but if the little forest animals noticed, they chose to ignore him.
"I told you!" Puck cried. "His woodland army mutinied! I hope he was delicious, little rodents!"