Chp 17. One Last Dance
The room the group was standing in was a giant dining room. A huge table was in the centre of the room, place settings arranged. A big piano was covered in dust in the corner, beside it was a discarded violin. The room was elegant and big enough to hold a dance or lavish affair. The flute music continued around them as they walked in and glared at the big room.
"How did we miss this place?" Cody asked looking at the high ceiling. There seemed to be a strange dust like cloud around the room and Cody couldn't make out what it was.
"Why didn't Adam show us this on the tour he gave us?" Bailey wondered.
"It could be part of the exhibits in the castle." Moseby said.
"But its so far from the actual open part of the castle." Bailey said.
"Maybe Adam has it set up for a reason." Zack wondered.
"This stuff is old, pewter glasses, the china and silver cutlery. It's been here for a long time." London said.
"I wonder why it is still like this then?" Addison asked.
"Maybe something happened and no one wanted to touch it." Woody replied.
"Could be still set up from the night Chance died." Moseby replied.
"This room is gorgeous. I can imagine Chance dancing here with Ed." Bailey said. She walked into the centre of the room and glanced at the big chandelier. "I bet she wore a big dress and danced to lovely music." Bailey started to moved as if she was dancing.
"And wore sparkly things." London added.
"Guys, look." Cody said. The group gasped as they saw a music stand. Hovering above the stand was a long silver shiny flute. It hung there as if being played. The music flowed from it as the key caps moved up and down.
"Ghost!!!" Woody yelled hiding behind Mr Moseby. Cody stepped closer to the mysterious flute. He reached out wanting to tough it. The music stopped and the flute dropped to the floor.
"You stopped my music?" Bailey said. The group looked to her. Cody stepped forward.
"Bailey?" he asked.
"Aren't you going to ask a lady to dance dear Edward?" She said.
"Oh lord, here we go again." London said.
"Bailey, its Cody. Stop dancing." He said. He tried to reach for her but she danced around him.
"I love to dance."
"Bailey!" Cody said putting his hands on her shoulders. She stopped and looked at him.
"Cody?" She asked. "Was she in me again?"
"Afraid so."
"Chance? If that is you please listen to us!" Bailey yelled out.
"Bailey what are you doing?" Cody asked.
"Having a little word with Miss BodySnatcher." Bailey replied. "Look lady. We have nothing to do with you, this castle or anything okay. Now open the door and let us out." She yelled. The room was quiet as the group waited for a reply.
"Where did the flute go?" London asked. The group looked over to where the flute had fallen and sure enough, it was gone.
"We scared her off." Zack said.
"So now she decides to leave us alone. Listen to me. These guys are not who you think they are. Open the doors!"
"She isn't listening Bailey." Cody said facing her.
"No, she is still here. Watching us. You all wanted to talk to her now this is our chance." Bailey said. She turned and looked around the room. "We are sorry Ed hurt you but these guys are not him. So quit playing with us and get over it already." The doors of the room slammed shut and the ground jumped in surprise.
"I think she heard you." Zack said.
"Wow scary, I am really scared." Bailey said trying to annoy the ghost. But the room was silent. No music, no noise.
"Maybe she left and slammed those doors behind her." Woody said.
"She needs a good talking too!" Bailey said.
"Well I think we should return to the library now that we have solved the mystery of the music." Moseby said. The group agreed and headed back down the corridor
Meanwhile on the SS Tipton, Miss Tuttweiler was surrounded by phones and fax machines. When she had failed to get replies from the cellphones of the group, she had called the police. They had told the worried teacher that the group needed to be missing 24 hours but would send someone out to check out the castle. The weather had finally settled down and the police had headed out.
"But the driver said they were heading up there." She said into the phone that she held.
"What can I say? The place is locked up and looks empty. I bet they got there and realised no one was in and headed somewhere else." The officer said on the other end.
"You don't understand, there are 6 children missing. They could all be hurt somewhere, cold, wet."
"We have units out there searching, knocking on doors. But nothing as yet. We are trying to trace the occupant of the castle and see if he has been at home, but my officers couldn't get an answer when they were there."
"I am sure they are there. Mr Moseby would find the nearest safe place and stay until it was safe to leave. They have to be there. Have you spoken with the coach company?"
"We did and the driver hasn't checked in yet. He may have took refuge with the others."
"Then wouldn't that alert you to the fact that something bad might have happened to them." Miss Tuttweiler replied
"I understand how worried you are. We are looking for them. We will find them."
"One of the missing children is London Tipton and her father is one of the richest men in the world. They must be found."
"They will be, trust me." The officer said. Miss Tuttweiler said goodbye and put the phone down. Now she had to call Mr Titpon with the update. She wasn't looking forward to that.
Adam sat in a small dark and cold room and watched the monitors as the group walked through the halls for what seemed like the hundredth time. It had been nearly 18 hours since they had arrived and he was just waiting it out. He needed to wait for the right moment. From the moment he had been woken up in his sleep he knew they were the ones. There was something about the blond boys and the girl called Bailey. He had a desire to be near her, but he was there, in the way.
He could feel the fear and rage build inside of him. He looked down at the photograph in his hand. She was his life and now they would never be together. He needed revenge for what had happened, to him, to her. And the culprit was there, in the castle. With no way out. He now had a chance to confront the ghosts of his past and finally get what he wanted. Adam needed to plan the whole thing before anyone came looking for them.
He would need to get the boy on his own, but how? He had watched as the Americans had tried to get out, had tried to save each other. But if he had his way, no one would leave. They knew everything about Chance, they knew who killed her and they were trying to protect him.
He couldn't let them happen.
He needed to get that twin.