Mrs Grimm it’s so nice to meet you Ms Smirt interrupted I’m Minerva Smirt We spoke on the phone The old woman raised herself up to her full height which wasn’t very high and cocked an eyebrow at the caseworker Sabrina could have sworn she saw the old woman smirk It’s nice to meet you too said Mrs Grimm stiffly I am just so thrilled to have helped you and the girls reunite Oh I’m sure you are Mrs Grimm said turning her back on the caseworker and giving the girls a wink She placed a hand on each girl’s shoulder and turned them toward her companion Girls this is Mr Canis He helps me take care of our house and other matters He lives with us too and he’ll be helping me look after you she said Daphne and Sabrina stared up into the old man’s gaunt face He was so frail it seemed as though the umbrella he was holding might collapse on him at any moment He nodded silent as a statue then handed Mrs Grimm the umbrella He took the two suitcases from Sabrina and walked down the platform toward the parking lot Well ladies this looks like good-bye said Ms Smirt She stepped forward and limply hugged Daphne whispering something in her ear that made the little girl cringe Then she hooked Sabrina in her uncomfortable embrace Let’s make this the last time we see each other She gave Sabrina a final painful pinch before the girl could pull away then turned back to the old woman Good luck Mrs Grimm She reached out to shake Mrs Grimm’s hand but the old woman looked at it as if the caseworker were trying to give her something smelly and dead Smirt sensed her disapproval hemmed and hawed for a moment then quickly reboarded the train without looking back The doors shut and soon it pulled away back to New York City Mrs Grimm directed the girls down the platform unloading a barrage of kisses that continued all the way to the parking lot Mr Canis was waiting there next to a rusty heap of a car that squealed in protest when he opened the back door Is this safe Sabrina asked It got us here The old woman laughed I suppose it will get us back The girls crawled inside to find the interior was as ancient and shabby as the outside Springs and foam erupted through the seat cushions and when Sabrina looked down she could see a hole in the floorboard that revealed the pavement below Put on your seat belts Mrs Grimm said The girls searched for the belts but found just two ends of a frayed rope buried in the
seats These Daphne asked Mrs Grimm reached around tied both ends together over their laps and then smiled There Safety first she cried Mr Canis started the engine and it sputtered backfired and then roared to life belching a black fog out of the tailpipe When he put it into drive an orchestra of gears screamed so loudly that Sabrina thought she might go deaf Daphne plugged her fingers into her ears Mrs Grimm turned to the girls and shouted something Sabrina couldn’t hear What Sabrina shouted back What the old woman asked I can’t hear you Sabrina yelled More than six the old woman replied Six what Sabrina screamed Probably The old woman laughed I love dolphins too Daphne exclaimed Not since I hurt my toes Mrs Grimm shouted Sabrina put her face in her hands and groaned They drove through the little town which consisted of a two-lane road bordered by a couple of antiques stores a bicycle shop a police station and jail a post office a dentist a restaurant named Old King Cole’s a toy store and a beauty parlor Mr Canis made a left turn at the town’s one and only stoplight and within seconds they were cruising out of the town proper and into what Mrs Grimm called Ferryport Landing’s farm country As far as Sabrina could tell the only crop this town grew was mud After a long drive Mrs Grimm’s house came into view It sat far up on a tree speckled hill fifteen minutes away from the closest neighbor It was short and squat much like its owner with two stories a wraparound porch and small windows framed by bright blue shutters It was painted yellow and had fat green shrubs lining the cobblestone path that led to the front door It might have looked cozy if not for the looming forest behind it Branches hung over the roof as if the trees were preparing to swallow the house whole You live in a dollhouse Daphne declared oblivious to the creepy woods Mrs Grimm smiled but Sabrina wasn’t amused The place was troubling and weird and she felt as if she were being watched She squinted into the dense trees but if anyone was spying he or she was well hidden Why do you live all the way out here she asked New York City was a place where
everyone lived on top of each other and that was exactly how Sabrina liked it Living out in the middle of nowhere was dangerous and suspicious Oh I like the peace and quiet said Mrs Grimm And there’s no one to hear the screaming of children up here Sabrina thought to herself Mr Canis unlocked the car’s huge musty trunk pulled out the two tiny suitcases and led everyone to the front door The old woman followed closely behind fumbling with her handbag until she fished out what might have been the largest key ring in the world Hundreds of keys jangled on the ring each different from the others skeleton keys made from crystals ancient brass keys bright new silver keys in many sizes and several that didn’t look like keys at all Wow That’s a lot of keys Daphne said That’s a lot of locks Sabrina added as she eyed the front door There must have been a dozen bolts of all shapes and sizes Mrs Grimm inserted one key after another until she had unlocked them all Then she rapped her knuckles on the door three times and said We’re home Daphne looked up at her sister for an explanation but Sabrina had none Instead she twirled her finger around her ear and mouthed the word crazy Let me take your coats lieblings Mrs Grimm said as they entered the house and she closed the door behind them turning the locks one after another Liebling Daphne asked It’s German for sweetheart the old woman said She opened the coat closet door and several books tumbled to her feet Mr Canis quickly restacked them for her Girls I must warn you I’m not much of a housekeeper Mrs Grimm said then turned to Mr Canis We’ll have dinner in about an hour Mr Canis nodded and without a word climbed the stairs with the girls suitcases A moment later he was gone Is he your boyfriend Daphne asked the old woman Mrs Grimm blushed and giggled Oh dear no Mr Canis and I are not courting We are just good friends she said What does courting mean Daphne asked her sister It’s an old-fashioned word for dating Sabrina replied Ladies let me give you the grand tour Mrs Grimm led them into the living room It was enormous a much larger room than seemed possible in a cottage so small Each wall was lined with shelves stuffed with more books than Sabrina had ever seen Stacks of them sat on the floor the tables and every other surface A teapot perched precariously on a stack that looked as if it would fall over at any moment Books were
