1 Three Days Earlier Girls you have to be quiet Granny Relda said as she huddled behind some foam rubber footballs The crooks could come at any second Let’s get this party started already Sabrina grumbled as she rubbed another cramp out of her leg For the last three nights she and her seven-year-old sister Daphne had been crouching behind a stack of Diaper Rash Donna dolls waiting for criminals to rob Gepetto’s Toyshop She was tired hungry and more than a little irritated She should have been at home sleeping in her own bed not using a board game as a pillow Shhh You’ll wake him Daphne said pointing to their two-hundred-pound Great Dane Elvis was lying next to a display of yo-yos sound asleep Sabrina couldn’t help but envy him In most ordinary towns the police do not rely on two kids and a sleeping dog to solve crimes but Ferryport Landing was no ordinary town More than half of its residents were part of a secret community known as Everafters Everafters were actually fairy-tale characters who had migrated from far and wide to the United States more than two hundred years ago They had settled in the little town and now used magical disguises to live and work alongside their human neighbors Ogres worked at the post office witches ran the twenty-four-hour diner and the legendary Prince Charming served as the town’s mayor The humans were none the wiser except the Grimms Sabrina would have been happy to live in blissful ignorance but her family had been involved with Everafters since her great-great-great-great-grandfather Wilhelm Grimm and his brother Jacob helped establish Ferryport Landing Some might think it thrilling to live next door to fairies and princesses but Sabrina felt like she was trapped inside a bad dream Most of the Everafters saw her family as their bitter enemies largely because of the magical curse Wilhelm and a witch named Baba Yaga had used to trap them within the town’s borders It stopped a war between the Everafters and the humans but it also created an invisible cage No Everafter could leave Ferryport
Landing unless the Grimms abandoned the town or died out More than a few folks would have been happy to see either happen Even with that dark cloud hanging over her family Granny Relda had made a few genuine friends in the community Among them was a portly sheriff named Ernest Hamstead who happened to be one of the three not-so-little pigs He occasionally turned up at the family’s door asking for help with unsolved cases and Granny couldn’t resist a mystery So here Sabrina sat leg cramps and all waiting for burglars to make their move inside the toyshop There were things she would rather be doing things she should be doing like finding her parents Instead she and her sister were hiding behind Etch-A Sketches and cans of Silly String stacked miles high It was boring work with few distractions At least she could use the time productively Sabrina reached into her pocket and pulled out a small flashlight She flicked its switch to illuminate a book sitting at her feet She picked it up and started reading The Jungle Book might hold a clue to rescuing her mom and dad She’d barely read a paragraph before Daphne was grumbling Sabrina Daphne whispered what are you doing You’re going to give us away Turn off that light Go get em boy Daphne cried and the Great Dane took off like a rocket Unfortunately that was when Sabrina realized Elvis’s leash was wrapped around her foot As the dog howled wildly and tore through the store he dragged Sabrina thrashing behind him knocking over stacks of board games and sending balls bouncing Sabrina slammed the book closed There was no arguing with her sister Daphne had taken to all this silly detective work the way a dog takes to a slice of bologna Like their grandmother Daphne loved all of it the note taking the stakeouts the endless research If only she would use all that energy on something that really mattered reuniting their family A rustling sound drifted across the room and Sabrina quickly shut off her flashlight She peered over the stack of dolls and spotted something moving near a display for a hot holiday toy called Don’t Tickle the Tiger Daphne poked her head up too Do you see anything she whispered No But it’s coming from that direction Sabrina whispered back pointing toward the rustling Wake up Sleepy and see if he smells anything Daphne shook Elvis until he staggered to his feet The big dog’s bandages had only recently been removed He’d had a run-in with a bad guy’s boot but had made a full recovery Still he was a bit sluggish He looked around as if he didn’t remember where he was You smell any bad guys Elvis Daphne asked softly The dog sniffed the air and his eyes grew wide He let out a soft whine The best nose in the Hudson Valley smelled something indeed
in every direction They emptied puzzle pieces everywhere and sent an army of Slinkys slinking across the floor Sabrina struggled to grab the leash but every time she got close to freeing herself the dog took a wild turn and sent her skidding She slid into a pile of what felt like sticky leaves Some clung to her arms and legs and one glued itself to her forehead
