The Black Heart Crypt

“Hello?”

“Malik?”

“Hi, Zack. Everything okay?”

“Don’t go to school today.”

“Why not?”

“Norman Ickes may be coming to get you.”

“What?”

“Well, he’s not really Norman right now.”

“But …”

“Look, I gotta run. The ambulance is here.”

“Ambulance?”

“Yeah. Norman just shot Aunt Ginny. I’ll call you again when we’re at the hospital. Bye.”

Zack clicked off.

Malik stared at the phone.

Norman Ickes, his puzzle pal, had shot Zack’s elderly aunt?

Malik turned on the early-morning TV news.

“This just in,” said the reporter, “Norman Ickes strikes again. Moments ago, the local hardware-store clerk, wanted for yesterday’s robberies at Stansbury Stables and the Hi-Way 31 Eat and Run, appeared on horseback and shot an elderly woman who …”

Malik snapped off the TV.

Zack was right.

He needed to stay home from school today.