The Black Heart Crypt

“Is Zack okay?”

Judy, at George’s suggestion, had put the phone on speaker. George’s aunts Hannah and Sophie were standing in the front hallway, mouths hanging open, listening.

“Zack’s fine,” said George. “Malik and Azalea, too. According to Aunt Ginny, it was one of the Ickleby ghosts.”

The two elderly aunts gasped.

“What’s an Ickleby ghost?” Judy asked.

“I’m not sure,” said George. “Aunt Ginny said she’d tell me more once we make certain Zack and his friends are safe and take care of the mess we made here at the hardware store. Oh, she did mention that there are eleven more of these ‘evil Icklebys.’ ”

“Eleven more?”

Now the two elderly sisters were nodding. Sophie was also nervously nibbling on a bite-sized Baby Ruth.

“Hang on, hon,” said George. “Aunt Ginny wants to talk to you.”

“Okay.”

“Judy? Am I on speakerphone, dear?”

“Yes, Aunt Ginny. What happened?”

“Oh, we just had an unfortunate incident. Everything’s fine now, just fine. Hannah and Sophie? I packed some extra sage candles in my trunk. Maybe you two should run upstairs and retrieve a few.”

“Sage candles?” asked Judy.

Judy saw Hannah and Sophie exchange worried glances.

“Well, dear,” said Ginny on the phone, “they’re actually more like portable smudge pots, if you will.”

“They stun evil spirits into submission,” said Hannah, sounding upset. “Come along, Sophie. It seems our baby sister has been up to some sort of mischief.” Hannah started trudging up the staircase to the second floor.

Sophie looked at Judy. Fear filled her eyes. “Will you be giving away all of the Butterfinger bars?”

“Sophia?” shouted Hannah from the steps.

“Coming.” Sophie followed Hannah up to the second floor.

Right after Judy slipped her a Butterfinger.

The doorbell rang as a new group of kids stormed up the front porch steps and screamed, “Trick or treat!”

Judy just hoped they weren’t little Icklebys.