Free The Secret of Skull Island by Zack Norris Page A

bad that we’re on our own,” he said. “It’s not like we can tell anyone what we found. We can’t exactly tell Dad or Maxim or Aunt Edith that we broke into someone’s room and went through his wallet.”
    â€œEven if we found credit cards with different names, and that Cordell and Keller are brothers?” Cody asked. Then he answered his own question. “No, we can’t. It’s just not enough. Two slick guys like them would deny everything, and then nobody would insist on seeing the passport and credit cards. Maxim and Dad think we’re playing detective anyhow.”
    â€œRight,” Otis agreed. “We need more proof. What’s this big job they were talking about?”
    Cody put his ear to the door. “I don’t hear anything. Let’s get out of here.”
    He opened the door slowly and peered into the hallway. “All clear,” he said. “Let’s go.”
    Cody and Otis exited the room and strode briskly toward their own. Inside, Cody looked at his brother thoughtfully.
    â€œI’ve got to admit that you were right about breaking into that guy’s room,” he said. “We never would have found out all that stuff if we hadn’t.”
    â€œUh-huh,” Otis agreed. “Now we just have to figure out what to do next.”
    They went downstairs and found Aunt Edith behind the check-in desk, staring into space, her shoulders sagging. She looked worried and upset. The twins exchanged glances.
    â€œWhat’s the matter, Aunt Edith?” Cody asked.
    â€œCan we help?” asked Otis.
    Aunt Edith looked up and smiled. “Thank you, boys, but I don’t think so. I don’t know what’s going on around here, but it isn’t good. Muriel Esposito checked out a little while ago. She said she didn’t feel safe here. And then Inez, the maid, left just now. She said it was dangerous to stay. This place could be wonderful but it’s falling apart around me.”
    â€œWell, I think we can help after all, Aunt Edith,” Cody said with a smile. “Otis and I can be your new cleaning crew.”
    â€œRae will help, too,” said Otis. “I know she’ll want to.”
    Aunt Edith’s face brightened. “Well, that’s a wonderful idea. Thank you, boys, and I’ll have to thank Rae, too. You are a help.”
    â€œOtis is a slob, but maybe he’ll be good at cleaning up other people’s messes.” Cody chuckled.
    Otis punched him in the arm. “You should talk, pigpen.”
    â€œI believe you both will do very well,” said Aunt Edith with a smile.
    Then suddenly the smile vanished. “Don’t tell anyone that Inez left yet,” she said seriously. “Anyone except Rae, of course. They’ll find out, but I just don’t want to make a big deal about it. There are enough people leaving this place already.”
    They both agreed not to say anything and to ask Rae to do the same.
    She handed them some duplicate room keys. “Be careful not to lose these,” she said, shaking a pointed finger at them. “We don’t have a locksmith on this island.”
    â€œWe’ll be careful, Aunt Edith. Don’t worry,” Cody told her.
    As they walked along the beach to tell Rae the plan, Otis held up a key and grinned. “Now we won’t have to break into another room.”
    â€œLike Sam Keller’s.” Cody nodded.
    â€œLike Sam Keller’s.”

[Chapter Thirteen]
    L ate that night, when everyone had gone to sleep, a scream shattered the silence. Lights were turned on quickly and the guests ran to find out what happened.
    Helen Wallace was standing in her doorway. She was in her robe and had a towel wrapped around her head.
    â€œI was getting ready to shower when I heard a noise,” she said. “I came out of the bathroom and the room was dark. He was there—the ghost! He was sort of … glowing. He was