Free Hide and Snake Murder by Jessie Chandler. Page A

time. Okay?”
    Rocky nodded vigorously. Then he stood straight and the expression on his face melted into one of barely restrained glee. “I found a girlfriend!”
    Eddy was the first one to recover from Rocky’s announcement. “You did? What’s her name?”
    Rocky beamed. “Tulip. She makes twenty-six different balloon animals. She is very pretty and is four-feet-nine inches tall!”
    Oh boy. I wondered if anyone had ever explained the birds and the bees to him. If not, I was going to volunteer Coop for that job.
    Agnes rocked her way to her feet. “Let’s go back up to the room so we can hear this story properly.”
    Upstairs, I took a minute to use the bathroom. It didn’t appear the Baz’s new pals had anything to do with Rocky, Eddy, or Agnes, after all. It was simply a coincidence that the women had been unavailable to return our calls. That was a huge load off my shoulders.
    As I wiped my hands, I heard Baz shouting. I opened the bathroom door and stepped out into the middle of a tug of war between Baz and Rocky. Rocky’s face was set in determination. “Agnes gave it to me.” His hands were wrapped around the head of the snake, while Baz had a grip on the toy’s tail.
    â€œNo!” Baz shouted. “I’ll buy you another one. Just give me this one.”
    â€œNo. You are a mean man. I don’t like you!” Rocky yanked on the snake. Baz stumbled forward a half step and then set his feet again.
    â€œGive me the goddamn thing.”
    Baz pulled hard, and Rocky pulled harder.
    With an unmistakable rip, the snake split in half. Baz slammed into the door. Rocky sprawled backward across one of the beds. As amusing as the crashing humans were, they weren’t the most riveting sight before me.
    What rooted everyone to the floor in amazement were the crumpled bills and rolls of cash that spewed out of the snake.
    For a frozen moment, no one said a word.
    Baz picked himself off the floor and scooped up a bill. He sniffed it and looked at it from different angles. Then he proclaimed in an awed voice, “I’m rich.”
    Rocky, his eyes wide, whispered, “Doodlebug broke.”
    â€œDon’t you worry, Rocky.” Eddy patted him on the shoulder as she looked at the money scattered around the room with a scowl. “We’ll find you another Doodlebug. Won’t we, Basil?”
    Baz scooted around on his knees, furiously grabbing the crumpled and rolled bills and stuffing them in his pocket. He paused, both hands full of greenbacks. “Oh sure. Not a problem. Not a problem at all.”
    â€œBasil,” Agnes said sternly. “That is not your money. And why is it inside that ugly animal?”
    â€œDon’t know,” Baz said, his pockets beginning to bulge.
    A knock sounded on the door. I looked at Eddy. “Are you expecting anyone?”
    She shook her head and stepped around Baz. Her hand was outstretched to open the door when a very bad feeling slammed me in the gut. I reached for her and yelled, “Wait!” just as she twisted the knob.
    The door slammed inward with violent force, toppling Eddy backward into me. We went down in a tangle of limbs as three men with wicked-looking guns strode into the room.

Five
    Frozen on the floor, Eddy and I stared at a hulk-like man who loomed over us, pistol pointed directly at my belly button.
    â€œEveryone on the bed,” barked one of the other two men. This guy had been with the frighteningly large man when they chased us at Jackson Square. Up close, the second man’s hair was beyond pale, and his skin was so white it practically glowed. The guy’s eyebrows blended right into his sharp features. I expected vampire fangs to pop out of his gums when he opened his mouth.
    Heart in my throat, I peeled myself off Eddy and gave her a hand up. She squeezed my fingers once in reassurance, and we joined the rest of the cadre already huddled on the