Grimm Read Free Page B

provided a potted history on where Scrab Hill’s own machine had appeared from.
    Rory learned that, on returning from the war in 1946 with too many ideas and a large inheritance to spend, Sir Gregory Grimm had set to work having the contraption built that still stood to this day. Within the history of the cable car, there was also a report of a mini avalanche in 1989 on Scrab Hill that had buried three children and their dog while they were out sledging one January afternoon. The unusual movement of the snow that had left the group trapped up to their necks had been blamed on the quivering pylons of the cable car. Given that the cable car had such a strong connection with the Hotel, the finger of blame was pointed at the establishment for nearly taking the lives of some of the town’s youngsters.
    Rory’s Internet search also revealed the obituary of hotel critic, Katy Cribb, who on the day her review of Hotel Grimm was published in 2007, had choked on a chunk of aubergine and died at the very next place she visited. Her review had been scathing to say the least:
    I use the word “dump” advisedly as that appears to be excessively complimentary. If our magazine had a way of awarding minus scores … Hotel Grimm would surely deserve them all. It is a catastrophically bad experience tocross the threshold, let alone brave staying the night there.
    Katy Cribb would now review no more and it seemed that the hotel had somehow managed to serve its own rather extreme judgment on her opinion of it, even after she had left the premises.
    Other than that, the best that Rory had got from an hour or two of searching were enough references to suggest that
The Chronicle’s
archive located in Aberfintry’s library, might provide the best source of information. He also found reference to one book on the hotel. The locally-produced publication was about Hotel Grimm’s statues and stone carvings and had been written by Lachlan Stagg. Rory knew that the unfortunate author, who was now missing presumed dead, had been Aberfintry’s best attempt at having a local celebrity, before his own Zizz-inspired appearance. Stagg’s efforts at gaining as many world records as he could, had given the town much entertainment over the years and helped to put it on the map.
    Realizing that newspapers and books needed to be the next port of call, Rory decided to make a journey to the library, although this in itself presented something of a challenge. Given the choice, he tended to spend time playing on his computer or kicking a ball around rather than putting any effort into deciding what to read, let alone ploughing through a book itself. At best, Rory dipped into a few comics, so as he approached the library at the end of a school day, he felt like a fish about to head out of the water. It didn’t help to bump into Marnie di Angelo, one of Gracie Goodman’s friends as he reached the door.
    “Zizz Boy?” she said with a raised eyebrow. “Fancy seeing you here. Just here to read about yourself in the magazines are you?”
    Rory mumbled something in response, feeling like a giant spotlight had just been turned on him, and that anyone inside would be staring at him. The only familiar person that Rory spotted, was Bonnie O’Donnell. Thanks to Gordon and Gracie Goodman, Bonnie was known to the whole school as the Worm, short for the Bookworm, as she could usually be found reading in the corner of the playground, so it was no surprise to Rory to find her in here.One of the assistants was lifting down a book for her from a high shelf as Bonnie was unable to reach from her wheelchair.
    “You look a little lost. Can I help you?” said the woman behind the front desk looking up from a pile of books that she was sorting. Her badge said “Mrs Trinder-Kerr. Librarian. Happy to Help.”
    “Er yes, I need some reference books please,” said Rory.
    “The reference section is up at the back on the left,” said Mrs Trinder-Kerr pointing to the far corner.