The Monkey Howled at Midnight Read Free

I be on my boat? Or climbing a mountain, or something else that I am good at?”
    Cody and Otis exchanged glances. This guy had quite an ego.
    â€œI’m sure we’ll figure it out,” said Mr. Carson.
    â€œWonderful.” Mr. Estevez beamed. “Now let’s all freshen up after lunch and then hit the museums.”

    Otis, Cody, and Rae waited for the others in the great hallway. “I’ve got something to tell you guys,” said Rae. She leaned toward them.
    â€œAfter I washed my hands I walked back through the living room. I saw a cell phone lying on the floor. I thought it was mine and had dropped out of my pocket when we ran into the room. It never occurred to me that it might belong to someone else. I picked it up and checked the list of calls to see if anyone had phoned. I found country codes in there from all over the world. Sixty-five, eight hundred fifty-two, um … sixty-one …”
    Rae glanced upward. “Sixty-five, that’s the country code for Singapore … and eight hundred fifty-two, that’s Hong Kong, and sixty-one, that’s Australia.”
    â€œHow do you know all this?” asked Cody.
    Rae shrugged. “I just got interested one day when it was raining, so I looked them up.”
    Otis nodded his head. “That’s Rae, all right,” he said. “Random-knowledge queen.”
    â€œCome on, Rae,” said Cody, shaking his head. “Did you really think that cell phone belonged to you, or were you just being nosy?” He knew that Rae had a way of letting her curiosity get the best of her at times.
    â€œWell …” Rae reddened. Then she shrugged. “When we left the dining room I saw Luis pick up the phone and put it in his pocket,” she whispered. “He looked really strange—pale and kind of scared.”
    â€œI wonder why Luis was getting those calls from everywhere. Friends?” Otis wondered aloud. “I noticed something else. Pino and Luis don’t get along very well with their father. It seems like he pushes them around.”
    Cody opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the sound of a loud argument. It was coming from behind two heavy doors that led to a room off the hall. One of the voices belonged to a twin. The other belonged to Mr. Estevez.
    â€œI don’t want to hear about it anymore!” he thundered.
    â€œBut, Dad, it can’t just go on and on and on.”“I’ll bet Mr. Estevez is arguing with Luis about selling land again,” said Rae. “Let’s wait out front. We don’t want them to open the doors and find us here listening.”
    â€œThat’s right,” Otis agreed.
    They went out on the sunny porch. There was a man sitting down on the steps. He stood up when he saw them.
    â€œI’m Aldo,” he said. “You must be the Carson twins and Cousin Rae.”
    Aldo was an extremely tall young man with a shaved head. Broad shoulders and muscles nearly popped through his shirt. He looked like he could knock down a brick wall without trying hard.
    Cody spoke up. “I’m Cody Carson and this is my brother, Otis.”
    Aldo nodded, then smiled at Rae. “I’ve heard about all of you.”
    At that moment Carlos appeared on the porch. “Did you deposit the check I gave you for helping with the garden?” he asked Aldo.
    â€œYes, I did,” Aldo answered with a nod. “I did it last week.”
    â€œWhat check? What for?” Mr. Estevez asked as he walked onto the porch.
    â€œOh—I asked Aldo to fetch some plants to add to the garden,” Carlos explained. “I didn’t pay an excessive amount.”
    â€œGood,” Mr. Estevez said shortly. “Some people think I’m made of money. By the way, Carlos—you mentioned a raise. I really don’t think it’s necessary.”
    Carlos’s face was expressionless. “Of course, sir,” he said.
    Rae and