The visitor was a rough-looking man wearing orange coveralls with "Geneva Pest Removal in French stencilled across his back in large purple let ters formed by various rodents and insects. Dr Beasel motioned the children over to the sofa and resumed his conversation with the burly exterminator.
"What are they saying?" Marty whispered. His French was still not very good, despite seven years of lessons."They're arguing," Grace whispered back. "Dr Beasel insists that there are termites in his office."
Marty grinned, and Grace suspected that her brother knew more about the termites than he should. "Whatever you're thinking," Grace whispered,"stop. Marty, this is serious." "What's so serious about termites?"
"That's not what I meant," Grace answered impatiently. "They're about to hand us over to a complete stranger. We don't even know where this so-called uncle of ours lives."
"Well, it can't be worse than this place."
"I mean it, Marty! I want to stay right here. It's the only place I feel safe." "Oh, please."
"The nightmares are back.
You remember how it used to be. I can't live like that again.""It seems to me if the nightmares are starting to bug you here, you'd want to get away from them."
Dr Beasel suddenly turned to them "Did you say anything about bugs?". "No" Marty pointed to the carpet. "I was telling Grace how I always admire your rug". Dr Beasel adjusted his hairpiece and gave Marty what Luther called the "stink-eye", then turned back to the exterminator.
"Help me, Marty" Grace pleaded. Marty looked at his sister and melted inside. The joke between them had always been that he got both their bodies and she got both their brains - a mix-up in their mother's womb they weren't able to straighten out before it was time to go. He was her bodyguard, and Grace was his brainguard. "Oh, all right," he said. "But I am not sure what I can do"
"Thanks Marty"
Dr Beasel concluded his conversation with the exterminator, walked him to the door, then turned to the O'Hara twins "Now what is all this about?" "This" Grace handed him the email.
Dr Beasel glanced at it, then handed it back to her. "Yes, I spoke to your uncle this morning". " Well, that more than we've every done!" Grace said heatedly.
"We didn't even know he existed till we got this!" she wadded up the email and threw it on the floor.