The Unsolved k********g

Chapter 3: Mr. Crow

The jeep bumps along the long muddy driveway as Lucas curses under his breath. "Oof" Astrid groans as they hit a significantly large pot hole. "Astrid are you sure this is where the guy lives?" Lucas ask attempting to avoid biting his tongue. "This is where the address took us" she winces as the jeep struggles out of a large mud hole. After dropping Ferdnand off with the neighbor Miss.Fritz, with enough kibble to fill a dump truck and then stopping by Lucas's apartment so he could grab some essentials, Lucas and Astrid began their journey. The first step Astrid decided was to figure out what the ancient stone with the symbols on it meant; but to do that they needed someone they could trust above the rest. Mr.Crow. Gerard Crow was a retired and quite isolated antiquities trader who occasionally dabbled in archeological research. Astrids parents had confided in Mr.Crow more then once in their research so she was sure enough that he could help them. "This guys must really like his privacy" Lucas says out loud to himself. Astrid could recall meeting Mr.Crow a couple times and that he was less than friendly. She always wondered how her parents the nicest people in the universe would want to deal with some old grumpy hunch back with glasses the size of magnifying glasses. She knew the answer of course the guy was very knowledgeable,and that's exactly what they needed. The jeep comes to a halt in front of a gate large enough to fit two semi trucks through side by side. Astrid sighs and opens the jeep door and hopping out. The humid Louisiana weather hits her like a wall along with the five thousand bugs that seemed to appear out of thin air. Astrid pulls a can of bug spray out of her backpack spraying her face and neck and exposed arms. Lucas kills the jeep and hops out of the drivers side making his way towards the gate. After reaching the gate they search for a way to open it. Lucas pushes foliage away from the corner of the gate. "I found a lock" he says. Astrid walks over and studies the lock. "I can open this one" she says out loud. Lucas scoffs "so you have a key?". "Not exactly" Astrid replies pulling out a bobby pin from her bun and sticking it into the lock. In just a few seconds the lock clicks and opens. Astrid smirks up at Lucas. "You didnt think I could do it did you?" She taunts. "I didnt know you knew how...wait a second you're not really Astrid are you? Take off the mask poser." He says pulling on her cheeks."Lucas stop you're going to bruise my face. Open the gate so I can drive the jeep through." "Wait a second why cant you open the gate and I drive the jeep through." "Lucas do I have to answer that question?" She ask putting her hands on her hips and narrowing her eyes at him. "Yes" he says keeping a straight face. Astrid makes a frown "i picked the lock so it's your turn to do something " she says. Lucas laughs putting his hands out in front of himself. "I got the gate just dont brake anything." The gate is pretty stiff as Lucas pushes it open makeing it squeak loudly. Once the gate is open Astrid drives the jeep slowly through. Lucas pushes the gate back closed before joining Astrid inside the jeep again. "Are you sure this guy wont mind us breaking and entering?" Lucas ask out loud. As Astrid climbs into the passenger seat. "I'm sure he will actually I'm positive he will but he has no number on file and I really need his help." She says. Lucas sighs "we are so getting shot" "We wont get sh…." Astrid cuts her sentence short as they brake the crest of a steep hill. Straight ahead in front of them is the biggest house she has ever seen. House probably wasnt even an accurate term the place was a castle. Too many windows to count lined the front with vines snaking along the cracks and crevices in the brick work. "Good lord" Lucas says in shock. Lucas pulls around to the front door so that the passenger side is facing the door. Astrid bends down rummaging through her backpack till she finds the file with the papers in it once she finds them she glances over at Lucas expectedly to find him staring at the front door. She turns to follow his gaze only to be met by an butler dressed in a dress shirt and slacks pointing a shot g*n right at them. Without a word Lucas reaches over and grasp her elbow. "Dont do anything stupid" he says under his breath as he slowly raises both his hands and slowly hits the button to roll down the passager side window. At first the butler is silent and then he speaks. "Who are you?" He ask. Lucas starts to speak but Astrid places her hand on his arm giving him what she hopes is a reassuring look. "My name is Astrid Kingston" she says turning back to the g*n wielding butler. "My parents are friends of Mr.Crow and I would like to speak to him regarding an artifact." "Mr.Crow doesn't appreciate guest unless necessary" says the butler in a firm voice. Astrids mind scrambles as she sorts through her options. "Tell him who I am." She blurts out suddenly. "Tell him my parents are missing and this may be the only way that we can locate them. The butler stays silent for a long time his expression never changing. "Ok miss Kingston please step out." He says in an annoyed tone "What about my friend?" She ask. "Fine him too but if either one of you try anything I will not hesitate to blow a crater in you is that understood?" Astrid and lucas shake their heads in understanding as they climb out.