Anna was up early, testing some water samples, when she again heard it—that low menacing rumble. A second later, the water in her test tube began to ripple and, on the bench, the other test tubes began to chatter in their holders. A Pyrex beaker skated across the bench, and Anna was barely able to grab it before it went sliding off the edge.
“Dad?” she screamed. “It’s happening again!”
Kip, clad only in boxers, emerged from his bedroom and, grabbing the girl, pulled her under the workbench as around them things began sliding and crashing to the floor.
“Lousy, flying butcher,” Kip muttered.
* * *
Father Salazar stood in the bell tower, holding aloft the SpectraSonic CDX-7000A as the bells of Canterbury Cathedral reverberated through the valley, joyfully announcing the arrival of Ditch
