THE SHRILL RINGING OF THE PHONE...

shattered the peaceful sun-drenched afternoon.

The voice was the voice of a strange. "Am I speaking to Mrs. Simpson?"

"Yes," said Ella tersely. "I am Mrs. Simpson."

"The very lady I want. Just a word of advice, love. Drive carefully."

The caller hung up abruptly.

Not that Ella would have wanted to talk to him. She hated the sound of his voice. Very vulgar. But why was he calling her all the time? Warning her? About lots of things. Even about her small daughter, Kitty.

"Do you know where Kitty is?" the voice threatened.

Her husband didn't believe a word of it. Told her she was imagining things. That she was loony.

He also didn't believe about the old, empty house she and Kitty had stumbled upon a few afternoons ago.

But she had seen the house. And so had Kitty. And now that she thought about it she realized that all her troubles had begun with the visit to that house.

There was something dark and evil about the place. Something terrible. But what? And who would believe her even if she did find out?