Spiders on the Case Read Online Free Page A

“I am a spider, but nothing compared to you, of course. I’m not really toxic. I can only raise the occasional welt on a human.”
    â€œPlease, dear,” Edith interjected. “We don’t talk about such things.”
    â€œOh, I’m sorry. But Felix is right, too. My weaving skills are quite modest. The marbled orb weavers and the strawberry orb weavers can do pyramids and cylindrical orbs. They’re quite fantastic.”
    â€œQuit apologizing for what you’re not!” Jo Bell roared.
    â€œOh, sorry!” Buster said.
    Edith stepped up to the walnut orb weaver. “Now, Buster, I’ve organized night patrols against those revolting silverfish.”
    â€œDon’t call them revolting if you expect me to eat them, Mom,” Julep whined.
    â€œPoint taken, Julep. The silverfish are not revolting, but whining is.”
    â€œTouché!” Felix whispered.

F orward, march!” Felix barked.
    Jo Bell shuddered with embarrassment.
    â€œI will do a short recon mission to assess the enemy position. When I report back to Mom, I’ll deploy troops. That’s you.”
    â€œOh, Felix dear, what would I do without you!” Edith cried.
    Gimme a break , Jo Bell thought, but she kept quiet.
    â€œWell, military history is more useful than fashion history.”
    That did it. Jo Bell could no longer remain quiet. “Felix, I could just bite off that fresh new leg of yours! You’re such a know-it-all!”
    â€œNow, now, children. No squabbling. Felix, we’ll wait here for your report.”
    â€œI think that was snotty of Felix, Jo Bell. I really do,” Julep offered.
    â€œThanks,” Jo Bell muttered. “Well, let’s just wait until the supreme commander of our allied forces returns.” She sighed.
    â€œWhat’s with the fresh new leg for your brother?” Buster asked.
    â€œHere’s the short answer: Felix used to be passionate about music. Wanted to be a conductor. Then he got his leg whacked off by Leon Brinsky, conductor of a philharmonic in Los Angeles. End of story.”
    â€œIs that why your mom is so protective of Felix? She makes a big fuss over him.”
    â€œYou noticed?” Jo Bell was stunned. This was some spider! He was sensitive, even though he seemed so obsessed with venom — their venom.
    â€œYeah. She can’t take her eyes off Felix’s webs.”
    â€œYou saw that?”
    â€œYes, hope you’re not mad.”
    â€œNo, no, not at all. I’m glad someone was paying attention to me.”
    â€œAnytime.” Buster paused. “Listen, I have a question.”
    â€œSure.”
    â€œFelix didn’t actually bite that conductor, did he?”
    â€œOf course not.” Jo Bell cocked her head and studied Buster with her six eyes. “You don’t get it, do you?”
    â€œGet what?”
    â€œAbout us — brown recluses, Loxosceles reclusa . You see, we don’t have to bite humans to scare the daylights out of them. Our reputation does it. One look at Felix peeping over that music stand, and Leon Brinsky panicked. Slashed down with his baton, then promptly fainted.”
    â€œWow!” Buster was clearly impressed.
    â€œIt’s not a wow situation, Buster. It means we spend our lives on the run. First word of a brown recluse on the premises, the E-Men show up with silver tanks of poisonous gas.”
    â€œThat’s what happened?”
    â€œTime and time again. That’s why we wound up here. And we hope to stay — at least for a while.”
    At that moment, Felix returned.
    â€œAttention!” he barked.
    â€œGather round, children.” Edith waved five of her legs to motion them over. “Let’s listen now to Felix’s report. He does this so well!” Edith beamed at her only son.
    â€œAs you know, John Adams’s personal library is kept on the balcony over there — just opposite our web. The Adams