The Beast with 1000 Eyes Read Online Free Page A

the B-Monster up close, right?” Damon said.
    â€œBut we’re going to assume it’s the Eyeball Beast,” Jesse said. “We’re going to back Stella. We’re in this together.”
    I puffed out my chest a little bit.
    â€œThanks, Jesse,” I finally said, crossing my arms tightly in front of me.
    The truth was, there was no harm in investigating now. We could always rule it out later. I was just pleased to finally get the support of my fellow Monster Squadders—especially Damon.
    After Walter turned off the power in the screening room, he offered to drive us home. It was getting so late! As we rode along, the wheels inside my head started turning, too. I had a genius idea! Walter dropped the others off first. Then he drove to Dojo Academy because I told him I had karate class. I went into the studio like normal, but as soon as I got inside the karate studio locker room, I made a U-turn back to the front desk.
    I approached Front Desk Lady.
    â€œMay I borrow your Yellow Pages?” I asked.
    Front Desk Lady dropped the phone book on the counter with a thud. I flipped through the pages until I got to the letters H, I, J, K, L . . .
    Got it!
    I had one measly hour before my Mom picked me up—and a ton of work to do. I set my cell phone timer for fifty minutes and hustled outside. There was no time to waste. The air outside was brisk so I walked faster than usual. My destination was 101 Main Street. Within five minutes, I was already staring up at a steel engraved sign: Riddle Towers. What a fancy building! Ornate glass, revolving doors, and a formal-looking doorman standing guard!
    I went right up to the guy.
    â€œIs Sandra Lee at home this evening?”

    The doorman gave me a bugged-out stare and, for a moment, I worried that I had the wrong address. But then he nodded and reached for the intercom.
    â€œMs. Lee, you have a visitor . . . no , it’s not a Grocery Town delivery, it’s . . . a young girl.”
    I fidgeted with the zipper on my jacket. “It’s her niece,” I said. “Stella Min. Stella Lee Min.”
    I figured our same name might help me get inside. Sure enough, a moment later, a flustered voice came through the speaker.
    â€œStella?” the voice cracked.
    San San! I’d recognize that voice anywhere! It was the voice of a ton of Bs!
    I expected the doorman to send me right up to her apartment after that, but then he pulled out this logbook and started asking me all these obscure questions. He called it a “security precaution.”

    â€œAre you with anyone?”
    â€œDid you pack your own bags?”
    â€œWhat is the capital of East Mauritanea?”
    For a split second, I felt like I was on Quizzle , that game show where you have to answer a series of questions in order to get to the top level and win buckets of cash. Only there was no cash involved here; just an old aunt who wouldn’t let me on the elevator. She was more of a hermit than I expected.
    The doorman led me to the elevator. “Sorry about the interrogation,” he whispered. “She usually doesn’t let anyone up. She has a lot of locks on her door, too.”
    â€œShe was a movie star, you know,” I said as the elevator door opened.
    â€œYou’re family, right?”
    â€œYes,” I said, nodding. “How did you know?”
    â€œAre you kidding? You look exactly alike!” the doorman said.
    I glanced at my reflection in the mirrored wall near the elevators and smoothed down my hair. She was beautiful, too, of course.
    â€œThanks for your help,” I said as I stepped onto the elevator. When we got to the penthouse floor, the doors opened onto a wide and empty hall.
    â€œAuntie San San?” I asked, stopping in my tracks. “Hello? Are you here?”
    All at once, a flurry of locks twisted and clicked, one after the other. I counted ten in all. Then a door creaked. San San appeared, peering around the side of