Gerti's assumption is that the two people with Montague are the escaped Whitewood witches, though not everyone else is as sure of this. Perhaps it's time to go to Whitewood to check? Maybe not this minute. Another suggestion arises: should Roderick complain to the Luna Park Society that another member cast a spell on him? Would they care? Woudl they think it was cool and there should be a meeting about it? They probably wouldn't go and shoot Montague, unfortunately, or if they did it wouldn't take.
Gerti thinks Roderick needs to go back to see if Montague is still at the Society. But what would the plan be if he was? Hello, zap me again? What does the party actually want to do?
"We go in and spill coffee on him!" - GertiA paper is acquired which describes the fire on Devonshire Rd as "a serious case of arson" but it doesn't specify whether the house was completely gutted or just badly burnt. Eddie disguises Charlie as a Fuller Brush salesman, and he sells brushes nearby and notes that the house is still standing, but not by a lot.
"And this is different than opening fire how?" - Tommy
Roderick calls J. Arthur Coppington - Montague is staying at the Society and doing research. Gerti thinks smothering him with a pillow would still be great. Eddie wonders if he actually sleeps... there's no evidence that he doesn't sleep. Well, there's no evidence either way, really. Why is he researching so fast? What is his deadline?
If Roderick and his "nephew" visit the Society at one in the morning the night that Feister gets smothered with a pillow, that may be suspicious.
"Maybe he'll dissolve into a puddle of slime and nobody will know he's dead." - GertiRoderick wants to call Montague and tell him that the other Apcotts are in Royalston, so that he can be ambushed on the way. It's all this waiting that's troublesome. A vote is taken as to where to ambush him - it's four to one for the club (Gerti is still keen on the pillow-over-the-face plan, and Dr. Schreber abstains).
"I wouldn't count on that." - everyone else
How about taping the Hound paper to the outside of his window? Well, then he might end up with it, which would be bad. How about waving it on a long stick? This plan is discarded as too silly.
Just as everyone begins to settle into the plan, there's a scream from Roderick's cook, in the kitchen. Two blazing semi-solid creatures (fire vampires) have burst through the back. One manages to enfold Eddie and burn him badly; other people take burns on their hands as they try to douse the creatures with water, sand, and fruit salad. One is doused; Gerti quotes the Bible at the other, and it pauses for a moment; then she hits it with her cross, and it also goes out.
All right, is it time to storm the club, lest more monsters show up?
Dr. Schreber and Esme try to make magic spears; Dr. Schreber succeeds. The party flees to Esme's house; Roderick orders his children to a hotel:
"Caroline. Remember when you were little, when I said there were things i would tell you about when you were older? This is not one of them. Go to the hotel."Dr. Schreber suggests a little more reconnaisance, and tries to dreamwalk to spy on the group at the Society. There are two or three (Dr. Schreber is a little unclear) plus Montague, and they have just figured out it's Royalston. One of the minions heads out to get the truck.
The group sets off into motion, arranging for an ambush on the Royalston road...