A chilling breath tickled my ear. I smacked my ear and whipped my head from left to right, attempting to spot whoever had snuck behind me. Whoever had rasped in my ear now ringing. This individual warning me to not tell. Not tell what exactly? Did the stranger want me to keep the puppet a secret? Did he or she not want me to disclose to my family that the dummy moved? That the dummy might be alive? Why not?

Would you want to know whether your dummy is alive - if you are brave enough having a dummy in your own home. In your own room. The dummy watching you as you sleep. I do not have a fear of dummies. To me, they are unappealing. I would never bring one to my room - unless that I wanted to stay awake all night. Even if my dummy was lifeless, I would still refuse being with him in the same room. I could not look at his horrid face.

The person should have been hiding behind me. When I looked, though, no one was there. A couple cops were standing outside and having a hearty conversation, but they were nowhere near me or my family. I would have heard footsteps crunching the grass. How did someone hiss in my ear? Wind could not have carried the voice - because there was no wind, not even a gentle breeze.

Maybe this voice was from inside my head. Why would my brain conjure up a creepy one, though? It never has before. And at a time quite like this. But it was the only logical explanation.

I faced Jarvis. One of the only logical explanations.

"Justine," Mom said. "What are you looking for? What is the matter?"

I ignored her. "Jarvis. Did you whisper in my ear?"

He was holding Tubby's arms and making him dance. I would have found it charming had I not been on edge.

I talked a little louder. "Jarvis."

He stopped moving Tubby and gazed up at me. "What? Can you not see that I am teaching Tubby to dance?"

"Jarvis, please do not talk to your own sister like that," Mom scolded.

His eyes widened. His mouth fell open. "Moooooooom. I was not being rude. I was telling her that I am busy. I am in the middle of something important."

"Teaching your stuffed bear to dance is not considered important," I commented the obvious.

He covered Tubby's small ears. "Hey, do not say things like that. Do not say that he is unimportant - especially in front of him. Have some respect."

My brother was being ridiculous. Tubby could not hear because he was not alive. But...if the puppet has a soul, who is to say that a teddy bear does not?

Do not be paranoid, Justine. Do let your brain go wild. Puppets, teddy bears, and other toys do not have souls. They cannot because they are only toys. They are made from materials, not skin and organs. It is impossible to live without a brain and a heart - and the other organs. The dummy is not alive.

"You can continue teaching him to dance and whatever else that you plan to do to him right after you answer a question. Did you hiss in my ear?"

Jarvis uncovered his ears. "Did I hiss in your ear?"

"Yes. Somebody hissed in my ear. Did you do it?"

"Did you hit your head when we were racing out of our new - and now scary - house?"

He thinks that Tubby and all other toys are alive. And I am crazy.

"No, I did not. Somebody whispered, 'Do not tell.' I felt the person's breath on my skin. So did you do it?"

"Why would I whisper in your ear? I was busy teaching Tubby cool moves!"

"You were trying to scare me."

"Would I try after what happened with Gemma? Gee, I am still shaken up."

"Kids, let us not start anything," Dad said. "We already have enough on our plate as it is."

I glared into his curiosity-filled eyeballs. I did not want to believe it, but he had a good point. Jarvis is far from a perfect brother, but he stops when enough is enough. It is one of his better qualities. He never pushes people to the point that they would rather jump off a cliff. Yes, he pulls pranks. I am his favorite victim. But it is out of character for him to do something like scaring me after Gemma was rushed to the hospital. Wish that I figured that out before I accused him.

Before I could say sorry, a cop approached us and said, "The house is clear. Nobody is inside." He pointed with his thumb at our house. "We can talk inside if you guys are comfortable."

Jarvis hugged Tubby. "I will never be comfortable until the stupid crook is caught."

As we scrambled to our feet, the officer said something that forever changed this family - and made me deeply scared of dolls.

"Are you moving into the house?"

Dad brushed off the back of his pants. "Yes. We arrived just this morning."

"Ah." The officer scratched the side of his head. "Okay. Do you know who owned the house?"

"Yep. I will be more than happy to give you the papers. They are in the kitchen." He started trudging past him, when the officer grabbed his arm.

"Before you fetch those papers, there is something that you must see."

"Is it a clue? Did you guys find a clue?"

"Yes, but we found more than a clue."

Mom held my brother's hand as we followed the officer into the house. We stopped at the top of the stairs. The cop stood on his tiptoes and pulled a chain. My brother and I watched in surprise as a small door opened and a wooden staircase unfolded.

The officer pointed to the attic. "They are up there."

They?