There was only one thing to do. I had to follow the first Monster Protector's voice and discover where it was coming from. But before I could venture on my quest for who knows how long, I needed to inform my sister, Sarah, Mr. Hawk, and his friends of my absence.

If you read all of book one, you would remember that I left the mansion with Lean Share and without them knowing, and when they found me all alone in the woods, Scarlett gave me heck.

No way was I going through that mess again. I am supposed to have character development and want the fans to love me.

Did I mention that I miss Lean Share?

I was heading towards the stairs and snapped my fingers. I remembered a character who could be very useful to me on this case and hurried to the telephone. I brought it to my ear and dialed the number. I listened for a particular female voice.

"Hello? To whom am I speaking to?"

It was clearly female, but not her. It was Jorgie Special.

"Hi, Jorgie."

"Margie? Is that you?"

I giggled softly. "You are correct. How are you?"

"Well, I was doing just great. I was sleeping like a baby, and the next thing that I know, I am awake, out of my warm bed, and on the phone."

"Sorry that I have to contact you so early in the morning, but it is an emergency."

"Emergency? Okay, I am sitting on my bed. What is the emergency?"

"Remember when Fear took over the town and you had to rescue the main characters, including me, from our deepest fears?"

"I do not have to remember. It will always be fresh to me."

"If I recall, Jorgie, you heard sounds that nobody else could hear."

"That is correct, Margie. Where are you going with this?"

"I do hope that you do not think that I completely lost my mind, but...I am hearing a voice."

"A voice?"

"Yes."

I explained to her everything behind the male voice. How it would not leave me be and repeated my first name over and over. How I was the only one hearing it and the voice was of the first Monster Protector.

"He wants me for a reason, Jorgie," I finished. "I just wish that I knew what it was."

"Dang," she replied. "Maybe he and you have a secret connection."

"I have no doubt."

"Is that why you are calling me? To help you solve this mystery?"

"If you would like to, sure. And bring along Margaret."

"Margaret? What does she have to do with this?"

"She was chosen by Mr. Hawk to be the next Monster Protector before she ran away."

"Margaret was pregnant before she ran away."

"Yeah, but she gave up the title of Monster Protector because you made her your personal guard."

"Ah."

"I am wondering if she knows anything about the Monster Protector history."

"Hmm. Now that you mention it, I want to know too. I will tell you what. I will send Margaret over in the morning and come later in the day."

"Not until morning?"

"Margie, Margaret and I have to get some sleep. You want us to be well-rested, do you not?"

"If only I could sleep, Jorgie."

We hung up, and I put the phone back on the receiver. I could not fall asleep because of the annoying voice and had to wait until morning for Margaret to come by. What was a poor Monster Protector to do?

As if the universe could read my every thought, there was a soft knock on the front door. I barely heard it, but still heard it nonetheless and peered out one of the windows to check who it was. My mouth dropped open.

There was a reason why Lean was brought up early in this book.

"Lean!" I exclaimed, my voice lowered. I flung open the door and squealed. "Lean!"

Lean had her purse, and her hair was flowing in the wind. She tilted her head down at me and smiled.

"Hi, Margie."

I hugged her. "It is good to see you."

She hugged me back. "And it is good to see you too."

I pulled away from her, and she did the same. "What are you doing here in the middle of the night?"

"Silly Margie. It is not the middle of the night. It is only one o'clock in the morning."

I laughed.

She poked me in the chest. "The real question is what are you doing up? Is something troubling you?"

"Very much."

"I knew it."

"You did?"

Lean fiddled with her bracelets. "My gut was telling me that you were in trouble."

"Good. 'Cause I am."

I motioned for her to come in, and the ghost girl floated in and rested in the chair. I walked to her and played with my fingers as I told her of the voice. When I was finished, I waited for her response.

"That is a ton to take in. Too much."

"This dumb voice is making me both sound and look like a fool."

"You are not a fool, Margie, and never will be."

"Tell that to all the people who live in Mr. Hawk's mansion."

"My mansion."

"That is right. You legally own this mansion."

The ghost lied back in the chair. "You know what you should do now?"

I nodded. "Margaret is stopping by, and after I get some answers from her - hopefully - I will pack and go on my quest."

"You are seriously going?"

"Of course. If it will make the darn voice shut it."

Lean took off her purse. "Margie, be honest with me. We are friends, right?"

"Absolutely. Best friends."

"Then I will say this. You cannot go."

I was surprised. "What? Why not?"

"Trust me. You should not go. Plus...the previous Monster Protectors are dead."

If that were the case...whose voice have I been hearing?