Missing Room, The

The Missing Room by Lynn Venable - It was a dream house; yet the dream could have been a nightmare... From the low cruising helicar, the cottage appeared charming. Lorinda gave a little exclamation of delight and exclaimed breathlessly, "Oh, that one, Dyke. Please, we must look at that one.” The helicar was only about a hundred feet from the ground, and they could easily see the "For Sale” sign on the green lawn. Dyke guided the helicar down onto the landing strip beside the attached copterport. The cottage certainly had the most modern conveniences. They stepped out, Dyke assisting Lorinda from the helicar with all the self-conscious solicitude of a brand new husband. They stood for a moment on the neat little postage stamp of a lawn, arm in arm. The cottage was different from the others on the block, it was similar in its contemporary design, its just-for-two smallness, but still, it was different. It seemed to radiate charm out of all proportion to its physical aspects, as sometimes a relatively unattractive person will, for no reason you can put your finger on, be utterly irresistible. "I wonder if it’s open?” asked Lorinda. "There’s one way to find out,” answered Dyke. After a token rap on the door, he twisted the knob. The door opened quietly inward. "Oh, Dyke, should we?’’