Midnight for Charlie Bone: The Children of the Red King #1

Aunt Venetia drags Charlie home, she and Grandma Bone question him about the silver case and the keys, and Charlie lies that he received it as part of a game. The sisters eventually give up their interrogation. Once left alone with his mother, Charlie tells her about his quest to help Miss Ingledew find her missing niece, explaining that he feels compelled to help. His mother promises to keep Charlie’s secret despite her worries about the Yewbeams.

A cheerful boy named Fidelio Gunn arrives at the house and says he’s a music tutor from Bloor’s. Charlie will be placed in the music department, and Fidelio has come to prepare him. Charlie struggles to learn basic piano skills, but Fidelio’s lively style makes it more enjoyable. After Fidelio leaves, Grandma Bone assigns Charlie “homework” and gives him a file of questions about obscure historical and scientific topics to complete by the end of the week. Uncle Paton secretly offers to help.

Though exhausted, Charlie later tries using his “gift” to entertain Maisie and his mother by listening to a humorous magazine photo, but Grandma Bone catches him and scolds him. Benjamin warns Charlie that the Yewbeam aunts have been lurking around his house, searching for the case.