Ghost Town Mystery (6 page)

Grandfather had built a fire in the stone fireplace. Lanterns glowed on tables. The power was out again.

“The Jeep died,” Corey explained, taking the thin towel Marianne handed him.

“So has the electricity and phones —
again
,” said Mr. Williams with disgust. “I think I’ll pack it in.”

“You’re leaving?” asked Mrs. Harrington. “In this storm?”

“It’s not that far to Beaverton,” said Mr. Williams. “At least I can get a decent meal! You can send me a refund in the mail.” Then he stalked out of the hall, knocking over the stack of fishing magazines.

Henry and Benny bent to straighten the pile. In the flickering lamplight, a picture caught Henry’s eye. His suspicions about the two fishermen grew stronger.

“You guys get dry,” Jessie told her brothers and sister. “I had the blanket over my head, so I’m not as wet as you are. I’ll go to our cabins and bring dry socks and shirts.”

“Take the umbrella.” Grandfather handed her a black umbrella.

But when Jessie opened it outside, the umbrella was full of holes! Nothing worked at Eagles Nest!

“I’m better off without it,” she muttered to herself.

As she skirted puddles, she saw Corey leaving his cabin. He wore a yellow plastic rain poncho and was heading for the dining hall.

Something peculiar was sticking out from under his poncho. It looked like the gray crocheted shawl worn by the ghost of Rose Payne!

Was Corey Browne pretending to be the ghost of Tincup?

“This mystery keeps getting weirder and weirder,” said Benny as he followed his brother up the steep path. “I wonder if that face you saw yesterday was Rose Payne.” Violet had decided to share her sighting with her sister and brothers after all.

“I know,” agreed Violet. She walked right behind Benny. “First there was that awful face, then Jessie saw the ghost’s shawl under Corey’s poncho. It really
is
weird.”

It was a perfect day. Grandfather had driven into Beaverton to meet with a real estate lawyer.

“I can’t imagine why Mr. Lacey is offering me so much money” Grandfather had told the children after breakfast. “He keeps hounding me about selling the land. Maybe a real estate lawyer familiar with property around here can help me make a decision.”

The children had looked at one another. They didn’t want Grandfather to sell the land or the town. So after Grandfather drove away in the rental car, they decided to explore his property.

“Now, don’t wander off,” Mrs. Harrington warned them.

“We won’t go far,” Violet promised. “We want to hike and take some pictures.”

Mrs. Harrington had frowned suspiciously, as if she didn’t trust them.

Jessie carried the survey map. Benny and Henry toted small packs with their lunches, made from the groceries Grandfather had brought back from Beaverton the other day.

At the big rock, Jessie unfolded the map and studied it. “We know where Tincup is.

And we know which way Old Gert’s cabin is. Let’s go that way.” She pointed east. “We haven’t been in that direction yet.”

Henry quickly located a trail and they began climbing. As they hiked, they went over the mystery.

“Mr. Williams is gone for good,” said Henry. “We can scratch him off our suspect list.”

“It looks like Corey is the ghost,” said Jessie. “I mean, why else would he have that shawl?”

“But who did Violet see in the dance hall?” asked Henry. “It couldn’t have been Corey. He was with us.”

Violet shivered in the hot sun. “Oh! That was so scary! Her face was yellowed and wrinkled and her hands were like claws.”

“She must be an old, old lady,” Benny ventured. “Even older than Old Gert.”

“But how could she live in that town?” Jessie asked. “Without food or running water or heat — . Hey, see what I found!” she exclaimed. She pointed to a pair of rusted metal rails. “Tiny train tracks.”

“It’s a tramway,” said Henry, parting the weeds to examine the rails. “We must be near the silver mine.”

“Oh, boy!” Benny cried. “Let’s find the mine!”

“We have to watch out,” Henry warned. “Old mine shafts are dangerous. You could walk right over it and fall in.”

But the Tincup Silver Mine was easy to locate. All they had to do was follow the tramway tracks. At the end they found a ramshackle shelter that covered the mine entrance. The entrance had been boarded over, though some of the planks were rotted.

“Let’s stay away from it,” Jessie said. “The idea of a deep mine shaft makes me nervous.”

“Time for lunch anyway,” said Benny. At least today he’d have something good.

The kids found some square gray stones not too far from the mine. The sun-warmed stones made a perfect picnic table.

As she munched raisins, Violet stroked the hand-tooled granite. “You know what I think this is?” she said.

“What?” asked Jessie.

“What’s left of Rose and Duncan Payne’s mansion!”

Henry glanced around. “I bet you’re right, Violet. These stones are the foundation. Over there is part of a wall. And those smooth flat stones are roofing slates.”

She snapped a picture of the tumbled brick. “This was probably a beautiful place. It’s a shame it’s fallen down.”

After lunch, the Aldens wandered around what was left of the Payne mansion. Benny found a teardrop-shaped piece of glass that sparkled in the sun.

“Oooh,” he exclaimed. “Is this a diamond?”

“It’s a crystal prism,” said Jessie. “It’s cut so it catches the light and throws rainbows. It probably came off a chandelier or a light fixture.”

Benny held up the prism, letting the sun create rainbows. “Mrs. McGregor told me a story once, about a little boy who found a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I wonder if I can find one today!”

He scampered off, the prism dangling from his fingers.

“Benny, wait!” Jessie called.

Henry quickly gathered their lunch trash so they could follow him. “Why are we always running uphill?” he said, laughing as they caught up with their little brother.

Even Benny was tired. “I don’t think I’ll ever find the end of this rainbow!” He sank down on a log.

The others gratefully collapsed around him.

“I’m warm,” Violet remarked.

“So am I,” Henry said.

“No, I mean, I feel warm air.” She put her arm out. “Stick your hand out there.”

Henry put out his arm. “You’re right. I do feel warm air. Where is it coming from?” He explored the stony outcropping and found a hole between two rocks. Warm air drifted from the hole.

“It’s a cave,” said Jessie, peering inside.

“I’m going in,” Henry declared. “I have to find out about this air.”

Violet was concerned. “Be careful, Henry.”

“I will,” he promised, wiggling his legs, then his body, through the hole.

The others gathered anxiously at the mouth of the cave.

“What do you see?” Benny called.

Silence.

Then Henry’s voice echoed, “There are pools of water that are warm like baths! This is so neat!”

“Maybe you should come out now, Henry,” said Jessie.

Seconds later, Henry’s head and shoulders popped through the rocks. “You should see those steamy pools.”

As they left the cave area to head home, the children discovered more small pools hidden among the rocks. The water was warm, as Henry had said. They took off their shoes and socks and soaked their feet.

“This feels great,” Jessie said. “My feet were tired, but now I feel I could hike for ten miles!”

“Please,” Henry protested. “Let’s not! In fact, we should be getting back.”

After putting their shoes and socks on again, the children struck off down the mountain.

Suddenly they heard a crashing sound. Something was thrashing in the woods!

Jessie stared at Henry. “Is it a bear?” Bears lived in the Rockies.

They flew down the trail. This time even Benny was scared.

After they had run well past the thrashing noise, Henry stopped.

“What is it?” panted Violet.

“We’re lost again. This is the trail to Old Gert’s cabin,” he said regretfully. “Sorry, guys.”

Jessie said, “I don’t think Old Gert is so bad. Mrs. Harrington makes her sound worse than she really is.”

“She doesn’t like anyone on her land,” said Violet.

“We aren’t moving in,” said Jessie. “We’re just asking for directions. The last time we stumbled on the trail home. But Gert must know a better way.”

Benny was game. “Let’s go see her!”

They reached the cabin shortly This time Benny strode up to the door and knocked.

The huge woman opened the door. When she saw Benny, she said, “What do you want? I thought I told you kids to keep off my land.”

“We’re lost again, Miss Gert,” said Benny. “Can you tell us how to get to Eagles Nest? We don’t want to see the ghost!”

“What ghost?” asked Old Gert, softening her tone slightly. Today she wore a blue plaid shirt over her jeans. Her belt was a piece of rope.

“The ghost of Tincup. Rose Payne,” Violet explained. “We’ve seen her!”

The old woman snorted. “Is Adele Harrington still dragging out that old tall tale?”

“You mean there isn’t any ghost?” asked Jessie. In her heart, she knew ghosts didn’t exist, but the Lady in Gray was
so
mysterious. And they
had
seen her.

“You see,” Henry added, “our grandfather owns Tincup and the land around it now.”

“Is that right?” Gert seemed suddenly interested. “What’s he planning to do with the land?”

“We don’t know,” Benny answered. “Another man wants to buy it from him. And he’s not even scared of the ghost!”

Gert leaned against the doorway. “Let me tell you kids something. If you’re so keen on the story of Rose and Duncan Payne, forget about the ghost.”

“Forget about her?” repeated Violet.

“Yes,” said Gert with emphasis. “Remember the descendants of Rose and Duncan. That might be the answer to your mystery.”

“Who — ” Jessie began, but the old woman pointed toward a grove of evergreens.

“Go through those trees,” Gert directed. “The shortcut to Eagles Nest is on the other side.”

Henry knew they had worn out their welcome. “Thanks very much,” he said.

“One more thing,” Gert called out to them.

The Aldens turned around.

“I’ve never met your grandfather, but please tell him for me that this land is home to many animals and birds.” Her booming voice dropped. “And me. My land borders his. People should just ... let us be.”

“We’ll tell him,” Violet promised. Once again, she had that odd feeling about Old Gert. What
was
it?

As the children walked through the cool stand of trees, they talked about Gert’s clue to the mystery.

“Who are the descendants of Rose and Duncan Payne?” Jessie asked, trying to recall the details of the story Mrs. Harrington told them the first night.

Violet knew. “They had one daughter. Her name was Seraphina. And Rose was supposed to be beautiful, with blue eyes and long black hair.”

“Her daughter could have looked like her,” said Henry. “And probably her children, if she had any.”

The idea came to the kids at once.

“Marianne!” Violet cried. “She has blue eyes and long black hair. And she’s really pretty. Is it possible she’s related to Rose and Duncan Payne?”

Benny frowned. “Then wouldn’t Mrs. Harrington be related to the ghost, too? She’s Marianne’s mother.”

“Not necessarily” Henry said. “
Mr.
Harrington could be related to Seraphina. He married Mrs. Harrington, but she isn’t related to the Paynes. But their child, Marianne, is.”

“This is so confusing!” Jessie exclaimed. “Ghosts and mountain women and property ... will we ever untangle this mixed-up mystery?”

“Gert seemed awfully worried about Grandfather selling the land to Victor Lacey,” said Violet. “I wonder if she’s afraid of Mr. Lacey making trouble for her.”

“I can’t imagine that lady being afraid of
anybody”
said Benny, making them laugh.

“The only way we’ll solve this case,” Jessie said, speaking for them all, “is to track down the ghost.”

The rest of the way back to the motel, the children figured out a plan. They would go alone into Tincup, just before sunset, and track down the Lady in Gray. This time she wouldn’t get away.

“I’m nervous,” Violet admitted. She couldn’t forget the sight of the yellowed, wrinkled face she had seen leering through the slatted door.

“Me, too,” Henry said. “The ghost is very lifelike. But we know it isn’t real.”

Jessie nodded in agreement. “We have to catch her — or him. It’s the only way to find out what’s going on here. If Grandfather decides to sell the land to Victor Lacey he could be making a big mistake. We have to do this for Grandfather.”

“What will we do with the ghost when we catch it?” Benny asked, his eyes round. A ghost hunt sounded neat, but he was also frightened.

“It’ll be okay,” Violet reassured her little brother.

“We’re the Aldens and we make a great team!” said Jessie, sounding like a cheerleader. “Let some old ghost try to get away from us!”

Benny giggled, feeling better.