Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

Last time, Mrs. DeLorca and Nancy realized that several of the clues that they had found pointed to Miss Whiteside being the person that was masquerading as The Woman in Gray. Mr. DeLorca pointed out that while the theory made sense, it was still just a theory. They needed more substantial evidence. Mrs. DeLorca suggested that since Pete, the museum volunteer, had mentioned he was related to the man that was to have married Theodosia Westwick a century before, he might know something about the story of the Woman in Gray that they didn’t. As they were about to figure out how to best approach Pete, they heard shouting from within the museum and saw through the doors that Miss Whiteside was shouting at Pete. The group was worried that the curator was yelling at him because he had spoken with them. Realizing that they had to so something, did they knock on the doors or try to distract Miss Whiteside? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 35:
Exhibit Exit

“Wait a minute!” Mrs. DeLorca spoke up. “Didn’t Pete say that he was related to Theodosia Westwick’s fiancé, Mordecai? Perhaps he knows something about the story that we don’t.”

“That’s a good idea.” Nancy said brightly. “Pete may know of a connection that we haven’t considered.”

Their thoughts, however, were interrupted by the sound of shouting in the museum. Peering through the glass doors, they saw Miss Whiteside yelling at Pete in the lobby of the museum. Pete looked very upset.

“Poor Pete.” Nancy said softly. “I hope he’s not getting in trouble for talking to us.”

“We have to do something.” Mrs. Conn said sympathetically.

“But, what?” Eben asked.

“We could go back to Mrs. Conn’s house, get a giant picnic basket and fill it with delicious sandwiches, brownies, various baked pasta dishes, roast pork, delicately seasoned cheeses, tomatoes, powdered sugar, yams and mini-marshmallows. Then, we could come back here…” Mr. DeLorca began.

“And lure Miss Whiteside out with a picnic lunch?” Annie asked.

“Dear me, no.” Mr. DeLorca shook his head. “We’d have a snack and then we’d be able to think more clearly about what we need to do.”

“Or,” Eben stepped forward. “We could knock on the door.”

With that, Eben and Mrs. DeLorca began knocking on the museum’s glass doors.

“Stop it!” Miss Whiteside shouted from within the museum.

Eben and Mrs. DeLorca kept knocking.

“Stop it!” They could hear Miss Whiteside scream again. This time she walked away from Pete who simply stood there. Miss Whiteside came to the doors, grumbling and shouting the whole way. “I thought I told all of you to stay away from here!”

“Here she comes.” Eben whispered.

Shakuntala flapped her wings wildly.

Miss Whiteside flung open the doors. “Get off my property!”

“Correctly, curious curator,” Miss Trotter smiled smugly, “this magnificent museum and its groomed grounds are city property. And since I pay some of the steepest tax bills in Vista Falls, I feel I have every right to be here.”

“What do you all want? Are you still ghost hunting?” Miss Whiteside sighed. “Don’t you have better things to do with your time?”

“Yes, we do.” Mrs. DeLorca grinned. “We’d like to take Pete to lunch.”

“Here, here!” Mr. DeLorca cheered. “I am, most definitely, in favor of that plan. I say, I am more in favor of that than I’ve been any plan since we arrived here—however long ago that was.”

“Yesterday.” Eben whispered.

“Yesterday? It seems like thirty-five weeks.” Mr. DeLorca frowned. “Or more.”

“No.” Eben shook his head. ‘It was yesterday. Remember, you and Mother were thinking about staying here and buying the building on the town square?”

“Oh, yes.” Mr. DeLorca nodded. “When did we last eat?”

“Two hours ago.” Eben sighed.

“I say, it seems like at least six weeks.” Mr. DeLorca grunted.

“Hold on,” Miss Whiteside squinted, “what building did you want to buy?”

“By the old courthouse…” Mrs. DeLorca began.

“The old courthouse isn’t for sale!” Miss Whiteside snapped. “That building is already spoken for.”

“No.” Mrs. DeLorca shook her head, “You didn’t let me finish. I was going to say that we were looking at a building by the old courthouse—on the corner. It’s one that Mrs. Conn owns.”

“Oh.” Miss Whiteside blushed.

“Besides,” Mrs. DeLorca continued, “much like this museum, isn’t the old courthouse city property?”

“Yes, yes, of course it is.” Miss Whiteside said quickly. “But, as far as this museum is concerned, though it is property of Vista Falls, I am still in charge here. And, I’m ordering you all to leave these premises.”

“That’s how you thank us for trying to help you?” Sarah snapped.

“Sarah, please.” Mrs. Conn shook her head.

“I don’t understand why I have to be polite to people who are rude to us!” Sarah pouted.

“Because, we must treat people with the respect we hope they’ll show us.” Mrs. Conn smiled.

“That’s the beautiful thing to do.” Mia Duomo added. “Even when things get ugly.”

“How touching.” Miss Whiteside smirked. “Now, go. And, you can take Pete with you. His services at the museum are no longer required.”

“That’s right.” Pete said, joining the group. “She just fired me.”

“You fired your volunteer?” Mrs. DeLorca asked—wide-eyed.

“Yes.” Miss Whiteside spat. “We don’t need him anymore. We’re getting one of those wonderful audio tour systems. People will listen to a pre-recorded tour guide. We don’t need Pete hobbling around the museum and giving our visitors misinformation any longer.”

“I see.” Mrs. Conn frowned, taking Pete gently by the arm. “Well, Pete is always welcome with us. In fact, if you’d like a job at my bakery, Pete, I’d be happy to have you there. I’ll even pay you.”

“Pay me?” Pete asked. “After all these years volunteering here for free, getting paid would be a special treat. Thank you.”

“Does this mean we’ll be going back to the bakery for awhile? I understand there are muffins there, and such.” Mr. DeLorca licked his lips.

“Yes,” Mrs. DeLorca nodded. “We’ll be going now.”

“It’s about time.” Miss Whiteside growled.

“We have so much to talk about.” Mrs. DeLorca said to Pete.

“I’d say we do.” Pete said, glancing quickly over his shoulder back at Miss Whiteside.

“Do you like spiders?” Eugenia Victoria asked Pete.

“I guess.” Pete nodded slowly.

“I say, do you like pie?” Mr. DeLorca asked.

“Very much.” Pete smiled.

“Jolly good. You’re a welcome addition to our merry band.” Mr. DeLorca nodded.

“Let’s go back to my bakery and chat.” Mrs. Conn said. “I’ll make sure there’s pie for everyone!”

“And sandwiches!” Mr. DeLorca cheered.

“And sandwiches.” Mrs. Conn agreed.

“And stuffed tomatoes!” Mr. DeLorca added hopefully.

“Maybe.” Mrs. Conn squinted.

“Good enough for me!” Mr. DeLorca cheered again.

“Well, then, aren’t you all very nice?” Pete said shyly. “I’m looking forward to our conversation. But, would you mind if we stop somewhere on the way?”

“I truly hope you’re going to say you want to stop at a grocery store.” Mr. DeLorca raised an eyebrow.

“No.” Pete shook his head. “I want to stop at the Department of Records.”

“At City Hall?” Mrs. Conn asked. “Why?”

“I want to check on the records for one particular building.” Pete said slyly, making sure that Miss Whiteside could overhear him from where she was still standing at the open doorway of the museum.

“Yes,” Mrs. DeLorca smiled. “I do, too.”

“Wait!” Miss Whiteside shouted from the museum’s doorway. “Perhaps I’ve been hasty. Pete, come back here for a minute please.”

What should Pete do?

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