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Previous chapters of the Vista Falls 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
36
37
38
39
40
How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!
Last time, after Mr. Barrymore became increasingly irrational, Chief Colbert and Officer Littlepoole became concerned. Switching from one mood to another over and over, Mr. Barrymore not only insisted that Mina was fired, but that she must get out of the hotel at once, along with everyone else. Suddenly, Mr. Barrymore changed his mind. He offered Mina her job back. However, Mina refused, stating that she knew she could get a job somewhere where she would not be abused. Mina then left, followed by the teens to whom she said (in front of Mr. Barrymore) that she’d tell everything she knew about the hotel and the imposter ghost. While Chief Colbert was on a phone call, Officer Littlepoole waited with Mr. Barrymore. They wanted to talk with him about his strange behavior. But, Mr. Barrymore slipped out of the room when Officer Littlepoole wasn’t looking. Chief Colbert returned and announced that someone dressed as the ghost of Theodosia Westwick had knocked museum curator, Bonnie Whiteside, unconscious and dragged her to the basement of the old abandoned courthouse where she was found by Uriah Trotter and his young friends. Chief Colbert had to go right away. Did he take the whole group with him? Here’s what you decided.
Chapter 21
Court’s in Session
At that very moment, Chief Colbert came back into the room. “Where’s Barrymore?”
“He slipped out.” Jenny Littlepoole sighed.
“He’s acting very strangely. But, we can’t worry about that right now. There’s trouble at the old, abandoned courthouse. It seems that Bonnie Whiteside, the museum curator, was hit on the head and dragged down to the basement by someone dressed as the ghost of Theodosia Westwick.”
“What?” Jenny’s eyes widened.
“We have to go. Now.” Chief Colbert said.
“What about Jeff and the kids?” Jenny asked.
“They’ll just have to come with us.” Chief Colbert shrugged. “We really have to go.”
Officer Littlepoole and Chief Colbert hurried out into the hotel lobby, looking from side to side for their friends.
They ran toward the front doors.
As they ran, Chief Colbert supported his broken arm in his other hand so it wouldn’t bounce when he was running.
“Some way to spend our first night as an engaged couple.” Officer Littlepoole joked.
“As long as we’re together,” Chief Colbert smiled. “I’m happy.”
“I’m happy, too.” Officer Littlepoole smiled. “I’d be a little happier if I knew where the others were.”
“There they are.” Chief Colbert motioned toward the parking lot.
The two officers hurried out to join them.
“Hi Sam,” Mr. Dinello smiled. “Is everything okay?”
“No.” Chief Colbert shook his head. “Uriah Trotter called me. He said that he and two of the elementary school kids found Bonnie Whiteside in the basement of the Old Courthouse. She claims to have been hit on the head by someone posing as the ghost.”
“Gosh!” Kate’s eyes widened.
“Why the old courthouse?” Ward frowned.
“I can answer that.” Rick hurried back. “I was just talking to the parking attendant. I was asking him where we could find Mina, but he told me what just happened while we were in the hotel. Some woman dressed as Theodosia Westwick was just up on the dome of the old courthouse shouting at people and making threats. She made some comment that if we didn’t believe that we should ask Bonnie Whiteside, the museum curator. I guess whoever it was had already dragged Miss Whiteside to the basement by then.”
“Did that happen before or after the vandalism in the lobby?” Lucy asked. “It couldn’t have happened at the same time—not if the same person did it. And, the old courthouse and the hotel are not close to each other, so some time had to have passed.”
“You’re right about that, but we’ll have to figure out the time table later.” Chief Colbert panted. “We’ve got to get to the courthouse right away.”
“You’re coming with us.” Officer Littlepoole said.
“Come on, kids.” Mr. Dinello tried to gather everyone up.
“We didn’t find Mina, yet. We wanted to tell her about the job at dad’s store.” Lucy looked around.
“I asked the parking attendant to call Mr. Dinello’s cell phone if he saw Mina go by.”
Rick said. “He’s a nice guy. He goes to high school with my cousin.”
“Okay.” Vera said. “So, what are we waiting for?”
They rushed to the old courthouse. The run took about ten minutes. By the end of it, Chief Colbert was very out of breath.
“All right.” Chief Colbert huffed. “You all stay out here.”
“Why’d you bring us along, then?” Vera pouted. “I want to go in and see what’s going on.”
“I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I make sure it’s safe. There’s a criminal on the loose—some person who likes to dress up like a ghost and hit people on the head. You’re all going to stay here with Mr. Dinello. Got it?”
“Yes.” TJ nodded.
“Okay, Jenny, Uriah Trotter said the side door was open.” Chief Colbert said.
The teens and Mr. Dinello watched as the two officers crept down into the basement.
At that very moment, Mr. Dinello’s cell phone rang! The noise startled them, and everyone jumped.
“I bet it’s that parking lot guy.” Kate smiled. “Maybe he saw Mina.”
“Let’s see.” Mr. Dinello said, answering his phone. “Hello? Hello? Hold on. I can barely hear you. We must have a bad connection. Let’s see if…hold on.”
He turned to the teens. “You wait here. I’m going to walk over there and see if I can get a better connection.” With that, Mr. Dinello walked several feet away to the other side of the building.
“I guess we wait.” Vera sighed impatiently.
“I hope that guy knows where Mina is. It would be great if we could help her find a new job.” Ward nodded.
“Yeah, I feel like this is kind of our fault.” Delia frowned.
“Well, I think she was happy to get out of there. It didn’t seem like a healthy place to work. I’ll bet she was really unhappy.” TJ continued.
“If she works for our dad, she’ll be happy.” Lucy smiled.
“Wherever she ends up working,” Vera added, “I just hope we can help her.”
“I hope so, too, little girl.” A man’s voice growled from the bushes.
Vera jumped.
“Who is that?”
“It’s me, Russell Barrymore.” Mr. Barrymore walked into the light so that they could see him.
“What are you doing out here?” Ward asked.
“I was looking for Mina—just like you. I want to apologize to her again and try to explain that I meant no harm. I was just blowing off steam. I’m an old grouch sometimes. But, I’m really harmless.” Mr. Barrymore narrowed his eyes and looked at Vera. “You think I’m harmless, don’t you?”
“No.” Vera shook her head.
“Well, either way, I’m still looking for Mina. Why don’t we all look for her together? Your Mr. Dinello won’t mind. He’s on the phone. And, I’m sure he’d be perfectly okay with your coming with me.”
The teens all looked at each other.
“So,” Mr. Barrymore continued, “What will it be?”
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