weirder by the minute would be an understatement.
CHAPTER 9
We were all shocked by this unexpected revelation.
“Really? You know where this is?”
“Yes and no. I’ve never actually been there, but I’ve heard my parents talking about it. They used to have a fishing cabin there. I’ve seen a few old photos. It’s somewhere south of Kansas City. I think I remember them mentioning a place called Osceola.”
As soon as she said ‘Osceola,’ bells and whistles started going off in my brain.
Things had been so hectic, I really hadn’t had time to examine the map. I took it from her and spread it out on the coffee table, getting a close look for the first time.
As soon as I saw the Osage River, I knew she was on the right track.
On three different occasions, cases had led me to St. Clair County in the heart of the Ozarks. The first one involved a fanatical religious sect whose members believed Kansas City was their Sodom and Gomorrah. They called themselves the Avenging Angels, and felt it was their duty to rain fire and brimstone on the seamier parts of Kansas City. The second involved a sting operation at Gordon’s Orchard, just south of Osceola on Highway 13, whose purpose was to expose corruption in the Food and Drug Administration. The third involved a man whose parents were murdered in St. Luke’s hospital. The killer was abducted by the son and driven to a remote cabin in a little village called Red Rock right on the banks of the Osage, where he planned to exact his revenge.
In addition to Osceola, these cases had sent me to the little hamlets of Roscoe, Monegaw Springs, and Red Rock, all on the banks of the Osage River. In all my wanderings, I’d never run across Upps’ Lake.
“So Camilla,” I said, trying to refocus, “could your parents give us directions?”
“They could if they were still here,” she replied, sadly. “They both died in a car accident years ago, and there’s no one else. I’m an only child.”
“So sorry.”
“I’m still confused,” Camilla said. “What was the purpose of the map? What’s supposed to be hidden there?”
I had forgotten this was all new to her. “According to James’ grandmother’s diary, your grandfather gave her the map and told her that gold coins he brought home from the war were buried there, and that she should have them for caring for him in his time of need. Marie Carpenter hid the map and died shortly thereafter. That was seventy years ago.”
“Seventy years! We have no idea if the cabin or even the lake are still there.”
“That may be true, but if it is, don’t you think we should look?”
“I guess that makes sense, but where do we start?”
If the lake was still there, I knew who could take me to it, Dan the Catfish Man. It was an accidental encounter at a gas station that brought us together. I was pumping gas and Dan was at the next pump pulling a fishing boat. I heard a ‘thump thump,’ looked into the boat and saw the biggest fish I’d ever seen outside of an aquarium. Dan explained it was a flathead catfish he’d just pulled out of the river. He handed me his card and said if I ever wanted to wet a line, give him a call. When I needed a guide for the Avenging Angels case, Dan was the man. He had lived in St. Clair County all his life and knew pretty much everything about it.
I folded the map and put it in my pocket. “I know a guy in St. Clair County that can help us. I’ll hang onto this until I talk to him. As soon as I have some news, I’ll get back with all of you. It’s quite obvious to me that forces beyond our comprehension have led us all to this moment. I can’t begin to guess what might be awaiting us in the future, but I’m willing to forge ahead if you are.”
Nods all around.
“Good! Then that settles it. We’re going treasure
CHAPTER 9
We were all shocked by this unexpected revelation.
“Really? You know where this is?”
“Yes and no. I’ve never actually been there, but I’ve heard my parents talking about it. They used to have a fishing cabin there. I’ve seen a few old photos. It’s somewhere south of Kansas City. I think I remember them mentioning a place called Osceola.”
As soon as she said ‘Osceola,’ bells and whistles started going off in my brain.
Things had been so hectic, I really hadn’t had time to examine the map. I took it from her and spread it out on the coffee table, getting a close look for the first time.
As soon as I saw the Osage River, I knew she was on the right track.
On three different occasions, cases had led me to St. Clair County in the heart of the Ozarks. The first one involved a fanatical religious sect whose members believed Kansas City was their Sodom and Gomorrah. They called themselves the Avenging Angels, and felt it was their duty to rain fire and brimstone on the seamier parts of Kansas City. The second involved a sting operation at Gordon’s Orchard, just south of Osceola on Highway 13, whose purpose was to expose corruption in the Food and Drug Administration. The third involved a man whose parents were murdered in St. Luke’s hospital. The killer was abducted by the son and driven to a remote cabin in a little village called Red Rock right on the banks of the Osage, where he planned to exact his revenge.
In addition to Osceola, these cases had sent me to the little hamlets of Roscoe, Monegaw Springs, and Red Rock, all on the banks of the Osage River. In all my wanderings, I’d never run across Upps’ Lake.
“So Camilla,” I said, trying to refocus, “could your parents give us directions?”
“They could if they were still here,” she replied, sadly. “They both died in a car accident years ago, and there’s no one else. I’m an only child.”
“So sorry.”
“I’m still confused,” Camilla said. “What was the purpose of the map? What’s supposed to be hidden there?”
I had forgotten this was all new to her. “According to James’ grandmother’s diary, your grandfather gave her the map and told her that gold coins he brought home from the war were buried there, and that she should have them for caring for him in his time of need. Marie Carpenter hid the map and died shortly thereafter. That was seventy years ago.”
“Seventy years! We have no idea if the cabin or even the lake are still there.”
“That may be true, but if it is, don’t you think we should look?”
“I guess that makes sense, but where do we start?”
If the lake was still there, I knew who could take me to it, Dan the Catfish Man. It was an accidental encounter at a gas station that brought us together. I was pumping gas and Dan was at the next pump pulling a fishing boat. I heard a ‘thump thump,’ looked into the boat and saw the biggest fish I’d ever seen outside of an aquarium. Dan explained it was a flathead catfish he’d just pulled out of the river. He handed me his card and said if I ever wanted to wet a line, give him a call. When I needed a guide for the Avenging Angels case, Dan was the man. He had lived in St. Clair County all his life and knew pretty much everything about it.
I folded the map and put it in my pocket. “I know a guy in St. Clair County that can help us. I’ll hang onto this until I talk to him. As soon as I have some news, I’ll get back with all of you. It’s quite obvious to me that forces beyond our comprehension have led us all to this moment. I can’t begin to guess what might be awaiting us in the future, but I’m willing to forge ahead if you are.”
Nods all around.
“Good! Then that settles it. We’re going treasure
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