and just the right size. Leaning over, I picked it up and set it on the tall table next to the front entrance.
There was something else I wanted to do while I was in the gift shop. I knew Dorothy had tons of books on the history of Mystique Island, and that’s what I needed. Although I wasn’t too sure how much help a history lesson would be with our current investigation, it might help explain the dreams or visions I’d had.
I wasn’t sure why I didn’t just ask Zane about it, except for that maybe part of me was afraid of what his answer would be. Learning history from the cold pages of a book seemed so much less personal, and safer than going to the source.
Flipping on the light, I made my way to the book section and started looking at the spines. There were cookbooks filled with the recipes of locals, picture books, and a few history books. There was only one book that looked like it might contain information about the Mystique.
Picking it up, I glanced at the little green price tag on the back and winced. It was steep, but it could save me a trip to the library.
Taking the book to the front, I pulled money out of my pocket and set it on the checkout counter. It was then that I noticed another book displayed near the checkout. It was a history book of Mystique Island, though a little more recent history, as opposed to ancient variety.
On impulse, I picked up a copy and put more money on the counter, along with a note telling Dorothy what I’d bought.
With the books tucked under my arm, I switched off the light and grabbed my pumpkin. When I stepped outside, Uncle Aaron was coming up the stairs.
“It must suck working nights all the time.” My greeting could have been a bit warmer, but I still wasn’t over his dalliance with Missy.
“Well, until I can find someone trustworthy enough to take a shift for me, that’s what I’ll be doing. People listen to the radio more at night.” He was huffing and puffing by the time he got to the top step.
How the heck did he manage the stairs to the lantern room every night?
“If you want to know what I think … I think you should be spending some time at the gym during the day, instead of sleeping and playing video games.”
“Who asked you?” He threw me a withering scowl.
“Just saying.” I shrugged. “You’re going to kill yourself.”
“What’s with the pumpkin?”
Leave it to Uncle Aaron to change the subject when he wanted to turn a blind eye to something. “It is for the pumpkin walk at Founder’s Park tomorrow night. There’s more inside if you want to do a couple,” I hinted.
“Maybe.” He wiped away a drop of sweat that had started to trickle down his forehead.
“Have fun tonight.” I started down the stairs, but stopped when a thought occurred to me. “Has there been anything strange going on around here lately?”
I figured if Muriel were active, Aaron would know it. She really liked messing with my uncle.
Aaron shrugged. “Lights flickering … the usual. I did notice more lights out on the water last night … and I think there might have actually been a ship out there. It was too dark to say for sure.”
“Like what kind of ship?” I asked, my curiosity peaked.
“An old ship, with sails.”
“Hmm.’
“Why? What’s up with that?”
“Nothing.”
“It must be something.” He frowned.
It was time to change the subject. If I told Aaron about my visions, it would just give him something else to make fun of me about. “Have you heard from Aunt Mandy? I haven’t been able to get a hold of her, and neither has Annabelle. I was kind of wondering how her fling with Marty Morrison was going?”
“She left a message on my voicemail a few days ago. Mandy said she was running off to Las Vegas with her new lover,” Aaron smirked.
“Hmm, well maybe I’ll catch you later.”
“What are we supposed to do with the pumpkins when we are done with them?” he asked. “Maybe I’ll work on some tonight.”
“You can
There was something else I wanted to do while I was in the gift shop. I knew Dorothy had tons of books on the history of Mystique Island, and that’s what I needed. Although I wasn’t too sure how much help a history lesson would be with our current investigation, it might help explain the dreams or visions I’d had.
I wasn’t sure why I didn’t just ask Zane about it, except for that maybe part of me was afraid of what his answer would be. Learning history from the cold pages of a book seemed so much less personal, and safer than going to the source.
Flipping on the light, I made my way to the book section and started looking at the spines. There were cookbooks filled with the recipes of locals, picture books, and a few history books. There was only one book that looked like it might contain information about the Mystique.
Picking it up, I glanced at the little green price tag on the back and winced. It was steep, but it could save me a trip to the library.
Taking the book to the front, I pulled money out of my pocket and set it on the checkout counter. It was then that I noticed another book displayed near the checkout. It was a history book of Mystique Island, though a little more recent history, as opposed to ancient variety.
On impulse, I picked up a copy and put more money on the counter, along with a note telling Dorothy what I’d bought.
With the books tucked under my arm, I switched off the light and grabbed my pumpkin. When I stepped outside, Uncle Aaron was coming up the stairs.
“It must suck working nights all the time.” My greeting could have been a bit warmer, but I still wasn’t over his dalliance with Missy.
“Well, until I can find someone trustworthy enough to take a shift for me, that’s what I’ll be doing. People listen to the radio more at night.” He was huffing and puffing by the time he got to the top step.
How the heck did he manage the stairs to the lantern room every night?
“If you want to know what I think … I think you should be spending some time at the gym during the day, instead of sleeping and playing video games.”
“Who asked you?” He threw me a withering scowl.
“Just saying.” I shrugged. “You’re going to kill yourself.”
“What’s with the pumpkin?”
Leave it to Uncle Aaron to change the subject when he wanted to turn a blind eye to something. “It is for the pumpkin walk at Founder’s Park tomorrow night. There’s more inside if you want to do a couple,” I hinted.
“Maybe.” He wiped away a drop of sweat that had started to trickle down his forehead.
“Have fun tonight.” I started down the stairs, but stopped when a thought occurred to me. “Has there been anything strange going on around here lately?”
I figured if Muriel were active, Aaron would know it. She really liked messing with my uncle.
Aaron shrugged. “Lights flickering … the usual. I did notice more lights out on the water last night … and I think there might have actually been a ship out there. It was too dark to say for sure.”
“Like what kind of ship?” I asked, my curiosity peaked.
“An old ship, with sails.”
“Hmm.’
“Why? What’s up with that?”
“Nothing.”
“It must be something.” He frowned.
It was time to change the subject. If I told Aaron about my visions, it would just give him something else to make fun of me about. “Have you heard from Aunt Mandy? I haven’t been able to get a hold of her, and neither has Annabelle. I was kind of wondering how her fling with Marty Morrison was going?”
“She left a message on my voicemail a few days ago. Mandy said she was running off to Las Vegas with her new lover,” Aaron smirked.
“Hmm, well maybe I’ll catch you later.”
“What are we supposed to do with the pumpkins when we are done with them?” he asked. “Maybe I’ll work on some tonight.”
“You can
Similar Books
