Read Online Ghost Town Mystery by Gertrude Chandler Warner - Free Book Online
Authors: Gertrude Chandler Warner
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puzzle.”
“Why would I drive off customers?” asked Adele Harrington. “Eagles Nest is how I earn my living.”
“The motel isn’t what it used to be,” said Jessie. “But if you had a bigger place, like a fancy hotel, and a lot of land, more people would come up here.”
Victor snorted. “People would need more than a bigger hotel to come here.”
“What about warm springs?” Henry said. Victor paled visibly. “We found the springs this morning, the bubbling water in the cave and the creeks around it.”
Now Old Gert turned to him in surprise. “The healing springs! I remember stories about the Ute Indians who came here to soak in the baths. But we thought it was only a legend. Not even the miners ever stumbled on the springs.”
Grandfather smiled. “If there is a secret, leave it to my grandchildren to find it! I think I know where this is leading. The springs are on my land. And you want my property desperately. Why, Lacey?”
Now Victor sighed in resignation. “I’m into land development. But my last deal was a huge flop. I needed a better project, one that would make tons of money for me and my investors.”
“And pay off your debts,” Mrs. Harrington said acidly. “He made me all kinds of promises. I would be the manager of his fancy hotel. I’d have a whole staff to order around instead of cooking and cleaning rooms myself.”
Victor ignored her bitter comments. “This was the perfect place to build a resort. Unspoiled, untouched. Course, we’d have to put in a real road and tear down this eyesore of a town — ”
“Our town!” Benny exclaimed in protest.
“The springs would draw people here,” Victor went on. “Many people who have pain believe in the healing powers of warm mineral baths. I’d planned to open the cave and put a fancy spa over the springs. Hot tubs, attendants to give massages. The guests would be totally pampered.”
“What about the wildlife?” Gert asked. “Where were they supposed to go? And me?”
Victor waved his hand dismissively. “There are other mountains.”
Grandfather turned to Adele Harrington. “How did you join Lacey’s scheme?”
“He stayed at Eagles Nest.” Mrs. Harrington shrugged. “I saw his blueprints one evening and we got to talking. I fell for his dream, hook, line, and sinker.”
“You were going to sell him Eagles Nest, weren’t you?” Henry guessed. “And you both knew that Grandfather owned the land where Tincup and the springs are.”
“Yes,” confessed Mrs. Harrington. “Victor wanted as much property as possible to make this a first-class resort. He was going to have a stable of horses, a ski lodge, hiking trails, the spa, and of course Tincup Creek, which is a gold-medal stream. It was his idea to dam up the trout so no one would catch any fish and leave.”
“How did you know I’d come here with my grandchildren?” James Alden asked Victor. “I came out once to sign the papers when I bought the land from Jay Murphy.”
Victor gave a nasty smile. “I was in the courthouse in Beaverton that day. I’d found the springs by accident and was looking in deed books to see who owned the property. Turns out a man named James Alden had just purchased the very land I needed. I overheard you talking to the clerk, saying you wanted to show the land to your grandchildren. That’s when Mrs. Harrington and I put our heads together. We knew you’d have to stay at Eagles Nest. When you got here, we’d be ready.”
“Poor food and no electricity at a motel would hardly force me to sell my property,” Grandfather said.
“True,” Victor agreed. “But if we made you uncomfortable, you might fall for the important part of our scheme.”
“The ghost,” Jessie stated.
“Yes, the ghost of Tincup.” Victor sounded almost proud. “The story is true, by the way. We just needed to bring the Lady in Gray to life, so to speak.”
“You got Marianne to play the role,” said Violet. “She and her mother were the
“Why would I drive off customers?” asked Adele Harrington. “Eagles Nest is how I earn my living.”
“The motel isn’t what it used to be,” said Jessie. “But if you had a bigger place, like a fancy hotel, and a lot of land, more people would come up here.”
Victor snorted. “People would need more than a bigger hotel to come here.”
“What about warm springs?” Henry said. Victor paled visibly. “We found the springs this morning, the bubbling water in the cave and the creeks around it.”
Now Old Gert turned to him in surprise. “The healing springs! I remember stories about the Ute Indians who came here to soak in the baths. But we thought it was only a legend. Not even the miners ever stumbled on the springs.”
Grandfather smiled. “If there is a secret, leave it to my grandchildren to find it! I think I know where this is leading. The springs are on my land. And you want my property desperately. Why, Lacey?”
Now Victor sighed in resignation. “I’m into land development. But my last deal was a huge flop. I needed a better project, one that would make tons of money for me and my investors.”
“And pay off your debts,” Mrs. Harrington said acidly. “He made me all kinds of promises. I would be the manager of his fancy hotel. I’d have a whole staff to order around instead of cooking and cleaning rooms myself.”
Victor ignored her bitter comments. “This was the perfect place to build a resort. Unspoiled, untouched. Course, we’d have to put in a real road and tear down this eyesore of a town — ”
“Our town!” Benny exclaimed in protest.
“The springs would draw people here,” Victor went on. “Many people who have pain believe in the healing powers of warm mineral baths. I’d planned to open the cave and put a fancy spa over the springs. Hot tubs, attendants to give massages. The guests would be totally pampered.”
“What about the wildlife?” Gert asked. “Where were they supposed to go? And me?”
Victor waved his hand dismissively. “There are other mountains.”
Grandfather turned to Adele Harrington. “How did you join Lacey’s scheme?”
“He stayed at Eagles Nest.” Mrs. Harrington shrugged. “I saw his blueprints one evening and we got to talking. I fell for his dream, hook, line, and sinker.”
“You were going to sell him Eagles Nest, weren’t you?” Henry guessed. “And you both knew that Grandfather owned the land where Tincup and the springs are.”
“Yes,” confessed Mrs. Harrington. “Victor wanted as much property as possible to make this a first-class resort. He was going to have a stable of horses, a ski lodge, hiking trails, the spa, and of course Tincup Creek, which is a gold-medal stream. It was his idea to dam up the trout so no one would catch any fish and leave.”
“How did you know I’d come here with my grandchildren?” James Alden asked Victor. “I came out once to sign the papers when I bought the land from Jay Murphy.”
Victor gave a nasty smile. “I was in the courthouse in Beaverton that day. I’d found the springs by accident and was looking in deed books to see who owned the property. Turns out a man named James Alden had just purchased the very land I needed. I overheard you talking to the clerk, saying you wanted to show the land to your grandchildren. That’s when Mrs. Harrington and I put our heads together. We knew you’d have to stay at Eagles Nest. When you got here, we’d be ready.”
“Poor food and no electricity at a motel would hardly force me to sell my property,” Grandfather said.
“True,” Victor agreed. “But if we made you uncomfortable, you might fall for the important part of our scheme.”
“The ghost,” Jessie stated.
“Yes, the ghost of Tincup.” Victor sounded almost proud. “The story is true, by the way. We just needed to bring the Lady in Gray to life, so to speak.”
“You got Marianne to play the role,” said Violet. “She and her mother were the
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