Read Online Ghostly Graveyard (Zoe Donovan Cozy Mystery Book 17) by Kathi Daley - Free Book Online
Authors: Kathi Daley
Ads: Link
we started off down a recently trod-upon path that would lead us to the trailer.
The entrance to the old mine was a good five hundred feet higher in elevation than the town. The breeze blew through the valley, creating a wind tunnel affect near the mine. I wrapped my arms around my waist as I struggled to stay warm in air that was much cooler than that which I’d recently left.
The first thing I noticed when I approached the trailer was the yellow tape across the door. Apparently, Lesserman had beat me to the punch. I stood on tiptoe and looked in the window. The entire interior of the trailer had been trashed. Everything had been pulled out of the cupboards and drawers and deposited on the floor. Had Lesserman done this, or had he found it that way when he arrived? One thing was certain: someone was looking for something.
I took a few steps away from the trailer and looked around. If I had something to hide I certainly wouldn’t keep it in the trailer. The security of the interior was nonexistent, and unless I planned to be on the premises twenty-four/seven, I think I’d find a more secure location for my treasure. I’d want to keep it close enough so I’d be able to keep an eye on it but also far enough away so as not to make it conspicuous.
I considered the mine shaft halfway up the nearby mountain. Too obvious. The old buildings at the entrance to the mines might make for a better hiding spot. I hadn’t really stopped to check to see if anyone had accessed them lately. I slowly turned in a circle, considering my surroundings.
It was totally quiet up here on the mountain except for the sound of the wind whistling through the valley. I knew the larger forest animals preferred the isolation of the higher elevations and wouldn’t be at all surprised to find I was being watched. Charlie stood next to me, his ears tipped forward, always on alert yet unmoving.
“What do you think?” I asked my furry friend. “If you wanted to hide something where would you put it?”
Charlie took off at a run, traveling into the thick brush as the foot of the steep trail that led to the mine shaft. I ran after him, hoping all the while that there wasn’t a predator lurking nearby. Charlie was a smart and brave, but he was a little dog and therefore not able to defend himself from the coyotes and cougars I knew lived in the crevices of the rocks above.
When I caught up with Charlie he was frantically digging at a piece of plywood that had been buried under a layer of dirt. The plywood turned out to be a door, under which I found a small but deep hole. At the bottom of the hole was a metal box. I reached in to grab it but found it much too heavy to lift. I’d need leverage. I looked around for something to use as an aide. I had a rope in the car that I tied to the box and then found tree branches with which to create a sort of pulley system. It took some work, but I managed to leverage the box to the surface. Of course the box was locked, but with a little effort I managed to get it into the car.
“Let’s go home,” I said to Charlie, who was growling at something in the distance. “I’m almost sure I saw a pair of eyes watching from the crevice just above that ledge. I’m not sure I want to find out who they belong to.”
Charlie barked once and jumped into the passenger seat.
Chapter 6
By the time Charlie and I finished up at the mine it was time to pick Scooter up from school. Both Alex and Pi attended Zimmerman Academy in the afternoons, so they came home with Zak at the end of the day. I found I really enjoyed the two hours Scooter and I had for just the two of us each day.
“I got an A on my math test,” Scooter announced as he climbed into the passenger side of the car.
“Awesome.” I put my hand up for a high-five.
“That’s the third A I got in the past two weeks.”
“I know. I’m so proud of how well you’re doing. You’re working hard and it shows.”
“Do you think if I keep getting
The entrance to the old mine was a good five hundred feet higher in elevation than the town. The breeze blew through the valley, creating a wind tunnel affect near the mine. I wrapped my arms around my waist as I struggled to stay warm in air that was much cooler than that which I’d recently left.
The first thing I noticed when I approached the trailer was the yellow tape across the door. Apparently, Lesserman had beat me to the punch. I stood on tiptoe and looked in the window. The entire interior of the trailer had been trashed. Everything had been pulled out of the cupboards and drawers and deposited on the floor. Had Lesserman done this, or had he found it that way when he arrived? One thing was certain: someone was looking for something.
I took a few steps away from the trailer and looked around. If I had something to hide I certainly wouldn’t keep it in the trailer. The security of the interior was nonexistent, and unless I planned to be on the premises twenty-four/seven, I think I’d find a more secure location for my treasure. I’d want to keep it close enough so I’d be able to keep an eye on it but also far enough away so as not to make it conspicuous.
I considered the mine shaft halfway up the nearby mountain. Too obvious. The old buildings at the entrance to the mines might make for a better hiding spot. I hadn’t really stopped to check to see if anyone had accessed them lately. I slowly turned in a circle, considering my surroundings.
It was totally quiet up here on the mountain except for the sound of the wind whistling through the valley. I knew the larger forest animals preferred the isolation of the higher elevations and wouldn’t be at all surprised to find I was being watched. Charlie stood next to me, his ears tipped forward, always on alert yet unmoving.
“What do you think?” I asked my furry friend. “If you wanted to hide something where would you put it?”
Charlie took off at a run, traveling into the thick brush as the foot of the steep trail that led to the mine shaft. I ran after him, hoping all the while that there wasn’t a predator lurking nearby. Charlie was a smart and brave, but he was a little dog and therefore not able to defend himself from the coyotes and cougars I knew lived in the crevices of the rocks above.
When I caught up with Charlie he was frantically digging at a piece of plywood that had been buried under a layer of dirt. The plywood turned out to be a door, under which I found a small but deep hole. At the bottom of the hole was a metal box. I reached in to grab it but found it much too heavy to lift. I’d need leverage. I looked around for something to use as an aide. I had a rope in the car that I tied to the box and then found tree branches with which to create a sort of pulley system. It took some work, but I managed to leverage the box to the surface. Of course the box was locked, but with a little effort I managed to get it into the car.
“Let’s go home,” I said to Charlie, who was growling at something in the distance. “I’m almost sure I saw a pair of eyes watching from the crevice just above that ledge. I’m not sure I want to find out who they belong to.”
Charlie barked once and jumped into the passenger seat.
Chapter 6
By the time Charlie and I finished up at the mine it was time to pick Scooter up from school. Both Alex and Pi attended Zimmerman Academy in the afternoons, so they came home with Zak at the end of the day. I found I really enjoyed the two hours Scooter and I had for just the two of us each day.
“I got an A on my math test,” Scooter announced as he climbed into the passenger side of the car.
“Awesome.” I put my hand up for a high-five.
“That’s the third A I got in the past two weeks.”
“I know. I’m so proud of how well you’re doing. You’re working hard and it shows.”
“Do you think if I keep getting
Similar Books
