Read Online Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach - Free Book Online Page A

his stomach whenever the boys mentioned any number of fascinating topics, like the size of a hairball Josie threw up or the way their cousin Brendan’s finger bent sideways when he fell off his scooter. Mrs. Barker, on the other hand, could be counted on to show the appropriate level of curiosity about even the most grotesque physical condition or injury, because she usually had had to illustrate something similar at some point in her career.
    â€œYeah,” Henry agreed. “And it sounds like a lot of people are still missing. Superstition Mountain is kind of like the Bermuda Triangle, except on land.”
    â€œWhat triangle?” Jack asked.
    â€œIt’s a place in the ocean where planes and ships disappear,” Henry told him. “They fly through this one area, and then, nobody knows why, but they lose all radio contact and are never heard from again. The other name for it is the Devil’s Triangle.”
    â€œWell,” Simon amended, “not all the planes and ships that pass through there disappear … just a few of them. And lots of people think there’s a normal explanation. Like whirlpools or storms. Things like that.”
    â€œProbably there are a bunch of wrecks at the bottom of the ocean in that exact spot,” Delilah said.
    â€œNope,” Henry told her. “Whole entire ships and planes have disappeared without a trace.”
    â€œWell, that’s freaky.” Delilah twisted one braid. “But everyone’s heard of the Bermuda Triangle, and nobody talks about Superstition Mountain that way. If people disappear up there all the time, why haven’t we heard about it?”
    Henry couldn’t think of a good answer for this, but Simon said, “Maybe it does happen all the time, or at least a lot, but the grown-ups are keeping it quiet because they don’t want to scare us.”
    They carried their two books to the circulation desk, where Mrs. Thomas was waiting for them.
    â€œNow, who has a library card?” she asked.
    The boys looked at one another in surprise—they’d been to the library several times, but their mother had always been the one to check things out—when Delilah pulled a small plastic card from her pocket.

    â€œI do,” she said, sliding it across the counter, to the boys’ relief.
    Mrs. Thomas pushed the two books toward Henry. “It was nice to meet all of you. Delilah Dunworthy … Simon, Jack, and … Henry, was it? Henry what? What’s your last name, dear?”
    Henry felt oddly hesitant to tell her, but there didn’t seem to be a good reason not to. “Barker,” he answered, reaching for the books.
    Her eyes widened, and her hand tightened over the books so that Henry couldn’t budge them. “Barker? Didn’t you move into Hank Cormody’s house?”
    â€œHow do you know that?” Jack exclaimed. “He’s our great-uncle!”
    â€œWas he?” Mrs. Thomas gazed at them so intently it made Henry squirm. He wanted to pick up the books, but with her hand resting on them like that, he thought it might seem like he was trying to snatch them away. He briefly imagined wrestling her for them.
    â€œI should have known that’s who you were,” the librarian said, almost to herself. “Barker.”
    â€œWe really need to go,” Simon interrupted. “Our mom will wonder what’s taking us so long.”
    â€œOf course.” She reluctantly released the books, and Henry hugged them to his chest. “Welcome to Superstition! I hope you’ll use the library often. And about the mountain … remember what I said.”
    â€œWe will,” Simon answered. He led the way through the double doors into the library parking lot, which blazed in the afternoon sun.

CHAPTER 12
    THE SUPERSTITION HISTORICAL SOCIETY
    â€œW HY WAS SHE so interested in your uncle?” Delilah asked, as soon as they had pedaled a short