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Previous chapters of the River Road story:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!
Welcome to The River Road Adventures! Each week on Wednesday morning, we’ll post a new chapter of an exciting mystery story. At the end of each chapter, you’ll get to pick from three choices which allow you to decide what will happen next! Come back the following Wednesday to see how your vote changes the story.
The River Road Adventures centers around four mystery-solving kids in Vista Falls: clever Nancy, brave Sarah, sensitive Kathy and jokester Isaac. The kids are joined in their adventures by Mrs. Conn; a wonderful, older lady who runs a bakery and an inn in Vista Falls; elderly, wealthy Violet Trotter and her family; the glamorous former fashion model, Mia Duomo; and the DeLorca family. Mr. and Mrs. DeLorca are art historians who have recently opened a gallery in Vista Falls. Mrs. Joan DeLorca is a valiant crime-fighter who has solved her fair share of mysteries. Mr. DeLorca is an eccentric genius who loves to eat. Mr. DeLorca’s constant companion is his over-sized pelican, Shakuntala. Along with their grown-up son, Eben, they are always eager to join the kids and Mrs. Conn in their many adventures.
Now, let’s see what this year has in store for our friends in Vista Falls as we start the ninth season of The River Road Adventures!
Chapter 1: Peli-cake
by Joseph Crisalli
Mr. DeLorca settled into the big leather chair behind his desk and looked around the gallery. He smiled proudly.
“I say, can you believe that in just six months we’ve managed to put all of this together? Paintings on the walls, statues on pedestals, antique clocks ticking and chiming and such…” Mr. DeLorca said to his wife.
“We’re very fortunate,” Mrs. DeLorca nodded happily. “Really, had it not been for Mrs. Conn’s cooperation in remodeling the building, we’d never have gotten as far along as quickly as we did.”
Mrs. DeLorca leaned on the corner of her husband’s desk. “I must admit, the place does look nice. It reminds me very much of our gallery at home in Londonderry.”
“Not surprisingly, I should think.” Mr. DeLorca winked. “Well, then, let’s say we celebrate with a nice, delicious pie.”
“Should we wait for Eben?” Mrs. DeLorca chuckled.
“I think not.” Mr. DeLorca shook his head. “The moment for pie is now. I say, don’t misunderstand me, I would like very much to share some pie with our son. Don’t you know? He deserves as much pie as anyone else. In fact, if he were here right now, I’d make sure he had his own pie to take home with him. But, the plain fact, my dear, is that Eben is nowhere to be seen and that makes the eating of delicious, sweet, wonderful, life-sustaining pie all the more difficult and such..”
“Joel, you ate breakfast two hours ago. You’ll be fine.” Mrs. DeLorca laughed. “We’ll wait for Eben.”
“I suppose that would be the right thing to do and all that.” Mr. DeLorca frowned, looking first at his watch and then at the many old clocks that lined the shelves of their shop. “When do you suppose he’ll be back? It’s not that I’m impatient. No, no, it’s just that Shakuntala is very, very hungry. She didn’t eat all of her breakfast, you know.”
From the far corner of the gallery where she sat on her perch. Shakuntala flapped her enormous pelican wings and squawked loudly.
“I didn’t want to bring this up. But, didn’t I see you taking a few bites of Shakuntala’s fish slurry this morning?” Mrs. DeLorca grinned.
“I say,” Mr. DeLorca blushed. “It’s only because she couldn’t finish it.”
“You can wait for pie.” Mrs. DeLorca repeated, getting up and going to straighten one of the paintings on the wall.
“What a bother.” Mr. DeLorca sighed. “Where is Eben, anyway?”
“Darling, you know he’s gone with Mia Duomo to pick out some furniture for her office upstairs. She’s opening her business this week.”
Mr. DeLorca nodded, “Yes, yes, of course. What’s it called, again? Models for Stew? Modeling Prunes?”
“No, dear. It’s called ‘A Model New You.’” Mrs. DeLorca answered.
“Whatever it’s called, I say, it’s a jolly good idea and such.” Mr. DeLorca said brightly. “Imagine our Mia Duomo trying to help people by giving advice on how to have a healthy, happy life.”
“She’s come a long way from the vain woman we first met. I’m glad to see she’s using her talents and her background so well. I think it’s a good idea. She’ll help people learn how to dress properly for their jobs; she’ll help them organize their homes and their lives and how to take time to be good to themselves. And, have you seen how happy she is?” Mrs. DeLorca continued.
“She does seem quite jolly.” Mr. DeLorca agreed. “I think a lot of that has to do with her newfound friendship with our Shakuntala. Everyone needs a pelican to brighten up their lives.”
“Of course.” Mrs. DeLorca nodded.
“Which reminds me…” Mr. DeLorca took some papers out of his desk. “Have I shown you these?”
“Yes, dear.” Mrs. DeLorca answered quickly.
“You can’t tell me that it’s not a good idea.” Mr. DeLorca shook the papers in his hand.
“I think it’s a fine idea.” Mrs. DeLorca responded. “But, it’s an idea for the future. Right now, we have enough going on between our new business in Vista Falls, helping Eben with his antique jewelry shop next door, trying to find a home here—you know we can’t stay at Mrs. Conn’s inn forever—and our regular trips back to Londonderry. We’re already too busy. We can’t add another of your inventions to everything else we’re doing.”
“But, darling,” Mr. DeLorca’s eyes widened. “This isn’t just another invention like Sweet Potato Shoes or my designs for Pancake Town. This is an entirely edible invention! A delicious invention! An irresistible invention!” He licked his lips.
“I don’t know if the world is ready for ‘Peli-cake.’” Mrs. DeLorca shook her head.
“Yes. I say, but, yes, they are.” Mr. DeLorca argued cheerfully. “Imagine—delicious cakes shaped like our dear pelican, Shakuntala. They’ll be luscious chocolate inside and iced and decorated to look like a pelican. We can even market fish-shaped cakes to go with them!”
“Well, I must admit that it’s creative.” Mrs. DeLorca sighed. “If it’s that important to you, perhaps Mrs. Conn and I can look at your drawings and try to make a prototype in the kitchen of her bakery. But, after this, no more inventions for awhile. Understand? We already have too much on our plates.”
“What a lovely phrase. I enjoy plates. Mmmm…plates piled high with delicious ‘Peli-cakes.’” Mr. DeLorca frowned. “I say, where’s that pie of ours? I mean, where’s that son of ours.”
“I’m right here.” Eben smiled, coming in the door. Next to him, his dog, Sheridan, trotted on his leash. Mia Duomo followed them in.
“Oh, I am absolutely exhausted.” Mia Duomo grinned, slipping gracefully into a chair. “I never knew that furniture shopping could be so tiring! But, thanks to Eben, we picked out some beautiful furniture for my new office. Almost as beautiful as I am!”
Everyone laughed. They were used to Mia’s constant references to her beauty.
“When I was a world-famous model, I never had to pick out my own furniture,” Mia said, shaking her wavy blond hair. “Who knew what fun I was missing?”
“Yes, we did have a good time.” Eben nodded. “Mia, remind me later and I’ll show you that diamond bracelet you asked about. If you like, you may borrow it to wear to the wedding tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” Mia asked. “I don’t want you to miss a chance to sell it to a customer just because I’ve borrowed it.”
“A couple of days won’t make a difference. Besides, business has been good. In fact, just yesterday, Chief Colbert came in and bought a little something for Jenny Littlepoole.” Eben said, scratching Sheridan begins his pointy terrier ears.
“A gift for his bride-to-be.” Mia chuckled. “Did he seem nervous?”
“No more nervous than anyone who’s getting married tomorrow.” Eben laughed.
“It ought to be a beautiful wedding.” Mrs. DeLorca said. “Mrs. Conn has really worked very hard on everything.”
“That reminds me,” Eben said, “Mother, Mia and I saw Mrs. Conn heading over to the museum. She told us that she wouldn’t be able to join us for lunch.”
“She’s very busy getting the reception hall set up.” Mia added.
“It was quite clever of Sam and Jenny to rent the museum for their wedding reception.” Mrs. DeLorca said.
“It almost didn’t happen.” Eben nodded slowly. “After the trouble we had a few months ago, the museum still doesn’t have a curator. It’s technically closed still. But, Mrs. Conn convinced the Board of Directors to let the reception take place there after all.”
“I hope the museum opens to the public again soon.” Mia sighed. “I wonder if they’ll ever find a curator.”
“Yes,” Mrs. DeLorca muttered. “I wonder.” She patted her purse.
Little did her friends and family know, but in Mrs. DeLorca’s purse was a letter from the museum Board of Director’s offering her the job of curator. She hadn’t told anyone that she had received the letter.
Of course, with all of her experience as an art historian, Mrs. DeLorca would have been the perfect choice for the curator job anyway. But, when you consider all the art thieves she had stopped over the years, the museum board knew that there was no one better for the job.
That letter wasn’t the first time she had been offered the curator job. The first time was immediately following the firing of the previous curator, Bonnie Whiteside, who had gotten in trouble with the law. The next time came when Mrs. DeLorca had found a valuable silver locket that Miss Whiteside had stolen from the museum. Mrs. DeLorca returned the locket and was once again offered the job.
Mrs. DeLorca was honored and flattered by the offer, but she didn’t know how to answer. She and her husband were both very busy. And, since Mr. DeLorca already had come up with another invention with his “Peli-cakes” she didn’t want to bother him with the question of whether or not she should take on even more responsibility.
“What should I do?” Mrs. DeLorca thought to herself?
What should Mrs. DeLorca do?
Go to next chapter!
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