Previous chapters of the Vista Falls story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

How should the story continue? Voting is open on the current chapter!

Last time, Mr. Barrymore walked in as Mina was talking to Mr. Dinello and the teens. Thinking that Mina was breaking the rules, Mr. Barrymore became furious, shouting at Mina and telling her to clean out her locker because she was fired. Mr. Dinello tried to explain to Mr. Barrymore that Mina had actually tried to avoid talking with them and that she had said that she wasn’t allowed to chat on work hours. Mr. Barrymore, instead, became enraged with Mr. Dinello and the teens and ordered them out of the hotel along with Mina. When Chief Colbert and Officer Littlepoole arrived in the ballroom, Mr. Barrymore said that he wanted the officers to remove everyone from the hotel. Chief Colbert tried to make sense of what was happening. What did he do? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 20
Barrymore or Less

“Officers, I want these people out of here.” Mr. Barrymore replied in a calmer voice than he had been using.

“What have they done?” Chief Colbert asked.

“They have disturbed the peace in my hotel.” Mr. Barrymore answered.

“How?” Chief Colbert asked, eyeing Mr. Dinello and the teens.

“We were trying to talk to Mina.” Mr. Dinello answered. “We made her break the rules and Mr. Barrymore has dismissed her because of it.”

“It isn’t fair!” Kate spoke up.

“No, it isn’t.” Delia nodded. “It’s not Mina’s fault.”

“These people are your friends, officers. Escort them out, please.” Mr. Barrymore said in an overly dramatic way.

“Hold on just a minute.” Chief Colbert replied level-headedly.

“Officer,” Mr. Barrymore waved his hand. “I don’t have time for this. Please, remove these people from my hotel.”

“We’re very sorry if we’ve caused any trouble,” Mr. Dinello spoke up. “But, please, this isn’t Mina’s fault.”

“Great monkey eyeballs!” Mr. Barrymore shouted. “Haven’t I heard enough?”

“Mr. Barrymore, if my friends say they’re sorry, I’m sure they are.” Chief Colbert smiled. “I know that they didn’t mean to make any trouble here. In fact, they’re trying to help us with this mystery.”

“That’s all we were doing.” Delia said. “That’s why we wanted to talk with Mina in the first place. We were hoping to find out who is masquerading as the ghost of Theodosia Westwick.”

“You see?” Officer Littlepoole said gently. “They were only trying to help.”

“And, instead, we got Mina in trouble. Won’t you, please, let her keep her job?” Kate added.

“No. Out of the question!” Mr. Barrymore growled. “Who do you think you’re dealing with here, anyway? Do you think I’m some kind of old fool who is easily tricked? Do you think I’m going to be taken in by tall tales and ghost stories? What’s next? Perhaps you’ll tell me that the little leprechauns made you do it. Is that it? Did they call to you from their magical oak tree?”

“Huh?” Ward squinted.

“That’s right, young man.” Mr. Barrymore continued his rant, “Maybe I’ll just chain myself to that oak tree. Maybe that’s what I’ll do. Then, we’ll see who’s out of a job.”

With that, Mr. Barrymore began pacing around the ballroom.

“What’s he talking about?” Vera asked Mina.

Mina shrugged. “Oh, I don’t know. That’s just the way he is.”

“Mr. Barrymore,” Chief Colbert began, “Do you think it would be possible for us to talk privately?”

“What for?” Mr. Barrymore asked, stopping his pacing.

“I’m concerned about you. I think perhaps the strain of the events this evening has affected you.” Chief Colbert continued.

“So, you think I’m crazy?” Mr. Barrymore asked.

“No.” Chief Colbert shook his head. “I think we should just talk.”

“I’ve already talked with you.” Mr. Barrymore waved a hand in the air again.

“We haven’t talked about this.” Officer Littlepoole spoke up. “We haven’t talked about Mina.”

“So, that’s it!” Mr. Barrymore spat. “Everyone’s so concerned about Mina. Fine. Mina, you can keep your job. You’re not fired. There, now, is everyone happy?”

“Yes.” Vera smiled. “You hear that, Mina, you can keep your job.”

“But, I’ll be keeping my eye on you.” Mr. Barrymore barked.

Everyone looked at Mina.

She took a deep breath. “Thank you, but no, I do not wish to stay here. I know of many other places I can get a job in town—a job where I won’t be abused.”

“Abused!” Mr. Barrymore shouted.

“That’s right.” Mina nodded. “I will leave now. Please, all of you, come with me. I will tell you everything I know about this hotel and about the Woman in Gray. I have many stories to tell.”

“Mina, don’t be too hasty.” Mr. Barrymore said—suddenly quite calm and gently.

“Mr. Barrymore, I don’t understand.” Chief Colbert said suspiciously. “Can you please explain to me what’s going on?”

“Well, Officer, I want lovely Mina to stay at the hotel. I’m sorry I acted so violently. It’s just—as you said—the strain of what’s gone here tonight.” Mr. Barrymore spoke with an eerily cool voice. “Don’t leave. All of you should stay. Stay as long as you like!”

“But, you just shouted at all of us to go.” Rick spoke next.

“I was unkind. I’m sorry.” Mr. Barrymore said, tilting his head to one side.

“Let us go, please.” Mina said quickly.

“Yeah,” Vera laughed. “Let’s get out of here.”

Just then, Chief Colbert’s cell phone rang.

“Excuse me,” Chief Colbert said, “I have to get this. It’s Uriah Trotter. But, Mr. Barrymore, I want to talk with you some more.”

“Of course, of course.” Mr. Barrymore nodded as Chief Colbert walked out of the ballroom—talking on his phone.

Once Chief Colbert was out of the ballroom, Mr. Barrymore turned to Mina. “Mina, please, reconsider.”

“No.” Mina shook her head. With that, Mina walked out of the ballroom.

“We’d better go, too.” Mr. Dinello said to his friends. He turned to Officer Littlepoole, “I’m sorry this happened.”

“Jeff, you were all just trying to help. You didn’t mean to get Mina in trouble.” Officer Littlepoole smiled.

“I hope she knows that.” Mr. Dinello sighed.

“We’ll help her find a new job.” Kate suggested.

“I know our dad is looking for help at the hardware store. Maybe Mina would like to work there.” Lucy volunteered.

“That’s a good idea.” Vera nodded. “Let’s go tell her.”

“Are you all leaving?” Mr. Barrymore asked.

“I’ll wait here with you.” Officer Littlepoole said flatly. “I know Sam and I would still like to talk with you.”

“Am I in trouble?” Mr. Barrymore asked. “I don’t think I’ve broken any laws.”

“No, but we are concerned about your anger. We just want to make sure you’re all right.” Officer Littlepoole nodded.

“Ah.” Mr. Barrymore grunted. He pointed up to the ceiling. “Well, the very least that Mina could have done before she left was make sure those chandeliers were clean. I mean, look at them! They’re covered in cobwebs.”

Officer Littlepoole looked up. “They seem fine to me.”

When she looked down again, she saw that Mr. Barrymore was gone. Turning to her left, she saw one of the side doors of the ballroom closing behind him.

“Great.” Officer Littlepoole grumbled.

At that very moment, Chief Colbert came back into the room. “Where’s Barrymore?”

“He slipped out.” Jenny Littlepoole sighed.

“He’s acting very strangely. But, we can’t worry about that right now. There’s trouble at the old, abandoned courthouse. It seems that Bonnie Whiteside, the museum curator, was hit on the head and dragged down to the basement by someone dressed as the ghost of Theodosia Westwick.”

“What?” Jenny’s eyes widened.

“We have to go. Now.” Chief Colbert said.

“What about Jeff and the kids?” Jenny asked.

How should Chief Colbert answer?

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