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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, while waiting in the alley for Officer Littlepoole, Vera heard footsteps. Hoping that it was the officer coming to help her get home, Vera called out and was frightened when an unfamiliar voice answered. Soon, Vera saw that the footsteps were those of the Woman in Gray. The Woman in Gray backed Vera against the wall and threatened the teen, making Vera know that The Woman in Gray was aware that she was related to the Molton Family of the local hardware business. Just as the Woman in Gray was about to really start to frighten Vera, Officer Littlepoole arrived and warned the imposter ghost to leave Vera alone. Trying to appear unbothered, the Woman in Gray talked back to Jenny Littlepoole, but then took off running, knocking Vera to the ground. Officer Littlepoole was torn. Should she help Vera or run after the faux-ghost? Here’s what you decided.
Chapter 30
Hearts and Attacks
“You’re the ones who have broken the law.” The Woman in Gray said hurriedly, still backing the opposite way down the alley. “You took my home from me!”
“Don’t move.” Jenny Littlepoole glared at the Woman in Gray. “You’re under arrest.”
“Try to catch me!” The Woman in Gray screamed.
“I won’t let her get away.” Vera shouted, feeling braver with Jenny Littlepoole there.
Vera ran toward the so-called ghost, and tried to grab the woman’s arm, but the Woman in Gray knocked Vera to the ground. Vera landed with a thud, knocking the breath out of her.
With that, the Woman in Gray ran off down the alley.
“Vera!” Officer Littlepoole shouted. “Are you okay?”
Vera slowly stood up and brushed herself off; making sure that she hadn’t injured herself. “Yes,” Vera said shakily. “I think I’m fine.”
“Good.” Officer Littlepoole said, taking her cell phone from her pocket. “You wait here. I’ll make sure Mr. Dinello comes to pick you up.”
“Where are you going?” Vera asked.
“I’m going to follow that fake ghost!” Jenny Littlepoole said, taking off into a sprint. She shouted over her shoulder to Vera. “You stay right there. Mr. Dinello will take you home.” With that, Officer Littlepoole ran off in the same direction the Woman in Gray had run.
As she was running, Officer Littlepoole—without looking—used her cellular phone to speed-dial Chief Colbert.
“Hello, my dear.” Chief Colbert said, thinking his fiancée was simply calling to say good night.
“Sam, we have a situation.” Jenny panted into the phone. “I’m in pursuit of the Woman in Gray. Hurry to Pine Street. I hope to corner her at the old courthouse.”
“Jenny,” Chief Colbert began.
“Can’t talk now, Sam.” Jenny panted. “Listen, call Jeff and tell him to go get Vera. She’s at the alley behind Mrs. Conn’s shop. I’ll explain when you get here.”
“Be right there.” Chief Colbert said, hanging up quickly.
Grasping her cell phone in her hand, Officer Littlepoole kept running. She could see ahead of her the shadowy figure of the Woman in Gray struggling to run in the distance.
“You’re slowing down,” Jenny panted out loud. “It’s not easy to run in a ball gown. Is it?”
As Jenny Littlepoole had predicted, the Woman in Gray ran straight toward the abandoned courthouse.
“I’ve got you now.” Officer Littlepoole thought.
The Woman in Gray hurried down the side steps of the courthouse, rattling the iron gate that led to the basement. The gate swung open and the so-called ghost hurried inside.
Jenny was quick to follow.
Little did she know, Mr. Barrymore was watching from the bushes.
“Oh, another set-back.” Mr. Barrymore muttered to himself as he watched the officer hurry down the basement steps. “But, then again, things might not be as bad as all that. My friend, the ‘Woman in Gray,’” he chuckled to himself, “is perfectly capable of looking after herself. No lightweight police officer is any match for her.” He paused. “Sirens!”
Mr. Barrymore ducked further down into the shrubbery and watched as Chief Colbert pulled up in his squad car. As he was driving up, he had seen Officer Littlepoole go down the basement steps. Slamming the door of his squad car, Chief Colbert raced toward the basement stairs himself.
“Two police officers.” Mr. Barrymore laughed as he came out of his hiding place. “The rest of the police force is probably sound asleep. That horrible little red-headed teenager is most likely in trouble with her parents. And, I’m sure that simpering art teacher and those other hooligan teens are out of the way. Now is a good time for me to have a little chat with my old friend, Mina.”
With that, Mr. Barrymore walked toward Old Martin Creek. “Or maybe, better yet, Mina can come out here and have a chat with me. After all, when she finds out what I’ve done with her good pal, Riley, she’ll be very eager to talk with me.” He took one last look over his shoulder at the courthouse. For just a split second, his eyes filled with a look of fear. “I sure hope she’s holding her own in there.” He began to laugh again, “The Woman in Gray. My darling wife…”
At that very moment, Vera was still in the alley by Mrs. Conn’s shop. She was beginning to feel very dizzy and light headed. Her heart was beating very fast.
Once again, Vera heard footsteps, but this time she knew exactly whose they were.
“Mr. Dinello!” Vera called out.
“Vera, what’s going on?” Mr. Dinello said gently. “Sam called me and told me to come out here and pick you up.”
“I snuck out of the house.” Vera said sheepishly.
“I could guess that much.” Mr. Dinello smiled, rolling his eyes.
“We saw the Woman in Gray. Officer Littlepoole is chasing her right now.” Vera explained. She felt dizzy again and leaned against the wall.
“Sam is going to help her.” Mr. Dinello said softly. He narrowed his eyes, “Vera, you don’t look so good.”
“I’m tired.” Vera said.
“Maybe that’s because you should have been in bed hours ago.” Mr. Dinello joked.
Vera didn’t smile.
“You look really pale. You’re shaking. Are you sure you’re feeling okay?” Mr. Dinello asked.
Vera began panting. She was having a hard time catching her breath. It reminded her of other times when her heart gave her trouble. Vera had a badly damaged heart that was the result of illegal diet pills that she had taken once a couple of years before, a mistake that would haunt her for the rest of her life.
“Vera, is it your heart?” Mr. Dinello asked, well aware of Vera’s problem.
“I think so.” Vera groaned. She slumped to the ground. “I feel sick, Mr. Dinello.”
“It’s going to be okay,” Mr. Dinello said gently, helping Vera to her feet.
“You’re not going to take me to the hospital, are you?” Vera moaned. “I don’t want to go back to the hospital.”
“I don’t think we have much of a choice.” Mr. Dinello said as calmly as he could.
“Please, no.” Vera said, leaning on Mr. Dinello’s arm. “I don’t want to go. I was wrong. It’s not my heart. I think I’m just having a panic attack. Let me calm down. I’ll be fine.”
“Either way, if it’s your heart or a panic attack, it’s serious. We have to do something. We can’t take chances with your health.” Mr. Dinello shook his head.
“Please, I don’t want to go to the hospital. I’ll do anything else. But, I hate the hospital.”
What do you want me to do, Vera?” Mr. Dinello asked.
What should Mr. Dinello do?
Voting results for how the story continues:
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