Previous chapters of the Vista Falls story:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

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

Last time, Rick, TJ, Delia and Lucy guided Mr. Dinello, Mr. Jaquith, Ward, Kate and Vera to see the strange painting that they had found. Still bothered by his conversation with Margaret Pipkin, Mr. Dinello wasn’t expecting to see something as awful as what the teens showed him. The painting in the back hallway of the museum was as bizarre as the teens had said. It showed a bride and a groom dressed similarly to Sam and Jenny Colbert and though the faces of the painted couple were of older people, anyone could easily tell that it was meant to be the Colberts. Behind the bride and groom, the artist had painted many other faces—howling, crying and screaming faces in torment. The painting was ghastly and upsetting. Mr. Dinello immediately wanted to cover it up. Some of the teens went to find extra tablecloths to cover the painting while Mr. Dinello, Mr. Jaquith and the rest of the group went to find a place outside to hide the painting until after the wedding reception. Little did they know that while they were separated, someone would hide the painting! What happened next? Here’s what you decided.

Chapter 4: On the White Tracks
By Joseph Crisalli

“There you are.” Vera smiled. “We got three tablecloths. We can wrap it up really well.”

“Thanks.” Mr. Dinello smiled as he headed toward the hallway.

“Where are you going?” Vera asked.

“To cover the painting.” Mr. Dinello raised an eyebrow.

“Shouldn’t you go outside?” Vera asked.

“No.” Mr. Dinello shook his head.

“But, you already brought it out there.” Vera said.

“I don’t understand.” Mr. Dinello narrowed his eyes. “We didn’t bring it outside yet.”

“But, it’s not in the hallway!” Vera said, her voice shaking with fear.

“We came out of the kitchen and the painting was gone. We thought you already took it somewhere. That’s why we looked for you!” Delia gasped.

They rushed back to the hallway. The painting was gone!

“Now what do we do?” TJ groaned.

“We’ve got to find it.” Mr. Dinello said quickly. “We’ve got to—before Sam or Jenny see it.”

“I agree.” Mr. Jaquith said. His face turned red.

“Are you all right?” Mr. Dinello asked his friend.

“Fine, fine.” Mr. Jaquith sputtered. “I’m just so angry.”

“I understand, Mr. Jaquith.” Delia said softly. “I can’t understand why people do cruel things like this. How can people be so mean?”

“We don’t know if they did it to be mean.” Kate sighed. “We don’t know why they did it.”

“What other reason could they have if not to do something mean?” Delia asked.

“Who knows why people do what they do?” Kate shrugged.

“You’re always so fair.” Vera rolled her eyes.

“I try to be.” Kate blushed. “I try not to judge people—especially before I know all the facts.”

“All of the facts that we have right now tell me that something evil is happening here.” TJ shook his head. “If it wasn’t evil, I wouldn’t feel so scared.”

“Everyone, please,” Mr. Dinello said gently. “We’re all a little scared. I understand. And, I also see what Kate is saying. She’s right in that we don’t really know what’s going on. But, right now, I’m concerned about Sam and Jenny seeing that painting. Though we don’t know why it was painted, I do know that looking at it upsetting. And, if I can spare them seeing it and having their night spoiled, I’m going to do it. So, we have to find that painting.”

“Where could it possibly be?” TJ asked. “It could be anywhere—the museum is huge!”

“Yes, but the painting is huge, too.” Mr. Jaquith said. “We weren’t gone terribly long. The painting was too big and heavy for someone to carry it very far in such a short amount of time.”

“That’s a good point, Claude,” Mr. Dinello nodded. “Surely they’re still close by.”

“Look at this,” Ward spoke up. He pointed to the floor. “Footprints.”

“Looks like someone stepped in white paint.” Kate added.

“Do you think it was the person who painted the portrait?” Delia asked.

“No.” Mr. Dinello got on his hands and knees and looked at the smudges of paint on the floor. “This is wall paint. It’s not thick enough to be the kind of oil paint that the artist used on the painting.”

“It was a woman.” Vera added. “Those footprints were made by someone wearing high heels.”

Mr. Dinello and the others followed the tracks. “Not just one woman—two. These are two different sets of footprints.”

“Yes.” Mr. Jaquith said. “But, look, they split up. One set of prints goes back into the reception hall. They other set goes upstairs.” Mr. Jaquith pointed to a dimly lit staircase. “That must be the back staircase to one of the galleries.”

“Wait a minute!” Mr. Dinello said. “I was talking with Mrs. DeLorca earlier. I asked if I could explore the museum during the party. She said normally she’d let me, but that the south gallery was being repainted and that she had closed the upstairs galleries for awhile.”

“So, whoever did this has been upstairs? Is that where they walked through paint?” Rick asked.

“Could be, but I don’t see any paint tracks coming down the stairs—these are facing the direction of feet going UP the stairs.” Mr. Dinello said.

“Maybe they took the service elevator.” Kate pointed.

“Good thinking, Kate.” Mr. Jaquith nodded. He wheeled his chair over to the elevator. “Yes, there are tracks here, too.”

“Looks like we have three different places to look.” Mr. Dinello said. “Where to start?”

Where should they start?

Up the stairs?
In the elevator?
In the reception hall?

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