The Case of the Haunted House--Part Five
by HA
After school and going home to change out of their school uniforms, Shirley, Bo and Blake rode their bikes to the Harrison house, which was located on the outskirts of Redington. When they arrived, they found a number of people surrounding the house carrying picket signs like "SAVE THE HARRISON HOUSE" and "SPARE THE GHOST." On the other side of the road, men hired to demolish the house watched the protesters with short tempers. Behind them was their van, which held a crate of dynamite in the back. Curious onlookers joined them, wondering what was going on and occasionally snickered at the protesters. A TV news crew was present and was setting up. The field reporter waited for everything to be set up. The house itself was an old Victorian mansion, and it had seen better days. The house was in need of a good paint job and the roof needed a good patching. Along with its gloomy gray color and the surrounding sickly trees, the Harrison house seemed like it could be haunted.
"Nice place," Bo quipped as he and the others parked their bikes in a designated area where the protesters parked their cars, vans, and bikes.
"Yeah, it's rather cheerful," Blake commented.
Shirley studied the protesters and found that they were mostly adults. She could see a few kids, though. "Where could Bart be? He said he would meet us here."
"Right behind you." Bart and Parker appeared behind Shirley, Bo, and Blake. "Look who we bumped into," Bart said, pointing to a girl with them. Shirley recognized her as Lucy Knight, and she was wearing her goggle-like glasses and scarf.
"Why, Shirley, what a coincidence," Lucy said, acting surprised. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Yeah, right," Bo whispered to Blake.
"I'm glad you came, you guys," Bart said enthusiastically. "Every extra person helps."
"Yeah, since practically no one from our school bothered to come," Parker said negatively.
"I wouldn't say that," Bart said, pointing to the group of onlookers on the other side of the road. "I recognize some kids from our school."
"Yeah, but they've been jeering us," Parker pointed out.
"Bart, can you and Parker rejoin the protesters? I'll be there in a moment," Lucy requested.
"Sure thing. Come on, Parker." The two boys left and rejoined the protesters, who were shouting "Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!"
"So, you've heard about what happened at the police station this morning?" Lucy asked the young detective.
"Yes, I have," Shirley answered. "A toy dragon was delivered to the police station. When someone opened it, it said a riddle."
"The exchange of something old for something new in Hades despite the end of A.N.," Lucy said from the top of her head.
"Exactly," Shirley said with a nod.
"The policeman who pressed the switch on the dragon's back got scratched on his hand." Lucy saw the bandage on Shirley's hand. "I deduce that the same thing happened to you."
"I'll live," Shirley remarked. "They haven't solved the riddle yet?"
"Nope," Lucy replied. "You?"
"Still working on it," Shirley said.
"I've heard that the police really miss your dad right now," Lucy told Blake.
"Yeah, well, the head honchos at Interpol are still keeping him to devise a way to take care of ENIGMA," Blake said. Shirley could not help but notice a little sadness or disappointment in Blake's voice.
"Say, where's the weird cousin of yours?" Bo asked Lucy, looking around.
Lucy caught the remark, but did not show any sign of being offended. "She's with the protesters right now. She's somewhere in the back." She pointed out a silver-haired head among the back section of protesters.
"Okay, Lucy, you're the one who called us here," Shirley reminded the teen-age genius. "What do you want?"
"Right now, I'd like for you guys to help us out," Lucy said, pointing to the group of protesters. "Most of the Redington Paranormal Society's out here, plus some volunteers."
"Hold on, I'm not going over there and holding a sign that says 'SPARE THE GHOST,'" Bo declared. "Especially with a TV reporter and possibly some of the guys from Sussex Academy on the scene."
"Don't worry. Just keep to the back," Lucy reassured Bo. "Besides, we don't want to destroy Shirley's anonymity," she remarked with a grin and a wink before walking back to the crowd.
"When in Rome," Blake said with a shrug. He followed Lucy and started shouting "Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!" while raising his fist into the air.
"Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!" the protesters shouted.
Bo stared at the protesters and groaned, then followed Blake into the back of the crowd. Shirley smiled to herself, then joined her friends in protesting the proposed demolition of the Harrison house.
A bespectacled woman with a megaphone stood in front of the crowd of protesters. "Okay, people, what do we want?" she shouted into the megaphone.
"The Harrison house and its ghost to be left alone!" the crowd responded. Bo did not even bother to say anything and groaned. Bart was very enthusiastic.
"What don't we need?" the woman asked the crowd.
"Guys with dynamite!" the crowd roared back.
"You know, if there is a ghost, I don't think he'll be happy about this noise," Bo whispered to Shirley.
"It's a she, actually," Katrina told Bo.
"Okay," Bo said, trying his hardest not to stare at the silver-haired girl.
"How long has this been going on?" Shirley asked Bart as the woman continued to pump up the crowd with the megaphone.
"I think it's been an hour," Bart guessed.
"Funny, I feel like it's been two," Parker admitted.
"So what brings you here?" Shirley asked Lucy.
"Oh, it's a good cause, and like Dad, I'm attracted to them," Lucy said. "These people want to turn this house into a city landmark."
"Because it's allegedly haunted?" Shirley asked.
"Bingo," Bart said.
The reporter was interviewing the woman with the megaphone, who was explaining why the people there were protesting the upcoming demolition of the Harrison house. Her curiosity piqued, Shirley moved up closer to the front in order to listen better. She made sure to stay out of view of the cameraman. Bart joined her at her right, and they listened in.
"We can't just blow up this house," the woman said. "It's still someone's home."
"You mean the ghost," the reporter said, trying to maintain his professionalism.
"Exactly," the woman responded. "We have no right to destroy someone else's home, whether or not the person is alive or not."
"So besides blocking the men assigned to the house's demolition, what else are you doing to save it?" the reporter asked.
"Some members of the Redington Paranormal Society have gone to City Hall to present a petition supporting the preservation of the Harrison house as a city landmark to the mayor and the city council," the woman answered. "We should be getting the results of that meeting soon."
"All you people are crazy!" Shirley spotted one of the men from the other side of the road lumbering towards the woman and the reporter. He was in a T-shirt and jeans and wore a construction helmet on his head. "This is just an old house, and no one, living or dead, is in there!"
"How do you know that? Have you ever been in there?" the woman questioned the man.
"No! Have you?" the man fired back. The reporter stepped back, but he kept his microphone in front of him to capture the argument. The cameraman also stepped back, but he kept rolling.
"Actually, no, but we've got reports of people saying that they saw the ghost while staying in the house overnight," the woman replied.
"Oh really?" The man was not convinced. "Were they nuts like you or were they just drunk? Ah, forget drunk. I've been drunk and I never thought I saw a ghost." He looked at the protesters. "Don't you people have lives or something? Go home and let me and my men do our job!"
"You mean blow up this house so that Mr. Maxson can build another mall out here?" the woman questioned. "Redington already has a mall. Why build a mall out here?"
"Well, you can't have too many malls, now can you, Miss Spook Supporter?" the man retorted, looking down at the woman. "People love malls, and Mr. Maxson guarantees that this one will have a lot of shops for people to spend their money in."
"Oh, of course! It's all about money!" the woman said in exasperation. "Sure, let's blow up the ghost's home so that your boss can make a profit!"
"For the last time, there's no stinking ghost!" the man shouted furiously at the woman. "Now why don't you go home, put on an apron, and go clean the house and make dinner like a good woman should?"
"Hey!" someone shouted. Shirley saw a girl about her age walk out of the group of protesters towards the arguing adults. She had short brown hair and wore glasses. Her jean jacket was too large for her; the sleeves had to be folded back more so that her hands could stick out, and even then, they barely peaked out.
"What the...?" Bart wondered.
Bo moved from the back and joined Shirley. He had glimpsed what was going on from the back. He saw the girl take a firm stand in front of the man, who towered over her. "Is she crazy?"
"Sometimes the brave are considered crazy," Katrina commented, appearing behind Bo.
Blake, Parker, and Lucy joined them. "What's going on?" Blake asked.
"That girl's confronting that man over there," Shirley answered, pointing to the front.
"Whoa!" Parker exclaimed. "That guy's huge!"
Lucy spotted the woman and the girl. "Great," she muttered. She exchanged a look with Katrina.
"You know her?" Shirley asked.
Lucy nodded silently and turned her attention to the girl, who glared at the man. "You can't talk to her like that, you lumbering Neanderthal!" she shouted.
The woman looked at the girl with concern. "Susan, get back. I can handle this."
The man looked down at the girl. "What are you going to do about it, pipsqueak?" he taunted, putting his hands on his hips.
The girl snarled at the man, revealing her braces. The man saw this and laughed. "Hey, guys!" he shouted to the other men across the road. "This little girl's gonna bite me!" The other men laughed loudly. "So, Metalmouth, what're you going to do?" the man taunted further.
Bart watched with admiration as the girl stood her ground. "You're nothing but a big bully!" she declared.
"Oh, go take a seat!" the man shouted.
Shirley and Bart watched as the man pushed the girl to the ground. She landed on her back hard.
"Hey, you can't do that!" the woman shouted.
"Sure I can." The man shoved the woman down next to the girl. "See, I did." He laughed loudly. The reporter started towards the woman and the girl to help them, but the man raised his fist, which made the reporter rethink his next action and he resumed being impartial.
Bart was furious. "He can't do that..."
Before Shirley could stop him, Bart darted out of the crowd and was soon at the side of the fallen girl, who was trying to get up. An Asian boy also darted out to help.
"Oh, great, another four-eyed brat," the man remarked meanly as he looked at Bart.
Bart looked at the girl, who was trying to sit up. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
The Asian boy joined Bart at the girl's side. "Yeah, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm a bit shaken up and my butt hurts a little, but I'm fine," the girl replied.
Bart took the girl's hand and helped her to her feet. The girl looked into his eyes and smiled. Bart found himself smiling back. She was not a ravishing beauty, but Bart found himself strangely attracted to her. His hand started squeezing her hand, and he felt her squeezing back. For a moment, they said nothing.
Shirley and the others watched this from their position. "Hmmmmmm..." The junior detective studied Bart and the girl closely.
Parker realized what was going on between the two. "You go, Bart," he said with a grin.
"Huh?" Bo remarked.
Blake just smiled. Lucy and Katrina showed no reaction on their faces.
"Um, you know," the girl said finally, blushing. "I think my mom could use our help getting back up."
"Besides, there's a big man with muscles standing right there," the Asian boy whispered in Bart's ear while pointing to the man.
Bart snapped out of his trance. "Oh, oh, right."
"Awwwwwwww, look. A hero," the man said mockingly as Bart, the girl, and the Asian boy helped the woman up.
"Better stay with your mom," the Asian boy told the girl. The girl nodded and took her mother away.
Bart faced the man who was the aggressor. It was clear that he was at a disadvantage against the mountain of muscle, but he showed no sign of fear. "Yeah, whatever." Bart looked angrily at the man. "What right do you have to shove innocent women around?"
"This right!" the man declared, flexing his right arm to show off his muscles. "My boss wants that building blasted today, and I'm not letting a bunch of ghost-lovers stand in my way." He faced down Bart. "Now get out of my way, kid."
"No." Bart stood his ground.
The Asian boy stood beside Bart. "Same with me."
The man snarled. "Fine by me, kid," he said as he started to advance on Bart.
Bo and Blake were about to rush in to help Bart when Lucy held out her arm to block their way. "Hey, what are you doing?" Bo demanded.
"Don't worry about it," Lucy assured them. "Everything's under control."
"What are you talking about?" Blake asked, puzzled. "He'll get stomped!"
"You got that right," Parker said, almost panicking.
"Be patient," Katrina told them. "Your friend is brave," she remarked to Shirley.
"Well, Bart always stood up for what he believed in, no matter what," Shirley said.
"And now he's going to get killed for it," Bo remarked dryly. "I'm not going to stand here while it happens."
"Me neither," Blake said, ready for action.
Shirley looked at Lucy, who shook her head. "Someone's got to do something," Shirley said.
"Don't worry, Shirley. This one's on us," Lucy said.
Shirley and her friends watched as the man advanced on Bart and the Asian boy. It seemed that the man was going to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the reporter and the cameraman kept themselves at a safe distance, filming everything.
END OF PART FIVE
by HA
After school and going home to change out of their school uniforms, Shirley, Bo and Blake rode their bikes to the Harrison house, which was located on the outskirts of Redington. When they arrived, they found a number of people surrounding the house carrying picket signs like "SAVE THE HARRISON HOUSE" and "SPARE THE GHOST." On the other side of the road, men hired to demolish the house watched the protesters with short tempers. Behind them was their van, which held a crate of dynamite in the back. Curious onlookers joined them, wondering what was going on and occasionally snickered at the protesters. A TV news crew was present and was setting up. The field reporter waited for everything to be set up. The house itself was an old Victorian mansion, and it had seen better days. The house was in need of a good paint job and the roof needed a good patching. Along with its gloomy gray color and the surrounding sickly trees, the Harrison house seemed like it could be haunted.
"Nice place," Bo quipped as he and the others parked their bikes in a designated area where the protesters parked their cars, vans, and bikes.
"Yeah, it's rather cheerful," Blake commented.
Shirley studied the protesters and found that they were mostly adults. She could see a few kids, though. "Where could Bart be? He said he would meet us here."
"Right behind you." Bart and Parker appeared behind Shirley, Bo, and Blake. "Look who we bumped into," Bart said, pointing to a girl with them. Shirley recognized her as Lucy Knight, and she was wearing her goggle-like glasses and scarf.
"Why, Shirley, what a coincidence," Lucy said, acting surprised. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Yeah, right," Bo whispered to Blake.
"I'm glad you came, you guys," Bart said enthusiastically. "Every extra person helps."
"Yeah, since practically no one from our school bothered to come," Parker said negatively.
"I wouldn't say that," Bart said, pointing to the group of onlookers on the other side of the road. "I recognize some kids from our school."
"Yeah, but they've been jeering us," Parker pointed out.
"Bart, can you and Parker rejoin the protesters? I'll be there in a moment," Lucy requested.
"Sure thing. Come on, Parker." The two boys left and rejoined the protesters, who were shouting "Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!"
"So, you've heard about what happened at the police station this morning?" Lucy asked the young detective.
"Yes, I have," Shirley answered. "A toy dragon was delivered to the police station. When someone opened it, it said a riddle."
"The exchange of something old for something new in Hades despite the end of A.N.," Lucy said from the top of her head.
"Exactly," Shirley said with a nod.
"The policeman who pressed the switch on the dragon's back got scratched on his hand." Lucy saw the bandage on Shirley's hand. "I deduce that the same thing happened to you."
"I'll live," Shirley remarked. "They haven't solved the riddle yet?"
"Nope," Lucy replied. "You?"
"Still working on it," Shirley said.
"I've heard that the police really miss your dad right now," Lucy told Blake.
"Yeah, well, the head honchos at Interpol are still keeping him to devise a way to take care of ENIGMA," Blake said. Shirley could not help but notice a little sadness or disappointment in Blake's voice.
"Say, where's the weird cousin of yours?" Bo asked Lucy, looking around.
Lucy caught the remark, but did not show any sign of being offended. "She's with the protesters right now. She's somewhere in the back." She pointed out a silver-haired head among the back section of protesters.
"Okay, Lucy, you're the one who called us here," Shirley reminded the teen-age genius. "What do you want?"
"Right now, I'd like for you guys to help us out," Lucy said, pointing to the group of protesters. "Most of the Redington Paranormal Society's out here, plus some volunteers."
"Hold on, I'm not going over there and holding a sign that says 'SPARE THE GHOST,'" Bo declared. "Especially with a TV reporter and possibly some of the guys from Sussex Academy on the scene."
"Don't worry. Just keep to the back," Lucy reassured Bo. "Besides, we don't want to destroy Shirley's anonymity," she remarked with a grin and a wink before walking back to the crowd.
"When in Rome," Blake said with a shrug. He followed Lucy and started shouting "Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!" while raising his fist into the air.
"Save the Harrison house! Save the Harrison house!" the protesters shouted.
Bo stared at the protesters and groaned, then followed Blake into the back of the crowd. Shirley smiled to herself, then joined her friends in protesting the proposed demolition of the Harrison house.
A bespectacled woman with a megaphone stood in front of the crowd of protesters. "Okay, people, what do we want?" she shouted into the megaphone.
"The Harrison house and its ghost to be left alone!" the crowd responded. Bo did not even bother to say anything and groaned. Bart was very enthusiastic.
"What don't we need?" the woman asked the crowd.
"Guys with dynamite!" the crowd roared back.
"You know, if there is a ghost, I don't think he'll be happy about this noise," Bo whispered to Shirley.
"It's a she, actually," Katrina told Bo.
"Okay," Bo said, trying his hardest not to stare at the silver-haired girl.
"How long has this been going on?" Shirley asked Bart as the woman continued to pump up the crowd with the megaphone.
"I think it's been an hour," Bart guessed.
"Funny, I feel like it's been two," Parker admitted.
"So what brings you here?" Shirley asked Lucy.
"Oh, it's a good cause, and like Dad, I'm attracted to them," Lucy said. "These people want to turn this house into a city landmark."
"Because it's allegedly haunted?" Shirley asked.
"Bingo," Bart said.
The reporter was interviewing the woman with the megaphone, who was explaining why the people there were protesting the upcoming demolition of the Harrison house. Her curiosity piqued, Shirley moved up closer to the front in order to listen better. She made sure to stay out of view of the cameraman. Bart joined her at her right, and they listened in.
"We can't just blow up this house," the woman said. "It's still someone's home."
"You mean the ghost," the reporter said, trying to maintain his professionalism.
"Exactly," the woman responded. "We have no right to destroy someone else's home, whether or not the person is alive or not."
"So besides blocking the men assigned to the house's demolition, what else are you doing to save it?" the reporter asked.
"Some members of the Redington Paranormal Society have gone to City Hall to present a petition supporting the preservation of the Harrison house as a city landmark to the mayor and the city council," the woman answered. "We should be getting the results of that meeting soon."
"All you people are crazy!" Shirley spotted one of the men from the other side of the road lumbering towards the woman and the reporter. He was in a T-shirt and jeans and wore a construction helmet on his head. "This is just an old house, and no one, living or dead, is in there!"
"How do you know that? Have you ever been in there?" the woman questioned the man.
"No! Have you?" the man fired back. The reporter stepped back, but he kept his microphone in front of him to capture the argument. The cameraman also stepped back, but he kept rolling.
"Actually, no, but we've got reports of people saying that they saw the ghost while staying in the house overnight," the woman replied.
"Oh really?" The man was not convinced. "Were they nuts like you or were they just drunk? Ah, forget drunk. I've been drunk and I never thought I saw a ghost." He looked at the protesters. "Don't you people have lives or something? Go home and let me and my men do our job!"
"You mean blow up this house so that Mr. Maxson can build another mall out here?" the woman questioned. "Redington already has a mall. Why build a mall out here?"
"Well, you can't have too many malls, now can you, Miss Spook Supporter?" the man retorted, looking down at the woman. "People love malls, and Mr. Maxson guarantees that this one will have a lot of shops for people to spend their money in."
"Oh, of course! It's all about money!" the woman said in exasperation. "Sure, let's blow up the ghost's home so that your boss can make a profit!"
"For the last time, there's no stinking ghost!" the man shouted furiously at the woman. "Now why don't you go home, put on an apron, and go clean the house and make dinner like a good woman should?"
"Hey!" someone shouted. Shirley saw a girl about her age walk out of the group of protesters towards the arguing adults. She had short brown hair and wore glasses. Her jean jacket was too large for her; the sleeves had to be folded back more so that her hands could stick out, and even then, they barely peaked out.
"What the...?" Bart wondered.
Bo moved from the back and joined Shirley. He had glimpsed what was going on from the back. He saw the girl take a firm stand in front of the man, who towered over her. "Is she crazy?"
"Sometimes the brave are considered crazy," Katrina commented, appearing behind Bo.
Blake, Parker, and Lucy joined them. "What's going on?" Blake asked.
"That girl's confronting that man over there," Shirley answered, pointing to the front.
"Whoa!" Parker exclaimed. "That guy's huge!"
Lucy spotted the woman and the girl. "Great," she muttered. She exchanged a look with Katrina.
"You know her?" Shirley asked.
Lucy nodded silently and turned her attention to the girl, who glared at the man. "You can't talk to her like that, you lumbering Neanderthal!" she shouted.
The woman looked at the girl with concern. "Susan, get back. I can handle this."
The man looked down at the girl. "What are you going to do about it, pipsqueak?" he taunted, putting his hands on his hips.
The girl snarled at the man, revealing her braces. The man saw this and laughed. "Hey, guys!" he shouted to the other men across the road. "This little girl's gonna bite me!" The other men laughed loudly. "So, Metalmouth, what're you going to do?" the man taunted further.
Bart watched with admiration as the girl stood her ground. "You're nothing but a big bully!" she declared.
"Oh, go take a seat!" the man shouted.
Shirley and Bart watched as the man pushed the girl to the ground. She landed on her back hard.
"Hey, you can't do that!" the woman shouted.
"Sure I can." The man shoved the woman down next to the girl. "See, I did." He laughed loudly. The reporter started towards the woman and the girl to help them, but the man raised his fist, which made the reporter rethink his next action and he resumed being impartial.
Bart was furious. "He can't do that..."
Before Shirley could stop him, Bart darted out of the crowd and was soon at the side of the fallen girl, who was trying to get up. An Asian boy also darted out to help.
"Oh, great, another four-eyed brat," the man remarked meanly as he looked at Bart.
Bart looked at the girl, who was trying to sit up. "Are you okay?" he asked with concern.
The Asian boy joined Bart at the girl's side. "Yeah, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm a bit shaken up and my butt hurts a little, but I'm fine," the girl replied.
Bart took the girl's hand and helped her to her feet. The girl looked into his eyes and smiled. Bart found himself smiling back. She was not a ravishing beauty, but Bart found himself strangely attracted to her. His hand started squeezing her hand, and he felt her squeezing back. For a moment, they said nothing.
Shirley and the others watched this from their position. "Hmmmmmm..." The junior detective studied Bart and the girl closely.
Parker realized what was going on between the two. "You go, Bart," he said with a grin.
"Huh?" Bo remarked.
Blake just smiled. Lucy and Katrina showed no reaction on their faces.
"Um, you know," the girl said finally, blushing. "I think my mom could use our help getting back up."
"Besides, there's a big man with muscles standing right there," the Asian boy whispered in Bart's ear while pointing to the man.
Bart snapped out of his trance. "Oh, oh, right."
"Awwwwwwww, look. A hero," the man said mockingly as Bart, the girl, and the Asian boy helped the woman up.
"Better stay with your mom," the Asian boy told the girl. The girl nodded and took her mother away.
Bart faced the man who was the aggressor. It was clear that he was at a disadvantage against the mountain of muscle, but he showed no sign of fear. "Yeah, whatever." Bart looked angrily at the man. "What right do you have to shove innocent women around?"
"This right!" the man declared, flexing his right arm to show off his muscles. "My boss wants that building blasted today, and I'm not letting a bunch of ghost-lovers stand in my way." He faced down Bart. "Now get out of my way, kid."
"No." Bart stood his ground.
The Asian boy stood beside Bart. "Same with me."
The man snarled. "Fine by me, kid," he said as he started to advance on Bart.
Bo and Blake were about to rush in to help Bart when Lucy held out her arm to block their way. "Hey, what are you doing?" Bo demanded.
"Don't worry about it," Lucy assured them. "Everything's under control."
"What are you talking about?" Blake asked, puzzled. "He'll get stomped!"
"You got that right," Parker said, almost panicking.
"Be patient," Katrina told them. "Your friend is brave," she remarked to Shirley.
"Well, Bart always stood up for what he believed in, no matter what," Shirley said.
"And now he's going to get killed for it," Bo remarked dryly. "I'm not going to stand here while it happens."
"Me neither," Blake said, ready for action.
Shirley looked at Lucy, who shook her head. "Someone's got to do something," Shirley said.
"Don't worry, Shirley. This one's on us," Lucy said.
Shirley and her friends watched as the man advanced on Bart and the Asian boy. It seemed that the man was going to tear them apart. Meanwhile, the reporter and the cameraman kept themselves at a safe distance, filming everything.
END OF PART FIVE
