Bailey’s Estes Park Excitement (2 page)

“You girls can trade off if you want.” Mrs. Chang looked softly at her older daughter.

“That's okay. At least I won't have to sleep with anyone.”

“I'll let you use our stairs if you want help getting into your rollaway,” Bailey offered.

Trina laughed. “I think I can get into this bed without steps. But thanks.”

“No way!” Kate shouted. “Come see this bathroom!”

Bailey hustled to the door and peered in. A claw-foot bathtub sat next to the toilet. A freestanding toilet paper holder and a pedestal sink completed the décor.

“I can't wait to take a bath in that tub,” Bailey said. “It's just like in the old movies. I'll need lots of bubbles.”

Back in the bedroom, Mrs. Chang put her suitcase on the bed and began to unpack. “Dad and I will take this bed and you can have the one by the window,” she said to Bailey and Kate.

“I have a meeting this afternoon, but you can get settled while I'm gone,” Mr. Chang said. “I should be back before supper.”

“Okay. See ya later, Dad.” Bailey hugged her dad's neck. “Don't get run over by any wild elk!” she joked.

Kate climbed onto the bed by the window. “Let's look at this brochure to see what we can find out about this place.”

“Yeah, maybe we'll learn where the ghosts hang out.” Bailey shuddered, then grinned. She sprawled out on the bed beside Kate.

“Let's see.” Kate laid out the brochure before her like a map. “This tells the history of the hotel, and about F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile, who came to Estes Park for health reasons. He and his wife spent a summer here in 1903 and fell in love with the area. Because of his health improvement and the beauty of the valley they decided to stay and opened the Stanley Hotel in 1909.”

“Interesting,” Bailey remarked.

“Sorta, but listen…” Kate's eyes sparkled. “The hotel was the inspiration for a novel by Stephen King. It's also been used as a location for a bunch of films.”

“Cool! We're actually staying where they made movies!” Bailey exclaimed. “Maybe we'll see some stars. Or
maybe
some of their stardom will rub off on me!”

“You don't need anything to rub off on you to become a star,” Mrs. Chang said. “You're special in your own right. But remember, you need to finish your education before you run off to Hollywood.”

Bailey laughed and sat up. “But wouldn't it be awesome? To be a famous actress making big movies?”

Trina rolled her eyes as she hung one of her sweaters in the closet. “You've dreamed that dream for s-o-o-o long.”

Bailey glared at her sister. “So what?”

“So you have to do something besides sit around and dream about it, that's what.” Trina poked her younger sister in the ribs. Bailey rolled to her side, giggling.

Biscuit jumped onto the bed to check out the commotion then nested comfortably against Bailey's back.

“All right. Now, where were we?” Kate asked, looking at the brochure. “Oh yeah! I was just getting to the part about the ghosts!”

“Oooooo!” Bailey gave her best ghost shriek, making Biscuit howl.

Kate laughed as she scooped the little dog into her arms. “Don't worry, boy. Ghosts aren't real.”

“What's it say?”

Kate pushed up her glasses. “It says F. O. Stanley's ghost is the most notable one seen. It usually appears in the lobby or the Billiard Room, which was his favorite room when he was alive. His wife, Flora, has been seen playing the piano in the Music Room. Cleaning crews also have heard strange noises coming from room 418, as well as finding the bed rumpled when the room has been empty. And guests say they hear children playing in the halls at night. One guest saw a man wearing a cowboy hat and a mustache staring out of the window of room 408 when no one was in the room.”

“Since even numbers are on one side of the hall and odd on the other, that makes room 408 only two doors down from ours!” Bailey exclaimed. “Do you think we'll see any of the ghosts?”

Kate answered in her scariest voice, “You never know,” then laughed evilly.

“Stop it! You'll scare Biscuit.” Bailey petted the dog.

“Biscuit?” Trina glanced sideways at her sister. “You sure he's the only one you're worried about Kate scaring?”

“Well, I'm not scared of any fake ghosts, if that's what you mean.” Bailey crossed her arms defiantly and lifted her chin.

Trina smirked. “Right.”

Kate pushed her glasses up. “Since ghosts aren't real, these sightings and sounds must be done by some special effects.” Bailey could see the wheels turning in Kate's head. “Maybe we can uncover how they do them.”

“Yeah!” Bailey agreed. “Another Camp Club Girls mystery! Does the brochure say anything else that might help us figure it out?”

“Not much. Just that room 401 is usually the ghost hunters' favorite room.” Kate put the pamphlet on the nightstand.

“Hey, check this out,” Trina called, pulling back the curtains.

Bailey and Kate jumped up from the bed.

“Awesome!” Bailey pressed her nose to the window. Below their fourth floor window was a grassy courtyard where elk wandered among the guests as if they'd checked in and paid for a room themselves.

“They don't seem aggressive,” Kate said.

“Maybe not now, but you can't be too careful around wild animals,” Mrs. Chang warned.

“I wonder what they eat,” Bailey said. “Maybe we could get some elk food and feed them.”

“No way.” Mrs. Chang shook her head in no uncertain terms. “You heard what the lady at the desk said. They can become aggressive without warning. Wildlife can be very unpredictable.”

Trina moved away from the window and went back to unpacking her suitcase. “I wonder what makes them get angry and charge people.”

“Maybe they're afraid the people will hurt them,” suggested Bailey.

“Or maybe someone did hurt them and it has made them skittish,” Kate offered.

“Maybe they've got some hideous sickness like mad elk disease and it will gradually infect the whole elk population!” Bailey grimaced.

Trina laughed. “You two have a lot of crazy ideas. Maybe they're just sick of tourists like us invading their town.”

“Looks like we'll have two mysteries to work on while we're here.” Bailey held up one finger. “One, what makes the ghosts and spooky sounds, and two, what made the elk turn mean.”

Bailey looked at Kate, two fingers still raised like a peace sign. A grin spread slowly across her face. Kate beamed back then raised her hand and Bailey high-fived it. The Camp Club Girls had two mysteries and only five days to solve them.

“Mom, can Kate and I go explore the hotel?”

Placing clothes into the dresser drawers, Bailey's mother answered, “I suppose. But take the hotel map with you and your cell phone, just in case you get turned around.”

“Okay, thanks!” Bailey turned toward the door.

“And don't forget Biscuit,” Trina added with a smile.

“We would never forget you!” Kate cooed in a baby voice to her dog.

“And stay together,” Mrs. Chang warned.

“We will,” Kate promised.

“You still have the brochure about the hotel?” Bailey asked her friend.

“Right here.” Kate patted her back pocket before hooking Biscuit's leash to his collar. “Let's go, boy.”

“Don't let any ghosts sneak up on you!” Trina called as they left.

Bailey laughed. “That shouldn't be a problem since ghosts don't exist!”

“Let's find room 401 while we're on this floor,” Kate suggested as the door closed behind them. “Since it's the ghost hunters' favorite room, maybe we'll see something that will explain how they do some of the special effects.”

“Good idea.” Bailey looked both ways down the hall. “Our room number is 412, and I think the numbers were smaller nearer the elevator, so let's go that way.”

“Even-numbered rooms are on our side, and odd on the other.”

Bailey studied the oval plates outside each door that showed the room numbers. “Here it is,” she whispered when she spotted room 401.

“Why are we whispering?” Kate asked.

Bailey laughed. “I don't know. I feel like I'm spying or something.”

Kate examined the walls and then inspected the carpet. “I don't see anything suspicious. Do you?”

Bailey shook her head as she inspected the hallway. “There's a speaker, but that's where the music is coming from. Nothing weird about that.”

“We'll have to keep our eyes and ears open,” Kate said, still searching. “I'm sure this isn't that complicated if we just keep thinking.”

Trying to peer underneath the door, Bailey ventured, “The tricks could be hidden inside the room.” She stood back up. “I can't see anything. Maybe we'll have better luck at room 217, the room where they say the author of that scary book stayed.”

“It's worth a try,” Kate said.

The girls found an elevator and stepped inside.

“Did you read that book or see the movie that was made from it?” Bailey asked as the doors closed.

“No, it's a horror movie. My parents won't let me watch scary movies like that. Did you see it?”

“Nope.” Bailey grinned mischievously. “I think our parents are just alike. Mine would never let me see scary movies, either.”

“Hey, I wonder if Elizabeth saw it.” The elevator bell dinged as the doors opened onto the second floor. Kate stepped out first with Biscuit in tow. “She's fourteen. Maybe her parents let her watch those kind of movies.”

Bailey flipped open her cell phone and pushed
E
in her contacts. Elizabeth's number showed up and Bailey pushed T
ALK
. Kate spotted a sign that pointed to room 217 and they followed its arrow.

“Elizabeth? It's Bailey.”

“And Kate!” Kate shouted into the phone.

“Well, this is a surprise!” Elizabeth said. “What are you two up to? Are you really together or are we conferenced in?”

“We're together,” Bailey said, and went on to explain where they were and why. “And guess what? We've already got two mysteries to solve!”

“Two?” Elizabeth asked.

“Yeah, the elk here have gone bonkers,” Bailey explained. “I think they might need a counselor or something!”

Elizabeth laughed. “Maybe we should have them talk to McKenzie. She's good at figuring people out, maybe she could help the elk, too!”

“Maybe! So that's our first mystery.” Bailey's voice rose with excitement. “Our second one is hunting ghosts. People say ghosts live in this hotel. But since we know ghosts aren't real, we're trying to figure out who is making them seem real, and what special effects they use.”

“Wow! Sounds exciting!” Elizabeth paused a moment. “So how can I help? You know I love a good mystery.”

Bailey told her that a book by Stephen King was inspired by the hotel, and that a movie had been made from the book. “Have you ever seen it?” Bailey looked expectantly at Kate.

“If it's a Stephen King movie, I haven't seen it,” Elizabeth answered. “My folks won't let me. Too scary.” She added, “And I'm glad.”

Bailey laughed and then shook her head at Kate to relay Elizabeth's answer. “Yeah, I know what you mean. I don't really want to see those scary movies, either. We just thought since you're older you might have seen it.”

“Let me talk!” Kate grabbed the phone. “Hi, Elizabeth! Biscuit says hi, too.”

The girls chatted for a minute and then Elizabeth said, “Well, you know I'm praying for you two! Keep me posted on what you find out.”

“We appreciate your prayers,” Kate said. “We'll let you know what we find out and if you can help out on anything else. If you talk to any of the others, let them know we'll be calling or e-mailing them soon with all the mystery details.”

Kate flipped the phone closed just as they came to the end of the hall.

A metal room plate by the door read 217.

“Here we are! Just think. Movie stars stood at this very place we're standing.” Bailey nearly felt faint from the rush.

“And just think,” Kate repeated just as dreamily. “A future movie star is standing here right now!”

“Oh, stop.” Bailey waved her hand. “You're just saying that.”

“You never know. It could happen.” Kate dug in her pocket and brought out a pen. “Here. Let me take your picture, just in case. Then we can say I predicted your fame on this very day at this very moment outside this very door!”

“Hold it! That's not a camera. It's a pen.” Bailey shook her head.

“Ah, you
think
it's a pen, but it's really a tiny camera!” Kate smiled brightly. “I've been dying for the right moment to show you my latest gadget!”