Bailey’s Estes Park Excitement (5 page)

“Huh? Oh this?” Justin looked flustered and pulled his jacket closed even more. “It's just my walking stick.”

Bailey and Kate nodded as the brothers dashed to the elevator.

The girls turned to each other.

“That was no walking stick,” Kate said. “It was way too short.”

“And it looked like it was made of metal.” Bailey frowned.

“Bailey!” Kate's eyes were wide with alarm. “I think you're right! That metal walking stick was really the end of a long gun!”

When the elevator doors closed behind Justin and Joe, Bailey and Kate went to a hallway window to see if they could spot the brothers leaving the hotel. They were about to give up when the boys came into view and walked across a grassy field into a wooded area.

“Where do you think they're going?” Bailey asked.

“And why do they need that gun?” Kate added.

Bailey turned from the window and started back down the hall. “Those two are up to no good.”

Kate followed then stopped. “Bailey, look!” She pointed to a high corner where the hall had a sudden small turn.

Bailey's eyes followed Kate's finger to a flat circle with tiny holes in it. “A speaker!”

“Exactly!” Kate ran her hand along the wall. “Aha!”

“Aha what?” Bailey asked.

“What do you wanna bet our wire ends there? I can see a bump under the wallpaper up higher than I can reach, but then it snakes over from the corner to the speaker.”

“They probably put it there figuring no one would look up since the hall jogs to the left here. People would have to watch where they're going so they don't run into the wall.”

“Perfect reasoning!” Kate high-fived Bailey. “I mean, look how they wallpapered the edges of the speaker so you barely even see it. A definite attempt to hide it.”

“If we hear those ghost children again tonight, let's see if the voices are coming from this speaker.”

The elevator dinged, and Mrs. Chang and Trina stepped out, arms loaded with shopping bags. “Oh, Bailey! I thought you and Kate were taking Biscuit for a walk.”

“We already did,” Kate said. “Now we're investigating the ghost children's voices we heard last night. We think we may have figured it out!”

Bailey wound her hand through the crook of her mom's arm and pulled her toward the corner speaker. “See that flat, round thing up there?”

“Yeah,” Mrs. Chang said, craning her neck.

“It's a speaker,” Bailey whispered.

“No!” Mrs. Chang responded dramatically.

Bailey giggled. “Yes!”

“Does that mean you won't be spirited away after all?” Disappointment dripped from Trina's voice.

Bailey glared at her.

“Anyway,” she continued, turning back to her mom, “if we hear the voices again, can we come down here to see if that's where they're coming from?”

“I suppose,” Mrs. Chang answered. “But right now I have to go put these packages down. They're about to break my arm!” Mrs. Chang and Trina wrestled their bags to the room.

“Wait a minute,” Bailey said to Kate. “We know where the speaker is, but how does it come on? Like, is it on a timer or does it have a motion sensor that sets it off? What trips it to play the sounds?”

“We'll have to look for a hidden switch like Alex said.” Kate scratched her head. “That will be our next step.”

Kate pulled out her camera-pen and snapped a few pictures of the speaker.

“Now that Mom and Trina are back, let's go see what they're going to do this afternoon,” Bailey suggested. “Maybe they would take us into town to do some sightseeing.” Bailey raised her eyebrows at Kate.

“That would be fun,” Kate agreed. “We haven't had a chance to see the town of Estes Park yet.”

“Let's go ask,” Bailey said, already hurrying down the hall.

An hour later, Mrs. Chang pulled into a parking place outside a row of shops and Trina, Bailey, and Kate, with Biscuit in tow, climbed out of the car. A gentle breeze blew Bailey's hair in her face. She shaded her eyes from the bright sun.

“Did you see those banners hanging over the street?” Bailey asked.

Trina looked around. “Which ones?”

“One said the Elkfest starts tomorrow, and another one said something about a film festival!”

“Elkfest?” Trina looked at her sister like she had sprouted antlers.

“I don't know what it is, but that's what the sign said.” Bailey pulled out her cotton candy lip balm and generously applied it.

“I read about that on the Web before we left for our trip,” Kate said. “It's a celebration of the elk that live here. There are classes, bugling contests, elk tours, entertainment, and all kinds of activities.”

“Bugling contests?” Bailey asked.

“That's the sound the elk make,” Kate informed her. “I guess the contest is to see which person can sound most like a real elk.”

“Now that would be fun to see!” Trina said, laughing. “Maybe we could get Dad to enter.”

“I seriously doubt that.” Mrs. Chang smiled. “But it would be funny.”

“Can we go, Mom?” Bailey pleaded.

“We can pick up some information about it,” Mrs. Chang said. “If it works out, I suppose we could.”

“Cool.” Bailey started down the sidewalk with Kate and Biscuit, while Mrs. Chang and Trina trailed behind. They looked in shop windows, exploring the stores that interested them. Elk and bighorn sheep leisurely roamed the streets, not nearly as hurried as the humans around them.

“Be careful around those animals!” Mrs. Chang yelled ahead to them. “No fast moves that might spook them.”

“Okay,” Bailey answered, her eyes glued to the window displays.

“Here's a rock store!” Bailey squealed. “Maybe I can find a good one to add to my collection.”

Inside, Bailey buried her hands in the barrels of polished stones, letting them trickle through her fingers, cool and slick. She inspected row upon row of shelves that held rocks and gift items. Impressive displays of quartz, geodes, and turquoise glittered from every aisle. Jewelry cases boasted the authenticity of the gems.

“Wo-o-ow!” Bailey said, taking it all in. “This must be heaven!”

“If you can't find something for your rock collection here, you never will,” Kate said.

Bailey gasped. “Look at this!” She held a shimmering rock in her hand. “Gold!”

“That can't be real gold,” Kate said. “They wouldn't have it in an old barrel.”

“But it looks just like gold,” Bailey said. “Even the sign says it's gold.”

“Yeah, fool's gold,” Trina said from nearby.

Bailey whirled around to face her. “Gold is gold.”

“And a fool is a fool,” Trina muttered.

“Girls,” Mrs. Chang warned.

“Bailey, check out this poster.” Kate stood by a large wooden pillar on which a poster had been stapled. “Estes Park Film Festival, a weekend of stars.”

“Stars? Here?” Bailey's knees nearly buckled.

“That's what it says,” Kate replied.

“We've got to keep our eyes open!” Bailey exclaimed. “This could be my big break!”

“Or heartbreak,” Trina mumbled.

“I've got to look my best at all times, just in case!” Bailey looked down at her sweatshirt and jeans with holes in the knees. “This will never do!” Her voice rose ever higher, approaching the panic level.

“Deep breath, Bailey, deep breath,” Kate coached her. She picked up a brochure from a rack of tourist information and fanned her friend. “Do you need your inhaler?”

“What's wrong?” Mrs. Chang asked, rounding the corner.

“Bailey just found out there's a film festival here this weekend and the streets will be swarming with stars.” Kate smiled sweetly and pushed up her glasses.

Mrs. Chang put her arm around Bailey. “I hate to break this to you, but we're going home on Thursday.”

“Some of the stars may come early. I've got to be ready,” Bailey replied breathlessly. “Kate, will you be my manager?”

“Of course,” Kate answered.

Bailey eyed her friend's mismatched outfit. “But we may need to work on your wardrobe.”

Kate smoothed her clothes out with her hand. “What's wrong with this?” Kate asked.

“Nothing for your everyday girl look,” Bailey said. “But if you want to be a Hollywood agent, it doesn't quite cut it.”

“Hollywood
agent?” Kate scrunched up her nose. “You're from Peoria, Illinois, and I'm from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania!”

“But you have to dress for success.” Bailey waved her arm with a flair. “You have to act the part of who you
want
to be, not just who you are.”

Biscuit yawned loudly.

“Hmm. Maybe I'm not ready for this Hollywood agent thing.”

“Of course you are!” Bailey patted Kate on the back. “You just have to believe in yourself.”

Suddenly, a commotion outside drew Bailey and Kate to the store window. People scattered from the streets, revealing two enormous elk standing on their hind legs pawing at each other as if they were boxing. When Mrs. Chang and Trina hurried over to see what was going on, Mrs. Chang put her arms protectively around the girls.

“Must be two males fighting over a female,” Bailey overheard a man say.

“But they usually do that in the hills, not right here in the middle of town!” said another.

“I see Justin and Joe out there!” Bailey yelled and pulled away from her mother.

“Bailey! Don't go out there!” Mrs. Chang screamed.

Biscuit barked wildly, each bark almost lifting him off his feet.

Bailey flung open the door and as she did, the elk bolted toward the hills, leaving only dust to prove their presence. Coughing, Bailey tried to spot Justin and Joe. Kate, Mom, and Trina appeared at her side.

“I don't see them!” Bailey wailed, beginning to wheeze. She pulled her inhaler from her pocket and breathed in the asthma medication.

As the dust settled, people began talking excitedly. No one had been hurt, just shaken. Bailey, from the corner of her eye, saw two figures running down the street.

“There they go!” she said. “Justin! Joe!” she called. But the two kept on running.

“Guess they're in a hurry to get out of here,” Kate said.

“I can't blame them,” Trina replied. “Are we ready to move on? I looked at all the rocks I can stand.”

“I guess.” Bailey gave a longing glance back at the rock shop. “I didn't get anything for my collection, but I'm not exactly in the mood anymore. I think I'm ready to go back to the hotel.”

“I'm more than ready,” Mrs. Chang said with a shiver.

“Too many elk around here for my taste.”

“Look at this,” Kate said. “This sign says there's a free shuttle a few blocks down the street that can take us back.”

“Mom, can Kate and I take the shuttle back?” Bailey begged.

“I suppose,” Mrs. Chang answered. “Just stay on the sidewalk and keep your eyes open for running elk.”

“I doubt there will be any more since those two just went through,” Bailey said. “But we'll be careful.”

Mrs. Chang and Trina went back to their car and the girls walked to the shuttle stop.

“I wonder what made the elk come into town like that?” Bailey thought aloud.

“Me, too.”

“I hate to say it, but it almost seemed like Justin and Joe were ahead of the elk, like they were leading them here.” Bailey grimaced at the thought.

“That doesn't seem likely,” Kate said. “They were probably just at that end of the street when it all began.”

“Yeah, you're probably right.”

When the girls neared the shuttle stop, Bailey stuck her arm out in front of Kate to stop her. “Look!” Bailey pointed to the bench at the shuttle stop. “It's them!”

“Let's go!” Kate took off running.