Ghost Hunters Adventure Club and the Secret of the Grande Chateau by Dr. Cecil H.H. Mills

Author:Dr. Cecil H.H. Mills
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: N/A
Publisher: Permuted
Published: 2020-01-16T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

The Ballroom Puzzle

J.J., Valentine, and Trudi opted to take the stairs down to avoid sharing an elevator with any third parties who might be suspicious of them roaming the chateau together. Luckily, the dinnertime crowds had left the second floor at the top of the grand staircase empty and undisturbed. J.J. crouched against the railing and peeked over the grand staircase. From his vantage point he spotted the top of Deputy Park’s head, seated in the chateau’s restaurant.

“Looks like he’s starting on appetizers. We’ve got plenty of time.”

“Madame Fournier isn’t around here, is she?” asked Trudi. “I really don’t want to be arrested.”

“Doesn’t look like it, kiddo,” replied J.J. “But being arrested isn’t so bad. You should try it sometime.”

The trio snuck over to the ballroom doors. J.J. kept his lockpick set in his satchel, just in case; but knowing the rule of threes in comedy, he figured he wouldn’t need them.

And he was right. The doors swung open to reveal the empty ballroom.

“We can work with this,” said Valentine.

Trudi closed the door behind them and they wandered in, taking stock of the place. There were chairs stacked against the far corner of the room, some circular tables with chairs dotting the walls surrounding them, and a beautiful crystal chandelier hanging above them in the center of the ballroom. The room was cast in a warm glow by the electric candelabras affixed to the walls.

“Hold on,” said Valentine. He looked around the room, trying to picture it in his head from a certain angle. “Thad and Marcella were having their conversation right here…” he said, creating a frame with his thumbs and forefingers. “So that must mean…” He turned directly behind him and pointed toward a small vent at the top of the wall. “We spotted them from right here.”

Trudi and J.J. joined Valentine to examine the vent. What should have given them a small vantage point into the secret passageway was now covered from the inside.

“Looks like plywood,” said J.J.

“It makes sense, right?” Valentine said. “Whoever the real killer is must’ve known that we were down there and sealed the entrances. It had the benefit of making you look like a damn fool when you tried to accuse Marcella and Thad.”

“I’m extraordinarily aware of how much of a damn fool I look like,” said J.J. as he walked to the center of the room. “All right, team, let’s solve the Mystery of Whatever the Hell Wallace P. Gross Wanted Us to Find Down Here. Valentine, c’mere.”

“What’s up?”

“Grab my waist.”

“What?”

“Grab my waist,” repeated J.J. “Wallace P. Gross wanted us to cut a rug so we’re gonna cut a rug.”

“What’s that gonna do?”

“I don’t know. There’s probably pressure-sensitive plates that, when pressed in the right order, will reveal a hidden passageway or something that’ll lead us to the treasure.”

“And the murderer?”

“And the murderer,” repeated J.J.

“See, Wallace P. Gross was a master of creating puzzles. Ain’t that right, Trudi?”

“Right,” Trudi said absentmindedly. She was off searching in another part of the room.

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