Chapter 5
Jaden and Damon walked down First Avenue toward downtown Ravens Pass. It was already very dark. Loading the truck had taken longer than their moms had predicted.
By the time Jaden had convinced his mom to let them get pizza, the full moon was hanging high in the sky.
“According to the treasure map,” Jaden said, “we should head to the corner of Main and First Street.”
“That’s the busiest intersection in Ravens Pass,” Damon said. “I really doubt there’s a treasure there. Besides, I’m hungry. I want pizza.”
Jaden rolled his eyes. “Obviously it’s just the first step, dork,” he said. “And don’t worry, once we find the treasure, you can buy all the pizza you want.”
Soon, they reached the corner of First and Main. Jaden stopped. “Here we are,” he said.
“I’m not blind,” Damon said. “Now what?”
Jaden looked at the map and scratched his head. He still hadn’t even let Damon look at it. Some Ravens Pass residents shuffled past. They all seemed nervous and in a real hurry.
“You kids better get inside,” a woman said as she passed. Her face was pale, and her eyes were deep. She looked tired, like she hadn’t slept or smiled or laughed in years.
She squinted at Damon. “You look familiar,” she said.
Damon shrugged. “I don’t even live in this town,” he said. “We’re from Lakeville.”
“Hmm,” the woman said. “Well, the streets of Ravens Pass are no place for children, especially after dark.” Then she stomped off.
“What is she talking about?” Jaden said with a laugh. “I guess your grandpa isn’t the only one in Ravens Pass who’s a little crazy, huh?”
Damon gave Jaden an angry look, but he didn’t notice. He pointed at the map.
“There should be a clue nearby,” Jaden said. “It says, ‘Find the metal plaque near the smoking stack.’”
Damon looked around. “I don’t see any smokestack,” he said. “But I do see the pizza place.”
“We’ll eat later,” Jaden said. He looked around.
“Jaden, can you hurry up?” Damon asked. “I’m starving, and it’s getting cold.”
“You’re such a baby,” Jaden said. “And don’t act like you’re not scared anymore. It’s pretty obvious.”
Jaden glanced up at the awning over their head. Then he smiled. “I found it,” he said.
Damon looked up. “Old Plant Café” was written on the awning.
“I don’t get it,” he said. “Where’s the smoking stack?”
“This is it,” Jaden said. “Obviously this building used to be a factory.”
Damon stared him. “‘Plant’ is another word for ‘Factory,’” Jaden said. “Duh.”
“So where do we go now?” Damon asked.
Jaden walked slowly along the wall of the café, looking at the sidewalk and at the red bricks of the building. “Here,” he finally said. “A plaque.”
Damon squinted at the square of metal. “I can’t read it,” he said. “The lettering is all faded.”
Jaden pulled out his cell phone. He pushed a button so the light would come on. “This plaque is in memory of Esther Smith,” he read aloud.
Damon frowned. “So what does it mean?” he asked.
Jaden frowned. He glanced at the plaque, and then at the map, and then back at the plaque. Then his sly, familiar grin appeared.
Jaden leaned in close to Damon. “Our next stop,” he whispered, “is the graveyard.”