“I usually pick a theme for the exhibit,” EJ told the girls when they got back upstairs. “That narrows down my choice of artifacts. Then, I gather all the items. I use a variety of things, different materials, photographs, books, and documents. This exhibit will be about the iceberg that sank the Titanic. There was only one known photo taken of the iceberg the morning after the ship had sunk. Each iceberg is unique and very dangerous to ships. My dad used to work for the International Ice Patrol. The patrol started studying the icebergs movements a year after the Titanic sank. From March to July, they track icebergs north of the Atlantic Ocean. Dad had a theory that the iceberg that sank the Titanic floated all the way from Greenland. He was studying the ice sheets in Greenland when he fell into a crevasse. He was pulled to safety but died from his injuries shortly after.” EJ turned away from the girls, blinking away tears. “Well, let’s get to work.”
They all grabbed items to display and went up to the Luxury room. Abby, Linda, and Molly followed EJ’s instructions while listening to some of his stories about the Titanic. “He certainly knows a lot about icebergs,” Abby said to Linda.
“He sure does. Say cheese!” Abby instructed as she took a picture of EJ, Molly, and Linda at work.
Together they slid a large wooden table across the floor. “Usually, if we don’t want the public to touch things we have to close them up in a cabinet. Just putting a “Do Not Touch,” sign on them never works. But we’ll be leaving articles in the open for people to touch and handle in this exhibit,” EJ explained. “Here, lay this burlap cloth on the table, then we’ll work on the arrangement.” He handed Abby the cloth.
Abby dropped it on the floor and bent over to retrieve it, hitting her head on the edge of the table as she stood up. “Ouch! That’s smarts.” They all giggled. Abby carefully unfolded the burlap cloth and Molly and Linda grabbed a corner each and helped place it evenly across the table.
“Hand me that Styrofoam mannequin head from that shelf over there so I can put this hat on it. One of the stewardesses from the Titanic donated it to our museum,” EJ said. Next he grabbed a frame. “These are unused boarding tickets for passage on the Titanic, and this is a photo of the famous iceberg.” He set them out on the table.
Abby arranged a framed menu and a few old books, and then stood back to admire her work.
“The menu is a replica of the one used by the first-class passengers. This is a list of the passengers who were aboard,” EJ explained.
Linda shoved another piece of gum in her mouth and chewed quickly. “Where does your mom get all this stuff?” she asked.
Before EJ had a chance to answer Linda shrieked. “Ouch! I just bit the inside of my mouth,” she said, grabbing her cheek. EJ stared at her.
Molly had been trying to get a chance to speak. Now she piped up, “Priscilla collected these items for many years, and my mum has been collecting items since she was young. People donate their collections and sometimes we borrow artifacts from other museums.”
“You’re very smart,” Abby said, smiling at Molly who smiled back.
“We also loan relics out,” EJ added, not to be upstaged. He stood back to look at their work.
As each item was placed on the table Abby, Linda, and EJ took turns tweaking it a bit, but EJ had the final say.
Molly looked at the exhibit then around the room. “Where is the book Mum wanted you to display?” she asked EJ.
“I forgot to get it off the shelf in the library,” EJ said.
“Where is the library? I’ll go get it for you,” Abby volunteered.
She followed EJ’s directions and found the library. It was full of rows of tall, dark, wooden bookshelves standing in the center and around the sides of the room.
I’ve seen this room in a vision, she thought. It smelled musty from the old books. Feeling uneasy, she slowly made her way across the room toward the bookcase that EJ had described. She thought she saw a movement out of the corner of her eye. What was that? Her heart pounded. Get a grip, she scolded herself. Abby looked up when she reached the wooden ladder propped against the bookcase.
He had said the book was on an upper shelf near the ladder. Abby slid the wooden ladder on the metal track that ran along the top of the shelving. Slowly, she began climbing up the rungs.
A loud banging noise filled the room. Then bookcases fell toward her like dominos. Abby jumped between them, slipped, and fell, landing on her back. She lay there for a moment. “That was close,” she said, under her breath.
A moment later, Linda stood in the doorway with a huge pink bubble protruding from her mouth. EJ and Molly ran in, shoving Linda aside.
“What the heck happened?” EJ asked.
Tears streamed from Linda’s eyes as she rushed over to Abby and helped her to her feet. “You could have been killed!” she cried.
“It was probably one of them,” EJ said as he ran over to a bookcase wedged tightly against the far wall.
“Who? Probably who? Who are you talking about?” Linda asked.
EJ didn’t answer. He stood to the side of the bookcase, shoving it so hard his face turned beet red. The heavy bookcase slid slowly, revealing a hidden door. He pounded on the door.
“How did you know that was there?” Molly asked.
EJ stopped pounding and turned toward the girls.
“The other day I was putting a book away when I heard a noise from this corner. The door opened and I saw Daniel. He didn’t see me because I hid behind the bookcase. Since then, I’ve been trying to figure out where it leads to. There must be some kind of mechanism that opens it from the inside.” EJ turned back around and felt around the door and the frame.
“The other evening Daniel and I were working late at the museum. While I was unpacking some of the boxes, I came across one full of small boxes of ammunition.”
“What’s ammunition?” Molly asked.
“Bullets for guns,” EJ said rudely, upset about being interrupted.
“Anyway, Daniel walked in on me. He tried to hide the fact that he was angry, but I could tell. His face always turns a bright red when he’s angry. He told me that he was doing a friend a favor by helping him save money on shipping costs. That story seemed a little odd to me.” EJ stopped talking and feeling the wall and walked over to Abby. “Are you all right?” he asked.
Abby brushed herself off. “I’m fine,” she said. “I just banged my elbow.”
“I bet Daniel is behind all of these accidents. You girls follow me; I want to show you something,” EJ led the girls to an exhibit of a faded violet dress with a matching beaded purse. He pointed to a small light brown pouch with a gold, silk drawstring. “This came in a package for Daniel. It must have slid off the table and got lodged between the wall and counter. I found it a few weeks ago.”
EJ looked around the room and then whispered, “I opened the package and found this pouch.” He grabbed the pouch and dumped the contents in his left hand. Small, colorful jewels poured out. EJ shuffled them around the palm of his hand with his finger. A small stone, velvety, shiny, and blue with violet undertones sparkled in the light.
“This is a Kashmir sapphire,” EJ said. “People say it’s the most beautiful and most valuable sapphire in the world. There was a large sapphire on the Titanic when it sunk. If they ever find the Titanic maybe they’ll be able to retrieve it. It would be worth more than a million dollars today.” He placed his finger on a bright, shiny, green gem. “And this is an emerald.”
Molly pointed to a bright, red gemstone. “Oh, what is this one?” she asked.
“That’s a ruby. It’s the second hardest gemstone, next to diamonds,” EJ said.
“So, are the clear ones actually diamonds?” Abby asked.
“They sure are! Those are the diamonds in their pure state.” He poked his finger at a red and then a blue gem. “These are rare diamonds and very expensive. These yellow and brown diamonds are more common. Diamonds are the hardest natural substance on earth. I’ve been researching these gems ever since I found them.”
“Wow,” the girls all said.
“I decided to hide the pouch until I can find out what’s going on around here,” EJ said as he slid the jewels back into the pouch and drew the drawstring. “I figured the best place to hide it is in plain sight.” He set the small pouch back among the clothing items. “I need you girls to do me a favor.”
“What?” all three girls asked at once.
EJ looked at them. “Please don’t tell my mum about this hidden door or the pouch yet. You haven’t met the professor he works here part time. He’s a specialist in the history of the Titanic. I don’t like him, and I don’t trust him. I think the professor and Daniel are doing something illegal here. I just need to prove it. Give me a few days to check this out. Then, we’ll tell my mum everything.”
Abby wasn’t sure that it was a good idea, but she reluctantly agreed.
***
The following days went by quickly. Uncle Jack was busy with the remodel work and snooping around. EJ and Molly took the girls out sightseeing. One evening while sitting at the dining room table Uncle Jack and Henrietta listened intently as EJ finally told them about the car incident and Abby’s accident at the museum. He stopped short on telling them about the jewels or hidden door, but he confided that he didn’t trust Daniel or the Professor.
Uncle Jack looked alarmed. “This is serious, you should have told us sooner. I’m glad to see you’re all alright. Someone has been vandalizing the restoration work I’ve been doing, and I’m curious as to why Daniel and the Professor are receiving deliveries at all hours of the night. When I confronted Daniel about it he claimed that night deliveries were less distracting to the patrons. He’s not the brightest light in the harbor. If you know what I mean. He must think I believe him.” Uncle Jack said as he rubbed his chin. “I think EJ’s right. They are up to something, but we have to get some proof.”
“Why do you have Daniel working for you?” Abby asked Henrietta.
Henrietta walked over to the buffet, poured herself a cup of coffee and then turned back to the group at the table. “I don’t know why I’ve kept him on. I guess I’ve been in denial that anyone could be so evil. Maybe you had better not investigate any longer. I would not want any harm to come to any of you,” she said as she took her seat again at the table. “Priscilla was almost killed in a freak accident at the museum shortly after I moved here. Since then, I’ve had a few close calls myself, and so have my children. I’ve been considering sending my children to live with a friend until I can get to the bottom of this, but of course EJ is as stubborn as his father and wouldn’t hear of it.” She took Jack’s hand. “That’s why I asked you here. Edward used to talk about you and your gift for solving mysteries.”
She looked around the room as though she was afraid someone else might be listening.
Uncle Jack smiled. “You’re in luck, I brought along someone who will be a big help. Two years ago she was able to rescue her friend and solve the mystery of missing ancient artifacts. Abby’s got a gift and she knows how to use it.”
Unexpectedly, Daniel entered the room, and Abby shivered. She felt an eerie presence whenever he was around. His face looked exceptionally pale against the dark black jacket he was wearing and his straggly red hair hung down over his hunched back. Abby could feel his piercing eyes on her.
“I’m sorry to hear about your accident, Abby. I hope you weren’t hurt. I’ve tried to warn Henrietta about the museum’s ghost, but she won’t take me seriously.”
Daniel’s pale blue eyes looked across at Henrietta. He handed her an envelope. “I’m sorry to disturb your dinner, but you are needed at the museum immediately.”
Abby was puzzled. How would he have heard about the accident? We didn’t mention it until a few seconds ago. He must have been listening in, she thought.
Uncle Jack stood up from the table and grabbed his coat off the back of his chair. “I’ll go with you,” he offered.
Daniel looked put out. “I don’t think that would be a good idea its business that does not concern you,” he blurted out.
Henrietta looked at Daniel, “It’s all right,” she said, “I would feel better if he came along.” She set down her napkin, stood up, and walked out of the room.