THREE MONTHS LATER
THE INVITATIONS WENT out on a Monday, because according to Mr. Barclay’s new advisors (that would be JJ and Penny), it’s the best day to invite kids to a party. Mondays can be hard, we can all agree on that, and kids need something to look forward to. The letters were printed on parchment paper, the kind that tells you whoever is throwing the party means business.
Two hundred invitations went out that Monday, perhaps a few more than that. Mr. Barclay wanted to make sure that every kid in Aspen Springs was invited. Buck Jones hand-delivered them to kids while riding his favorite horse. It took a while to get to everyone, because most kids wanted to pet Lemon Drop before they left.
Here’s what the invitation said:
Dear Aspen Springs,
Congratulations! You are all winners. Come this Saturday to the Barclay Hotel for the Grand Reopening (expect surprises!).
There will be cupcakes and pancakes, horseback and carousel rides. You can get lost in the hedge maze, or in the library (the largest private library in Colorado!). Enjoy the newly renovated pool and hot tub (bring your parents!), or go bowling—there is a lot of fun to be had for all.
Bring your friends and friends of friends. All are welcome.
Sincerely,
Mr. BarclayP.S. Despite the fact that there is a regular ghost hunting tour, the Barclay Hotel is not haunted. We promise.
Of course, JJ and Penny knew this last teeny tiny written statement was not true, but, then again, they’d sworn to Emma that they’d keep her ghost status a secret. Emma was so looking forward to having a whole bunch of kids to hang out with.
And that morning, before the grand reopening, everyone was back. Well, everyone except Fiona Fleming. She was now incarcerated and directing the prison theater—Midnight at the Barclay Hotel was her first play. Rumor has it, Gerrit Hofstra’s ghost is haunting the prison.
But at the real Barclay Hotel, there was no more murder. The rooms were clean, the carousel was properly serviced, and the pool’s slide was ready for new guests to barrel down into the water. Even the hedge maze was freshly trimmed—miraculously so, overnight. Mr. Roberts might’ve had something to do with it. The ghosts at the Barclay Hotel were just as excited as the humans to finally have guests again.
“Hey, JJ,” Penny called from the other end of the den. “Do you know what happened to the twelfth EMF detector?”
JJ and Penny were in charge of the ghost hunting tour, along with JJ’s mom and dad. His parents were interested in the paranormal now too, once they figured out how exciting and fun ghost hunting is.
“I’ll bet my mom has that one,” JJ muttered under his breath. Jackie Jacobson was convinced she would catch the ghost of Mrs. Barclay. A few times, she’d accidentally caught Emma, which was pretty fun for JJ and Penny.
Mr. Barclay was checking up on the Cupcake Shoppe, which was fully stocked. And Chef Pierre was trying out new pancake recipes.
Buck Jones was outside, getting Lemon Drop used to the higher altitude for horseback rides that weekend. Once he realized that a candy shop and a horseback-riding stable weren’t such a good mix (no one liked horse hair in their candy bag), he focused his attention on sharing his love of horses with kids.
Detective Walker decided to open up his own detective agency, with Penny as his assistant when she was visiting. He was now walking the grounds to see that the hotel was secure.
And Ms. Chelsea was busy setting up the library, along with an audiobook corner, which was quickly becoming JJ’s favorite way to read. Reading was a lot easier when he could listen along to the words. Ms. Chelsea got her library grant and decided that instead of an arcade, a giant slide, and a train, she would spend the money on an amazing kid hangout.
JJ managed to pass his classes, with Penny’s and his parents’ help. He was relieved that it was summer now—no school, and no more snow for a while.
Mr. Barclay walked into the den, looked out the big windows toward the driveway, and sighed.
“Are you ready, Mr. Barclay?” JJ asked him.
“Two hundred invitations.” Penny whistled through her teeth. “That’s a lot of kids.”
Mr. Barclay smiled. “It’s about time this place was filled with children’s laughter,” he said. “I miss it.”
JJ and Penny could see Emma standing right next to her dad. She had a proud smile on her face.
“I can feel her presence sometimes, you know,” Mr. Barclay said softly. “And her mother’s. Right here in the den.”
“I think we can too,” Penny said with a smile to JJ and Emma.
Mr. Barclay perked up when he saw the first bus pull up the long driveway. It was full of children, plus their parents. “Here they are,” he said.
The first ghost hunting tour was at eight that evening, and everyone was ready—JJ, his parents, Penny, Detective Walker, and of course, Emma.
The buses unloaded, and kids were piling out.
“Stragglers,” Emma said with a grin.
“So many stragglers,” JJ said.
Mr. Barclay smiled. “Stragglers are my favorite kind of guests.”