Will O Wisp Read online

  The Will O Wisps

  Amazing Gracie Mysteries

  Book Eight

  Author Fay Risner

  Cover Art

  Author Fay Risner

  All rights reserved 1/2015

  Published by Fay Risner at Smashwords

  Copyright (c) 1/2015

  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. All Rights Reserved 2015

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to the actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals are entirely coincidental. Excerpts from this book cannot be used without written permission from the author.

  Booksbyfay Publisher

  Publisher, editor and author Fay Risner

  f

  [email protected]

  I entered in the National November Write Month contest in November 2014 and made it over the finish line with over 50,000 words in three weeks. This is my fifth year to enter.

  Amazing Gracie Mysteries Reviews

  Amazing Gracie Mystery Series-I highly recommend this series to anyone who has ever known or had a nosy elderly neighbor that seemed to ALWAYS know what is going on.

  Agatha Christie at a nursing home meets Little House On The Prairie. This review is from Luv2read in the Kindle section for Neighbor Watchers. I loved this book! The characters were so well written, it was easy to see it played out in my head as I read. Gracie was my great grandmother and Sam Elliot was the sheriff. Ha! Gracie & Melinda get into quite a few predicaments trying to "Help" solve the murder across the street. It kept me turning the page (clicking my kindle button) to find out what mischief these two adorable old ladies would get into next. This is a funny laugh out loud easy read. The books are really unique as the time period is the turn of the century.

  Specious Nephew

  Fay has created another mystery that is hard to put down. She has a talent for telling the story with words that make you feel the sights, sounds and events of that period. I love the characters from Moser Mansion Rest Home.

  The County Seat Killer

  Once I was introduced to the characters I could hardly put the book down. The women of Moser Mansion rest home are such endearing characters and the story is a good crime mystery read. I truly enjoyed it.

  The Chance Of A Sparrow

  Gracie is quite a character - the Miss Marple - of her geological locale.

  Another great book. I enjoyed it. Gracie is so personable and you take me right there with her.

  Fay has told another entertaining story in her Amazing Gracie Mystery Series. The trip back to the farm at Three Oaks provides another mystery and it's a good read right up to the end of the story.

  Fay Risner's books found at Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, kindle and nook

  Nurse Hal Among The Amish Series

  A Promise Is A Promise

  Doubting Thomas

  The Rainbow’s End

  Hal’s Worldly Temptations

  As Her Name Is So Is Redbird

  Emma’s Gossamer Dreams

  The Courting Buggy

  Amazing Gracie Historical Mystery Series

  Neighbor Watchers

  Poor Defenseless Addie

  Specious Nephew

  The Country Seat Killer

  The Chance Of A Sparrow

  Moser Mansion Ghosts

  Locked Rock, Iowa Hatchet Murders

  The Will O Wisp

  Westerns

  Stringbean Hooper Westerns

  Tread Lightly Sibby

  The Dark Wind Howls Over Mary

  The Blue Bonnet

  Small Feet’s Many Moon Journey

  Ella Mayfield's Pawpaw Militia-Civil War

  Christmas books

  Christmas Traditions -Amish Love Story

  Christmas With Hover Hill

  Leona’s Christmas Bucket List

  Fiction

  Cowboy Cowgirl Annie

  Children Books

  Spooks In Claiborne Mansion

  My Children Are More Precious Than Gold

  Mr. Quacker

  Listen To Me Honey

  Nonfiction about Alzheimer’s disease

  Open A Window - Caregiver Handbook

  Hello Alzheimer’s Goodbye Dad-author’s true story

  Cookbook

  Midwest Favorite Lamb Recipes

  Books published by Booksbyfay Publisher

  Romance

  Sunset Til Sunrise On Buttercup Lane by Connie Risner

  Military-nonfiction-Vietnam War

  Redcatcher MP by Mickey Bright

  Chapter One

  Once spring arrived in Locked Rock, Iowa, Shana Lang, Orie and Molly Lang's adopted Irish daughter, enjoyed her freedom, spending time with her friends outside after school.

  One afternoon, Shana came home from school through the mansion's back door. She plopped her homework on the library table and walked out on the front porch, letting the screen door slam behind her. When she flopped down on the rocker beside Gracie Evans, her flaming red pigtails bounced.

  Gracie, a resident at Moser Mansion Rest Home For Women, flinched at the loud noise. She lowered the Locked Rock Review newspaper and stared over her gold rim glasses at the girl. “Do you mind, youngun? I'm trying to read the newspaper.” Gracie gruffly admonished the girl and returned to reading the newspaper.

  The child gave Gracie a woeful look. “Sorry tis I. I'm in need a favor, Miss Gracie. Could you see your way clear to lend me a penny? I will repay you as soon as it comes up a rainstorm.”

  Gracie tucked a few stray hairs back over her left ear toward the gray braid wound around her head and focused on the girl once more. “Come again. Why do I have to wait for a storm to get my money back? Better yet, why do you need to borrow the money in the first place?”

  “Well, tis like this. Mikie Brown says I should put the penny in the yard when it rains. When the lightning strikes it, the penny will be worth six cents,” Shana told her earnestly.

  “That Brown boy is just like the rest of Maudie's younguns. He doesn't know nothing. I suppose he told you to stick that penny in his yard and go off and leave it,” Gracie said. “I guarantee that penny wouldn't stay put until the next rain storm if you did.”

  “Mikie does know something. He's been around plenty,” Shana defended huffily.

  “Not enough for me to waste my money on his say so. If you're so sure he's right, you ask Mr. Orie for the penny. See how far that gets you,” Gracie advised.

  Down faced, Shana leaned back in the rocker. “If you say so, then so be it. I'll be sure to think about it.”

  That was just one time that Shana tried to use her Irish wiles on someone. Another instance was when Gracie and Melinda went for their daily walk. They passed Sam and Veder Jeffer's house. Shana sitting in the grass on the front lawn with Johnny Jeffer. The boy happened to be a couple of years younger than her.

  As the women approached, they overheard Shana say, “Johnny me boy, I'll trade you even up this tobacco sack full of licorice whip seed for that ball and jack set.”

  “I don't know about that,” Johnny said slowly. “I just got this for Christmas, and I like my ball and jack set. Besides, isn't licorice whip a candy?”

  “I'm after tellin' you a fact. Just think how many licorice whip sticks you will have once you plant the seed in this sack. I
t grows fast. To be sure, you can sell the extra sticks to others to make money,” Shana said. “That makes my sack of seed a great bargain.”

  “Let me think on it some,” Johnny said reluctantly.

  Gracie stopped behind Shana. “Little Missy, how about you walk back home with Melinda and me. I want to talk to you right now.”

  “Be seeing you later, Johnny, after you have thought about the trade some more,” Shana said as she joined Gracie and Melinda Applegate. The curly haired woman was another resident of Moser Mansion. Though she managed to remain a friend to the outspoken Gracie, Melinda was the total opposite with her quiet voice and genteel manners.

  When they got out of earshot of Johnny, Gracie asked, “Where did you get a cloth tobacco sack like that one? You take up smoking a pipe now?”

  “The thought never entered me mind,” said Shana, sounding offended. “Mr. Bullock gave me the empty sack. He said he had plenty more.”

  “Earl is a nice man,” Melinda said.

  “He is and generous to a fault, but I doubt Shana told him what she intended to do with his empty sack,” Gracie said, looking down her nose at Shana.

  Melinda looked confused. “I've never heard of licorice seed before. Let alone a variety of licorice whip candy that grows like a plant. Have you, Gracie?”

  Gracie shook her head. “Melinda, listen to yourself. Licorice whip is a candy.”

  “Of course, it is.” She looked up at the sky. “Lord, you ever seen such a fool? You're looking at one right now. I was taken in by this child I guess,” Melinda said.

  “ Seems as though this girl has that effect on most everyone these days. She's getting good at it. That don't mean you're stupid. You just have bad luck when it comes to thinking sometimes.” Gracie turned her attention on Shana. “Tell Melinda, is that really licorice seed in that bag, youngun?”

  Shana mulled her answer over for a moment.

  “If you're figuring on lying to us, I wouldn't advise it,” Gracie said sternly.

  Shana kicked at a clod of dirt in front of her. “Nah, I'd never think of doin' that. Sure and it's really black pepper in the bag.”

  “Where did you get that much black pepper?” Gracie asked.

  “Out of the pepper shaker on the kitchen table,” Shana said begrudgingly.

  Melinda eyed the full cloth tobacco sack. “Is there that much pepper in one little shaker?”

  “Not really,” Shana said slowly. “I dumped the fancy dishes shaker in the china cupboard as well.”

  “You stole all that pepper,” Gracie accused. “That ain't a bit honest.”

  “Agnes can refill the pepper shakers,” Shana excused with a shrug.

  “More to the point is the flimflam you tried to pull on that little boy to get his jack set. Poor Johnny.” Melinda tisked as she shook her head disapprovingly at Shana.

  “Go on with ye. It is honest, if you make up a good story about what you're tradin' for, and it works,” Shana declared.

  “Who gave you that bit of mistaken wisdom?” Gracie asked as she returned a wave to Mrs. Boswick, sitting on her front porch. She wasn't about to act like this walk was any different than any other. Mrs. Boswick was nosy enough to follow them down the street to see if she could hear what was going on.

  “Mikie Brown,” Shana said.

  “We should have guessed that,” Gracie groused.

  “He says that is the way a deal works. He's traded that way plenty of times,” Shana shared.

  “Un huh! Take it from me. That kind of trading ain't honest,” Gracie said. “You can't bend principles like honesty. There ain't no such thing as being a little dishonest. You hear me, girl?”

  Shana ducked her head contritely. “Yes, ma'am.”

  “Besides that, you have a jack and ball set. Why did you want that little boy's toy?” Melinda asked.

  “Ah well, I figured to trade it for somethin' even better,” Shana said, hoping they would see the ingenuity in her trading scheme.

  Gracie put her hand on Shana's shoulder to stop her. “First off, you take that pepper back to Agnes. Tell her what you did. See if she can put it back in the shakers. Explain your licorice idea to her and see what she thinks of it,” Gracie ordered

  “She might get in a tizzy at me,” Shana worried.

  “No doubt, but that's your problem. You should have thought of that before you stole the pepper. Since you're the one that took the pepper without asking her, you have to take the consequences,” Gracie declared.

  Another afternoon on Main Street, Marshal Earl Bullock puffed on his pipe as he stood looking out his office window. In an alley between the Mercantile and the dress shop, a group of children were throwing spit wads at elderly people walking by. Their aim was pretty good. One of the children hit Mrs. Longstretch on the side of her head. She keeping walking, very surprised as she rubbed the stinging spot.

  Absent minded Mr. Cecil Jacks looked above him like he thought a bird tried to light on his head. High strung spinster, Miss Crossgrove squealed. She thought a yellow jacket wasp had stung her. Cranky Lincoln Highbook growled when he removed his fedora and saw a wad of gum stuck to the crown.

  Marshal Bullock put his pipe on his desk and stepped outside. He yelled at the children to stop throwing things at people. They made faces at him and laughed. He marched across the street. That wiped the smiles off their faces as the children scattered.

  Marshal Bullock was able to catch two of them, Mikie Brown and Shana Lang, by the back of their shirts. As he pushed them in front of him over to his office, they cried that they had just been having fun.

  Earl Bullock locked the office door so they couldn't escape and sat behind his desk. He stared at the two children in front of him until they bowed their heads to stare at the floor. “By gum, the whole bunch of you are in trouble. I reckon you know that. I know every one of those younguns that took off. Believe me, they didn't get away for long.

  I'm not sure who did what the last while. I've had my fill of complaints from angry people the last few weeks and names to go along with them. I'm hear to tell you, just because the rest of the gang ran away doesn't mean they got away clean. I'm going to their homes and talk to their folks as soon as I get done with you two.

  Is there one among you that is the ring leader of this bunch of roughnecks?”

  Shana Lang and Mikie Brown looked at each other. The boy said, “That would be me.”

  “So what's your name?” The marshal asked.

  “Mikie Brown,” the boy mumbled.

  “I'm getting as tired of these pranks as everyone else is in Locked Rock. I want them to stop right now, Mikie Brown,” Earl said.

  “I didn't do everything you're thinking about,” Mikie complained.

  “Maybe not, but you have appointed yourself as the ringleader of this bunch. So next mischief I get told about, I'm hunting you up, Brown. I'm arresting you whether you had anything to do with what happened or not. You got that?”

  “That ain't fair,” Mikie mumbled.

  “Oh, it seems fair to me. The rest of that bunch of younguns listens to you. They will do what you tell them. So if you're in charge, I'll just save myself some time and arrest you. If you don't like that idea, then you keep the rest of the younguns in town from doing any more pranks. You got that?”

  “Yeah, I got it,” Mikie said, staring at his shoes.

  “You spread the word I'm coming after the rest of the gang. It might go a little easier on them if they confess to their parents before I get there. Tell those younguns, I'm going to put them in jail from now on.

  Brown, you can leave now. I'd advise you to go home, before I change my mind and lock you up. I'll be around to see your mother with a list of pranks you're in trouble for.” As Mikie and Shana started for the door, Earl got up and stood in front of the door to unlocked it. He said, “You stay here, Shana. I want to talk to you some more. What I said to this boy goes for you, too.”

  Earl opened the door and let Mikie out.

  S
hana asked, “What be ye wantin', Mr. Earl?”

  “I'm walking home with you. We're going to talk to your folks right off. I know for sure they wouldn't like me keeping what you've been doing a secret from them,” Earl said.

  “It's like that, eh?” Shana had tears in her eyes.

  “It like that,” Earl assured her. “Just so you know, I hate doing this in the worst way, but it's for your own good.”

  Marshal Bullock marched Shana down the street to Moser Mansion fully aware that others in the gang were watching from behind curtains. He hoped to make an example of Shana to stop the nonsense. School was about to be dismissed for the summer. That would leave the younguns with more time on their hands to get in trouble.

  Marshal Bullock took Shana into the parlor and waited for Melinda to round up Molly and Orie Lang, so he could explain to them what had been going on. He told them, “I'm going to tell you folks straight out what's happened. I threatened to arrest every youngun in town if I saw any more shenanigans out of them.” He winked at Orie. “This once since Shana was involved, I'd be willing to leave her punishment up to you folks.”

  “We appreciate that, Marshal,” Orie said solemnly. “We will see this girl gets an appropriate punishment.”

  After the marshal left, Shana said, “What's it that you mean for me to do?”

  “You will do the dishes for Agnes on Sundays for a month so she can go home to her family quicker. As soon as school is out, you will dry dishes through the week for all three meals,” Orie said.

  “Sure and you don't mean this,” Shana cried.

  “Papa Orie means it, and I'll be here to see that his orders get carried out,” Molly assured her.

  Sundays, after the weather warmed up, the Moser Mansion occupants saw no need for two buggies to transport them to church. They walked there and back as a group on the path through Maudie Brown's yard.