The Delaware Detectives
Page 13
Chapter Thirteen:
Fame and Treasure
Pop-Pop called the local sheriff to report the discovery and to discuss the matter with him. After reviewing the letter, the sheriff said it was authentic and that the treasure was indeed ours to do with as we saw fit. After he left, it wasn’t long until news spread of our discovery.
The chest contained $200,000 in cash, $100,000 in savings bonds, a couple of photo albums, and a ton of letters from my great-great grandmother’s childhood sweetheart. Jamie and I agreed to give the money to Pop-Pop, who had refused to accept it at first, but once we explained to him that we wanted him to use it to buy Uncle Harold’s house, he gave in with tearful eyes and a huge smile.
The savings bonds we decided to split. Scott and Phyllis received $20,000 since they had helped us in the hunt. That left Jamie and me with $40,000 each. Yes, you read that right -- $40,000 each!
After getting everything out of the trunk in the bomb shelter and dividing the funds, we spent the rest of the evening answering the questions of neighbors and reporters. By the time we finally reached Pop-Pop's house, the excitement of the day had nearly worn off, and I was totally exhausted. I went straight to bed and dreamed about treasure.
I arose the next morning, taking care to not wake Jamie. After changing my clothes, I ran down the stairs, stopping to pet the creepy owl on its feathered head. I took my place at the breakfast table and poured cereal into my bowl. Pop-Pop entered a few minutes later, carrying the newspaper.
“You need to see this,” he said with a smile as he laid the open paper on the table in front of me.
On the front page was a picture of Jamie and me standing beside the trunk of treasure. In bold letters under the picture, the caption read “THE DELAWARE DETECTIVES.” I couldn’t help but smile. The article told all about our search for the treasure and how we “intelligently deciphered the ambiguous clues,.” Whatever that means!
When Jamie woke up, I showed him the article. He was so excited. “We’re heroes!”
Just then, a knock sounded at the front door. Pop-Pop rose to answer it and quickly returned. “Kids, there’s a little girl at the front door. She asked for the Delaware Detectives. I guess that’s you two.” He smiled and gestured toward the door.
We rose from the table and walked to the front door. Jamie and I found a girl who looked to be around eight years old. She was very pretty, but her stooped posture and sad expression made her look helpless.
“Would you like to have a seat?” I offered, pointing to the padded chair beside me.
The girl looked at the swing, shook her head, and mumbled “No, thank you.” She stood quietly for a moment, then looked at me. “I came here to ask if you would help me find my father. He’s been missing for two weeks now. The police have been looking for him, but they haven’t found any traces. I thought that maybe since you were so clever in finding the treasure that maybe you could find him too.” She closed her mouth with a snap and returned her gaze to the floor.
Jamie and I faced one another. Her father? She wants us to find her father? What have we gotten ourselves into?
Glossary of Terms
Pop-Pop — a regional term meaning "grandfather"
eccentric — odd; strange; peculiar
dismantle — to take apart; to disassemble
forfeit — to give up; to lose
portrait — a painting, drawing or photograph of a person
Sphynx — a hairless cat with large ears and a long tail
decipher — to figure out; to solve
ambiguous — unclear; confusing
Questions
1. Do you think Abby and Jamie's behavior toward one another was pleasing to God? Why or why not?
2. First John 4:11 says, "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." Can you find any other verses in the Bible that tell us how we should treat our brothers and sisters?
3. When Abby and Jamie finally learned to get along, what did they discover?
4. If you had to solve a mystery, would you tell anyone else, or would you try to solve the mystery yourself?
5. If you had solved this mystery, what would you have done with the money?
About the Author
Dana Rongione is a Christian author, speaker, teacher, pianist, housewife, hiker, dog lover, avid reader, and blogger.
For a living, she writes quality Christian books for audiences of all ages and speaks to women about finding joy in the Christian journey. For fun, she lives life to the fullest, striving to encourage others while seeking out blessings in unusual places.
To find out more about Dana and her ministry, visit her website at DanaRongione.com, and be sure to sign up for her newsletter where you'll receive information about upcoming products and events, as well as coupons, discounts and contests.