Bailey’s Estes Park Excitement

by Linda McQuinn Carlblom

  The music became louder.

  “I hear it now.” Trina joined Bailey at the window.

  “It’s not coming from outside.” Kate put her ear to the air vent on the floor. “It sounds like it’s coming through the vent!”

  “It sounds…spooky.” Kate shivered.

  “Let’s just turn on the TV and forget about it,” Trina suggested.

  The girls all sprawled out on the beds as Trina flipped through the channels.

  A romantic comedy came on. “Oooo. This looks good.” Trina fluffed her pillow and put it behind her back against the headboard.

  “Didn’t our hotel brochure say that F. O. Stanley’s wife played the piano and sometimes guests still hear her music?”

  “I think you’re right! But would we be able to hear it clear up here?”

  The eerie music continued.

  Finally Bailey couldn’t stand it anymore. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out where that music is coming from!”

  “I’ll come with you!” Kate announced.

  “Fine with me,” Trina said, still glazed over by the TV. “Just don’t leave the building.”

  “Deal.” Bailey grabbed another slice of pizza to munch on while they investigated.

  Grabbing Biscuit, they walked down the hallway. The music seemed to get louder. Reaching the elevator, they pressed the DOWN button. When they reached the hotel lobby, the music was much louder.

  Bailey marched to the front desk. “Excuse me.”

  Barbara, the surly hotel clerk, scowled at Biscuit.

  “Can you tell me where that music is coming from?” Bailey smiled sweetly.

  “From the Music Room, to your right.” Barbara pointed to the room at the end of the lobby.

  “The Music Room. Of course. Thank you.” With a polite nod, Bailey turned to leave.

  “And keep that dog under control.”

  “I will.” Kate gave the woman a thumbs-up and raised Biscuit’s paw in a wave.

  Bailey and Kate walked on the lobby’s shiny wooden floor to the doorway of the Music Room, the piano music growing ever louder. Stopping at the door, they peeked inside and saw that the room was unfurnished except for a grand piano at the far end. It sat in a raised alcove, almost a small, rounded room in itself. Its lid was propped open to allow the beautiful music to flow unhindered. A huge fireplace with white columns upholding the mantel took up most of the left wall. A giant mirror hung above it. Arched windows lined the other walls, with square-paned ones in the piano alcove. The piano sat sideways, but Bailey could clearly see the keys moving up and down from the door, though no one appeared to be playing it.

  Bailey swallowed hard and looked at Kate, who had just used her free hand to remove her glasses and rub her eyes. She put them back on, steadying herself against the door frame. She and Bailey nodded pale-faced at each other. A ghost!

  Trampled!

  Kate, carrying Biscuit, followed Bailey cautiously across the threshold onto the glossy-wood Music Room floor. Immediately, the music stopped. Bailey grabbed Kate’s arm. They tiptoed toward the piano, as if they were sneaking up on the ghost.

  “Maybe whoever was playing will appear,” Bailey whispered.

  “I doubt it. But maybe we’ll be able to see how they’re doing the special effect.”

  “Yeah. I have to keep reminding myself it isn’t real.”

  The girls stepped up into the alcove and inspected the piano.

  “I wish I’d brought Biscuit’s leash.” Kate shifted the dog to her other arm and looked closer. “Aha! Just as I thought. It’s a player piano.”

  “Huh?”

  “A player piano. You know, the kind that has songs programmed into it so it plays by itself.”

  “Oh, I’ve seen those in stores. But doesn’t someone have to start and stop it?”

  “Usually.” Kate continued checking all angles of the piano. She wrestled with Biscuit who was getting wiggly. “I bet this one has an automatic switch or sensor somewhere that turns it on and off.”

  Bailey helped her search for a switch, even crawling underneath for a look. “I don’t see anything.”

  Kate studied the strings and hammers for each key inside the piano. “There’s so much stuff in here it’s hard to tell what doesn’t belong. But I think I may see something. Come over on this side for a better look.”

  Bailey was next to her in a flash.

  “See that switch close to the hinge where the piano lid opens?”

  “Yeah, I see it.”

  “I think it may be the culprit. And I think that box next to it is a timer that makes the music play only every so often.”

  “But how does it stop when someone comes in the room?”

  Kate cocked her head and squinted her eyes. Bailey could practically see the wheels turning in her brain. “Maybe a motion sensor that’s set to turn it off when someone comes through the door?”

  “But we have to find it to be sure.” Bailey’s eyes started scanning the room. “There!”

  Kate followed Bailey’s finger to a small device mounted in the ceiling corner of the room. It was pointed directly at the doorway. “Yep, I bet that’s our motion sensor.”

  “Let’s go back out to the lobby and try it out.” Bailey and Kate walked out to the lobby. They passed the time by looking at the Stanley Steamer car as they waited for the music to begin again.

  Soon the melodious sound of the piano wafted into the lobby.

  “There it goes!” Bailey made a beeline for the Music Room and stopped abruptly outside the door.

  “Okay. Ready?”

  “Ready.” Kate grabbed Bailey’s hand and together they walked into the room. The music stopped. “I’m sure the motion detector saw us.”

  “I wonder how sensitive it is,” Bailey said. “Like, I mean, do we have to enter the room or just move in the doorway?”

  “Interesting. Let’s find out.” Kate, Biscuit, and Bailey filed back out to the lobby so the piano could reset. Soon the music began again.

  “Let’s go!”

  Bailey and Kate stopped in front of the doorway. “Let’s try just kicking our foot through the doorway, but not actually going in,” Bailey suggested.

  Kate giggled and locked arms with Bailey in chorus line fashion. “Okay. On three. One…two…three!”

  Kate and Bailey each kicked one foot out. Once again, the music stopped.

  “Wow! Pretty sensitive!” Bailey grinned from ear to ear.

  “Guess we’ve pretty much solved this mystery. Might as well go back to the room.”

  “Hey, there goes Justin and Joe across the yard.” Bailey pointed toward the window. The floodlights shining on the yard spotlighted the two boys as they walked away from the hotel. One turned around as if to see if anyone was following them.

  “Is that their gun he’s carrying?” Kate asked.

  “Couldn’t be. It’s too dark for target practice.”

  “Weird.”

  The boys disappeared into the shadows. “Know what I was thinking?” Bailey asked.

  “What?”

  “I wonder if anyone’s staying in room 408.”

  Kate headed for the front desk. “We could check. And if no one is, we could ask if we can go see it tomorrow.”

  “Exactly what I was thinking.” Bailey asked Front Desk Barbara if the room was vacant.

  “Hmmm. Let me check.” Barbara typed something into her computer and waited. She ran her finger down the screen until she came to the line she wanted. “Yep. Looks like it’s vacant.”

  “Can we go look at it tomorrow?” Kate asked.

  “What for?”

  “We’re curious about Tex.” Bailey smiled knowingly at Kate.

  “Tex?” Barbara smirked.

  “Yeah. You know. The cowboy ghost. We think we saw him this afternoon from the front lawn.”

  “Well, I’m off tomorrow, so you’ll have to check back with whoever’s working then.”

  “Okay. Thanks.” Kate gave a f
riendly wave as they walked off.

  Bailey let out a laugh. “I just had a crazy idea.”

  “Oh no. What?”

  “Let’s see if Justin and Joe want to see the room with us tomorrow.”

  “No way!”

  Bailey put her hand out. “Aw, come on. We just talked to the other girls today about trying to get to know them better. What if they really are going through something bad and just need a friend?”

  “I seriously doubt that.”

  “Well, so do I. But what’s the harm in asking them? They’ll probably just say no anyway.”

  “That’s true. All right. Let’s do it.”

  Suddenly, a man burst through the front door of the lobby. “The elk! They’re stampeding again, and this time someone’s hurt!”

  Bailey and Kate hurried outside. Elk ran frantically in front of the hotel, sending some of the guests scrambling for cover on the porch. Biscuit leaped out of Kate’s arms and darted right into the herd.

  “Biscuit!” Kate screamed. The dust settled from the stampede, and people ran in all directions. Kate and Bailey sprinted to the yard where Biscuit lay motionless.

  Kneeling beside the little dog, Bailey saw blood pooling beneath his right front paw. Ragged breaths puffed from his open mouth, and his tongue hung out one side. His eyes were open, but he didn’t appear to see anything. “Oh, Biscuit!” Kate cried.

  Shivering from the cold, Bailey pulled her cell phone from her pocket and steadied her finger to dial.

  “Hello?” Trina said.

  “Trina! The elk stampeded and Biscuit got trampled.” Bailey choked down a sob. “We’re on the front lawn. We need help.”

  “I’ll be there as soon as I call Mom and Dad.”

  Bailey returned her phone to her pocket and wrapped her arms around herself to ward off the night chill.

  Kate gently stroked the injured dog’s side. “Hang on, Biscuit. Help’s coming.”

  Bailey heard a siren in the distance. “Sounds like help is on its way for the people who were injured. I don’t know if they’ll help dogs, too, or not.”

  Within minutes, a red and white ambulance screeched to a halt at the far side of the lawn where a group of people gathered. Medics knelt on the ground next to their patient, then lifted him onto a stretcher and loaded him through the open back doors of the vehicle. Just as Bailey and Kate turned their attention back to Biscuit, they heard another siren. Looking back, they saw a second, and then a third ambulance arrive and take away two more people. Police cars began to filter in also, as well as news reporters.

  “Those elk must have really been mad to run right into all those people,” Bailey said sadly. “Or scared out of their wits.”

  “I hope the people who got hurt will be all right.” Kate’s forehead wrinkled with concern.

  “We need to pray for them tonight—and Biscuit.”

  “Bailey!” Trina ran to them from the porch, carrying sweatshirts for both girls. “Thought you might need these.”

  “Thanks.” Bailey slipped into her hoodie. “Biscuit’s hurt bad. We don’t know if we should move him or not. We don’t want to injure him any more than he already is.”

  “That was smart of you.” Trina put her arm around Kate, who wiped her eyes and nose with the sleeve of her sweatshirt. “I called Mom and Dad,” Trina told her. “They heard about the stampede at the restaurant and were on their way home before I called. They’ll know what to do.”

  “I think we need to say a prayer right now for Biscuit.” Bailey laid her hand on the injured dog.

  Trina took Kate’s left hand, leaving her right hand free to continue comforting her dog.

  “God, we’re scared for Biscuit. Help him to be strong and brave. Help Mom and Dad to get here fast so it’s not too late.” Bailey’s voice broke. She cleared her throat and went on. “Heal whatever is wrong with Biscuit. Help him to be good as new again, fast. Be with Kate. Give her comfort and peace. And help the people who got hurt tonight to be okay. Thank You for being here with us. Amen.”

  “Thanks, Bailey.” Kate hugged her friend. “I just know Biscuit is going to be all right. He has to be.”

  “Girls!” Mr. and Mrs. Chang rushed up and hugged them. “We came as quickly as we could.”

  Mr. Chang looked at Biscuit. “I’ll take Biscuit to the car so we can get him to the animal hospital. I parked right over there. Trina, you run ahead and open the door.” He tossed her the keys.

  “Where is the nearest animal hospital?” Bailey asked.

  “A man at our dinner tonight recommended a vet that’s not too far from here.” Mr. Chang gently lifted Biscuit.

  “Guess God worked that out for us, huh?” Kate said quietly as she followed Mr. Chang to the car.

  “God’s like that.” Mrs. Chang smiled at Kate then put her arm around her and pulled her into a hug.

  The animal hospital wasn’t busy, and Biscuit was taken right in. The vet examined him and found he had a few broken ribs and a crushed paw. Wrapping the paw in a neon green bandage with dog bones printed on it, he explained, “I’m going to give Biscuit an injection of pain medicine. It will help him sleep comfortably for a while so he’ll have some time to heal. I’ll also wrap his body to keep him from moving too much. We don’t want those broken ribs to puncture a lung.”

  Kate asked, lips trembling, “Can we take him home now?”

  “We’ll need to keep him overnight for observation, but if all goes well, he should be released tomorrow.”

  Bailey heard Kate sigh with relief. Biscuit was going to be okay!

  “So you heard about the stampede, but we didn’t get to tell you about the ghosts yet!” Bailey told her family on the way back to the hotel.

  “Not again,” Trina moaned and dramatically threw her arm over her eyes.

  “Well, not real ghosts, of course, but we figured out the secret of how they make them seem real.”

  Bailey and Kate told the family all about the Music Room and the mysterious piano playing.

  “Pretty good!” Trina said when they were finished with their elaborate, don’t-leave-out-a-detail explanation.

  “And tomorrow, we’re going to see if we can get permission to see room 408 to try and learn the tricks they’re using to make the cowboy ghost.” Bailey rubbed her hands in anticipation.

  “We’ll have to see how that works out since we need to pick up Biscuit tomorrow,” Kate reminded her. “I might need to stay with him.”

  “That’s okay. I won’t go without you.”

  “Or you could just go with Justin and Joe.” Kate gave Bailey a playful nudge.

  “Like that would ever happen.”

  Mrs. Chang looked toward the backseat. “What’s this about the Perkins boys?”

  “We thought we’d see if Justin and Joe wanted to see the haunted room 408 with us. But we figure they’ll say no.”

  Bailey felt her face get warm.

  “Well, that was nice of you to think of them. I think those boys need some good friends like you.” Mrs. Chang reached back between the front seats and patted Bailey’s knee.

  Mr. Chang pulled into a parking space in front of the hotel. “It’s been quite a night. You girls handled the events of the evening very well.”

  Bailey pulled her hoodie closer around her and huddled against the cold night air as the group hustled into the hotel lobby. Mr. Chang walked directly to the front desk, Bailey and Kate close behind, while Mrs. Chang and Trina waited by the elevator.

  “Do you have any information about the condition of the people who were injured in the stampede this evening?” he asked Front Desk Barbara.

  “Only what the news has been reporting.” Barbara pointed to the small TV in the corner of the reception desk. “They say three people were taken to the hospital. A man is in serious condition and the other two were treated and released.”

  “Something is going to have to be done to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

  “I heard the news reporter sa
ying there’s talk of putting up a fence along the wooded areas at the base of the hills to try to keep the elk from coming into town so easily.”

  Mr. Chang nodded and turned to leave. “Thanks for the information.”

  “What’d she say?” Trina asked when Mr. Chang joined them at the elevator.

  The elevator dinged and the doors opened for them to get on. Bailey pushed the button for the fourth floor.

  “Three people were hurt, but only one is still in the hospital. He’s in serious condition.”

  “Wonder who it was.” Bailey felt the elevator whisk them up to their floor.

  The doors opened on the fourth floor and there stood Grandma Perkins.

  “Mrs. Perkins! Good to see you again,” Mr. Chang said.

  “It’s nice to see you, too.” Grandma Perkins seemed to be in a hurry to get on the elevator and leave. Bailey noticed her eyes looked teary.

  “Is everything all right?” Mrs. Chang asked her.

  Grandma Perkins shook her head and turned her eyes away. “It’s Glen. He was hurt in the elk stampede tonight. We thought it would be fun to surprise our grandsons with their favorite ice cream before they went to bed. When we got out of the car and were walking across the lawn, the elk charged through. Glen pushed me out of the way, but he got trampled. He’s still in the hospital.” Tears brimmed in her eyes.

  “Grandpa Perkins was one of the people who got hurt?” Bailey cried.

  Grandma Perkins nodded and wiped her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry to hear that,” Mrs. Chang said. “We heard someone was seriously hurt, but we didn’t know it was him. We’ll be praying for his quick recovery.”

  “Thank you.” The older woman had a faraway look. “I just wish we could figure out what’s causing those elk to act like this.”

  “I hope they come up with a solution before anyone else gets hurt,” Mr. Chang said.

  “I’d better get home. I’m about worn out from being at the hospital and from all the stress. I got a few bumps and bruises myself. My son sent me home and promised he’d stay with Glen tonight. Janice offered to drive me home, but I told her I was fine.”