#1:
The Secret
of Robber’s Cave
by Kristiana Gregory
illustrated by Cody Rutty
Text copyright © 2008 by Kristiana Gregory
Illustrations copyright © 2014 by Cody Rutty
The CABIN CREEK MYSTERIES are works of fiction with characters and events from the author's imagination.
Dedicated to the original three:
Greg, Cody, and Hailey
Chapters
1. Lost Island
2. A Grisly Discovery
3. Guarding a Secret
4. Claire Posey
5. The Mission
6. Another Discovery
7. Mr. Wellback
8. A New Worry
9. Fixing Up the Fort
10. New Clues
11. A Suspicious Customer
12. In a Hurry
13. Twists and Turns
14. Trapped
15. Total Darkness
16. An Unexpected Visitor
17. A Surprise
18. The Mystery Deepens
19. A New Theory
20. The Police Station
21. The Missing Clue
22. The Ledger
23. Two Gifts
Sneak Peeks
About the Author
Kristiana's Books
1
Lost Island
As the canoe glided toward Lost Island, twelve-year-old Jeff Bridger dipped his paddle into the water, steering it into the inlet. Though it was summer, the air was cool. Clouds over the mountains darkened the sky. Jeff worried about a storm coming, but most of all he felt uneasy about setting foot on Lost Island.
“Let’s stay together, David,” he said to his ten-year-old brother. “We don’t know what’s out here.”
This was the first time they had been out this far on the lake by themselves. Their father had always warned them to stay off the island.
“When David turns ten, we’ll all go together,” he had said. “But I don’t want you boys out there a day before that. It’s more dangerous than it looks.”
Today was David’s birthday. Last night the brothers had been too excited to sleep. They had lain awake in their bunks, whispering about what they might find.
They wondered about the legend, a terrible and true tale, their father had said. A real robber, a cave, stolen treasure, a sheriff, and more.
Their mother had no idea they were so far away from their cabin today. She was the town’s veterinarian and would be working late at the animal hospital. She had left her sons a note, asking them to be home by sunset and to fix their own supper. They would celebrate David’s birthday next week.
Jeff and David Bridger knew about the wilderness from camping with their father--a forest ranger--and because they lived several miles from town. Their log cabin was on a lake, which looked out at Lost Island. Ever since the brothers were little, they had watched this island with binoculars, hoping to find clues to its mystery — to learn why their father had declared it off-limits.
But now they would have to track down the truth themselves. It was a great sorrow that Dad was no longer there to take the boys as promised. During winters, he had worked with the ski patrol on Blue Mountain. But last December, he and another ranger had been killed in an avalanche. Thick fog, then a blizzard, had prevented rescuers from finding them for several days.
Ever since, the brothers were nervous about storms. Also, they were now more determined than ever to explore Lost Island. Uncovering the legend would help them feel close to their father.
In the canoe, the brothers wore whistles around their necks and life vests. Cell phones didn’t get reception in these mountains, so they had walkie-talkies hooked to their belts. They also carried pocketknives and canteens from the army surplus store.
“Almost there!” David yelled. The younger brother always rode in the front when the boys took out the canoe. His blond hair was windblown, like straw. Rope in hand, he was ready to jump into the shallows.
His daypack lay below his seat in an inch of water, but he didn't mind wet things. As usual, his T-shirt was inside out with the tag in front. His socks were mismatched.
The boys’ dogs--Rascal, a black Scottish terrier, and Tessie, an old yellow Lab--sat in the center of the canoe, like passengers on a sightseeing trip. They had sat still for the thirty-minute ride from the family’s dock to the island. But at the sound of the hull scraping against the pebbly bottom, they jumped overboard and splashed to shore.
“Stay!” the boys commanded. But their dogs ran into the woods as if chasing something. Birds flushed up from the trees with noisy chirping. Jeff suddenly felt shivery. Now that they were up close, the forest looked unfriendly, like a dark, prickly wall.
“I wonder what the dogs are after,” he said.
David looked uneasy. “Me, too.”
They pulled the canoe onto the beach.
“Well, we’re finally here,” said Jeff. Then, being practical, he patted the canoe and said, “Let’s turn this upside down, so it’ll dry out. Then we can take a look around.”
Jeff had brown hair and even though he hadn’t brushed it that morning, he didn’t look as rumpled as his brother. The emblem on his T-shirt read JUNIOR EXPLORERS, GRIZZLY PAW WILDERNESS. It was the name of the club started by their father, to teach kids survival skills. The shirt was Jeff’s favorite.
As they tipped the water from their craft, they again called their dogs.
There was no response. This wasn’t like their pets, who usually came when called.
The brothers looked up at the sky. More clouds had appeared in the north. Just then, barking pierced the air.
David swallowed hard. “That’s Tessie!”
“Uh-oh,” said Jeff. “It sounds like she’s in trouble.”
2
A Grisly Discovery
The brothers ran into the woods, following their dogs’ barks. They ducked under branches, climbing over rocks and rotted tree stumps.
“I think I see them. Over there!” Jeff cried. He pointed to a cluster of aspen trees.
“Tessie!” they called. “Rascal!” But the dogs did not come.
Soon the boys arrived in a small clearing surrounded by trees and bushes. To their relief, they found Rascal there. He was digging furiously with his front paws. Dirt sprayed behind him. As terriers like to do, he shoved his nose into a hole as if sniffing out a tiny animal. He was too busy to notice the brothers.
And then they spotted Tessie. She sat in the shade, watching Rascal. Although she was old and plump, she still liked to retrieve things. Upon seeing the boys, she wagged her tail and came toward them. Something was in her mouth.
“Drop it,” Jeff said.
Tessie dropped the object. It looked like a dirty sock with holes in it.
“What is that?” asked David.
Jeff leaned over for a closer look. He stared. “Is this what I think it is?”
David found a twig and pushed at it. “Yuck.”
They stared and poked. Clumps of dirt fell away, revealing not a sock, but a foot with some of the anklebones attached.
It was bony white, the flesh long gone. It was so old, it looked as if it would crumble with one touch.
“Is it a bear’s?” David asked.
There was rustling in the trees behind them. Jeff flinched and turned. He felt as if someone were watching them.
In a whisper he said, “I think it’s from a person. Looks exactly like that skeleton in the science museum.”
The brothers gave each other
a worried glance. They had been hoping to find something about the legend, but they hadn’t expected human bones.
“What if this is a clue to what happened out here?” Jeff asked.
“Looks like a murder to me,” said David.
For several minutes, they examined the foot. Then they kicked through Rascal’s dirt pile to look for other evidence. Finally Jeff pulled the small shovel from his pack and snapped the handle in place. “You can use this, David. I have a tin cup. We better dig a deeper hole for it.” He nodded toward the foot.
“You mean, bury it?”
“Yeah. It might be an important clue. We can make sure it stays a secret if we leave it here.”
“But why? Let’s take it home so we can keep looking at it. I think it’s cool.”
Jeff gave his brother a long look. “David, don’t forget about Claire. If she sees it, she’ll start asking questions.”
“Oh, yeah. I almost forgot.”
Claire Posey was their nine-year-old cousin whose cabin was near theirs, just across the creek. Her parents—the boys’ Aunt Lilly and Uncle Wyatt—owned the Western Café in town.
Whenever they had a day off, the family spent time together, so today the Poseys were at the fairgrounds watching the rodeo.
Knowing Claire would be gone until evening was another reason why the brothers had chosen this day to visit Lost Island. Even though she was their good friend and favorite cousin, they did not want her to tag along. Not yet anyway. And it wasn’t because she was a girl.
Jeff and David just weren't used to Yum-Yum, her new white poodle. Last month Claire had gotten her from the pound. Now wherever she went, so did Yum-Yum, wearing a collar with bells. With every step, Yum-Yum sounded like a windup toy. The boys thought the poodle was entirely too noisy to go exploring. They wanted to be as quiet in the woods as their dad had taught them to be.
“Okay,” David agreed. “Let’s dig that hole. Otherwise Claire will report to Aunt Lilly and Uncle Wyatt and then—”
“—and then they’ll tell Mom,” Jeff finished.
3
Guarding a Secret
“Who could this have belonged to?” Jeff wondered.
David liked guessing. “It’s got something to do with the robber and the cave,” he said. “That’s for sure.”
Jeff and David buried the skeleton foot and patted down the dirt with their shovel. Then they rolled a heavy rock on top so the dogs wouldn’t dig it up again. The rock also made a good marker. This way the boys would know where to find it so they could look at it any time they wanted to investigate more.
They retraced their steps to the beach where they felt safer. It was out in the open. They didn't wear watches, but they could tell it was noon because the sun was overhead. In the distance, rain clouds hung over the mountain like black rolls of cotton.
“Looks like the storm is still far away,” Jeff observed. He liked trying to read the sky. “Maybe there’s time to—”
A twig snapped in the woods. Then another.
Slowly, the boys turned around to look. Again, there was rustling. Something moved in the brush.
They froze, squinting to see into the dark forest. The dogs stood beside them, ears alert.
Finally Jeff said, “Probably just a deer. That’s why Tessie and Rascal aren’t worried.”
“You sure?”
Jeff hesitated. He reached for the walkie-talkie on his belt then clicked the switch a few times and turned a dial. “Well, let’s keep these on and stick together. Just in case.”
The brothers followed the creek to where a spring bubbled out of a rock. They filled their canteens.
“Maybe this place isn’t so bad after all,” said David, though he still felt uneasy. “Remember how Dad said if there’s fresh water, we can survive a long time?”
“Yeah. But I wonder why he said it’s more dangerous out here than it looks.” Jeff stared up a tall oak tree. Its branches were staggered like stair steps. He patted its trunk, trying to act brave. “Well, here’s our lookout tower, David. Now every time we’re out here, we can climb up and watch for intruders.”
For twenty minutes, the boys hiked through the woods. They often stopped to see if they were being followed, but heard only the chattering of squirrels and singing of birds. At last, they reached the other side of the island. Unlike the quiet cove where they had beached their canoe, this shore was windy. Waves swept onto the rocks. Across the lake was Grizzly Paw Wilderness, miles and miles of forest and mountains. In every direction the boys saw only trees, no roads or houses.
Jeff took the compass from his pocket. “Looks like we’re heading east now,” he said. “This place is huge, maybe a mile long.”
“Then Robber’s Cave must be out here somewhere,” said David.
As they rounded the tip of Lost Island, they could no longer see where the lake ended, it was so vast.
The only sounds were the lapping of water and the cry of a hawk circling overhead, kreee ... kreee. They were lonely sounds.
David looked at his older brother. “I wonder what Dad meant by a terrible and true tale. He even said it was bloodcurdling, remember?”
“I remember,” said Jeff.
An hour later, the boys and their dogs had found their way back to the quiet beach. They were famished from hiking.
Jeff unzipped his pack. He liked to be prepared, so it was full of supplies. Out rolled a flashlight and a screwdriver. As he searched for his lunch, more items fell out: a first-aid kit, matches, the shovel and binoculars, dog biscuits, and a rain poncho. Finally he found the brown paper bag.
“Aha!” he said.
Now the younger boy emptied his pack. All that came out were three candy bars—soggy from the ride in the canoe—and a pencil and sketchpad, also damp.
“Where’s your lunch?” Jeff asked.
“Uh ... ” David seemed surprised that he’d forgotten it. “Guess it’s still in the fridge.”
“What about your poncho?”
David closed his eyes as if thinking. “Maybe on the back of the couch?”
His brother shook his head. “I can’t believe you forgot again. And those candy bars are too goopy to eat. Here.” Jeff handed him half a cheese sandwich. It unfortunately had dropped to the ground and was squished from being in the bottom of his pack.
“Thanks,” David said. When he took a bite, it crunched with sand, but he didn’t mind. He gazed across the lake at their cabin. “Hey, someone’s on our porch.”
Jeff stood up, sandwich in hand. He looked through his binoculars. “Uh-oh,” he said.
“What?”
“It’s Claire. She’s holding Yum-Yum and looking this way.”
“But they’re supposed to be at the rodeo.”
“That’s what I thought,” said Jeff. “I don’t think she can see us, though. It’s too far.”
David took a swig from his canteen. He wiped his mouth with his shoulder. “But what if she has binocs? Didn’t Mom give her a pair for her birthday?”
“No way. It was a diary or something.”
“I sure hope you’re right,” David said. “If she finds out we came here without her, she’ll explode!”
4
Claire Posey
As the boys picked up their lunch wrappers, wind suddenly filled the trees with a loud rustle. They looked up. Swift-moving clouds covered the sun. Raindrops began pelting them.
“Hurry!” Jeff yelled. “The storm’s coming faster than I thought.” They whistled for the dogs.
David grabbed their life vests and backpacks, then helped Jeff launch the canoe with Tessie and Rascal aboard. The boys paddled home through rough water, which soaked the sleeves of their sweatshirts. They could feel rain on their faces and down their necks.
When they turned around to look at the island, they saw a heavy fog drifting down over the trees. It resembled a shroud and soon hid the shore.
Jeff yelled over the wind, “I’m glad we’re off the island!
That fog is freaking me out.”
David paddled faster. “Me, too!”
Just as they reached the dock, lightning streaked across the dark sky, followed by a crash of thunder. The noise was fierce.
“The storm, here it comes!” Jeff cried. They ran with Rascal and Tessie to the safety of their cabin.
A bowl of fresh blueberries sat on the kitchen table with a card for David.
Happy birthday to my favorite blue-eyed son. We’ll celebrate soon. I love you! Mom.
David stuck out his tongue at his brother. “I’m still her favorite,” he said.
Jeff gave him a playful punch. They had played this game since they were little, asking their mother whom she loved the most. To Jeff she always answered, “You’re my favorite brown-eyed son.” And, of course, David was her blue-eyed boy.
Now Jeff prepared his brother’s birthday dinner: tortillas rolled up with peanut butter and bananas. They ate off paper plates and didn’t set the table. It felt good to be home.
“That fog on the island is spooky,” said Jeff. “The way storms come up so fast in these mountains, I’m in no rush to go back. At least for a while.”
“Fine with me,” David said. “Maybe there’s another way to figure out the legend.”
“Yoo-hoo,” called a girl’s voice, interrupting them.
The front door swung open and in came a jingling of bells, moving at a fast trot through the sunroom and den.
Yum-Yum entered the kitchen without looking at the boys and went straight for the dogs’ bowls by the back door. Her paws clicked across the hardwood floor. She passed Tessie and Rascal, who had been sleeping. They raised their heads briefly then returned to their naps.
“What’s up, guys?” Claire’s curly red hair swung at her shoulders as she marched into the room. Her sweater was wet from the rain. She set a box of cinnamon Frosted Pop-Tarts on the counter. It, too, was wet.
The Secret of Robber's Cave (Cabin Creek Mysteries Book 1) Page 1