What Emma Left Behind

by Anne Spackman

  * * * * *

  Ana came to sleep over that Friday night. Claudia and Caera greeted her at their front door, and then Claudia ran upstairs to put Ana's things away in the guest room, while Caera took Ana to the library to discuss their plans for the night.

  By the time that Claudia arrived in the library, Caera was already showing Ana the pages that Claudia had amassed. Ana began reading as Claudia sat down in a Queen Anne chair, and it was a good fifteen minutes before she was finished. Claudia looked up to see Ana's openmouthed expression when she was done.

  "Wow, you guys! That sure is some story! You say you've both been dreaming about Emma Campbell's murder?"

  "That's not all," Claudia said. "Just before Caera and I talked to each other about the mystery, I was sitting upstairs by myself, when I thought I a face in the windowpane."

  "You're kidding." Ana said, reading the twins' faces to see if this was a joke.

  "I wish I was." Claudia said seriously.

  "Well, are you sure it wasn't just in your imagination?" Ana asked. Her eyes had grown moon-wide. "Maybe it was your own reflection in the glass."

  "That's just what I said!" Caera interjected. Then she looked to Claudia, sensing what her sister was going to say.

  "You guys are probably right." Claudia admitted reluctantly. "Whatever it was, I only saw it for a second, and then Caera walked in."

  "Wow, this is just like those weird stories you read in books or see in the movies!" Ana cried in thrilled tones. "I can't believe someone was actually murdered in this house."

  "Neither can we. It's kind of creepy." Caera said.

  "Yeah," Ana agreed with delight. "Hey, what if Mr. Campbell's ghost is listening to us right now!"

  Just as she said this, the door suddenly creaked open. All three girls screamed like blue blazes.

  "Oh no, the ghost is after us!" Ana yelled and dove behind the sofa.

  "Come on, you guys, it's only Dad." Caera said, laughing, and pulled Ana from behind the couch. Then she sighed at Claudia's quivering form in the chair.

  "Gosh, Ana, you nearly gave me a heart attack." Claudia said, relieved. "What's the matter, Dad?" she asked, turning to her father, who was watching the situation with secret amusement.

  "I just wanted to tell you girls that your mother went up to the school today to talk to Mrs. Johnson about holding the school survival trip on our land." Her father said. "The school wants all the equipment by Sunday afternoon."

  "Okay," Caera chirped.

  "Your mother's going to deliver it to Mrs. Johnson's house for inspection," Mr. Campbell explained, "and she needs you girls to get out all the sleeping bags, fishing gear, and anything else you can find by tomorrow. Maybe Ana can help you."

  "Yeah," Ana said. "But I was also kinda wondering if you guys had an extra sleeping bag that I could borrow. I don't want Mrs. Johnson to know that I'm unprepared. And no one is going to find out that I have a cartoon sleeping bag."

  "Oh, sure, Ana." Caera said. "Dad, where did we put the camping stuff last year? I looked yesterday, but I couldn't find any of it anywhere."

  "I'm not sure, but it might be in the attic. Did you look there?"

  "No." Caera paused for a moment, unsure of what she was about to ask. "Dad, have you ever heard anything about a lost Campbell treasure?"

  "Well, yes, actually," he laughed, folding his arms across his chest. "When I was a little boy, my friends and I searched for it. Most people have heard of the lost Campbell treasure, but it's something of a myth, so don't get your hopes up about finding it." Then he wished them "Good night".

  Claudia and Caera turned to Ana as soon as their father had left the room.

  "Do you guys wanna look for the stuff in the attic now?" Claudia asked.

  "Yes!" Caera and Ana exclaimed.