Read Mystery in the Library: Chapter VI here.

She looked for an opening and then popped the moon in half to reveal a tiny reindeer figurine inside it.

‘’A reindeer?’’ Pat quickly looked at the illustration to make out what this could be referring to. ‘’A reindeer can only refer to Christmas and we have the pine tree and holly that are definitely part of Christmas decorations.’’

‘’But next in line is the candle. I guess you could say that the candle is part of any Christmas set up. So, we look for Christmas books?’’

‘’That’s definitely one possibility. Anything Christmas themed in the library would be a good place to start. So, books that have a candle, pine tree and holly reference should be at the top of our list. Looks like we have quite a bit of searching ahead of us then.’’

MERRIN ABRAHAM

Merrin completed her Integrated MA in English Studies from IIT Madras. She is a storyteller, bibliomaniac and a lover of indie music who had a passion for the English language that she dedicated her childhood to reading Victorian literature. Besides drinking bitter coffee and analysing Asian media, she is trying to find a horror story worthy of the genre.

As they walked towards the central staircase they were surprised to see the handrails decorated with streamers and holly. ‘’Are these Christmas decorations?’’ Pat asked. Mrs. Peterson had been decorating the library while the kids had been running around. Mrs. Peterson spotted them and walked over. ‘’How’s the Nightly Hunt going?’’

‘’We figured out quite a bit, but we are currently thinking about the reindeer clue. We thought we should look at Christmas themed books because we found a lot of clues within the books,’’ replied Jolly.

‘’Aah, the reindeer clue. Actually, you aren’t far from the clue, considering where you are standing. Just imagine a huge pine tree right here and all the Christmas decorations around it.’’

‘’What do you mean by imagine it? Are you saying the reindeer clue is supposed to lead us here?’’ Jolly asked.

‘Yes, all the Christmas decorations aren’t up yet so you wouldn’t be able to find it without a little help.’’ Mrs. Peterson winked and pointed them to the space next to the staircase. ‘’Look around here and you might spot something.’’

Pat and Jolly immediately looked around the empty space that would have had a Christmas tree, presents, and lights if it had been set up. ‘’So, the clue leads us to this corner with Christmas decorations, but the clue isn’t in the decorations, but in the surroundings. The last image is the sun. We should look for the sun,’’ Pat said. They looked at the tiles on the walls and then the stone flooring. At the centre of the floor there was a ring attached to a stone.

‘’Pat, come here. Look at this. Doesn’t this look like a carving of the sun?’’ Pat peered at the stone slab with the carving and nodded his head.

‘’That definitely looks like the sun and I think there’s a hidden compartment beneath that! Quick, let’s pull it up.’’ Jolly hooked her finger and tugged at the ring. The stone budged after a few tries and in the open space below it lay the treasure they had been looking for. 

Excited, Pat slowly reached out and picked up the heavily wrapped object. They removed all the layers of paper and were left with a book. ‘’Cherry Hills Winter Tales’’ read the title. Jolly took the book from Pat’s hand and opened it. There was a letter inside from the organiser of the Nightly Hunt. 

The letter read: “Dear treasure hunters, this book holds the cherished stories of Cherry Hills. It was hidden during our last Winter Reading Festival, and the clues were meant to lead to this very book. If you found it, CONGRATULATIONS! You have unearthed a small piece of history. Enjoy the magic of winter and the warmth of stories.”

Jolly and Pat looked at each other with wide eyes. “This is amazing!” Pat said. “We’ve uncovered a piece of library history!”

They took the book to Mrs. Peterson, who was thrilled to see it. “You’ve done a fantastic job finding the book,” she said.

Jolly and Pat smiled proudly. Their Saturday adventure had turned into a successful treasure hunt. Taking the book with them, they headed towards the table where Pat had been setting up the surprise for Jolly. There was a small Sherlock Holmes setup, with all the books neatly lined up. ‘’Ta da! Surprise!’’ Laughing, both of them sat down. 

‘’Thank you for this surprise Pat, even though I spoiled it a bit by finding out about it early.’’

‘’Why don’t you take your time with the Sherlock Holmes books first while I dive into Cherry Hills Winter Tales?’’ said Pat.

Jolly nodded and stretched out her hand. ‘’To many more mysteries to solve in the future!’’ They shook hands and settled down to rest and read.

Did you enjoy the story? Share your thoughts in the comments. Stay tuned for the next part of the story. If you are interested in mysteries and solving clues, join our ‘Crafting Clues’ course to learn more.