Thief!

By Margaret V. Delashmit

It is 1959 when thirteen-year-old Claire McGlaughlins parents leave for Kenya on a missionary trip. She is sent to live with her grandmother in boring old Holly Springs, Mississippiwhere nothing interesting ever happens. Soon, Claire finds she has a friend in local boy Ralphie. Even better, she discovers that the small town has a mystery, and then Holly Springs becomes anything but dull.

A rash of burglaries and rumors of a cold case murder send this budding writer into investigative mode. The nice folk of Holly Springs would never admit to anything bad happening in their hometown, especially bad things perpetrated by one of their own. They go so far as to deny a murder ever occurred, but Claire is sure they must be hiding something.

With the help of her new pal, Claire sets out to solve the mystery. Along the way, Claire and Ralphie make the acquaintance of vicious dogs, a shotgun-waving crazy lady, and an angry sheriff . Whats more, an unknown Mary Cassatt painting and a dog with mysterious powers may be the keys to unraveling a mystery that has haunted the town of Holly Springs for much too long.

This inspiring novel of teenage angst set in a small Southern town captures the emotions of doubt, rejection, and love. It provides a convincing demonstration of the resilience of teenagers who are so often dismissed by adults who cannot see beyond their myopic preconceptions of adolescence (and have forgotten their own teenage years).
B. C. Crawford, Educator, Oxford, Mississippi

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspiring Voices
• Release date: Nov 1, 2012
• ISBN: 9781462403493

Margaret V. Delashmit

Margaret V. Delashmit is an English professor in a small college in Holly Springs, Mississippi. She lives in a cottage built by a carpenter for his family. Her hobbies include gardening, reading, writing, and restoring this old house. Her book Thief! published in 2012 is a mystery set in Holly Springs with a thirteen-year-old heroine.

Book preview

Chapter 1

An Exciting Surprise?

MOM, I’M HOME! Claire yelled as she ran into the house and threw her book satchel onto the sofa. The door banged shut behind her. Claire stood listening. It was too quiet. She hurried into the kitchen where her mother always had something laid out for her snack. Nothing. Maybe Mom had to work overtime, she thought. But there was no note either. Mom always left a note when the hospital called her in to work overtime.

Puzzled at the change in routine, Claire began rummaging through the refrigerator looking for something to eat. There’s not much here, she thought. The phone rang just as she pulled out milk and a carrot. Claire, I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you got home. Mom’s voice sounded excited. There’s chocolate cake in the pantry, but don’t eat much. Your father and I are taking you out to eat tonight. We have a big surprise.

A big surprise? Claire’s antennae had picked up excitement, but something else, too, in Mom’s voice. Nervousness? Mom was never nervous. She was a pediatric nurse. She couldn’t be nervous. What then? Now Claire felt herself getting both nervous and excited. She skipped the cake and drank a glass of milk slowly, trying to remember if she had heard her parents say anything that would give her a clue. Nothing came to mind. She would just have to wait to learn the surprise.

An hour later the three of them walked into the Rendezvous*, Claire’s favorite place to eat. She looked around at the large room filled with tables covered in red-checkered oilcloth. Waiters in white shirts and black bow ties moved among the diners. The air was filled with rich, smoky, spicy smells that always made Claire’s mouth water.

Claire looked from one parent to the other. Something was definitely up. She saw it in the way they looked at each other and didn’t look at her. She was not yet included in their secret.

No one said anything while the waiter took their orders—barbecued pork ribs with the famous Rendezvous dry rub seasoning. While they were waiting to be served, Claire could stand the suspense no longer. Mom, are you going to have a baby? Claire blurted out.

Mom looked startled. A baby? No! Why do you ask that?

What’s the big surprise then?

Mom and Dad looked at each other. Do we tell her now? Dad asked. Mom nodded. Claire sat forward in her chair, blue eyes shining and mouth forming an expectant half smile. Dad’s surprises were always such—well, surprises, and fun.

Dad cleared his throat and began, Sometime ago, Claire, when you were in the first grade, the missions board asked us to consider going to Kenya* as medical missionaries. We thought about it and attended several training sessions, but you were so young, we decided not to go. Then a few days ago, I received an emergency call—a plea really. Cholera* has reached epidemic proportions in that area. The hospital in Kenya is understaffed and cannot meet the needs of so many sick people. Unless outside help reaches them immediately, many will die for lack of medical aid. Your mom and I have been in meetings with the mission’s board all day.

Dad stopped and took a deep breath. A look of uneasiness replaced Claire’s smile as she sat back in her chair. Dad continued, Claire, honey, we’ve decided to go to Kenya after all, as soon as I can turn my medical practice over to my partners.

Claire was stunned. She could not speak for a moment. Finally, she wailed, But, Da-ad, I can’t leave my friends. We’re going to high school together next year. Several diners seated nearby turned to look in her direction. Claire sat still, letting the full implications of Dad’s surprise sink in.

Nothing more was said while the smiling waiter arranged their food on the table. Nothing can be so bad that our good barbecue can’t make it better. The waiter directed his comments and a big smile to Claire. She gave him a pathetic little smile and nodded in polite agreement.

After the waiter left them, Claire asked quietly, When do we leave?

Mom reached over and put her hand over Claire’s. We can’t take you, Claire. It’s too dangerous. You’re going to live with Grandma next year.

You mean Grandma knew about this, and I didn’t? Claire’s voice was rising again.

Yes, we decided to make all the arrangements to be sure we could work it out before we told you. I know you’re disappointed, Claire, Dad said, but life often changes directions for us. I grew up in your Grandma’s house, and I loved it. I predict that you will, too, and that you will make new friends you will love as much as the old ones.

Claire decided Dad was being pragmatic*. That was a new word she had just learned, but she was having none of it. Easy for you to say. You’ll be off living your life, and I’ll be miserable.

Chapter 2

A Fright, A New Friend, and A Mystery

THREE WEEKS LATER, Claire was living with Grandma in this hick town where nothing ever happened, and there was nothing to do. Dull! Dull! Dull! Sitting in the swing on the front porch, pushing the swing back and forth with her foot, Claire thought about her life back in Memphis and her life here. I may live in Hicksville now, but I don’t have to bury myself. What I need is a Seventeen Magazine to keep up with what’s happening in the world, she thought. She hurried to the door.

Grandma, where can I buy a magazine? she called. Grandma was a small woman with brown hair pulled into a bun on the back of her head. Her movements were quick and sure as she kneaded dough for her homemade bread. A flowered apron covered the entire front of her body. A smudge of flour was on one cheek.

The closest place is Bonnie’s Books on the Square. Ride over on your bike, and while you’re there, get me a bottle of black ink for my fountain pen. Grandma wiped flour off her hands and went to find her purse.

Here, she handed Claire money. Supper will be ready in about an hour.

Claire decided to explore the neighborhood some before going to the square. Suddenly, she felt a thump! and braked her bike. A flat tire! Everything else in my life has gone wrong, why should I be surprised at this? she thought. And I’ll bet there is no place around here to get it fixed. After checking the tire and removing a nail, she looked around. She had stopped in front of a dilapidated old house.

The setting sun was shining on the corner of a front window. Huge oak trees cast their shadows over the rest of the house. Paint peeled from massive pillars that held up a second-story veranda. Rotting shutters tilted at odd angles tried to frame dark windows. A broken three-tiered fountain stood in the yard to Claire’s right. You look like a lonely soldier guarding a forgotten past, Claire thought. Somebody sure has neglected this place. It looks haunted.

Claire continued to examine the yard. The sturdy iron fence decorated with six-inch spikes pointing straight up likely had stood since before the Civil War. Today it seemed to create a boundary around the property to keep ghosts in and the living out. Near the front gate, white roses billowed wildly over the fence and beyond. Passers-by had to step off the walk to go around them.

Claire shivered. This place is creepy, she thought. Eerie, weird. Those are good words for it. Anything could happen here.

Suddenly, the front door opened, and a pack of hounds came rushing out. They ran to the front gate and began jumping up on it, snarling, barking, and poking their noses through the bars. Bits of their saliva flew into Claire’s face. She screamed and jumped back, knocking her bike over and falling on it. The dogs continued to snarl and jump up on the fence, pushing all their weight against the gate, trying to get to her.

Claire began scrambling up, frantically jerking on her bike to upright it. Just as she began to be afraid the gate might not hold, the whole pack suddenly wheeled as one body and went racing around the corner of the house. They were gone as suddenly as they had appeared.

Claire got up from the ground slowly and examined herself. Nothing was broken, but she had an ugly grass stain on her new jeans. As she stood there thinking about what had just happened, a boy about her age with hair as red as her own rode up on his bike and stopped.

You’d better watch out, he said. A crazy lady lives in that house. Don’t mess with her or her dogs.

I’ve just seen her dogs, Claire said. They came running to the fence and acted like they wanted to eat me. Then they disappeared around the corner of the house there. I was beginning to wonder if they were ghosts. She was still shaky from the scare she’d just had.

The boy parked his bike and walked over to Claire. Hi, my name is Ralphie, he said. I live around the corner on the next street. Those dogs are real all right. You’re new here, aren’t you?

"Hi, I’m Claire.