The Ghost in my iPad - 345: Book 1 - Evolutis Rising, #1

By E C Russell and E L Russell

The Ghost in my iPad 345 is about a middle-school boy, helped by a ghost, who solves the mystery surrounding their communities' serial kidnapper.
For close to a year, someone has been abducting a school girl each holiday. Jengo Allbright wants to find who is responsible for the kidnappings and rescue the girls so they can return to their families. With the help of a friendly ghost and trusted friends, he begins a search for them. Will Jengo catch the Holiday Snatcher and save the girls before the next holiday?

The Ghost in my iPad is not a horror story, but one that demonstrates how working together is not only fun but also can solve problems that couldn't be solved working alone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Entanglement Publishing
• Release date: Dec 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393292340

Book preview

Prologue

The Ghost in my iPad 3:45

Each night when his mom turned his lights out, Jengo heard the voice.

I’m cold . . . It’s dark . . .

And it scared him. It scared him bad. The forlorn sound was muffled and sounded far away. Yet it sounded close, too. Too close for comfort.

Help me . . . I’m cold . . . I can’t find the light . . .

Kidnapping

Later the following day

Jengo craned his neck around his mom to watch the end of the cartoon and pleaded with her with his mouth full of chips he’d pilfered from the counter. Don’t turn the TV off, it’s almost over.

His mother tapped her foot.

Uh, oh, foot-tapping. Serious business. What, Mom?

Jengo Allbright, no more chips until we eat or they’ll be none left. She softened her voice. Go out and check the hot dogs, Sweetie. You said you wanted to be in charge of them, remember?

Oh, Yeah. He’d gotten so wrapped up in the chase scene on the TV he’d forgotten what he was supposed to be doing. He liked getting lost in TV shows so he didn’t have to think. He hurried out the door rubbing the unaccustomed short bristles of his back-to-school haircut. Man, he used to love hot dogs. Eating them used to feel like a party, but there was no party mood in his house anymore, not since his sister Maddy had disappeared two months ago. Eight weeks, going on nine. It seemed like forever. He knew boys weren’t supposed to cry, but he did. At night. Under his covers so his mom wouldn’t hear. He missed his sister something fierce. Like his pal, Billy, they were buddies. They did stuff together. Now, there was a hole in the family. In anger, he kicked a stone. Yeah, he was angry a lot these days.

He blinked away threatening tears and forked the sizzling wieners off the grill, frowning at the couple he’d burned. He wiped his hands on the seat of the scruffy jeans he’d worn all summer and returned to the kitchen where his older sister Laura was placing a bowl of potato salad on the table.

The TV, which had been playing the theme music to his show, abruptly changed and a local newscaster started talking.

We interrupt this program to bring you breaking news.

Mrs. Allbright reached for the remote, but Laura stopped her. Oh, my god, Mom, wait. Let’s hear. It’s about—

"I know what it’s about, her mother whispered as she fumbled with the remote. I don’t want Jengo to hear." She squeezed the button to lower the volume.

The telephone rang and Laura picked it up and handed it over to her Mother. Caller ID says FBI.

Special Agent Johnson here, Mrs. Allbright. You’ve heard the news?

Jengo strained to listen. It was the agent who’d been working the kidnapping cases for months.

As he talked, the TV commentator continued in the background. The alleged Holiday Snatcher took a fifth teenage girl in what may be—

Have you heard the news? the agent said.

Mrs. Allbright turned her back to Jengo to whisper into the phone. Yes, it just came on the TV.

We may have found something.

When his mother turned her back, Jengo took a step closer in order to hear.

The evidence would say it’s the same person who took your daughter, Mrs. Allbright. With fresh clues, we hope to find the kidnapper this time.

Jengo had been disappointed so many times, he was afraid to even hope. Nevertheless, he crossed all his fingers. The FBI kept saying they had more clues but they didn’t find Maddy. His opinion was if they were worth their salt, they should have found her by now. He was good and sick of the agent’s promises. He always said the same thing. ‘We may have a new lead.’ Hah. Only they never did. ‘We think we have something this time.’ Fat chance after all this time. ‘Hold on to your hope.’ What a sorry joke. Of course they kept hoping, but it was getting darn hard with nothing to show.

When Agent Johnson wrapped up the call with more assurances that the FBI would find Maddy soon, Jengo turned his attention back to the TV.

. . . report that personal items belonging to Katrina Robins were found early this morning by a local hunter at the old Bartlett Apple Orchard. Her parents first reported her missing when—

Mrs. Allbright snapped off the TV and pressed her lips together in a white line. That’s not something you two need to be reminded of, she said, jerking her chin at the TV as if it has an offensive smell. The FBI keeps us informed of anything we need to know. Her voice wobbled as she wiped her eyes with the corner of a near-by hand towel.

Laura was taller than her mom and had matured a great deal since the kidnapping of their younger sister. She wrapped her arms around her mother in a secure hug, I’m not a child, Mom. I’m a senior in high school and I hardly need the TV as a reminder. Maddy fills my thoughts, and I am sure she fills Jengo’s as well.

Mrs. Allbright glanced at the TV, which was perched on top of the refrigerator like a giant bird of prey. "But Jengo’s only twelve. He’s only starting the sixth grade. He doesn’t need to hear about another kidnapping." She shut her eyes and took a deep ragged breath.

Jengo played along as if he had just returned with the hot dogs. Hear what, Mom? He slid the platter on the table and when one of the dogs jumped the edge of the dish, he picked up the escapee and returned it with his fingers. Oh, yes, he’d heard the announcer and of course he was interested in the news. Where’s the new mustard? he asked glancing sideways at his older sister and mom while he realigned the hot dogs on the dish. It baffled him that they thought he shouldn’t listen . . . especially to kidnapping news.

In the cupboard. His mom walked around the kitchen island and with a semblance of normalcy, put out plates and said, It’s nice we’re sitting down for our picnic, Laura. You’ve been so busy with preparation for your senior year that we hardly get to see you anymore.

Found it. Jengo shouted, returning from the cupboard, but he stopped when he saw his Mom setting the table for four. Setting the mustard down, he said, Uh, Mom . . .

She lowered the silverware to the table and stared at the plates. Shaking her head she lifted one and hugged it to her chest. Trying to hide her welling tears, she turned away and Jengo tentatively put his hand on her arm, I miss her too, Mom.

Toward the end of dinner, the phone rang and Laura rushed to answer it. Mom, the Fergusons want me to babysit tonight, okay?

Her mother nodded, "But not too late, Laura. Summer is over and it’s a school night. Oh, and ask Mr. Ferguson