Summer at Eagle Mountain: Eagle Mountain Adventures, #3

By George Goldthwaite

An afternoon at the lake leads to the discovery of a submerged car under the murky water. Keenly curious about the rusting hulk of metal, the kids devise a recovery plan that almost costs Alex her life.

Once surfaced, the car becomes a key clue in a ten-year-old mystery, heating up the cold case as Josh, Alex, and Mickey once again tangle with Vinnie in their quest for answers, not realizing those answers could change their lives forever.

You might think that surviving a plane crash and tangling with organizing criminals would encourage the kids to lie low for a bit, but adventure is always on the menu when it is Summer at Eagle Mountain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Fawkes Press
• Release date: Jul 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781945419416

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

ALEX ALVAREZ TOSSED the padlock into her backpack and left the locker door hanging open. No more books, no more papers, no more homework. After nine long months, seventh grade was DONE!

She strode through the emptying hallway, stepped out into the sunshine, and took a deep breath. The scent of fresh cut grass filled her lungs and she exhaled. Summer at last!

Ahead, she spotted her best friend, Josh Schmidt, and trotted to catch up. So you got any plans? she asked, adjusting the scrunchy on her ponytail.

Yeah. Pick up my pesky little brother.

No, silly, for the summer.

Josh shrugged. We’re not going anywhere on vacation, if that’s what you mean. As they walked toward the elementary school, he said nothing more.

Why are you in such a funk? Alex asked. We’ve got the whole summer off.

I know. He let out a slow breath. But I wanted to go to science camp, do some experiments and stuff.

Yeah. And I wanted to go to sports camp. But we don’t always get what we want, you know. At least we’re out for a couple of months.

But I kind of like school ‘cause it keeps me busy. And not just the classes. The sports, friends, science labs—

She laughed. The lab you started a fire in, had three fire trucks show up?

For the first time the subject had come up in the almost six months since the accident, he grinned. Yeah. Boy, was I scared.

But it worked out. Summer’ll be fun. You’ll see.

Yeah, we’ll see.

As they approached the elementary, Mickey, Josh’s little brother, came running up. He pushed up his glasses and pumped his fist. No more school! Let’s go to the lake, take the motorbikes and snorkel stuff.

Alex and Josh had recently been given a pair of dirt bikes after helping a team of archaeologists explore some ancient ruins. They kept them in the hangar at Mickey and Josh’s father’s flying business. The airport was near the lake and they could ride all around without crossing any roads.

That water’s gonna be cold, Josh said. What do you think, Al?

She grinned. It would really start the summer off with a splash.

Ha, ha, very funny. Josh looked away, then back. Okay, why not? Meet us at the hangar?

Soon as I get my gear. See you there.

A half hour later, she arrived at the hangar to be happily greeted by the boys’ golden retriever. She bent down and scratched behind his ear. Ready to go swimming, Moose?

He answered by closing his eyes, lifting his chin, and wagging his tail, obviously enjoying her attention.

Josh and Mickey’s dad helped push out the dirt bikes while his crusty mechanic, an elderly man they only knew as Gabby, worked on the engine of a small plane. Josh bungeed their swim fins, dive masks, and towels to the front racks of the motorbikes and buckled on his helmet.

Riding with me, Mic?

He shook his head. Al’s a better driver.

Yeah, right. Sure she is. Josh shoved the kick starter and the motor roared to life. Let’s go, Moose.

Alex led off with Mickey on the seat behind her. Josh followed and Moose ran along behind.

Mr. Schmidt smiled and waved. Have fun.

The mechanic never looked up from his work. All he did was twist wrenches and mumble to himself.

Before building the dam, the engineers had designed it to flood old gravel pits, leaving underwater ledges. Bass hovered around the steep drop-offs near shore and brought hopeful fishermen during the just-ended spring spawning season. It also meant lost lures stuck to the underwater rocks, and lucky skin divers could fill entire tackle boxes with them. Alex and the boys liked to see who could find the most awesome one.

They parked the dirt bikes at the bottom of a cliff beside the shoreline. Mickey jumped off, removed his glasses, and carefully wrapped them in a towel. He pulled on his mask and fins and splashed out through the shallow water. Moose ran up and down the shoreline, barking.

He’s all right, boy, Josh said. We’ll play a game of fetch with you later.

Mickey dove in and then stood up, shivering. Geez, that’s cold!

Told you, Josh said. Won’t be warm for another month.

But it’s okay, once you get used to it. Mickey dove under and came up right away, lifting something above the water’s surface. Hey, a fishing line. Dibs on the lure. Want to help?

Sure, why not? Alex tiptoed toward the water’s edge, the gravel grinding into her bare feet. She slipped on her mask and fins and waded out, splashing water on herself to get used to the cold. Lips quivering, she took the line from Mickey, pulled it hand over hand, and snorkeled to deeper water. A months-long drought had lowered the lake level, and she was able to follow it farther than usual before diving below the surface. Near the bottom, she noticed another line paralleling the first, and as she went deeper, found more and more going in the same direction.

Her lungs ached as if they would burst, so she pulled slack in the line and held onto it, kicking to the surface. Over here, she yelled. It’s like a lure magnet down there!

Josh jumped up and turned to Moose. Sit, boy. Stay. Only after the dog complied did he put on his mask and head for the water.

Alex waited while the brothers splashed over. Together, they all took deep breaths, kicked their fins, and headed toward the lake bottom. Darkness closed in and pressure squeezed her eardrums. Visibility wasn’t great, but the algae bloom of summer was still a couple of weeks off and she could make out objects from at least a few feet away. When they arrived at the rocks below, Josh and Mickey grabbed different lines and followed them beside Alex.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as she moved along the bottom. At last she came to the lure, stuck to something large and almost rectangular, but the edges were somewhat rounded. Whatever it was, it had been underwater for a long time as it was covered with brown slime. Pipes and indentations ran along the top, fishing lures stuck to smaller tubes and wires that seemed to run in every direction. Black cylindrical objects stood up near the corners. The sides of the main item were smooth, and brushing off the mossy growth, she found blue paint. Lungs once again aching, she kicked to the surface. The others followed, leaving the lures behind.

Mickey squinted in the bright sunlight and gulped in fresh air. What is that thing down there?

Josh pulled the snorkel from his mouth. Don’t know, but it’s a gold mine for fishing lures. We could fill boatloads with them.

Alex sucked in the fresh air. As soon as we catch our breath, let’s have another look.

They again dove into the depths and searched the object. Alex felt along the sides until she found glass windows in the darkness. And then it dawned on her. An automobile was resting on its roof at the bottom of the lake!

CHAPTER TWO

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THREE HEADS BOBBED to the surface. Mickey pulled the diving mask from his face. It’s a car, and it’s upside down!

Alex nodded. I know. Let’s get to shore and figure out what to do. She swam to the rocky beach and spread out a beach towel beside the bikes. Moose sat beside her as she motioned for the others to join them. She petted the dog’s head and asked, So, guys, what now?

Mickey hobbled across the gravel toward her. Maybe there’s a reward.

Yeah, or a dead body inside.

He froze and his eyes turned into saucers. A dead body? Geez, like that gives me the creeps.

A chill ran up Alex’s spine as she thought it over. Yeah, me too. But we’ve got to find out what’s inside.

Like open the door and swim in there? Josh frowned and shook his head. I don’t think so.

She didn’t want to either, but for some strange reason, she had to know what, or who, was inside. Someone could have driven off the cliff and escaped, an accident with no one hurt. But the doors were all closed, the windows still intact. So there could be a whole carload of dead people trapped inside. Or maybe some bank robber ditched the getaway car. Was it stolen, taken for a joy ride, and dumped in the lake to hide the evidence? Or was there a body in the trunk, proof of a murder?

Alex looked from one to the