Mystery at London Ledge Lighthouse: A Haunting Encounter

By Mary Martsching

Heath faces unfamiliar concepts while trying to solve the mystery of a haunted lighthouse near Connecticut. While researching the lighthouse's history, he and his friends discover some fascinating information about its past.

Learn the other clues that tug at Heath's prior beliefs until he is finally confronted face-to-face with the truth!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490857428

Mary Martsching

As a published author, former teacher, and reading specialist, Mary recognizes that people read books with characters that have similar interests, experiences, and problems to their own. She writes with lighthouse settings, based on her personal research, visits, and collections. Martsching lives in Mount Ayr, Iowa, with her husband and pets.

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Copyright © 2014 Mary Martsching.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™ All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)

Author Credits: D’Entremont, Jeremy. The Lighthouses of Connecticut, 2005. Lighthouse Treasury Series Commonwealth Editions. D’Entremont, Jeremy. The Lighthouse Handbook: New England, 2008. Cider Mill Press Book Publishers LLC. D’Entremont, Jeremy. America’s Atlantic Coast Lighthouses A Traveler’s Guide, 2005. Lighthouse Digest. Claflin, James. Images of America Lighthouses and Life Saving Along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast, 2004. Arcadia Publishing.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

1663 Liberty Drive

Bloomington, IN 47403

www.westbowpress.com

1 [phone]

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5740-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5741-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-5742-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014918849

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/10/2014

CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 An Unexpected Call

Chapter 2 On Their Way

Chapter 3 Meeting the Norris Family

Chapter 4 Friend or Foe

Chapter 5 Research

Chapter 6 Face-to-Face

Chapter 7 Surprise at the Museum

Chapter 8 More Research

Chapter 9 Close Encounters

Chapter 10 Night Visitor

Chapter 11 New Clues Revealed

Chapter 12 Updates

Chapter 13 Unexpected News

Chapter 14 The Plan

Chapter 15 Exploring Area History

Chapter 16 A Storm

Chapter 17 Executing the Plan

Chapter 18 All Is Well That Ends Well

Afterword

Helpful Resources/Further Reading

Reader’s Guide

To Mona Dwight, my mother, who encouraged me to continue with my love for reading and writing.

For all those readers of my first book who encouraged me to continue writing more books of lighthouse stories about Heath.

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put in under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

—Matthew 5:14-16 NIV

INTRODUCTION

T his is my second book in my Lighthouse Series Books. Each book takes place at a different lighthouse. Heath, the protagonist (main character), is in every book, but new characters appear in each book in the series. This lighthouse is real, but the characters are fictitious. This is my first mystery in the book series, and I hope you enjoy it, and the others I write. Thank you for purchasing and reading this book.

CHAPTER 1

AN UNEXPECTED CALL

I ’ll get it, Grandpa, said Heath, racing toward the house. Quickly climbing the steps, he reached inside the door to their lighthouse home and grabbed the cordless phone.

Hello. This is Heath. A vaguely familiar voice greeted him at the other end of the phone.

Aunt Alyson? How are you?

His estranged aunt, Alyson Kemp, told Heath she was fine, but her voice sounded strained. Was that because I rarely heard from her, or was there something else?

Sure. Let me get him. Heath carried the phone outdoors where Grandpa Owen was painting the foghorn building next to the lighthouse.

It’s Aunt Alyson. She wants to talk to you, said Heath, taking the paintbrush from Grandpa. After wrapping a clean rag around the handle, Grandpa took the phone.

This is Owen. How are you, Alyson? Long time since we’ve heard from you.

As Grandpa talked to Alyson, Heath noticed his body language change from being excited to looking tense and serious. He stopped several times, and then continued to pace back and forth between the porch and where Heath continued painting. Heath studied Grandpa’s face, and knew something was wrong. He listened intently as Grandpa spoke softly to his aunt.

After half an hour, Grandpa said, We’ll talk it over, and I’ll get back to you tonight. Alyson, things will be all right. Thanks for calling. Give my love to Cade, and you take care. Bye now.

Grandpa laid the phone on a bench near-by, and turned to face Heath. He looked concerned.

Your aunt needs our help. We need to make plans to visit them in Connecticut. I assured her we’d come and check things out. Besides, we’re long overdue for a vacation. You just turned fifteen, so we can call it a birthday gift. Okay?

Heath and Grandpa Owen knew people on the island that would gladly work at the lighthouse for them in their absence. School just ended yesterday, so this was perfect timing for a trip.

Heath studied his grandfather for a minute before speaking.

What’s going on, Gramps? We haven’t heard from Aunt Alyson for two years, and she calls out of the blue? Why?

Your aunt called for my advice. She’s worried about Cade. She started crying, and at first, I couldn’t understand what she was saying.

Grandpa Owen looked worriedly at Heath, who watched him closely.

"I just waited till she gained control of herself. Alyson explained how Cade befriended someone whose parents keep a lighthouse. Strange things happened this past year in the lighthouse, and recently the father was injured badly. Cade offered to help by working there part-time, since his friend’s father was on bed rest for a while. Two separate times, Cade encountered activities that he thought strange, but he told no one until last week.

"Apparently, Cade stood duty all night last Friday. He was drowsy and dozed off around 1:00 a.m. He awakened suddenly at the sound of footsteps on the stairway to the watch room. Thinking it was his friend, Hayden, he walked over to greet him at the top of the steps. When he looked down, no one was there, yet the sound of footsteps continued upward. When the sound was at the top next to him, Cade said he suddenly felt extreme coldness. The sound of footsteps stopped, and Cade said he had the strangest feeling someone was staring at him - sizing him up. Alyson said it scared Cade to death.

Within minutes of that awkward standoff, Hayden opened the door below and started up the staircase. Noticing Cade standing at the top, he called up at him. Once he arrived at the top, Hayden asked Cade what was wrong. He told Cade his face was white as snow! Cade told him what just happened, and he found out that strange things like that happened to Hayden, too. That’s why Hayden came to check on Cade so early in the morning. Alyson told him he can’t go there anymore, but Cade insisted he had to help his friend’s family. She asked me what she should do. She’s afraid for his safety.

Heath stood there in disbelief.

Are you saying there are ghosts in that lighthouse? Do you believe in such things, Grandpa? I mean, come on. That’s ridiculous!

I’m not saying I believe in ghosts, Heath, but Alyson said Cade was pretty shaken. Though he didn’t think ghosts existed before, he does now.

Heath rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"I hardly know Cade, but he doesn’t seem to be that naïve. This