The Will O Wisp: Amazing Gracie Mysteries, #8

By Fay Risner

Gracie Evans is going back to her Three Oaks farm again to farm sit for a month. After the problems she had the last time she farm sit, the Moser Mansion family is worried about her staying in the country alone. So this time she offers to take the Lang's daughter, Shana, with her. The girl needs to work off some excess energy now that school is out, and this will give Molly and Orie Lang a break from worrying about Shana wondering around town by herself. The last straw to their consenting to Shana's stay with Gracie was when Shana invited a hobo to Sunday dinner. Her parents fear Shana is going to wind up in serious trouble like some of Maude Brown's children. When Melinda worries about what might happen at the farm, Madeline talks Melinda into letting her do a tea leaf reading to see Gracie's future. According to Madeline's predictions, this visit to the farm isn't going to be any safer for Gracie than the last time. Someone with a level head needs to go along to keep her and Shana out of trouble. So Melinda invites herself along to watch out for Gracie and Shana. One evening on the farm, they are all nervous when they see lights flickering in Gracie's timber, headed for the Evan's family cemetery. In the dark, they hike to the cemetery and find a woman dressed in white, leaning down next to Gracie's baby brother's grave. She was patting the ground. Gracie yells at the woman, and she disappears into the darkness. A few days later, Gracie and Shana explore the woods for mushrooms. What they find is a small rectangular area of freshly dug dirt with wilting wild flowers planted on the spot. Off in the distance, the filmy, wispy figure of a small child flits into their sight and ducks behind the trees to disappear. Shana is scared and wants no part of being in the timber. She tells Gracie they saw the elusive spirit of a Will O Wisp haunting Gracie's timber.
 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Booksbyfay Publisher
• Release date: Mar 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781393008200

Fay Risner

Fay Risner lives with her husband on a central Iowa acreage along with their chickens, rabbits, goats and cats. A retired Certified Nurse Aide, she now divides her time between writing books, livestock chores, working in her flower beds, the garden and going fishing with her husband. In the winter, she makes quilts. Fay writes books in various genre and languages. Historical mystery series like Stringbean westerns and Amazing Gracie Mysteries, Nurse Hal's Amish series set in southern Iowa and books for Caregivers about Alzheimer's. She uses 12 font print in her books and 14 font print in her novellas to make them reader friendly. Now her books are in Large Print. Her books have a mid western Iowa and small town flavor. She pulls the readers into her stories, making it hard for them to put a book down until the reader sees how the story ends. Readers say the characters are fun to get to know and often humorous enough to cause the readers to laugh out loud. The books leave readers wanting a sequel or a series so they can read about the characters again. Enjoy Fay Risner's books and please leave a review to make others familiar with her work.

Book preview

The Will O Wisps

Amazing Gracie Mysteries

Book Eight

Author Fay Risner

Cover Art

Author Fay Risner

Booksby fay Publisher

Publisher, editor and author Fay Risner

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to the actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locals are entirely coincidental. Excerpts from this book cannot be used without written permission from the author.

Chapter One

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Once spring arrived in Locked Rock, Iowa, Shana Lang, Orie and Molly Lang's adopted Irish daughter, enjoyed her freedom, spending time with her friends outside after school.

One afternoon, Shana came home from school  through the mansion's back door. She plopped her homework on the library table and walked out on the front porch, letting the screen door slam behind her. When she flopped down on the rocker beside Gracie Evans, her flaming red pigtails  bounced.

Gracie, a resident at Moser Mansion Rest Home For Women, flinched at the loud noise. She lowered the Locked Rock Review newspaper and stared over her gold rim glasses at the girl. Do you mind, youngun? I'm trying to read the newspaper. Gracie gruffly admonished the girl and returned to reading the newspaper.

The child gave Gracie a woeful look. Sorry tis I. I'm in need a favor, Miss Gracie. Could you see your way clear to lend me a penny? I will repay you as soon as it comes up a rainstorm.

Gracie tucked a few stray hairs back over her left ear toward the gray braid wound around her head and  focused on the girl once more. Come again. Why do I have to wait for a storm to get my money back? Better yet, why do you need to borrow the money in the first place?

Well, tis like this. Mikie Brown says I should put the penny in the yard when it rains. When the lightning strikes it, the penny will be worth six cents, Shana told her earnestly.

That Brown boy is just like the rest of Maudie's younguns. He doesn't know nothing. I suppose he told you to stick that penny in his yard and go off and leave it, Gracie said. I guarantee that penny wouldn't stay put until the next rain storm if you did.

Mikie does know something. He's been around plenty, Shana defended huffily.

Not enough for me to waste my money on his say so. If you're so sure he's right, you ask Mr. Orie for the penny. See how far that gets you, Gracie advised.

Down faced, Shana leaned back in the rocker. If you say so, then so be it. I'll be sure to think about it.

That was just one time that Shana tried to use her Irish wiles on someone. Another instance was when Gracie and Melinda went for their daily walk. They passed Sam and Veder Jeffer's house. Shana sitting in the grass on the front lawn with Johnny Jeffer. The boy happened to be a couple of years younger than her.

As the women approached, they overheard Shana say, Johnny me boy, I'll trade you even up this tobacco sack full of licorice whip seed for that ball and jack set.

I don't know about that, Johnny said slowly. I just got this for Christmas, and I like my ball and jack set. Besides, isn't licorice whip a candy?

I'm after tellin' you a fact. Just think how many licorice whip sticks you will have once you plant the seed in this sack. It grows fast. To be sure, you can sell the extra sticks to others to make money, Shana said. That makes my sack of seed a great bargain.

Let me think on it some, Johnny said reluctantly.

Gracie stopped behind Shana. Little Missy, how about you walk back home with Melinda and me. I want to talk to you right now.

Be seeing you later, Johnny, after you have thought about the trade some more, Shana said as she joined Gracie and Melinda Applegate. The curly haired woman was another resident of Moser Mansion. Though she managed to remain a friend to the outspoken Gracie, Melinda was the total opposite with her quiet voice and genteel manners.

When they got out of earshot of Johnny, Gracie asked, Where did you get a cloth tobacco sack like that one? You take up smoking a pipe now?

The thought never entered me mind, said Shana, sounding offended. Mr. Bullock gave me the empty sack. He said he had plenty more.

Earl is a nice man, Melinda said.

He is and generous to a fault, but I doubt Shana told him what she intended to do with his empty sack, Gracie said, looking down her nose at Shana.

Melinda looked confused. I've never heard of licorice seed before. Let alone a variety of licorice whip candy that grows like a plant. Have you, Gracie?

Gracie shook her head. Melinda, listen to yourself. Licorice whip is a candy.

Of course, it is. She looked up at the sky. Lord, you ever seen such a fool? You're looking at one right now. I was taken in by this child I guess, Melinda said.

Seems as though this girl has that effect on most everyone these days. She's getting good at it. That don't mean you're stupid. You just have bad luck when it comes to thinking sometimes. Gracie turned her attention on Shana. Tell Melinda, is that really licorice seed in that bag, youngun?

Shana mulled her answer over for a moment.

If you're figuring on lying to us, I wouldn't advise it, Gracie said sternly.

Shana kicked at a clod of dirt in front of her. Nah, I'd never think of doin' that. Sure and it's really black pepper in the bag.

Where did you get that much black pepper? Gracie asked.

Out of the pepper shaker on the kitchen table, Shana said begrudgingly.

Melinda eyed the full cloth tobacco sack. Is there that much pepper in one little shaker?

Not really, Shana said slowly. I dumped the fancy dishes shaker in the china cupboard as well.

You stole all that pepper, Gracie accused. That ain't a bit honest.

Agnes can refill the pepper shakers, Shana excused with a shrug.

More to the point is the flimflam you tried to pull on that little boy to get his jack set. Poor Johnny. Melinda tisked as she shook her head disapprovingly at Shana.

Go on with ye. It is honest, if you make up a good story about what you're tradin' for, and it works, Shana declared.

Who gave you that bit of mistaken wisdom? Gracie asked as she returned a wave to Mrs. Boswick, sitting on her front porch. She wasn't about to act like this walk was any different than any other. Mrs. Boswick was nosy enough to follow them down the street to see if she could hear what was going on.

Mikie Brown, Shana said.

We should have guessed that, Gracie groused.

He says that is the way a deal works. He's traded that way plenty of times, Shana shared.

Un huh! Take it from me. That kind of trading ain't honest, Gracie said. You can't bend principles like honesty. There ain't no such thing as being a little dishonest. You hear me, girl?

Shana ducked her head contritely. Yes, ma'am.

Besides that, you have a jack and ball set. Why did you want that little boy's toy? Melinda asked.

Ah well, I figured to trade it for somethin' even better, Shana said, hoping they would see the ingenuity in her trading scheme.

Gracie put her hand on Shana's shoulder to stop her. First off, you take that pepper back to Agnes. Tell her what you did. See if she can put it back in the shakers. Explain your licorice idea to her and see what she thinks of it, Gracie ordered

She might get in a tizzy  at me, Shana worried.

No doubt, but that's your problem. You should have thought of that before you stole the pepper. Since you're the one that took the pepper without asking her, you have to take the consequences, Gracie declared.

Another afternoon on Main Street, Marshal Earl Bullock puffed on his pipe as he stood looking out his office window. In an alley between the Mercantile and the dress shop, a group of children were throwing spit wads at elderly people walking by. Their aim was pretty good. One of the children hit Mrs. Longstretch on the side of her head.  She keeping walking, very surprised as she rubbed the stinging spot.

Absent minded Mr. Cecil Jacks looked above him like he thought a bird tried to light on his head. High strung spinster, Miss Crossgrove squealed. She thought a yellow jacket wasp had stung her. Cranky Lincoln Highbook growled when he removed his fedora and saw a wad of gum stuck to the crown.

Marshal Bullock put his pipe on his desk and stepped outside. He yelled at the children to stop throwing things at people. They made faces at him and laughed. He marched across the street. That wiped the smiles off their faces as the children scattered.

Marshal Bullock was able to catch two of them, Mikie Brown and Shana Lang, by the back of their shirts. As he pushed them in front of him over to his office, they cried that they had just been having fun.

Earl Bullock locked the office door so they couldn't escape and sat behind his desk. He stared at the two children in front of him until they bowed their heads to stare at the floor. "By gum, the whole bunch of you are in trouble. I reckon you know that. I know every one of those younguns that took off. Believe me, they didn't get away for long.

I'm not sure who did what the last while. I've had  my fill of complaints from angry people the last few weeks and names to go along with them. I'm hear to tell you, just because the rest of the gang ran away doesn't mean they got away clean. I'm going to their homes and talk to their folks as soon as I get done with you two.

Is there one among you that is the ring leader of this bunch of roughnecks?"

Shana Lang and Mikie Brown looked at each other. The boy said, That would be me.

So what's your name? The marshal asked.

Mikie Brown, the boy mumbled.

I'm getting as tired of these pranks as everyone else is in Locked Rock. I want them to stop right now, Mikie Brown, Earl said.

I didn't do everything you're thinking about, Mikie complained.

Maybe not, but you have appointed yourself as the ringleader of this bunch. So next mischief I get told about, I'm hunting you up, Brown. I'm arresting you whether you had anything to do with what happened or not. You got that?

That ain't fair, Mikie mumbled.

Oh, it seems fair to me. The rest of that bunch of younguns listens to you. They will do what you tell them. So if you're in charge, I'll just save myself some time and arrest you. If you don't like that idea, then you keep the rest of the younguns in town from doing any more pranks. You got that?

Yeah, I got it, Mikie said, staring at his shoes.

"You spread the word I'm coming after the rest of the gang. It might go a little easier on them if they confess to their parents before I get there. Tell those younguns, I'm going to put them in jail from now on.

Brown, you can leave now. I'd advise you to go home, before I change my mind and lock you up. I'll be around to see your mother with  a list of pranks you're in trouble for. As Mikie and Shana started for the door, Earl got up and stood in front of the door to unlocked it. He said, You stay here, Shana. I want to talk to you some more. What I said to this boy goes for you, too."

Earl opened the door and let Mikie out.

Shana asked, What be ye wantin', Mr. Earl?

I'm walking home with you. We're going to talk to your folks right off. I know for sure they wouldn't like me keeping what you've been doing a secret from them, Earl said.

It's like that, eh? Shana had tears in her eyes.

It like that, Earl assured her. Just so you know, I hate doing this in the worst way, but it's for your own good.

Marshal Bullock marched Shana down the street to Moser Mansion fully aware that others in the gang were watching from behind curtains. He hoped to make an example of Shana to stop the nonsense. School was about to be dismissed for the summer. That would leave the younguns with more time on their hands to get in trouble.

Marshal Bullock took Shana into the parlor and waited for Melinda to round up Molly and Orie Lang, so he could explain to them what had been going on. He told them, I'm going to tell you folks straight out what's happened. I threatened to arrest every youngun in town if I saw any more shenanigans out of them. He winked at Orie. This once since Shana was involved, I'd be willing to leave her punishment up to you folks.

We appreciate that, Marshal, Orie said solemnly. We will see this girl gets an appropriate punishment.

After the marshal left, Shana said, What's it that you mean for me to do?

You will do the dishes for Agnes on Sundays for a month so she can go home to her family quicker. As soon as school is out, you will dry dishes through the week for all three meals, Orie said.

Sure and you don't mean this, Shana cried.

Papa Orie means it, and I'll be here to see that his orders get carried out, Molly assured her.

Sundays, after the weather warmed up, the Moser Mansion occupants saw no need for two buggies to transport them to church. They walked there and back as a group on the path through Maudie Brown's yard.

The last of her large brood of ragamuffin children, in worn handy me downs, hadn't grown up enough yet to leave home. They dangled their legs off the porch. As the neighbors filed past, the younguns stared at the procession of women, one man, one girl and two toddlers in their Sunday go to meeting clothes.

There wasn't anything new about Maudie's children watching church let out. They did it every Sunday as though it was some sort of show put on for their benefit. Though Gracie Evans didn't know the younger children by name, she recognized their faces as the neighborhood makers of mischief. She directed a glaring frown in their direction. Their faces scrunched up as they stuck pink tongues out at her.

The Moser group crossed the bridge over the small creek and walked through the opening gap in the bush hedge. Moser Mansion's back yard contained the carriage house, garden, gazebo and flower beds. The angel statue's pan was now filled with water. Malachi took the grain out he used for bird feed in the winter.

Light brown haired Molly and Orie Lang, dark haired with a farmer's tan, led the way to the back porch door. Molly carried Jenny Nora and Orie had Jessie Ned. When Molly entered the kitchen, she said to Agnes Barnes, the cook and housekeeper, Something sure smells good.

Thank you, Miss Molly. That would be the beef pot roast baking in the oven. Hope you find everything as tasty as it smells, Agnes replied, stirring a pot.

Well, ladies, before we sit down to eat, go freshen up, and we will meet back in the dining room, Molly said. Agnes, is Uncle Malachi back from church yet?

No, ma'am. He said he was going to Widower Mallard's house for lunch today after church, Agnes told her. He'll be home later this afternoon.

It didn't take long for everyone to use the water closet and get rid of their hats in their rooms. Preacher Whitestone's sermon was lengthy. They had worked up an appetite.

Gracie wasn't fond of eating in the fancy dining room, but she'd gotten used to it. The way she saw it, eating one meal out of the week wasn't so bad, sitting on the spindly chairs. Since the rest of