The Haunted Lighthouse: A Four Cousins Mystery

By Margaret Krivchenia

Sanibel Island, Florida, is known for its gorgeous sunrises and sunsets, beautiful shelling beaches, and swaying palms right on the Gulf of Mexico. It is a place of peace, relaxation, and fun for families. The four cousins, Kate, Emma, Harrison, and Parker, are traveling there with their parents for a wonderful family vacation. They are all so excited to be together for two whole weeks! Little do they know the danger and mystery that awaits them there as they discover the mysterious past of this tranquil island. For Sanibel Island in the 1800's was a haven for pirates who stored their treasures, their gold doubloons in hidden places on Sanibel, Captiva, and the surrounding islands of the West Coast of Florida. Legendary pirates with names such as Black Caesar and Gaspar sailed these waters and came ashore to plunder and kidnap helpless victims for ransom. Captiva Island gets its name from the captives who were held there by the notorious figures, Black Caesar and Gaspar. The four cousins will come face-to-face with a gang of modern-day pirates seeking treasure and untold wealth. Their target is the Sanibel Lighthouse where stories of hidden gold in its walls beckon to them. Once again, Kate, Emma, Harrison, and Parker will have another mystery to solve. Who are the black-clad figures with flashlights and lanterns in the middle of the night? What are they doing? The four cousins will face harrowing adventures in the midst of an angry sea, kidnapping, and escapes. They will make a new friend in Mack, the elderly keeper of the Sanibel Lighthouse who will help save them. Once again, they will learn the importance of love, forgiveness, and helping others who have lost their way. Come join the cousins in their quest to solve the puzzle of The Haunted Lighthouse!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: May 27, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098016135

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The Haunted Lighthouse

A Four Cousins Mystery

Margaret Krivchenia

Copyright © 2019 by Margaret Krivchenia

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Anticipation!

Together Again!

Perfection!

Mack

Premonition!

Lights in the Night!

Pirates!

The Confession

The Haunted Lighthouse

The Figures Clad in Black

Charlie

The Other Tourists

Shipwreck Island

The Gathering Storm

Captives!

Recognition!

The Rescue!

The Aftermath

To God, who has showered me with more blessings than I could ever count, including my dear grandchildren who glow with imagination, fun, and wonder. They are the song that makes my heart sing! May God bless them always!

Prologue

Sanibel and Captiva Islands are beautiful paradises on Florida’s Gulf Coast. They are the perfect getaway for families and anyone looking for breathtaking sunsets, miles of sandy, seashell-covered beaches, sailing, swimming, and a myriad of other relaxing activities that bring fun, peace, and rest from the hectic reality of daily lives.

However, Florida has a very mysterious and adventurous past. The state is reported to have more sunken treasures than anywhere else in the world. There are legends and tales of pirates, buried gold and jewels, and shipwrecks. Sanibel and the surrounding barrier islands that run east to west have been nicknamed the Buccaneer Coast. It has been said that Sanibel’s pirate stories are richer than the island’s crystal sand. Sanibel and Captiva were the perfect haven for dangerous pirates, such as Henri Caesar, called the Black Caesar, and Jose Gaspar, better known as Gasparilla, in the early to mid-1800s. They raided and pillaged trade ships, acquiring, as historians write, millions of dollars of treasure reportedly stashed on Pine Island near Sanibel and Captiva.

What happened to all the treasure? Almost $300,000 in gold coins was recovered in Spanish Homestead. Artifacts and skeletons have been discovered on Pine Island. Today, legends persist that traces of pirate treasure still remain along Florida’s shoreline and coastal waters. So the question is, are modern-day pirates still searching for any buried gold, jewels, ancient Calusa Indian archeological artifacts? If so, they will want to steal anything that can enrich their lives. The adventurous past has not disappeared but is exploding into the present day.

To ensure safety and protection, the early settlers of Sanibel Island petitioned the state to build a lighthouse on their island in 1833, but no action was taken. In 1856, the Lighthouse board recommended a lighthouse on Sanibel Island. Then, in 1877, land on the eastern end of the island was reserved for a lighthouse and, finally, funds were given by Congress for the lighthouse in 1883.

The Sanibel Light, or Lighthouse, was constructed of iron to withstand high winds and hurricanes, and the light, ninety-eight feet above sea level, finally shone from its one-hundred-foot tower in August 20, 1884.

In the past, you could reach the top of the lighthouse by climbing 127 steps up a winding staircase. From 1884–1949, the lighthouse was operated by lighthouse keepers. However, after 1949, the Lighthouse was automated and a keeper became unnecessary.

Today, the Sanibel Lighthouse is listed on the US National Registry of Historic Places. Visitors may visit the outside and grounds around the lighthouse, but the interior is closed to the public. The tower is still operational under US Coast Guard Control and is owned by the City of Sanibel.

Could any pirate treasure have been concealed beneath the Sanibel Lighthouse or washed ashore and buried under mounds of sand? Could a treasure be waiting to be found?

The following pages of The Haunted Lighthouse will tell a story of adventure, mystery, kidnapping, greed, and explore just such a possibility.

So let us begin!

Chapter 1

Anticipation!

Emma woke with a start. Her blue eyes sparkled with excitement as she jumped out of bed and looked out her window at the dock below. She could see her dad getting their new boat ready and tying the gray cover securely in place. The sun shone on the calm waters of the bay, creating shimmering diamonds around a mother duck and her ducklings as she paddled to shore. It was an idyllic morning scene in late April, and Emma knew that in a few hours they would be heading south to the beautiful islands of Sanibel and Captiva for a two-week vacation with their cousins, Harrison and Parker. She could hardly wait to begin their journey, and she wondered if her sister Kate was awake yet. They had stayed up late last night, making sure that they had packed all of the necessary swimming equipment, including snorkels, masks, and fins. The waters around Sanibel, where they were staying, were crystal clear and teeming with all kinds of colorful fish, stingrays, and a myriad of shells, small and large. Since the four cousins were excellent swimmers, Emma looked forward to many days exploring the lagoons and coves of the islands, not to mention collecting unusual shells! She decided to go and call her sister and see what she was up to.

Kate! Get up! Are you awake? Emma called, loud enough for the next-door neighbors to hear in her excitement.

The door to Kate’s room flew open and Kate stood there fully dressed, with her rolling suitcase at her side. Looking beyond Kate, into the room, Emma could see that Kate had already made her bed and was way ahead of her in travel preparations.

Does it look like I’m sleeping? Kate asked Emma sarcastically.

Well, I didn’t hear you and I’m just so excited to be starting out on another thrilling adventure! Emma exclaimed.

"How do you know it will be a thrilling adventure?" Kate asked, as she raised her eyebrows quizzically.

I just have a feeling that something will happen on Sanibel! Something that we don’t expect! Emma told her sister.

I had a dream last night. I don’t remember all of it, but there were some scary parts and they were happening on Sanibel! Emma shuddered when she told Kate about her dream.

"You have way too vivid an imagination. You’re always imagining things that aren’t there. Sanibel and Captiva are two of the most peaceful islands I have ever been to. By ten o’clock, the stores are closed, the ice cream parlors are shut down, and most people are in bed for the night.