Dead Eye Museum. The structure was a small white house with a short front porch and a black metal Texas historical plaque out front. The door squeaked as we entered, and the smell of musty carpet hit my nose. The inside of the home had been gutted to provide for the many exhibits of movie posters that hung on the wall. In the corner, a life-sized statue of Charlie Loper stood looking at us. The skin of the mannequin was unnaturally pale, and his Stetson was tilted just slightly to the side of his vanilla face. He wore a white shirt with blue stars and rhinestone-filled fringe. Around his neck he sported a red bandanna.
“Cool,” Zach said.
The mannequin was holding on to the reins of a full-sized tan horse, whose eyes also seemed to follow us. It was saddled up with Charlie Loper’s black floral parade saddle with glittering diamond and half-diamond shapes embedded throughout. For a cowboy, the guy was all about bling.
“Can I help you?” A woman came out from the back room wearing blue jeans, a red western shirt and white nametag that said “Lavonne.” Her long grey hair was in a braid that ran down her back.
“Um, we were just down at Dr. Springer’s office and stopped in to take a look around.”
The woman smiled warmly. “Well, that’s mighty kind of you. I’m so sorry you’ve come at a bad time.”
“A bad time?”
“Yes, we’ve had the most terrible tragedy during the night.” She gestured over to a glass case in the opposite corner. Inside the case there was a raised platform covered in black velvet.
“You see, that is where I kept Charlie’s guns. Someone broke in and took them during the night. It’s the most amazing thing. All of the artifacts are precious, but the diamond saddle is worth tens of thousands of dollars.”
“Really?” Zach asked, running over to the case. Having seen his grandfather working a crime scene, he quickly took on his persona, with one hand on his hip and the other stroking his small chin.
“Hmm ... from what I can see, there was no forced entry. The glass has not been shattered.”
“That’s true,” the woman said. “The glass dome over the pistols comes right off. We try to dust around here at least once a day. They still glistened after all these years. Charlie had them specially made.”
“So whoever took the pistols just had to lift the dome and take them,” I said. “Have you called the police?”
“Oh yes, and the insurance company. It’s all so sad. We only have a few things left of Charlie’s, and now two more are missing.”
“Have you called his daughter, Libby?”
“Libby? I haven’t spoken to her in years, but not for lack of trying. She doesn’t choose to associate with our little museum. I’m just glad that British fella didn’t come over here and see all that we have.”
“Why would you feel that way?”
“Oh, just call it instinct, I guess. Once he found out the diamonds on the diamond saddle weren’t gemstones, he lost interest. Even with that being said, the way he died was just terrible.”
“Yes, I know. That’s part of the reason we’re here. It’s a very long story, but I ended up finding Mr. Grayson.”
“Oh, my. That must have been awful for you, dear.”
“Yes, it was pretty bad. You might have better luck trying to talk to Libby Loper now. I guess you could say she was being overmedicated.”
“Oh, and that foul man was taking advantage of her! No wonder Charlie’s ghost has returned. He never could tolerate a villain.”
Zach turned around, “Charlie Loper’s back? I thought he was dead.”
“He has only left us in body, dear. His spirit will always be with us.”
“What Lavonne means is Charlie Loper’s memory will always be with us,” I said. Lavonne winked and nodded her head in agreement.
“How did they get in?”
“Well, we’re not totally sure about that. Chief Wilson was over here, and he thinks they might have jimmied the lock?” She said it as if she wasn’t sure if she
“Cool,” Zach said.
The mannequin was holding on to the reins of a full-sized tan horse, whose eyes also seemed to follow us. It was saddled up with Charlie Loper’s black floral parade saddle with glittering diamond and half-diamond shapes embedded throughout. For a cowboy, the guy was all about bling.
“Can I help you?” A woman came out from the back room wearing blue jeans, a red western shirt and white nametag that said “Lavonne.” Her long grey hair was in a braid that ran down her back.
“Um, we were just down at Dr. Springer’s office and stopped in to take a look around.”
The woman smiled warmly. “Well, that’s mighty kind of you. I’m so sorry you’ve come at a bad time.”
“A bad time?”
“Yes, we’ve had the most terrible tragedy during the night.” She gestured over to a glass case in the opposite corner. Inside the case there was a raised platform covered in black velvet.
“You see, that is where I kept Charlie’s guns. Someone broke in and took them during the night. It’s the most amazing thing. All of the artifacts are precious, but the diamond saddle is worth tens of thousands of dollars.”
“Really?” Zach asked, running over to the case. Having seen his grandfather working a crime scene, he quickly took on his persona, with one hand on his hip and the other stroking his small chin.
“Hmm ... from what I can see, there was no forced entry. The glass has not been shattered.”
“That’s true,” the woman said. “The glass dome over the pistols comes right off. We try to dust around here at least once a day. They still glistened after all these years. Charlie had them specially made.”
“So whoever took the pistols just had to lift the dome and take them,” I said. “Have you called the police?”
“Oh yes, and the insurance company. It’s all so sad. We only have a few things left of Charlie’s, and now two more are missing.”
“Have you called his daughter, Libby?”
“Libby? I haven’t spoken to her in years, but not for lack of trying. She doesn’t choose to associate with our little museum. I’m just glad that British fella didn’t come over here and see all that we have.”
“Why would you feel that way?”
“Oh, just call it instinct, I guess. Once he found out the diamonds on the diamond saddle weren’t gemstones, he lost interest. Even with that being said, the way he died was just terrible.”
“Yes, I know. That’s part of the reason we’re here. It’s a very long story, but I ended up finding Mr. Grayson.”
“Oh, my. That must have been awful for you, dear.”
“Yes, it was pretty bad. You might have better luck trying to talk to Libby Loper now. I guess you could say she was being overmedicated.”
“Oh, and that foul man was taking advantage of her! No wonder Charlie’s ghost has returned. He never could tolerate a villain.”
Zach turned around, “Charlie Loper’s back? I thought he was dead.”
“He has only left us in body, dear. His spirit will always be with us.”
“What Lavonne means is Charlie Loper’s memory will always be with us,” I said. Lavonne winked and nodded her head in agreement.
“How did they get in?”
“Well, we’re not totally sure about that. Chief Wilson was over here, and he thinks they might have jimmied the lock?” She said it as if she wasn’t sure if she
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