anything that would help us figure out who Simon was. The records went back as far as 1872 when the mountain closed as a gold mining area. Surprisingly, the town had survived the mining shutdown. As the town slowly grew, the townspeople found work at local businesses or commuted. That was how Castleborough had managed to persevere until today.
Lifting my head, I whispered, “Logan, when was this town founded? I mean, when did it hit the map and when did people start arriving in these parts?”
“I’m not sure. That should be posted in the history of Castleborough.” He flipped through some data on the computer next to the microfiche machine. “It says here, 1872.”
“That’s what I read, too. But it doesn’t make sense.”
“Why not?”
“The town next door was founded in 1794 when settlers arrived to mine the gold of Mount Cape.” I glanced at him. “It says there were hundreds of settlers who came for the gold rush that Mount Cape promised. So many people that they overflowed into the nearby town. The first man in this town who found gold at Mount Cape was Mitch Castleborough. He claimed the town, and a year later, it was named after him.”
Logan flashed me a look that suggested he’d reached the same conclusion as me. “Which means the town has been around since 1794.”
“Exactly.”
He shook his head. “Hmm. But why isn’t there anything about Castleborough on the Internet or microfiche?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we need to go to the next town over to find what we’re looking for.”
“Then we better get going now. It says here that the town name is Winslow, and its residents are not very welcoming.”
“Yeah. They’re picky about who they let into their town.” Logan stood and grabbed his jacket just as Edith, his grandmother, walked up behind him.
“Logan,” she said in her shaky voice. “What are you two doing here?” She glanced from us to the computers.
“We’re doing a research paper over winter break, Grams. It’s about Castleborough.”
“That’s right, ma’am,” I added.
“Oh? Well, I’ve lived here my entire life. What would you two like to know?”
“We were wondering—”
“Logan,” I interrupted, standing. “I just remembered my aunt wants me to come home. Would you drive me? Please. Now.” I shifted my uncomfortable gaze to Edith. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but if I don’t leave now, my aunt and uncle will be furious.”
Edith nodded with a smile. “No harm, child.” She glanced from me to Logan and ran her hand down his arm. “Drive her home and keep her safe. We wouldn’t want anything happening to a visitor in our town.” She walked back to her place at the information desk.
Logan leaned toward me. “What was that about?”
“Come on, let’s go.” I grabbed my jacket and headed for the library door with Logan close behind. When we stepped outside, I turned to him. “Remember how Ty said I was clairvoyant?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I got an ill feeling in my stomach when you wanted to talk to your grandma about our research. I’ve no idea why. It’s probably because I’m starving since we haven’t eaten anything yet, but for right now, let’s just keep this between us. Okay?”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
“Your family has been through a lot and if they knew we were trying to investigate your sister’s death, it might reopen barely closed wounds.”
“That’s true. Let’s go to Winslow. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back home. We still have the rocks to read.” In a surprise move, he drew closer and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in close for a warm embrace.
I hugged him back as our hearts seemed to beat in rhythm, equally desperate, equally afraid, but equally hopeful. Pulling back, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on my cold lips, immediately warming them. I closed my eyes and relaxed my tense muscles. We’d exchanged many words about a scary world we didn’t understand. And right now, we
Lifting my head, I whispered, “Logan, when was this town founded? I mean, when did it hit the map and when did people start arriving in these parts?”
“I’m not sure. That should be posted in the history of Castleborough.” He flipped through some data on the computer next to the microfiche machine. “It says here, 1872.”
“That’s what I read, too. But it doesn’t make sense.”
“Why not?”
“The town next door was founded in 1794 when settlers arrived to mine the gold of Mount Cape.” I glanced at him. “It says there were hundreds of settlers who came for the gold rush that Mount Cape promised. So many people that they overflowed into the nearby town. The first man in this town who found gold at Mount Cape was Mitch Castleborough. He claimed the town, and a year later, it was named after him.”
Logan flashed me a look that suggested he’d reached the same conclusion as me. “Which means the town has been around since 1794.”
“Exactly.”
He shook his head. “Hmm. But why isn’t there anything about Castleborough on the Internet or microfiche?”
“I don’t know. Maybe we need to go to the next town over to find what we’re looking for.”
“Then we better get going now. It says here that the town name is Winslow, and its residents are not very welcoming.”
“Yeah. They’re picky about who they let into their town.” Logan stood and grabbed his jacket just as Edith, his grandmother, walked up behind him.
“Logan,” she said in her shaky voice. “What are you two doing here?” She glanced from us to the computers.
“We’re doing a research paper over winter break, Grams. It’s about Castleborough.”
“That’s right, ma’am,” I added.
“Oh? Well, I’ve lived here my entire life. What would you two like to know?”
“We were wondering—”
“Logan,” I interrupted, standing. “I just remembered my aunt wants me to come home. Would you drive me? Please. Now.” I shifted my uncomfortable gaze to Edith. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but if I don’t leave now, my aunt and uncle will be furious.”
Edith nodded with a smile. “No harm, child.” She glanced from me to Logan and ran her hand down his arm. “Drive her home and keep her safe. We wouldn’t want anything happening to a visitor in our town.” She walked back to her place at the information desk.
Logan leaned toward me. “What was that about?”
“Come on, let’s go.” I grabbed my jacket and headed for the library door with Logan close behind. When we stepped outside, I turned to him. “Remember how Ty said I was clairvoyant?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I got an ill feeling in my stomach when you wanted to talk to your grandma about our research. I’ve no idea why. It’s probably because I’m starving since we haven’t eaten anything yet, but for right now, let’s just keep this between us. Okay?”
“Okay, that’s fine.”
“Your family has been through a lot and if they knew we were trying to investigate your sister’s death, it might reopen barely closed wounds.”
“That’s true. Let’s go to Winslow. The sooner we leave, the sooner we can get back home. We still have the rocks to read.” In a surprise move, he drew closer and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in close for a warm embrace.
I hugged him back as our hearts seemed to beat in rhythm, equally desperate, equally afraid, but equally hopeful. Pulling back, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on my cold lips, immediately warming them. I closed my eyes and relaxed my tense muscles. We’d exchanged many words about a scary world we didn’t understand. And right now, we
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