Chapter 8 - July

About a week goes by, after the Mother Ruth case, bringing the summer into July.
There is an atmosphere of great anticipation for the upcoming 4th of July celebrations in town. Parades, musical shows and festivals are being planned, the date usually marking the start of the tourist season in Gulf Haven.

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Anna and Logan have been grounded for a couple of days for acting irresponsibly, after which they were free to come and go - although making it up to Gram and Mom has become something prominent in their mind. Logan mentioned to Gram he has visited two old ladies, Ethel and Eleanor Parker, at the Retirement Home. Gram remembers the sisters, and seemed pleased about that.

Cody has been keeping a low profile for a while, the close encounter with the ghost having rattled him quite deeply.

Alana got away with being imposed a "summer job" by her parents, as she clearly has too much time on her hands. She was quick to say that she had one arranged already, at the Library, helping with cataloguing in the new computer system. Her parents checked this was true, then relented.



Our story begins in the Library, where Alana is being trained by the younger librarian (that Alana now knows as Yvonne) in how to use the cataloguing software.

"Then you have to move the cursor arrow to the next fillable box on the screen. See? Remember, the most important is to type the titles and authors without spelling mistakes... and to press RETURN to send it in the system. No RETURN, no logging, don't forget."
Yvonne is repetitive in her teaching, but is quite kind and personable. Alana is glad she's not being instructed by Donna, the older librarian.

That sounds like a good move for Cody.

"Good work." she says, after Alana has got to the bottom of her assigned pile of books to log. She looks at her watch. "You can take a break, come back in half an hour."

Alana takes the opportunity to get out in the sun. She pushes the Library double glass doors and breathes in the summer air. There are kids racing on bikes, and people going in and out of the Library from the car park.

A voice surprises her.

"Howdy young lady," says a man in a summer suit and hat, in a friendly tone. "You wouldn't be by any chance one... Alana Patterson, the... Monster Hunter?" he puts a respectful emphasis on the phrase. He has an open, friendly face, and an ease of manners that make you feel comfortable.