Chapter 16 - X marks the Spot

After grabbing something to eat, the Hunters leave Eddard's shop to get on with their plan.
As they exit the shop, a group of birds - this time pigeons - scatter from the area in front of the shop door, flying away.

It is four o'clock.

---

Logan gets to Sunny Haven and asks to visit Eleanor and Ethel Parker, the two elderly twins they befriended during the Mother Ruth case.
The staff are happy to admit him after sticking a label with his name on him, and point at the Back Courtyard, where the twins are sitting in the shade of their favourite tree.

The sisters spot him approaching.

"Oh, look who's here, Ethel. That young man who came to visit a while ago..."

The other sister, from her wheelchair, just eyes Logan and makes a grunting sound.






.

---

Meanwhile Johnny and Alana start their shift at Gulf Haven Public Library. Today Donna is manning the front desk.

"Oh good, you're here on time. I left a stack of books by the terminals for you to input," she says pointing her bony finger at the terminal desks.

They soon get busy entering details of books in the terminal system.

Al knows that Benny would get bored waiting outside the library for so long, so she sends him home and tells him to make sure that Ripper gets something to eat when they get there.

She sits down with Johnny at the computer. "Hey, how about you input all those books and I find us a map!"

Sure, I'll try and run cover for you if Ms. Donna comes by to check on us.. Johnny agreed. You just know she's gonna check on us so don't be too long.

Johnny took his seat in front of the terminal, not really feeling like sitting in front of the sickly green screen when there was a treasure to find and a mysterious adversary to outwit. A dark thought struck him, Alana...
You might want to call your house in a bit to make sure Benny made it home okay. I feel kinda bad he went by himself, even if Ripper is with him, he's just a kid and with Mr. Top Hat out there who knows...

Logan smiles as he approaches the sisters. Hello, it's me again. Since you helped us so much last time, I was wondering if you could help again. It's not about Mama Ruth, but something different.

As Johnny starts the dull work of entering book details in the system, Alana goes to the Reference section where they originally found the maps. She can easily find the maps in the Local Interest shelf.

---

Meanwhile, at Sunny Haven...

Ethel reacts at the mention of Ruth, and puts a shaking hand in front of her mouth, "Shhhhh... Told you not to say her name lightly, boy."

"What is it you wanted, dearie?"

"...and... have you brought us anything? Vodka, maybe?" she adds.

Well first thing I wanted to do was to thank you for your help..with you know who. Your information really helped us out. L9gan beams a legit smile as he talks to the sisters.

The reason I'm here today is I need you help again. This time I was wondering if you knew Ramon? He was a resident here and passed away a few days ago. I was wondering what you knew about him...what he did before coming here? Pretty much stuff like that. Logan pulls up a nearby chair to sit closer to the sisters. As he does so, Logan casually looks around and sees if and birds are around.

Looking up in the tree branches above them, Logan sees small sparrows looking down at them.
Across the path in the lawn, a larger black bird just landed.

"Here we go again..." she comments, rolling her eyes.

"Ramon? Oh. How strange, another boy asked about him, just the other day..."

"Yeah. The long haired one. Nosey."

"Oh, Ethel! Johnny is a sweetheart. Anyway... Ramon... He was such a lovely man, everyone loved him. Such a great loss." she sighs.
"Before coming here, Ramon sailed on ships, so he told. He had funny stories from distant places."

"Yeah. Just ask Johnny." she says dryly.

Do you know if he had any weird or interesting items that he wire or had in his room? I'm curious about him and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about him. Logan as he sits there with the sisters. Keeping his eye on the black bird, Logan looks out fir trouble.

"Interesting items he wore? I don't think so... Did he, Ethel?"

"He had tattoos. All sailors have 'em."

The black bird flies away at this. The sparrows in the branches descend lower.

Meanwhile in the Library Al has her pick of several town maps they could use. The one that Logan accidentally damaged is not in sight, though.
Most have stickers that say Do not remove from Gulf Haven Public Library premises.

Johnny continues entering books in the terminal. He starts tackling several books about Narnia, by a C. S. Lewis.

Al glances around to make sure that Donna isn't looking, then she quickly pockets the map she can find that folds up the smallest.

She pockets the map, unseen.

Johnny sees Alana coming back to the terminal desks with a strange, angelic look. She is obviously trying to act innocent.

"Are you done yet?", Al asks as she sits down next to Johnny.

Logan watches the birds and turns his attention back to the sisters. Really...tattoos? Do you know what kind?

Done? Johnny asks incredulously, This is my third day on a computer...of course I'm not done. The coast's been clear though so you don't have to worry about- he looked around for the elderly librarian before continuing - explaining where you were.

She casts an unimpressed glance at Logan, "...the written-on-your-skin kind."
"That's true... he did have tattoos, didn't he? But I never asked him about them... we should have, Ethel!" she says with a little guilt in her voice.

She shrugs. "Too late now. Oh well, I won't sleep ever again."

"I wonder if they show in some picture of his?..." she ponders, almost to herself.

"Got to. 'Cause he was in the newspaper every other day."

Logan looks at the sisters with a confused expression on his face. Why was he in the newspaper so much? Would there be pictures in his room or have they been moved?

Ethel rolls her eyes.

"Oh, don't mind Ethel, she's just joking. I don't know about his room, you should ask the nurses, dear."

Logan nods his head in understanding as he listens to Eleanor. Yes mam, I'll do that. Thank you for talking to me. Do either of you need anything before I go see the nurses?

"Vodka. Bring Vodka."

"Nothing, sweetheart, thanks for the visit, dear."