‘The Haunted Book’

“Twenty push-ups, let’s go!” Coach Potter shouted.

My arms already felt like I’d been lifting trucks, but when Coach tells you to push up, you push up. He’s a nice guy, but he looks like the Terminator. All of us were groaning by the time we reached 20 and collapsed on the mats. “Fragadellic job, fellas!” Coach told us. None of us knew what fragadellic meant, but he said it whenever he was pleased, and we weren’t going to argue.

I had barely enough strength to change back into my school clothes. I was still in the locker room when Taylor Goren came up. “Scotty,” he said, “my mom needs your help.”

Everyone in town knew that I was going to be a detective someday, even Mrs. Goren, who ran the town’s book store.

“Something weird’s going on at the store,” he went on. “Mom got this new book called ‘Full Moonlight,’ it’s one of those dorky romance novels with teenaged werewolves.”

“What’s the problem? Are readers getting sick?”

“No, the copies keep moving around the store on their own! Mom’ll put them back on the shelf where they belong and by the next day, they’ve either moved up front or they’re in the window. And it keeps happening, like they’re haunted!”

“Hmmmm. I’ll drop by after school and investigate.”

When I got there, Mrs. Goren was waiting for me. “Taylor called and said you’d stop by,” she said. “This is all so silly, Scotty, but it’s driving me crazy!”

A copy of “Full Moonlight” was on the sales counter. It was written by someone named Al Farero, which for some reason rang a bell. I opened it up and the first thing I saw was the author’s dedication. Then it hit me. “I don’t believe it!” I said, laughing. I had only one question for Mrs. Goren, which she answered by saying: “Yes, I’ve seen him here several times. Why?”

All of the clues, including the author’s name, pointed to one solution, but it was a wild one! “Don’t worry, Mrs. Goren. This isn’t magic, it’s marketing!” I ran back to the school, knowing that the teachers would still be there, and went straight to Coach Potter’s office.

“Coach Potter, I need to talk to you about ‘Full Moonlight’,” I said. “It’s a new book, and copies of it seem to be moving around on their own down at the bookstore.”

“So?”

“So Mrs. Goren’s kinda spooked, but I think I know what’s happening. You’re going in and moving them when no one’s looking.”

He turned pale. “Why on earth would I do that?”

“So the copies are easier to see for the customers. See, the author’s name on the cover is ‘Al Farero’ but I think you really wrote the book.”

“Me?”

“I’m taking Spanish this year, so I know the Spanish word for ‘potter’ is ‘alfarero’.”

“Coincidence.”

“Maybe, but there’s also the dedication: ‘To my fragadellic parents, Tod and Jo.’ ‘Fragadellic’ is your word, Coach. And Mrs. Goren says you’ve been in the store a lot, so it all adds up.”

He held up his hands. “OK, fine, I wrote ‘Full Moonlight.’ I’ve written several books.”

“Then why not admit it?”

“Cause I’m a big, macho sports guy! What would people think if they found out I write romance novels?”

“I think they’d find it pretty cool that you’re an author. I know I do.”

Coach Potter must have believed me, because a couple weeks later he signed copies at Mrs. Goren’s bookstore...and they sold out!

I got one. Don’t laugh...it was pretty good!

Special thanks to Brendan Mallory for his illustration.

To learn more about Michael Mallory visit https://www.michaelmallory.com.