Bailey and the Santa Fe Secret by Linda McQuinn Carlblom Read Free Book Online

“Paco the Dorko? That’s pretty funny. Not nice, but funny.”
    “Well he’s not too nice. I can see why he gets Elan mad.”
    “Just let it go,” Elizabeth advised. “They’re gone now anyway.”
    Bailey nodded. “While we’re here, we should study that ancient pot again,” she said. “I keep thinking after our hike yesterday that maybe some of the landscape on the pot will look familiar.”
    The girls went to the shelf in the hall to look again.
    “I know what you mean.” Elizabeth leaned so close to the pot her nose almost touched it. “But there were way more trees and dry, scrubby bushes where we hiked than there are on this pot. It can’t possibly be the same area.”
    “But the place on the pot has to be close,” Bailey said. “This is where the Tses’ ancestors are from. They didn’t move that far away when the drought hit. They only moved closer into town.”
    “It just looks so different.”
    “I wonder if Kate found anything else out about the pot since she printed the pictures we sent.” Bailey scratched her head.
    “I hope so, or I’m afraid we may have run into a dead end.” Elizabeth turned when she heard the bell on the front door ring. “Sounds like Halona’s got customers.”
    Bailey looked at the pot on the shelf once more, twisting her neck to see as far around the side of it as she could. “It’s no use. I can’t see enough of it without picking it up.”
    “Bailey?” Halona called. “Could you girls please come and wrap these purchases while I ring them up?”
    “Sure thing,” Bailey answered.
    Bailey and Elizabeth joined Halona behind the counter and pulled out a stack of white paper squares from underneath.
    “Pastor John, I’d like you to meet my cousin’s daughter, Bailey, from Illinois. And this is Elizabeth, Bailey’s friend from Texas. Girls, this is John Whitcomb, pastor of the church down the street.”
    Bailey shook the pastor’s hand. “Nice to meet you, sir. This is a beautiful vase you’re buying.”
    “You can call me Pastor John. The vase is a birthday present for my wife, Lelana.” Pastor John smiled broadly, but then put his finger to his lips. “So no telling if she comes in here.”
    “Our lips are sealed.” Bailey giggled.
    Halona bagged the wrapped vase. “Here you go,” she said as she handed the bag to Pastor John.
    “Thanks, Halona.” Then to the girls, “If you’re still in town on Sunday, come on over to the church and visit us. Bible classes are at 9:30, and services start at 10:30.”
    Bailey’s shoulders sagged. “I wish we could come, but we leave on Thursday.”
    “Well, next time you visit then.” Pastor John smiled pleasantly. “It was nice meeting you.”
    Bailey’s phone vibrated as she waved good-bye. She pulled it from her pocket. “Hello?” Bailey strolled to the back of the store, her phone pressed to her ear. “Hi, Kate!”
    Elizabeth followed Bailey to the studio where they’d taken their first pottery lesson.
    “Okay, we’ll hang on.” Bailey whispered to Elizabeth, “She’s going to conference all the girls in, so get ready to answer your phone.”
    Elizabeth pulled her phone from her jeans pocket and it rang in her hand seconds later. “Yes, I’m here. Can you hear us?”
    “I think we’ve got everyone,” Kate said. “Bailey?”
    “Check.”
    “Alex?”
    “Check.”
    “Sydney?”
    “Check.”
    “McKenzie?”
    “I’m here.”
    “Elizabeth?”
    “I’m here, too.”
    “Good,” Kate said. “What’s going on with you guys? Anything new?”
    Bailey sighed. “‘Fraid not. We went on a hike yesterday with Elan to the Puye Cliff dwellings. We thought some of the area might resemble the scenery on the ancient pot, but nothing looked familiar.”
    “We’re starting to feel this may be one mystery we aren’t going to be able to solve,” Elizabeth said.
    “Don’t give up yet!” Kate said. “I have good news and bad news. Which do you want first?”
    “The bad news,”