The Dead Season by Franklin W. Dixon Read Free Book Online

terrific flash of lightning that illuminated the boathouse was followed by a crack of thunder directly overhead. The boathouse looked eerie in the darkness.
    There was a pause in the storm after that, and in that brief moment Joe heard another noise that stopped him dead.
    "What is it?" cried Heather.
    "Gunshots," said Joe. "Inside the boathouse."

Chapter 8
    The Barbados Public Library was small and quiet. Frank introduced himself to the librarian, told her what he wanted, and soon found himself seated in a comfortable room surrounded by stacks of local newspapers dating back to the beginning of the twenties.
    The actual documents were safely hidden in Joe's suitcase, but he had jotted down notes. Wiley Reed's payments had been made to "EBJ" for a three-year period between 1925 and 1928.
    "EBJ" had also initialed the official documents they had found, so Frank reasoned that this "EBJ" was a government worker and his name might appear in news accounts from that era.
    The newspapers for the early years revealed nothing, but the stories they told were colorful, and Frank found it difficult to concentrate on what he had to do. Scanning an April 1925 edition, he came across the announcement of the marriage of Herbert and Madelaine Tyler. The account described a huge and lavish wedding. Frank concluded that these were Randolph Tyler's ancestors and that they were an important Barbados family as far back as the twenties.
    Randolph Tyler is a powerful man, Frank thought.
    There was nothing in the papers from 1925 that seemed important to Frank, but an account from an April 1926 edition caught his eye. It was the announcement that Wiley Reed and his young bride, Millicent, were building an estate called Runner's Harbor. The story described Wiley's many exploits at sea, and even in his own time, Wiley Reed was one of those rare people who was larger than life.
    Later that same year, 1926, Frank came across a small review of an exhibit of oil paintings by a young artist named Allistair Gaines. The reviewer was full of praise for the work and for the artist. The writer took great pains to describe the dashing painter and all the beautiful jewelry he wore.
    In 1927 there was the appointment of a new town governor, and the front page article was the information Frank had been hoping for. The new governor's name was Elmer Bradley Jamison - EBJ.
    Frank was all but certain that Brady Jamison, Randolph Tyler's young assistant, was related to EBJ, but what did that mean? Would Brady Jamison have any reason to drive Gary and Janet out of Runner's Harbor? Randolph Tyler was the only one with a motive to do that, wasn't he?
    There was nothing of interest in 1928, but a 1929 front-page article captured Frank's attention.
    The headline read, "Governor Missing Five Days."
    The story was dated November 14, 1929. It reported that no one had any idea where he might have gone, or why, but quoted police as saying that there was no reason to suspect foul play.
    The story of Jamison's disappearance gradually lost prominence in the paper until finally a story in January 1930 concluded that the police had given up any hope of finding him and presumed him to be dead.
    As he drove back to Runner's Harbor, Frank tried to figure out how all the information tied together, but none of it made sense to him. Yet.
    Lost in thought, he was almost back to the hotel when he noticed that a huge storm was brewing on the horizon.
    It was moving onshore fast.
    Frank parked the jeep and hurried into the lobby just as the first fat drops began to fall.
    "Hello?" he called out. "Anybody here?"
    There was no answer, so Frank walked through the downstairs, checking to see if anyone was around.
    "Callie? Joe? Gary? Janet?"
    The only reply was a huge bolt of lightning followed by a tremendous clap of thunder.
    Frank was grateful to be inside out of the storm and hoped that all the others were just as safe.
    He stood at the back door and watched as the storm gathered strength.
    Just