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table again. “This is where we should start our search. This is where we’ll find the Kirtland’s.”
    â€œDid you ask if we could go with them?” I whispered to Colin.
    That was a mistake.
    Claudette’s head snapped in our direction so fast that her glasses flew off her face and fell to the tabletop. Without missing a beat, she snatched them off the map and put them back on her nose. “I’m glad to see you are back, but no one said you’re going with me to see the Kirtland’s. This is serious business, not child’s play. I can’t have anyone slowing me down.”
    I glanced at Colin. “Did you tell them about the assignment?”
    Colin flushed. “I didn’t get a chance.”
    Bergita smiled. “What assignment? Something for school?”
    I nodded and told them about the birding homework we had.
    Claudette smacked the table, and the rest of us jumped. “Hot dog! I’m glad the public school system is finally paying attention to something important like birds.”
    I climbed on a barstool beside the counter. “If we went birding with you, we would be sure to see the Kirtland’s and a whole bunch of other birds.”
    Claudette frowned just for a moment, and I thought she was going to say ‘no.’ Instead she said, “I’m not one to discourage budding birders. Two capable kids like you shouldn’t be too much extra trouble. Yes, you can come with me, but you have to do everything I say to do in the field. Do you understand?”
    Colin and I nodded.
    Bergita left the table and walked to the counter where she started to dice a tomato. A large salad bowl sat next to her cutting board with lettuce, peppers, and mushrooms already cut into it. “This is going to be a great adventure for us all,” Bergita said as if she hadn’t just been in an argument with her sister. “I’ve accompanied my sister on her birding trips a couple of times but never in my hometown.” She glanced up from her tomatoes. “Where’s Bethany?”
    â€œShe’s happy with her Doritos,” I said.
    Bergita shook her head and continued to dice.
    â€œIf you’re going to go out into the field with us, you need to know the plan. We’ll go into the park this way and camp near the old Shalley homestead.” Claudette ran her finger along a trail in the map. I could see that the trail split Shalley Park in two.
    â€œShalley homestead?” I spun around in my stool to see Claudette better. “Is that where the ghost lives?”
    Claudette’s head jerked up. “Don’t tell me you listen to those ridiculous stories. I will not tolerate any silly ghost talk on my birding trip.”
    Bergita chuckled. “That ghost story has been around a long time. I remember hearing it as a little girl.”
    â€œWhat’s the story?” I asked.
    The doorbell rang and interrupted us. “That must be Ava,” Colin said.
    Bergita put down her knife. “You invited Ava here?”
    â€œShe’s in our birder group too.” I jumped off the stool and followed Colin.
    Claudette called behind me. “I hope you kids can keep up.”
    Colin threw open the door. Jackson, who was snoozing on the couch, barely lifted his head.
    Through the front door, I saw Ava’s brother’s red pickup truck idling on the street. “Does your brother want to come in too?”
    Ava frowned at me. “No. Romero has other stuff he needs to do. He’ll be back in an hour to pick me up.”
    When Ava stepped into Colin’s home, she looked at everything as though she was taking inventory. She pursed her lips together as if she didn’t like what she saw. I didn’t know what was wrong with it. It was an ordinary living room. Maybe the Drs. Carter had a little too much beige in the place, but it was perfectly tidy.
    â€œAn hour doesn’t give us much time to plan,” Colin