Chapter Seven - Mysteries

Lia tried to push the blinds further apart and get a better look at the man in the truck on the side of the road. She couldn’t get a good look at him from this angle though, and Gran wouldn’t let her open the curtains in the main room. She could see enough of the shape to know it was a man, but that was all. She could see Mr. Rogue better. He was standing outside the truck and had been talking to the stranger for a long time. Sometimes he looked pretty shaken by whatever it was the stranger had to say. Her hearing was really good, but they were just far enough away that she couldn’t hear them clearly. Giving up, Liana flopped down on the soft woolen blanket that covered her bed and pulled out the note that Ellie had slipped into her pocket as she headed for the door with Gran. She’d realized right away that she’d have to be alone to read it, otherwise, Ellie would simply have told her or given it to her right out front, not slid a note so quickly and cautiously into her pocket while hugging her goodbye. It had to be something Gran wouldn’t like. She carefully unfolded the note. It was not written in Ellie’s normal, graceful cursive, but seemed to have been hastily scribbled out on some scrap of paper. It looked like math homework on one side, and but had been crumpled and nearly torn in two, then the note scrawled on the backside without her having even bothered to flatten the paper out first. It must have been a last-minute idea. Excitement built in Lia as she wondered what bit of mischief she and the girls were going to get into now. Sometimes they had the best adventures! Always ones Gran wouldn’t approve of, though Mr. and Mrs. Rogue always seemed to think it was just good fun. Excitement turned quickly to confusion as she read the letter.

“Dear Lia,

First, please believe that I have always been uncomfortable keeping this secret from you, but my parents insisted it was for the best. Please don’t hate me for it.

There are a lot of things that you don’t know enough about right now. Please stay indoors until we can be alone with none of our family around. I will try to explain what’s going on. Stay away from that wolf! Stay away from strange men. Stay extra far away from Albert. He’s dangerous and will be more dangerous now that he has seen you with a wolf. Please, Lia, I wouldn’t ask if it weren’t important.

Love Ellie

PS: Stay inside after sunset! No exceptions.”

Liana crumpled the note and tossed it in her recycle bin. That was so not helpful. The last thing she needed was one of her best friends getting bossy about her curfew. Why would Albert be more dangerous just because a wolf had managed to find its way to Nova Scotia and wound up in her yard?

But obviously, she wasn’t the only one who had heard the adults whispering downstairs. The Rogues wanted Gran to let her out at night. Gran was still determined that it wasn’t safe, but for some reason had said it might be for the best, at least for now. There was some talk about the wolf she’d seen and then Ellie had started asking questions about the wolf too and she’d lost the thread of the conversation from below.

Lia flopped down on her bed and looked lazily up at the wooden ceiling. Why was everyone making such a big deal about one wolf walking through the yard? Sure, there hadn’t been wolves here in ages, but surely they could travel every bit as far as a lost dog. Maybe further since they would know how to feed themselves and not expect dinner served in a dish every night.

“Tired my little one?” Gran asked from the doorway, “I’ve brought you some chamomile tea to help you rest. After last night you really should go to bed early.” Lia didn’t have the energy to argue, even though she knew the tea was likely something stronger than chamomile. She just sat up and took the mug. Her gran sat on the edge of the bed to chat with her while she sipped the tea.

“David says the man in the truck outside was from the Department of Natural Resources. Several people near here had concerns about that howling wolf you and Albert heard, so he came to investigate the reports.” Lia looked at Gran skeptically, sensing that the words weren’t exactly honest ones. “They haven’t been able to find any trace of the beast though!” Gran changed the tone of her voice, sounding unnaturally chipper. Probably trying to hide the sound of deceit, Lia thought. “Hopefully he’s gone far away! David told the officer that you'd heard it, but didn’t see anything. You didn’t, did you?”

“I already told you I saw the wolf, Gran. He was big and black.”

“Oh yes, I remember now. Well, you can’t have been the only one, so it doesn’t matter. No need to talk to the DNR, they know all about it now. Marie is going to send Ellie and Elsie over to have a lesson in herbs tomorrow. I was thinking about teaching you all how to make an immune-boosting tincture. What do you think?”

“Sure. Or maybe one to help with memory? We’ve all got exams coming up.”

“Oh, that’s a good idea! I think I have everything I need for some of that one too. Did you know the trick is to improve the blood flow to your prefrontal cortex? That will boost memory every time.”

“Mmm’kay” Lia answered, already drowsy and not really paying attention. As she slowly sipped at her tea, she recognized the flavours Valerian, Lavender, and Passionflower in with the chamomile, as well as something she didn’t recognize, but she was just groggy enough to not really care what it was. “How long will I sleep?” She asked, knowing that her Gran had slipped something in the tea to ensure she stayed put for the night, not sneak back outside, but she no longer had the energy to be upset with her for it.

“Just until morning love. You’ll feel much better tomorrow, I promise.”

“Sure Gran,” she said yawning, “so long as I’m up in time to do some school before Ellie and Elsie get here. I can’t leave it all to the last day. The essay on the rainforest...” She yawned again, “conservation efforts...illegal...new laws” she mumbled closing her eyes and sinking back into her pillows for a good night’s sleep.