Page 60 of The Curse Breaker

“I’m here for a tour with my dad,” Benny said. “My name is Everly Benedict.”

“Everly!” An older woman in a pantsuit came strolling out of one of the rooms behind the desk and offered Benny her hand. “Mr. Kellman said you’d be joining us today.” She had short white hair, red polka-dot glasses, and smelled like freesia. “My name is Astrid Pembrook, and I am the head of student affairs here at Harrison.” She held her hand out to Kimble. “Hello.”

Benny gave him a look. Kimble finally shook Astrid’s hand fiercely. “Afternoon.”

“Good afternoon,” she said, her smile warm, her tone clipped. “We’re starting the tour in five minutes. It will last an hour, after which you’re welcome to join us for refreshments in the dining hall and ask current students any questions you might still have.”

“This is going to take all afternoon?” Kimble complained.

“Sorry,” Benny apologized for him. “My dad has to work later.”

Astrid walked away to introduce herself to another family. Benny leaned in and whispered in Kimble’s ear. “Can you at least try to act like a doting dad?”

“That’s asking a lot. Never been one,” he said. “And this tie is too tight.”

“I’ll loosen it,” she whispered, aggravated. “Just behave, and when we see the chapel, we’ll break away from the tour.” She eyed the crowd. “Looks like there’s about twenty people on it so we won’t be missed if we aren’t gone long.”

“Fine.” He folded his arms across his chest.

“Fine.” Benny echoed, doing the same thing.

“Ladies and gentlemen, if you’d join me on the circle, we will begin our tour,” Astrid said. Benny and Kimble joined her along with all the other prospective families. “This rug is one of the first things James Harrison purchased for his home, which he later decided would be served better as a school, opening the doors to the first graduating class in 1831,” she began, leading them first to the lower school, as she called it.

Where is the chapel? Benny wanted to ask as they toured the mansion, the sports complex, then the pool. She could hear her internal clock ticking. They had to stay ahead of Grace and the Rudds. What if they figured out the invisible ink? Benny knew they had to move faster. They were an hour into the tour when Benny couldn’t take it any longer and interrupted Astrid’s conversation with a mom wanting to know about Ivy League acceptance rates.

“Astrid?” Benny placed one hand on her arm to make eye contact. “I was wondering when we were visiting the chapel.”

Astrid paused. “The chapel? Oh, we don’t stop there on the tour. But it’s nondenominational and open for prayer and reflection twenty-four hours a day.”

Benny had to think fast. “I was hoping my father and I could see it because…” She looked at Kimble, trying to think of a reason. Thankfully, he was quick with a response.

“My great-great-great-grandfather built it,” he said easily, flashing her a charming smile. “Actually might be my sixth great-grandfather. I can never keep that straight, can you?”

“No,” Astrid said, intrigued, “but you should still see his woodwork. It’s stunning.”

“Oh, I’ve heard it took months to build,” Kimble said, his voice dropping off. He placed an awkward hand on Benny’s shoulder. “I’d love for my child to see it.”

Child. Benny could sense his awkwardness at this whole situation.

Astrid leaned in like a coconspirator. “If you’re alright missing the greenhouse, you can meet us afterward at the dining hall. Would that work?”

Kimble grinned and reached out his hand to shake hers. “Why, Astrid, that would be splendid.”

Twenty-two

Benny

When they came over the hill, Benny spotted the chapel. It was a small white clapboard building near the cliff that had floor-length windows. It was beautiful.

“I can’t believe I forgot about this place,” Kimble said to himself.

“You really weren’t lying about building the chapel, were you?” she realized. “You built it yourself. So that must mean you must know where the next clue is hidden.”

“Not necessarily. Evelyn paid me to build a lot of things when she was alive. I worked on that house of hers and did projects for her around town to pass the time. I think she wanted to keep me busy.” His blue eyes glowed as they looked at hers. “In the eighteen hundreds after…I got stuck here again…I spent many years building things. Houses. Some of those buildings on Main Street. Furniture. Wood carvings. And if my memory serves me right, I made some church pews too.”

Benny recalled the riddle. “‘With fellow pupils, on your knees. For if anyone can save those lost at sea, it will be you and him, because of me.’” Her heart started to thump.

Kimble furrowed his brow. “You think she means us?”