Page 22 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
“Oh, it does.” Her voice was laced with solemn enthusiasm.
“I have an interest in history myself,” I said. “Especially when it comes to artifacts and family heirlooms. I’m something of a collector.”
Her eyes brightened. “Then you’ll want to see this.”
She led me through racks of clothing and down an aisle of stools and chairs in various states of disrepair. At the back of the store was a wall displaying what might have been described as art. Some framed photographs and paintings were interspersed with what appeared to be old business signs, including a large, rustyHaven Timber Companysign right in the center.
The wall of so-called art and oddities wasn’t where she led me, but where she had made me stop in my tracks.
“Is that a mummy?” I asked, gazing at what appeared to be a desiccated body in a narrow glass display case.
“Yes, that’s Bernard.”
“Bernard? Is it real?”
“Of course he’s real,” she said with a slight laugh. “One of the Baileys was an explorer in the late nineteenth century. Came back to town with all sorts of interesting things.”
“He brought back a mummy? Where on earth did he get it?”
“Oh, I have no idea. But we named him Bernard, and now he lives here. Been here for decades.” She adjusted her glasses. “He’s not for sale.”
“Isn’t that a shame.”
“But right over here, we have an amazing family heirloom.” She moved on from the mummy and stopped in front of a massive bronze statue of a human-like figure.
“Is that… Bigfoot?” I asked.
“Sasquatch,” she answered proudly.
I had to admit the craftsmanship was good and the scale was impressive. It had to be at least seven feet tall and quite detailed. It even had squirrels sitting around its large feet.
Because of course it did.
“This is a family heirloom?” I asked.
“Yes. We’re incredibly lucky to have gotten our hands on it. It was passed down through the Haven family for generations.”
“An old Tilikum family?”
“One of the originals,” she said. “Plenty of them still live in Tilikum today, but this beautiful piece ended up in our keeping.”
“Can’t imagine why none of them want it.”
“That’s what I always say.” Gazing up at it, she shook her head. “Almost doesn’t seem right.”
My hope of finding any hints about a local collector was fading—quickly. It wasn’t that I’d been expecting to find a store full of rare china and priceless paintings. But hundreds of squirrels and a Sasquatch statue that was considered a family heirloom weren’t exactly in the same category as a centuries-old emerald and ruby necklace.
And there was a mummy.
“This has been very enlightening,” I said. “You have quite the establishment.”
“Why, thank you.”
“As I said, I’m something of a collector. Art, antiquities, that sort of thing. I heard there’s someone in the area who is as well.”
“Hmm.” She pressed her lips together and furrowed her brow. “There is the Tilikum Historical Society. They have a nice little museum.”
A local museum wasn’t what I was after. “Ah. How nice.”
