Page 73 of The Hallows Boys

I type in the words Blackmore and Family that pulls up over a thousand articles. I sigh, clicking on the first one, which is dated 1890.

The article ends up being about a record-breaking snowfall, so I close out of it and click the next, which is a few years later.

MAYOR BLACKMORE RESIGNS AFTER ALLEGATIONS OF ALCOHOLISM

I snort at the title, then start reading the article.

“Ah, the famous Blackmore drunk.” A voice has me spinning around, finding the librarian standing behind me and reading over my shoulder. “Sorry, dear, didn’t mean to startle ya. Noticed you looking through the articles and wanted to offer my help. Not a lot of kids your age use this machine.”

I’m unsure if that’s a compliment or an insult, so I just smile at her. “Thanks. What’s the story on this guy?”

She chuckles, her southern twang reminding me of my grandmother when she speaks again. “Bartholomew Blackmore. He was a mean old drunk, hooked on gamblin’ and prostitutes, resigned before they could impeach him. One of the only Blackmores who wasn’t clean cut and professional.”

I lean forward, scrolling until I find a photo of him standing at a podium. I scan my eyes over my great, great, great– however many greats –grandfather. “Seems like all the Blackmores are strange.”

“You’re allowed to be a little strange when you got money and power, darlin’.”

I hum, clicking off of the article and scrolling to find another.

“Anything specific I can help ya find, dear?” she asks.

“I was actually looking for some information about the Blackmore Tragedy… Have you heard of it?” I look at her.

Her lips pull down in a frown for a moment. “Such a sad name for a sad story, but we don’t keep records for stuff so recent here at the library, especially not criminal ones. You’d be better off checkin’ with the mayor’s office or sheriff’s department.”

“Wait”—my brows pull down—“recent? I thought it was, like, some old, scary story?”

She shrugs, looking over my head in thought. “When was that?” she asks herself. “Maybe nineteen or twenty years ago now.”

My head spins a little, because that would have been right before my parents left Blackmore… Maybe my suspicions weren’t so far off after all.

“Do you know anything about the Blackmore family? I mean, more recently?” I ask her, making her pull her gaze back to me.

“As far as I know, there are no Blackmores left, dear.”

“But what happened to them?” I push.

“The family died off in the early 2000s, if I’m remembering correctly. Theodore Blackmore died around then, and his son left town.” She purses her lips. “Don’t know why. One day he was just gone.”

Theodore must be my grandfather, then. I spin around in my chair again, clearing the search bar on the computer and typing in his name, but the librarian speaks again, making my fingers freeze on the keyboard. “I told ya, dear, you won’t find anything recent in there.”

I hit the search button anyways, just in case, making her sigh. Nothing comes up, the screen reading that no results were found, and the librarian clicks her tongue before she stands up, as if to sayI told you so.

“Let me know if you need anythin’ else while you’re here, darlin.”

I nod without looking at her. “Thanks.”

Groaning as I hit the exit button on the screen, I feel defeated that I came all the way over here for nothing. I guess if curiosity continues to simmer in my veins, I’ll have to explore the channels she suggested – the mayor or the sheriff.

I stand up, picking up my backpack. Then I wave goodbye to the librarian as I pass her on the way out, who’s on the phone again. She waves back, and I skip down the steps to the first level so I can leave.

Everything in this town feels so hush-hush and secretive, and it’s starting to drive me crazy.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

KAIDEN

It’s just after 2AM when I’m sliding the window to Sage’s bedroom open. Getting onto the roof was easy, and I’m pleased to find that she’s secure enough here that she doesn’t lock her window.

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