The Mark of the Scorpion: A Choose Your Path Mystery (Detective: You) - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Deb Mercier lives in greater Minnesota with her husband, dogs, and outdoor critter friends. When Deb’s not busy writing, you can find her wandering the trails on bike and on foot, saving turtles from roadways, and playing flute in the Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

You pull on the front door of the visitor center, expecting it to be locked. It opens.

You glance at Dez. She has her back to you, phone to her ear. She must have found a good spot.

You slip inside the dark building. It’s eerie but kind of cool to be here by yourself. A small gift area lies straight ahead. A cash register perches at one end of an L-shaped counter. Short kiosks full of magnets, stickers, earrings, coasters, maps, and other brochures take up the rest of the counter space. A dim “after hours” light shines weakly above a bin full of stuffed animals: javelinas, ravens, mountain lions, snakes, and even a foot-long scorpion. You can’t imagine snuggling up with that one.

To the right, you spot an archway leading to another room. It’s like a mini-museum. In the center of the room is a raised diorama of the desert ecosystem. Turning the corner, you choke back a yell as you come face-to-face with a mountain lion. His eyes glitter, even in the low light—although you know they’re not real eyes. The mountain lion is just a display.

Scattered strategically around the outer edges of the room, other displays explain the science behind the dam and detail the history of the area.

One display in particular captures your attention. The exhibit’s title, Controversy, is interesting in itself, but the large picture below is what draws you in. A slim man stares grimly into the camera. He wears a button-down shirt that’s neatly tucked into a pair of slacks, held up by a thin belt. In the background, an old-style cement mixer truck and what looks like a construction crew are working. Beyond that, you see a valley with a river that snakes into the distance.

The man is holding a sign: “Never Forget.”

As you read the photo’s caption, you take a sharp breath. The man’s name is Harlan Meeker. Could he be related to Bud?

You quickly scan the rest of the information.

Jones Basin Dam and Reservoir wasn’t built without controversy. A group of area residents protested against its construction. Some of those protests turned violent. Several workers were injured and a cement truck destroyed when protesters detonated explosives at the construction site. Some protesters, including those from the soon-to-be underwater Scorpion Ranch, owned by the Jones family, claimed the project would ruin the area and erase their family legacy. Their slogan, “Never Forget,” seen in the photo above, became the group’s call to action.

Someone has circled the word “explosives” in red ink. “Yes!” is scrawled under the exhibit’s text.

As you take in the symbol next to the word, it suddenly feels like a tarantula is crawling up your back. The symbol is a scorpion.

From the main lobby, you hear a muffled whump, like a heavy door closing.

Someone just came in. You’re about to call out, assuming it’s Dez. But she would have said something.

Even though those protests were in 1947, they were violent. Deep feelings like that can easily resurface, even decades later. The message on the exhibit makes that clear. The graffiti and ciphers in the park suddenly feel a lot more serious—even dangerous.

You remember the notes that you and Dez found on the Dragon’s Back hike: “You’ll Never Stop Me.” It’s as if the Scorpion wants to get away with something major but also wants the recognition for it. That’s unstable and also unsettling.

Speaking of unsettling, you’re on your own in a dark building. This isn’t how you imagined your vacation.

You crouch behind the diorama as the slow and steady footsteps make their way into the exhibit room.

You can’t just stay here, doing nothing. You’ll be found. If the person coming in here is the Scorpion, you’re in real danger.

If you wait for the footsteps to move around the diorama, you can escape. But should you go for the front door or hide beneath the gift shop counter?

What will you choose to do?