Mystery at Ghost Mine - Episode 5
The story so far
The detectives are staying with Megan’s Aunt Jean and cousin Laura at MacKenzie Wells on the edge of the Mojave Desert. They think Laura’s great-grandfather Jeremiah MacKenzie may have been involved with the theft of Aboriginal remains, artifacts, and gold nuggets, in Australia - back in 1865.
The same year, miners from the Ballarat goldfields in Victoria sailed from Melbourne on the Confederate ship “Shenandoah,” to join the Southern army in the Civil War. Jeremiah may have been on the ship too - headed for the Californian goldfields.
Life was good to Jeremiah. Over time he opened a trading store and helped establish MacKenzie Wells. The old town buildings are now being restored and Laura has found a tin box belonging to him, with a letter and some mysterious objects. These suggest that Native American Indian artifacts and relics were also stolen and that Jeremiah could have been involved.
But is the investigation heading for trouble? Megan was almost run over by a car before they left Australia. Bud and Elmore Morgan at the MacKenzie Wells petrol station were hostile when the detectives asked for directions to Aunt Jean’s house, and Linda narrowly escaped being eaten by their guard dog Ralph.
When they arrive at Aunt Jean’s the house has been burgled and the Aboriginal bullroarer is gone from the old tin box. Aunt Jean is upset in case Jeremiah turns out to have been a criminal.
When Ben examines the Shaman’s rattle, they find half of a
map left by Jeremiah, possibly pointing to nearby Lookout Mountain and Ghost Mine – and with
a mysterious clue.
The next morning the detectives hold a case meeting. Laura has promised to take them out for breakfast after.
