Chapter 2

Chapter 2 Mr. Linkletter led the kids to his office. The room was small, with just a desk and three chairs. On one wall hung a painting of the hotel. A framed picture of an elderly couple stood on the desk. "Please sit down," Mr. Linkletter said. The kids sat. Mr. Linkletter opened a desk drawer and took out a paper bag.

"Mint?" he asked. Each of the kids took a mint from the bag and popped it into their mouths. Mr. Linkletter looked inside the bag, then popped a mint into his mouth, too. He sank back into his chair. "This is terrible," he said. "Mine tastes okay," Josh said. "I think it's lemon." Ruth Rose nudged Josh. "I think he means the ghost," she said. Josh blushed. "Oh, sorry."

"As I was saying," Mr. Linkletter went on, "it all started two days ago, on Friday. It was almost midnight. I was closing my office when a guest ran into the lobby. She was yelling about a ghost on the third floor!" "Did she say what the ghost looked like?" Dink asked. Mr. Linkletter smoothed his hair. "She said it was all white—except for the black holes where its eyes should have been!" The three kids looked at each other. Josh's mouth was hanging open. Mr. Linkletter rubbed his temples as if he had a headache. "Anyway," he went on, "that guest checked out. Last night, more guests saw the ghost. Again, it appeared at midnight. Today all those guests checked out." Mr. Linkletter shook his head. "This ghost is ruining our business!" "Did any of the guests say where the ghost went after they saw it?" Ruth Rose asked. "Apparently it just floats away and disappears," he answered. "Did you see the ghost, too?" Dink asked.

"No. I went upstairs, but all I saw was a dozen terrified guests!" Mr. Linkletter picked up the picture of the elderly couple on his desk. "This is my aunt and uncle, Florence and Ebenezer Spivets. They've owned the Shangri-la ever since they were first married, forty-seven years ago." He looked at the kids. "They're very worried. I don't know what will happen to the hotel if this ghost business continues…" For a minute, nobody said anything. Finally Mr. Linkletter stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me," he said, "I have to tell my aunt and uncle that the Shangri-la Hotel won't be having a foliage week this year." The kids thanked Mr. Linkletter and headed back out into the lobby. "Guys, we've gotta do something!" Dink whispered. "But what can we do?" Ruth Rose asked. Just then Livvy hurried over to them. "What'd he say?" she asked. "He told us about the ghost," Ruth Rose said. She described it for Livvy.

"So there really is a ghost in the hotel!" Livvy said. She looked nervously over her shoulder. "What's Mr. Linkletter gonna do?" "I don't know," Dink answered. He looked at Josh and Ruth Rose. "But we're gonna try to help, right?" "Good luck!" Livvy said. "I'll be down in my cubbyhole eating lunch." She opened a small door next to the elevator and disappeared. "How're we s'posed to help?" Josh asked Dink. "We don't know anything about ghosts!" "Well, I know one thing," Dink said. "No ghost is shutting down the Shangri-la if I have anything to do with it!" "Dink is right," Ruth Rose said. "Mr. Linkletter is our friend. We have to think of something!" Suddenly the elevator door opened. A figure in white stood staring out at them. "It's the ghost!" Josh screamed.