HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 2 Read online

  Table of Contents

  Cover

  Synopsis

  Inside Cover

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Disclaimer

  Acknowledgements

  Dear Readers

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Next Book

  Other Hidden Mickey Books

  Hidden Mickey Merchandise

  Hidden Mickey Fan Club

  About the Author

  HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 2

  Peter and the Missing Mansion

  The Second novel in this Action-Adventure Mystery series about Walt Disney and Disneyland, written for all ages (9 and up).

  From the author of the acclaimed HIDDEN MICKEY series.

  THINGS SEEM FAMILIAR—

  BUT SOMETHING IS HORRIBLY WRONG

  Alone and scared, Peter Brentwood finds himself in the distant past and in front of a hauntingly-familiar mansion.

  PETER’S VISIT TAKES A DEADLY TURN

  As Peter gets to know the inhabitants of this mansion, people aren’t as he thought they should be. The man he thought was an innocent victim is now an adversary. Is there more to the story than he ever imagined?

  CAN WOLF AND LANCE RESCUE PETER IN TIME?

  Stairways to nowhere and hidden passageways, lit only by candles, might lead Lance to his son. Can he trust the one who might not be as she seems? Is the Disney legend just a story—or is it the truth?

  ONE FALSE STEP ALTERS THE DISNEYLAND WE ALL KNOW

  On their return, the three travelers find they are the only ones who realize something has gone wrong at Disneyland. It is up to them to protect Walt Disney’s legacy.

  CAN THEY FIND OUT WHAT’S WRONG—AND CORRECT IT?

  HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 2

  PETER and the MISSING MANSION

  SECOND NOVEL IN THE HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES SERIES

  FIRST eBOOK EDITION, VOLUME 2, NOVEMBER 1, 2013

  COPYRIGHT © 2013 NANCY RODRIGUE

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on File

  www.HIDDENMICKEYBOOK.com

  Flesch-Kincaid Grade 4.3 - Flesch Reading Ease 84.5

  1st EDITION eBOOK - NOVEMBER 2013 - ISBN 13: 978-1-9383190-2-0

  1st EDITION PAPERBACK - NOVEMBER 2013 - ISBN 13: 978-1-9383190-1-3

  1st EDITION HARDBACK - JULY 2015 - ISBN 13::978-1-9383191-9-8

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  NO PART OF THIS BOOK BE USED OR REPRODUCED IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER, ELECTRONIC, MECHANICAL,

  PHOTOCOPYING, RECORDING, OR OTHERWISE WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER

  Double R Books Publishing

  740 N. H Street, Suite # 170

  Lompoc, California, 93436

  www.DOUBLE-RBOOKS.com

  COVER DESIGN BY NANCY RODRIGUE

  www.NANCY.RODRIGUE.org

  COVER COLOR BY CHRISNA RIBEIRO

  www.JUHANI.DEVIANTART.com

  COVER COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY DOUBLE -R BOOKS

  www.DOUBLE-RBOOKS.com

  EPUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  DEDICATION

  For my husband Russ -

  Thank you for being there at every turn.

  For our aspiring writer and artist -

  our granddaughter Kyla.

  Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  Disclaimer

  Walt Disney Company Trademarks: Hidden Mickey Adventures 2: Peter and the Missing Mansion is in no way authorized by, endorsed by or affiliated with the Walt Disney Company, Inc., Disneyland Park, or WED or Paramount. Disneyland Park is a registered trademark of the Walt Disney Company. Other trademarks include but are not limited to Adventureland, Animatronics, Big Thunder Railroad, Caretaker, Ceremonial Circle Dances, Constance, Columbia, Fantasmic!, Fantasyland, Fort Wilderness, Fowler’s Harbor, Frontierland, Golden Horseshoe Review, Haunted Mansion, Hitchhiking Ghosts, Jungle Cruise, Keel Boat, Madame Leota, Magic Kingdom, Mark Twain, Mine Train thru Nature’s Wonderland, Miss Lily, New Orleans Square, Master Gracey, Old House on the Hill, Plantation House, Pinewood Indians, Rainbow Ridge, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Star Trek, Tomorrowland, Tom Sawyer Island, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, and Walt Disney. All references to such trademarked properties are used in accordance with the Fair Use Doctrine and are not meant to imply this book is a Disney or a Paramount product for advertising or other commercial purposes.

  While some of the events and persons contained herein are historical facts and figures, other persons named and the events described are purely fictional and a product of the Author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people is purely coincidental. The actions depicted within the book are a result of fiction and imagination and are not to be attempted, reproduced or duplicated by the readers of this book.

  The Publisher and Author assume no responsibility or liability for damages resulting, or alleged to result, directly or indirectly from the use of the information contained herein.

  Acknowledgements

  My sincere thanks for assistance in

  research received from

  the following persons:

  REBECCA CLINE

  Walt Disney Archives

  for her help with 20,000 Under the Sea questions

  TIMOTHY CRUMRINE

  for sharing his personal memories of the Haunted Mansion

  JAMES MORTENSEN

  for his wonderful Haunted Mansion organ idea

  Thanks and Acknowledgements also go to

  our proofreaders and editors:

  ALYSSA COLODNY, Proofreader

  KARLA GALLAGHER, English B.A, Editor

  KIMBERLEE KEELINE, English Ph.D., Editor

  www.KEELINE.com

  Dear Readers,

  Walt Disney once said that fantasy and reality often collide. When we look at the wide range of movies that came out of his studio from the very beginning, we see that Walt truly believed that statement. Without the addition of fantasy—the ‘what if’—we would have missed out on many amazing stories.

  Hidden Mickey Adventures 2: Peter and the Missing Mansion adds the element of fantasy to the adventure Peter began in book one of this new Hidden Mickey series. To help out along the way, our favorite security guard Wolf is back and in the spotlight as we learn more about his mysterious past and strange abilities.

  In this exciting novel, we will explore one of Disneyland’s most popular attractions—the Haunted Mansion. What plans did Walt have for this attraction? What changes took place over the years between its conception and its grand opening? What do we know about the legends that have been attached to the Mansion? It was a lot of fun for me to delve into all these questions as the novel progressed—and to share them with you. I do hope you enjoy my take on the Gracey legend. For those of you who have been with me since the first Hidden Mickey series, you will remember Master Gracey in Hidden Mickey 3: Wolf! The Legend of Tom Sawyer’s Island. Now, years later, we revisit Gracey Manor and see what has been happening with the family.

  There are only 999 reasons to be afraid. So, turn on all the lights, lock the doors and windows, and ignore the tapping on the wall. But remember...there’s always room for one more!

  Enjoy the adventure,

  Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  Four people were
near Disneyland’s Frontierland River after the Park had closed for the night. Father and son, so alike, were standing together at the edge of the silent canoe dock as they watched the focused movements of their friend Wolf. Unneeded, the large canoes used by the guests during the day were roped to the wooden dock. A small utility canoe usually hidden at the far end of the Hungry Bear Restaurant now bobbed next to them in the greenish water of the Rivers of America.

  In the small canoe was Todd Raven, unconscious and unaware of what was about to happen. After learning Peter Brentwood had discovered something tied to Walt Disney, Todd had followed Peter’s every move until he could steal what the boy had found. When the thief had gone so far as to tie up Peter’s mother and uncover hidden family secrets, it was decided that something had to be done. He must be sent somewhere where he couldn’t undo all that the Guardians of Walt had worked so long to accomplish. And the man to handle that job was Wolf.

  When his preparations were finished, paddle in hand, Wolf stepped into the back seat with the practiced ease of someone long used to canoes. He had removed his security guard shirt, hat and shoes and set them on the edge of the dock in a neat pile as if he didn’t want them to get wet. Illuminated by bright moonlight, Peter could see an odd white patch of hair glowing in the dark mat that covered Wolf’s broad chest.

  Peter was silent as he watched the security guard tilt back his head and let out a loud, lingering wolf howl. The sound echoed over the water and slowly faded as it drifted over the tall pine trees on Tom Sawyer Island. It was so eerily life-like that the hairs on his arms tingled and his heart started to pound within his chest. Intrigued, Peter could only stare as Wolf finally pushed the canoe away from the dock and began to slowly paddle toward the middle of the river. His sharp blue eyes fixed on the far bend, Wolf’s powerful arms seemed to conserve his strength as his strokes were shallow, almost ineffective.

  Breaking out of his trance-like state, Peter was going to call out to Wolf to ask where he was taking Todd when a sudden gust of wind blew raindrops into his face. Looking past the barely-moving canoe, he could see an eerie, thick fog inching its way over the river toward them, its thin fingers of gray moving this way and that above the water.

  His dad, Lance Brentwood, grabbed Peter’s arm when a freak bolt of lightning came out of the cloudless sky and hit the river, sending up a geyser of water. About to yell a warning to Wolf, Peter was baffled when he saw their friend dig deeper with his paddle and head straight for the fog. “What’s he doing, Dad? He has to turn back!”

  “Just watch.” Lance had to yell over the force of the wind that blew steadily over the river and he tightened his grip on Peter as they backed away from the edge of the dock.

  When another lightning bolt hit the water directly in front of Wolf, a fountain of pink lights erupted and began to swirl around and around in the middle of the river. Unperturbed by the violence in front of him, Wolf angled the bow of the madly bobbing canoe to hit the pink sparkles dead center and, inexplicably, paddled even faster.

  “Uncle Wolf!” When the tip of the canoe hit the edge of the swirling vortex and started to turn toward the gaping hole formed in the river, Peter let out a yell.

  “He’s all right.” Lance attempted to reassure the boy as he pulled Peter back another step, but his words were blown away in the violent wind.

  Eyes wide as he tried to wipe the water from his face, Peter drew in a sharp breath when a realization hit him. “I’ve seen this before. I was about six years old.” Agitated, he jerked around to face his dad and had to yell to be heard over the wind. “I’ve seen this before! He...he said he was going home!”

  Lance could only nod his head when they heard another explosion coming from the river. He ducked his head as a wave of water crashed over them.

  His heart pounded in his chest and Peter knew this was his moment. It was now or never to take action—to finally find out the truth about his Uncle Wolf. With a sudden jerk, Peter wretched his arm away from his father’s grasp and ran toward the end of the dock.

  Caught off-guard by the suddenness of Peter’s action, Lance was frozen in place as he watched his son dive out into the water. Eyes wide, Lance saw one last bolt of lightning churn the angry water and eerie fingers of glimmer reached out to capture his son. Coming out of his stupor and throwing himself into action, Lance jumped in after his son.

  But he was too late. The river in front of him was empty.

  Todd, Peter and the wolf had already disappeared from view.

  New Orleans Square — 1850

  Peter woke up on the edge of a muddy riverbank, the moon shining through wispy clouds that looked like gray fingers reaching across the white expanse. Looking around as best he could, he saw that whatever had just happened on the river vanished without a trace. Only moonlight glittered on the moving water instead of those weird pink fairy lights. The bright wavering reflection on the river’s surface hurt his eyes and he had to look away. As his head turned to the left, not too far away was a large, ghostly white boat tied to a wooden dock.

  “The Mark Twain?” Choking on water, his voice was a mere whisper as he tried to pull himself up out of the swiftly-moving river and onto a dirt path. His hand came up to his eyes as a wave of pain went through his head, pink flashes exploding behind his closed eyelids. “What were those weird lights? Where’s my dad? I…I thought I followed Uncle Wolf, but I’m still at Disneyland.”

  Trying to shake off his sudden headache, Peter stood on wobbly legs. As he reached out to grab something for support, his hands waved about but found nothing. “Where’s the fence that surrounds the river? What happened to the canoe dock and the Hungry Bear?” His vision finally cleared as his headache faded and Peter attempted to make sense of what he could—or more specifically—what he could not see. About to call out for his dad, he clamped his mouth shut when he caught site of two men who carried flaming torches. They walked toward the Mark Twain, but he didn’t recognize them as maintenance men who worked after the Park closed. In fact, even in the dim light he could tell that they weren’t dressed as any cast member he knew at Disneyland would be dressed.

  Something is very, very wrong here, thought Peter as he quickly dropped behind a scraggly bush to watch. The two men picked up the handles of a wooden two-wheeled handcart and begin to pull it to the waiting boat. After a small white gate was opened, they tugged the cart onto the deck of the ship and began to offload the cargo. Only then did Peter see the other piles of wooden boxes and crates already onboard, their stenciled destinations too far away to read.

  “That’s not right.” Alone, Peter could only mutter to himself, cautious so his voice didn’t carry. “Where are the wire chairs people sit on? I don’t understand.”

  The soft lights and buildings of New Orleans Square should have been just behind him, but Peter only saw dim, flickering lights quite a distance from where he was hid. “The entrance to Pirates should be right there, but there’s isn’t anything.” The lights he could see weaved and bobbed just like the torches of the two dock workers.

  The pink of dawn began to tint the tops of the trees that lined the river. Afraid he would get caught before he could figure out what was going on, the boy quickly looked around for a better place to hide. As the sun got higher, he saw a large, square-shaped house off to his right, nestled on a lush manicured lawn. Familiarity mingled with alarm as his mouth fell open. “The Haunted Mansion! But, why’s it so far back from the river?” Since the house was the only building in sight, Peter took a chance and ran for the side yard, hopping over the short ornamental fence. He dropped behind one of the thick bushes and tried to still his frantically beating heart. Everything looked so familiar to him and yet it was so different, so very, very wrong.

  “Maybe I did follow Wolf through that…that…whatever it was.” Talking half out loud, he tried to work through where he was. “Then, if I did, where am I and why does it still look like home? That looked like the Mark Twain, but I don’
t think it’s the real Mark Twain. This looks like the Haunted Mansion, but…hey, what if it’s a real Haunted Mansion?” The worry momentarily forgotten, Peter gave a sudden smile. “This might be fun.”

  The thirteen-year-old boy’s curiosity and imagination started to whirl though his head with the limitless possibilities. Eager to explore, he stood from his hiding place. Now that the sun was higher, he could see a grassy hill around the corner of the house. First looking to the left and the right, he made his way over the grass, his shoes leaving prints in the dew. “I knew it! The pet cemetery. There’s Rosie the pig and Bully!” There was also a memorial to a hound dog but only the name Big Jake had been chiseled into the stone. Arms folded and a smile on his face, he read how Rosie had bought the farm. When his eyes happened to fall on the large, stone crypt next to the small graveyard, his smile froze. If what he was thinking was actually true, that crypt wouldn’t be the exit of his favorite ride. It would be the final resting place for the inhabitants of the mansion.

  Suddenly the adventure dimmed a little. Peter swallowed as he took a step back from the pet cemetery. The attic scene in the ride came to his mind where the sound of a beating heart followed the Doom Buggies. For the first time he wondered who might actually be living inside the house. As he looked up at the second story of the dark house, a flickering light passed by a lace-curtained window. Whoever did live there was now awake.

  There was a stand of cypress trees behind the small graveyard and Peter was about to run to its protection when a feminine voice caught him by surprise.