HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 3 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

  Epilogue

  Next Book

  Other Hidden Mickey Books

  Hidden Mickey Merchandise

  Hidden Mickey Fan Club

  About the Author

  HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 3

  The Mermaid’s Tale

  A FORGOTTEN TREASURE REVEALS A MISSING PUZZLE PIECE

  Going through family mementos in their grandparent’s attic, twins Alex and Catie Michaels, along with Peter Brentwood, stumble upon a familiar grey capsule—and pictures from Margaret Michaels’ past

  GRANDMA MARGARET WAS A MERMAID?

  Thrilled to learn she was a Disneyland Submarine Lagoon Mermaid in 1965, they suddenly connect the missing link to the beautiful mermaid Peter and Catie found in the Haunted Mansion attic.

  A MYSTERIOUS WOMAN HAS TO PROVE HERSELF

  Given a simple assignment by her boss, Walt Disney, Omah was unable to complete it and sent away in disgrace. Decades later she is still trying to make it right, but three kids are in the way.

  HER DEDICATION TURNS FANATICAL

  Walt’s Disneyland—then and now—is the backdrop of this exciting Mermaid’s Tale. Pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place as three diverse groups are woven together in the past and the present—all of them determined to protect Walt Disney’s legacy.

  ALL 3 COLLIDE AS THE MERMAID’S TALE CONTINUES…

  HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES 3

  THE MERMAID’S TALE

  THIRD NOVEL IN THE HIDDEN MICKEY ADVENTURES SERIES

  FIRST EDITION eBOOK, VOLUME 3, JULY 1, 2014

  COPYRIGHT © 2014 NANCY RODRIGUE

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on File

  www.HIDDENMICKEYBOOK.com

  Flesch-Kincaid Grade 3.6 - Flesch Reading Ease 86

  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 CONCEPT BY NANCY RODRIGUE

  www.NANCY.RODRIGUE.org

  COVER ARTWORK & COLOR BY CHRISNA RIBEIRO

  www.JUHANI.DEVIANTART.com

  COVER COPYRIGHT © 2014 BY DOUBLE R BOOKS

  www.DOUBLERBOOKS.com

  1st EDITION eBOOK - JULY 2014 - ISBN 13: 978-1-9383190-6-8

  1st EDITION PAPERBACK - JULY 2014 - ISBN 13: 978-1-9383190-5-1

  1st EDITION HARDBACK - JULY 2015 - ISBN 13: 978-1-9383192-0-4

  PUBLISHED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

  Dedication

  For my husband Russ -

  Your dedication, drive, and determination

  have been my guiding stars.

  Thank You

  Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  Disclaimer

  Walt Disney Company Trademarks: Hidden Mickey Adventures 3: The Mermaid’s Tale is in no way authorized by, endorsed by or affiliated with the Walt Disney Company, Inc., Disneyland Park, or WED. Disneyland Park is a registered trademark of the Walt Disney Company. Other trademarks include but are not limited to Adventureland, Captain Hook, Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship, Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Railroad, Dumbo, Fantasy Faire, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Haunted Mansion, It’s a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Magic Kingdom, Main Street, Main Street Cinema, Market House, Mark Twain, Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland, Monorail, Motor Boat Cruise, New Orleans Square, Pirates of the Caribbean, Peter Pan, Plaza Inn, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Skyway, Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, Space Mountain, Submarine Voyage, Sunkist Citrus House, Tea Cups, Tomorrowland, Toonfest, Toon Town, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Upjohn Pharmacy, 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 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 Authors’ 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 Authors assume no responsibility or liability for damages resulting, or alleged to result, directly or indirectly from the use of the information contained herein.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE

  FOR HELPING ME BRING THIS NOVEL TO LIFE:

  JIM KORKIS – AUTHOR – VAULT OF WALT

  FOR HIS HELP WITH THE SUBMARINE LAGOON, WALT’S FEDORA AND THE CLADDAGH RINGS

  SAM GENNAWEY – AUTHOR – THE DISNEYLAND STORY

  FOR HIS HELP WITH DISNEY TIMELINES

  PATTY GRIGGS

  FOR SHARING HER IDEA FOR GRANDMA MARGARET

  TIMOTHY CRUMRINE

  FOR THE HISTORY ON THE LITTLE MERMAID

  SUSAN MURPHY

  FOR HER VIDEO OF MAIN STREET ADDRESSES

  J.C. TREGARTHEN

  FOR HIS HELP WITH THE MAIN STREET BUILDINGS

  THANKS and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  to our Editors & Proofreaders:

  LAURA ELIZABETH O”LACY, M.H.S., Proofreader

  KIMBERLEE KEELINE, English PhD., Editor

  www.KEELINE.com

  Dear Readers,

  Walt Disney’s interest in mermaids was long-standing. Soon after he finished production on Snow White in 1937, he wanted to dive into Hans Christian Andersen’s tale of the Little Mermaid. However, the project had to be shelved—much to Walt’s regret. Flash forward to the 1980’s when The Disney Company was animating the version we love so dearly. Miraculously, Walt’s original script for The Little Mermaid was found. What was interesting was that some of Walt’s changes to the original storyline were the same as the changes made by the later Disney writers.

  Hidden Mickey Adventures 3: The Mermaid’s Tale begins shortly after Peter and Catie find the mermaid hidden in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland. At the home of Catie’s grandmother Margaret, they find a familiar gray capsule buried in the attic. But, more importantly, they find out something fascinating about Margaret—she had been one of the mermaids swimming in the Submarine Lagoon in the 1960’s.

  In this fun-filled novel, we examine some of the attractions that have been gone from Disneyland for many years. Re-live the original Submarine Voyage and the Motor Boat Cruise. Stand with Walt himself on the deck of the Chicken of the Sea Pirate Ship. Get reacquainted with the mysterious Blonde-Haired Man who worked side-by-side with Walt in the original novel Hidden Mickey: Sometimes Dead Men Do Tell Tales!

  Our favorite security guard Wolf is always nearby as a new villain threatens the children. She has her own Mermaid’s Tale to complete and is fanatically dedicated to seeing it throu
gh to the bitter end—even if it means going through Wolf to do it. There is something unsettling about her that he can’t put a finger on and he finds that he may have bitten off more than he can chew!

  Enjoy the history of Disneyland and the new adventure,

  Nancy Temple Rodrigue

  The mermaid was surprisingly light as Peter removed her from her hiding place. She had been hid in one of the chests placed around the attic scene in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion. As he tested the weight and guessed she was made out of wood, he could hear the dull thud of something loose inside the body. Only about sixteen inches long, her arms were at her sides as if she was swimming. Catie’s flashlight played over the mermaid’s light green tail. Her long red hair was carved to look as if it was flowing back over her shoulders.

  “She’s so pretty! Are those pearls attached? They don’t look like the rest of her.”

  “No, they’re separate. Look here, Catie. There’s another set of pearls under these that cover her…uh…chest. They looked carved. Wonder why there are two. Hey, do you think she’s supposed to be Ariel? She has red hair.”

  Catie wasn’t sure. “Her face is all wrong for Ariel. This doesn’t look like a real mermaid.” At Peter’s laugh, she quickly defended herself. “You know what I mean! This looks too…too old, I guess. Like the other stuff in the room.”

  Before they could continue their discussion, they both heard a noise in the far corner of the room. When they shined their flashlights to investigate, they were shocked to see the same woman who had watched them from the gate.

  “Put the mermaid down.” The order was clear as she moved closer, her hand going into the huge purse at her side. “That doesn’t belong to you.”

  “Who are you? How did you get in here?” Peter stepped in front of Catie and handed her the mermaid behind his back. He could feel her fumble with his backpack as she tried to cram it inside. Good girl, Catie. Even though he put on a brave front, his heart pounded in his chest as he faced this very angry woman.

  “Don’t you question me, boy. I saw you sneak in here and followed you. You aren’t the only one who knows how to pick a lock.”

  “I didn’t pick the lock. I have a key! And that means you don’t work here and don’t belong!”

  A smug smile came over the woman’s face. She looked to be in her early forties. “A key, huh? I might just have to take that away from you.”

  “I’d like to see you try!”

  “Peter, don’t make her madder.” Catie had gotten the mermaid stuffed into his pack and began to panic. “We have to get out of here!”

  “It’ll be okay. Start backing to the stairs. I think we can get out through the graveyard.”

  “Quit whispering and drop that mermaid. I’ve been waiting for years to get my hands on her and you aren’t going to stop me.”

  “How’d you know it was here?”

  “I know who hid her. That’s all you need to know. Put her back in the trunk and back away. Now!”

  Catie gave a startled gasp. “Peter! She’s got a knife!”

  His flashlight dropped from the woman’s face to illuminate five inches of bright sharp steel. It was a switchblade she had pulled out of the depths of her purse. “Give me the mermaid or I will hurt you!” Her arm raised and went into the throw position, her face still and determined. They had no doubt she would do exactly what she claimed.

  Peter crouched down in front of the chest as if he was going to do what she demanded. He then saw a scrap of paper he hadn’t seen before and snatched it. “Run, Catie! Now!”

  As Catie scrambled behind him, the woman gave a frustrated scream. “Stop! I warned you!” Her arm suddenly snapped and the knife sailed across the dark attic.

  Prepared for that, Peter had grabbed the ghoul out of the other trunk and thrust it over his head as he stayed down. The knife landed in the middle of the green head and stuck. Peter threw the mannequin down and ran after Catie. Already halfway down the stairs, the terrified girl kept going when she saw Peter start to follow her.

  “Head back to the graveyard! Hurry!”

  The two burst back through the hidden panel in the ballroom and slid the door shut behind them. With the hope the woman in the attic wouldn’t know which way they went, they reentered the graveyard and ran in the opposite direction. Careful not to step on any of the effects or trip over the numerous wires and cables, they looked for one thing: a sign that read Exit.

  They saw the welcome red words glowing to their right. As they headed for the way out, they had to squeeze through the row of empty, still Doom Buggies stopped on the track. When they pushed through the door, there was a flight of stairs. Another door blocked their way, but this one led them just where they wanted to be. They were now outside the show building on the other side of the berm.

  Their eyes blinked rapidly in the bright sunlight of the waning afternoon as they looked in each direction. “Where do we go, Peter? I…I don’t know where we are.”

  Peter heard the panic in her voice and knew it was up to him to calm his friend. “We’re okay, Catie. I know exactly where we are and I know how to get to Dad and Michael. Are you okay to run some more? We have a ways to go.”

  Catie put a hand on her chest as if that would stop the pounding of her heart. “I can run. I don’t want to stop running.”

  At the pleading look on her face, he pulled her in for a quick hug. He needed one, too. “We’ll be all right. Come on. We have to go this way. See the Monorail track over there? Look, there goes Big Red. I know how to get to New Orleans Square from here.”

  Hand in hand, they ran across the wide backside of the show building. There were cars and trucks parked nearby and they passed another door that led into the Mansion building. The familiar sound of the steam train could be heard as it pulled into the Frontierland Station and they knew they were close to their goal.

  Peter’s “borrowed” Key to Disneyland once again came in handy to get into the next building. When they came out the other side, it turned out to be the façade of one of the structures behind the train station. With the hope that they wouldn’t attract too much attention, they calmly walked across the track behind the parked train and climbed onto the loading platform.

  “Dropped my shoe.” Peter felt he had to mutter some kind of excuse to a guest who stopped to stare at the two kids who shouldn’t have been back there. “’Scuse me.”

  They slowly walked the length of the platform to the exit ramp right next to the outer edge of the Mansion’s queue. “Now, just turn right and go to the Blue Bayou. I think we’re in the clear.”

  As they cut behind Magnolia Park, resplendent in spring blooms, and then behind the French Market, Catie suddenly froze. “Peter! She…she’s over there looking for us! On the other side of the tables.”

  Without even a glance, Peter grabbed Catie’s hand and pulled her toward Royal Street and, hopefully, Dad.

  Out of the corner of her eye, the woman saw the sudden movement and started to run in the same direction.

  “Run, Peter! She saw us!”

  They ran as fast as the crowd would let them, dodging aside and muttering, “Sorry,” just about every foot of the way. They turned the corner of Royal Street just as their pursuer arrived at the far end, a triumphant smile on her face when she thought she had them blocked. No matter which way they ran, she could head them off so they couldn’t get to the main part of the Park and disappear into the mass of people.

  Peter spotted his dad and Michael standing in front of a push cart as they looked over watercolor drawings of the Mark Twain. “There he is!”

  Lance was surprised when he was suddenly engulfed by two winded, white-faced kids. “There you are. Thought we’d have to eat without you. You two okay?”

  “Yeah, Dad, we’re fine.” Peter looked around his dad at the woman who never took her eyes off of them. She had edged closer and was now near the entrance of Café Orleans.

  Peter could feel the weight of the hidden mermaid inside
his backpack. With the assurance that he was safe next to his dad, he gave her a smug smile behind Lance’s back as if he dared her to do something.

  Unperturbed, the woman suddenly raised her arm. It satisfied her to see the two kids flinch. It was only a camera and she took a quick picture of Peter and Catie as they peered out from behind Lance. A smug look of her own crossed her face as the camera was dropped into her purse. When she finally turned away and slowly sauntered off, she knew she was still being watched. At the edge of the bridge to Adventureland, she turned back to give a final, sarcastic salute to Peter.

  Peter had been positive she would go away once she saw they were under Lance’s protection. Now his heart sank in his chest. He knew this wouldn’t be the last time he saw her.

  Yorba Linda

  “I still don’t see why you didn’t want to go with your parents to the car show. I thought you were looking forward to it. It’s the last one of the season.”

  Thirteen-year-old Peter Brentwood and the eleven-year-old twins, Alex and Catie Michaels, sat on the edge of the pool. Their feet dangled in the water as they looked out over the view from the twins’ grandparent’s backyard.

  Peter pulled his thoughts from the discovery he and Catie had made in the Haunted Mansion a few months earlier. A small smile crossed his face. “It’s your mom’s car.”

  “But, Peter, you always liked going to Long Beach in the T-Bird.”

  Alex looked over at his twin sister. “You didn’t want to go either, Catie. We all usually make it this big family thing.” With an amused grin, his glance turned to Peter. “Can’t believe your dad is still trying to get Mom to let him drive the Bird. He’s way too tall to fit behind the wheel.” After a disbelieving shake of his head, he gave a contented sigh and put his arms behind his wavy brown hair. As he lay back on the deck, the heat felt good as it soaked through his thin shirt. “I didn’t go just because I wanted to know what you two have been finding lately. You never told me what you found out about the mermaid.”