Chapter VII - The Ghost

best festival we've ever had. Safety is of course still paramount, so if you'd like to volunteer for the festival patrol. Good morning, What are you doing breakfast? Max? Did you put oil in this pan? Of course you're cooking bacon. So what are you doing? Max? It's Saturday? Why are you up so early? I've got to go to the store, remember, And I thought you might like breakfast. That's very sweet. I can be sweet, I know that, Max, So why

do you sound suspicious? With very value? Attempt at breakfast? Has nothing to do with the fact that you're grounded until you're forty, of course not. I think your reaction was totally reasonable, right Max. I appreciate that you're trying to make up for the other night, but it's going to take a a while to really trust you. Again, that's not fair. I wasn't doing anything wrong. You're in the woods at night after I explicitly told you not to.

It's not like I was there alone. It was a search party, which I said you couldn't join after you nearly broke your ankle on the last one. Okay, that's an exaggeration. Can't you understand why I might be worried about you, Max, why I would do anything to keep you safe even if it annoys you. This isn't about me being annoyed. This is about the fact that I'm the first one to have made any kind of break in Riley's case by getting lost in the woods. Ross and I were the ones to find his backpack, not

the sheriff, not community Watch. This isn't about me wanting to to solve a mystery or something. This is about Wiley. I know you're worried. We're all worried. I think he could be in real danger. Joe, why did you find something out? No, it's just I mean, he's been missing for so long now, I know, But don't you get it. I'm worried about Riley, of course I am, But I am absolutely terrified if anything happeny to you. Look after your parents. But this isn't that we, Miles have a

tendency to throw ourselves into situations we can't control. And you think that's what happened to mom and Dad. I don't know. I don't know what they were doing driving all the way out to peaks. But but that's not the point. But don't you ever wonder, to be honest, Max, I'm not sure what difference it would make. They're still gone, but we don't know why they're gone, why they were there. There's no rhyme or reason to these things, as much as we want there to be. Okay, this is That's

why I need you to be careful. No matter how much you think you know what you're doing, there are so many things out of your control. From a typical artists and I heart radio. You're listening to Max and Miles. This chapter seven, the ghost any word on what they found and runs backpack. Nothing that useful. I guess they've expanded the search to the other side of Root three oh two and of the White Mountains. Damn, if he's there, they'll find him. Oh why is the code board? Maybe

he was running from something. Yeah, maybe pack of pal malls it. Oh hello, Ransom, Hi, there, those things are awful for you. You know, I know this one keeps telling me. Well, I do feel sort of responsible being the one to sell them to you at all. Well, if it makes you feel better, remember that I don't pay. Speaking of put whatever, Miss honeywell here wants on the Archer tab Ransom. That's really not nice, serry. Oh please please, It's the least I can do. Oh well, all right, good, well,

I should get back to it. Working on a Saturday. Every day is a business day when your family is your work is your dad coming to town for the Harvest festival as always, even though he doesn't bother to actually live here, Warren Archer would never miss a hasting celebration. He and Hal will do their double act at the auction as usual, I have no doubt. I can't wait to see it. Your father sounds delightful. Yeah, he's something.

I'll see you around, you will, Bi Max. I Well, I just came in for some scotch tape and to check in about this afternoon. But it Ransom's paying, I think I'll get a box of that very fancy hands. So you and Ransome seemed to getting along. He's a very nice man. Sure, what did he mean? It's the least he could do. Oh. We We happen to be in the tavern the other night at the same time and got to talking and well, he'd had a bit to drink and was telling me about some personal issues

he was having. What kind of personal issues? No, I'm not going to go spreading around rumors. Was it about the new mine? I know that the Archers bought mint or Mining, so I'm not going to tell you what Ransom and I privately discussed Max, but I gave him some advice. We bonded. It was nice. Ms honeywell are you are you dating Ransome Archer? No? No, nothing like that, not yet anyway. Wow, Okay that surprises you. Why didn't think that you go for someone like Ransom Archer? Really?

Why is that? It's just he has a bit of a reputation. I guess what kind of reputation? Oh? Hey, Ross, Miles, Uh do you know, miss Honeywell, this is Ross. Lovely to meet you. Ross. Yeah, you too. Any friend of Max's is a friend of mine. Oh, I wouldn't call us friends. Yeah, I'm more like neighbors, right, neighbors. Well, I know that Max here is the best neighbor you could ask for. You're still up for coming by the

end later today? Yep, I'll be there right after work, and I'm sure you'll be getting a call from my uncle making sure I show up. So sorry about that in advance, No apologies needed. He's a good parent. Yeah, all right, then I'll be off. Thank you as always, Max. Nice to meet you, Ross. Yeah, YouTube, did she pay for any of that stuff? I guess you don't have to pay when you're cozy with Ransom Archer. I'm sorry? Are you saying that Ransom Archer is dating the new

girl in town? Something like that? What I mean? You like Miss Honeywell, right, You think she's a good person? Yeah, so it sucks that she's dating Ransom. That guy's the worst. I know that he's entitled and snobbish and kind of blunt, but but what I don't know. I was hoping to figure something out by the time I got to the end of that sentence. All right, so what are you doing over at the maple Thorpe later? Oh, Miss Honeywell asked me to look into well haunting, haunting not actually

that's just you know what she's calling it. She thinks someone might be sneaking into the inn or something because there's weird sounds, but nothing has been stolen, not that there's much to steal. I mean, the place is barely open while she does renovations, so you're gonna sniff out whoever's causing the noise or whatever. I have a feeling that's a raccoon or something. Ah. Yes, Big city Lady doesn't know about the woodland creatures exactly. So you want

to come over later to the treehouse. I mean, I mean, I know you're basically under house arrest and everything, but well your backyard is basically our backyard, right exactly. So you'll come over once you're done at the end. Yeah, sure, cool, cool, cool, cool cool cool ross are you okay? Yeah, there's just something, there's something I need to talk to you about. Oh okay, right, so I'll see you later then, Yeah, okay, see you later.

It's fine, it'll be fine. So as you can see where a bitten shambles at the moment, it's not so bad. How did you end up buying this place? Anyway? Old Mrs Maplethorpe wanted to retire and I wanted a change of pace. It was very serendipitous. I never would have guessed she would have sold it to someone from New York. Mrs Maplethorpe was always a bit old fashioned, that's one way to put it. The maple Thorpes are an old Hastings family, as old as the Archers, and Mrs maple

Thorpe was the last one left. I didn't think she'd want to give her family's legacy to well, an outsider. I'm not exactly an outsider. What what do you mean? Are you from Hastings. I used to have family up this way, not for a long time, but recent enough that Mrs Maplethorpe was familiar with the name Wow which so despite the vague connection, I still feel I don't know much about this place. There's not much to know. Really.

Hastings is pretty straightforward. It was built on minds, like a lot of towns around here, and hasn't changed much over the years. But the old mine is closed now, isn't it. M M. It was run by the Archers, but then they got more invested in real estate. They own half of Hastings and a ski resort twenty miles

outside of town. People were pretty mad when they did that. Really, why people in Hastings don't want to drive twenty miles to work and they've gotten used to the Archers providing employment, I guess. But now there's this new mining company coming in and the Archers are investing in it, so I guess everyone will go back to doing what they want to do. You don't sound very happy about that. I I want people to have jobs, of course, even if it is one family that's employed the town for centuries.

But I just I wish it wasn't something that wasn't destroying the environment. Is that why the Archers shut down the old coal mine? No way. They don't care about global warming any more than mayor Hell does. Most people in this town don't. It seems that despite their weight in this town, the Archers aren't very well liked. It really depends on who you talk to. I think some people appreciate what they've done for Hastings, but most people don't. Well,

no one really hangs out with the Archers. They've always been a bit separate from the rest of us, and Ransom is the only one who lives here full time. Correct, Yeah, the rest of them have scattered. Guess they outgrew Hastings. Has Ransom ever been married any kids? You know? Definitely not? Wait, sorry, are you asking because you're interested in those things with him? Because? No, goodness, no, I'm just curious about people. That's all a hazard of

being in the hotel business. I suppose, Ah, that will be our ghost. Come on, how often has this been happening? There doesn't seem to be a pattern to it. I've certainly noticed it more late in the evening. But does happen a few times throughout the day? And how long has it been going on? Almost a week now, I'd wager odd thoughts and creeks too deliberate to be the house settling. Who has access to the inn? Well myself of course. Mrs Maplethorpe technically still has keys, though she

never leaves her house these days. The contractor, but he lives in Berlin, so he's only down here occasionally. Patrick has been kind enough to help out with some repairs. Patrick Who's Patrick Patrick Beatty? We met at the hardware store and he very generously offered his handyman expertise. Mr Beatty. Mr Beatty has been helping you. Oh you know him. Yeah, he's my neighbor. Isn't he just the sweetest Uh No,

not really, That's not how I describe him. Really, he's been a wonderful pal to have around while ily this place up. He's been around a lot, somewhat sporadically, but he seems to come by whenever he has a moment free. How would you describe him? Oh, he's always been the scary old man in our neighborhood. Honestly, he doesn't say much. He's not very sociable. I'll admit that he's a tough customer, but he's really a big teddy bear once you get to know him. And I think his standoffish nature is

perfectly understandable given everything he's gone through. You mean his family, so, you know, not really just that he used to have one. His son died thirty years ago. Oh my god. I thought maybe he gotten divorced or something. Nothing. Well, he did get divorced, I mean, I mean, I think that's quite common after the loss of a child. God, poor Mr Beatie. Do you know what happened? He went missing in woods. They found him a few days later he'd fallen.

That's right. My uncle said that happened to a teenager when he was just a baby. I think the poor man has been in pain most of his life, and this whole situation with Riley has him even more rattled. Really, he doesn't show it, but I know he cares very much about the kids in this town. I'll have to take your word for it. It's a bit hard to believe. Has Pat really been unkind to you? No, not to me, but well, Ross, who you met earlier. He and Mr Beaty have always clashed. I see this, Ross. Are you

too close? Um? We've known each other for a long time. Mm hmm. You seemed quite nervous when he came into the store, did I. It's been a weird couple of days. I'm just tired. Max Ras seems like a nice young man, but I would be careful with him. Boys at that age you can't always trust them to look out for you. Why are you telling me this? It seems like the two of you have a connection. Well, I wouldn't go that for and I just want you to be careful.

I've seen bright young women destroyed by clever boys with nice smiles before well, I really don't know what you mean. Just be careful. Okay. Well, first of all, it's ross, and second of all, I do trust him. I don't know what you think is going on between us, but I know I can rely on him. That's what you think? No, I know he's my friend. You're saying you don't have any more serious feelings for him. There it is again, Max. You don't have any guests here currently, right, No, no

one should be up here. Have you noticed any fur or animal droppings? Do you think it's an animal? I think that's the most likely explanation, but you don't think so. I I'm not sure. It seems too big to be an animal. What else could it be someone trying to steal something, to do something? Miss Honey? Will do you think you're in danger? Max? Be careful? Wait Riley, Max? Are you all right? It it was Riley? It looked like right, that's not possible, but we're just talking about Riley.

It makes sense that in a high stress situation you might think you saw him right, right, because it couldn't be him if he's been here all alone. No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't hide. That doesn't make any sense. But it does seem like a person, not an animal. I need to find out what they want. Well, maybe it's just someone who needs a home. Of course, I wish they hadn't run. Perhaps we could have helped. Well, whoever they were, I'm not sure they'll be back. I didn't get a

good look at their face, but they seemed it. They seemed what scared really really scared. M Max. You're here. Yeah, listen, something weird happened at the end. What is it really haunted? Not exactly, but look, whatever is it? Can wait? I have to tell you something, Ross, Are you okay? Yeah? I look when I tell you what I'm about to tell you, I need you to not freak out. I won't freak out. I'm serious, Max, Ross, What is going on? Okay? So the other night when we were in the woods,

what about it? I, oh, man, you're gonna think I'm nuts. I promise I won't. Whatever it is, you can tell me, it won't. It won't change anything. You say that now, Okay. So when we found Riley's backpack, I was I was really freaked out, I guess, And after hearing that whole conversation that Mr Beady had, I don't know. I started to get in my head that you were right. Thanks, wait right about what that you really are the one that's going to figure this out, not the community watch.

I think Mr Colmes is trying his best, But you take risks, Max, You're fearless. I'm not fearless. You act like you are, which is almost the same thing. And I wanted to take a risk too, to take things into our own hands. Okay, before we handed the backpack over to the sheriff, when we were walking into city Hall, I took this ross. This is Riley's notebook. I know this is evidence that this isn't just some half baked theories about Mr Beatie that you know you have to

give this to the sheriff. I know, except except what what's inside the notebook. It's gonna change everything. Maxie Miles was created by Lauren Chippin as a production of A Typical Artists and I Heart Radio. This episode was written and directed by Lauren Chippen, dialog, editing and sound designed by Morrissy Owing at Flack Creek Productions, with editing assistance

from Laurian Davis and Melissa Ponds. It featured Jordan cob as Maxie Miles MAXI follow as Ross Heller, Michael Smallwood as Uncle Joe, Jacqueline Landgraph as Miss Honeywell, Andrew Noach at Ransom Archer, and Lauren Chippen as the Manager. Original artwork by Shane mcclowen. For more information about the show, please visit Maxie Miles dot com and follow at a

Typical Artists on Twitter and Instagram. Maxie Miles is executive produced by Lauren Shippen and I Heart Radio and for more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Thank you for listening, and Keith Curious