“Circle up and listen closely,” the guide said. “You’re standing on the deck of an actual pirate ship. We don’t know how this ship survived—and in such great condition. Or where it came from. It simply showed up in the marina one day as if it appeared out of nowhere. But wow, aren’t we the lucky ones!”
Or unlucky, Barrie thought, rolling his eyes at the guide’s hokey theatrics. He knew they always embellished the stories on these tours. They had to, or nobody would ever sign up for them.
His father, of course, looked riveted, while his mother did her best to humor him and pay attention. Rita snapped her gum and fidgeted, clearly wanting to text Todd or Brooke.
“We’re the only maritime museum in this area to have such a pristine pirate ship,” the guide said, gesturing upward toward the masts. “And this one was captained by one of the most famous…or should I say infamous…pirates in history!” He let out a laugh. “Let’s just say, you are in for a real treat! Now follow me.”
Barrie followed the group as they descended the stairs to the interior deck. They stepped into a narrow, dark hallway, gathering around an oil painting that hung on the wall.
“I’d like you to meet,” the guide said with great effect, “Captain James Hook.”
The guide gestured to the painting. It was the same man Barrie had seen briefly on the museum’s website. The captain looked regal in his crimson coat with its golden stitching, and up close, his hat looked even more imposing, adorned with its large white feather. The pirate had long, wavy black hair that cascaded over his shoulders, and he sported a thin black mustache that tapered to fine points, lending his face a menacing appearance. In his right hand, he gripped a scary-looking sword. His beady eyes seemed to stare directly at Barrie from above.
“You’re standing on his ship,” the guide went on, as the boat swayed under their feet. “And it’s a good thing Captain Hook and his band of pirates aren’t around to catch us down here—or he might make us walk the plank.”
The group chuckled and muttered approving noises. Some snapped photos with their phones or fancy cameras, including his father. But Barrie just let out a bored sigh. It’s just a dumb old painting of a guy in a weird outfit.
But even so, Barrie could not stop staring at one thing—the hook at the end of the pirate’s left arm. Barrie couldn’t help it. He raised his hand. The guide called on him.
“Yes, matey, got a question?” the guide said in his cockney accent.
“Uh…what happened to his hand?” Barrie asked, feeling self-conscious as everyone’s eyes darted to him. “Is that why he’s named…Captain Hook? Or did he choose a hook because his name was already Hook?”
“Great question, matey,” the guide said. “We do believe the name came after the Hook—that it’s his pirate name, not his given name. Though we can’t be sure. As for his hand, there are a few theories, but the truth is…we don’t know. Sadly, that history has been lost. Your guess is as good as ours! It’s one of our museum’s greatest unsolved mysteries,” the guide added with a fake grin.
Barrie’s heart sank, disappointed. He was hoping for a more interesting, and hopefully gory, story for once.
Oblivious, Dad clapped his shoulder and flashed him a proud smile. “I knew you’d love this museum! I’m so glad we came for your birthday.”
“Uh, thanks,” Barrie forced out, along with a weak smile, trying not to think of all the fun his friends were probably having at the skate park today. That was their usual Sunday plan. It would have been way better than this lame tour. But then another thought occurred to him: What if I can solve the mystery of Captain Hook and his missing hand?
This could be his chance! A real shot at solving a real mystery, just like the kids in his detective books. The Mystery of the Missing Hand. It even sounded like some of the titles he’d read. Barrie loved sleuthing around, looking for clues. His heart thumped faster at the idea.
“Follow me,” the guide said, leading them past a door with a sign on it.
KEEP OUT: CLOSED FOR RESTORATION
“That’s Captain Hook’s cabin,” the guide went on in his cockney accent. “I wish I could show it to you, but it’s currently being spiffed up by our staff. My apologies, but I promise to make up for it by delving into some serious maritime history….”
As the group continued the rest of the way down the hall and back up the steps to the top deck, Barrie lingered behind, pretending to inspect the painting. But the truth was, he had other plans, and they didn’t include listening to serious maritime history.
His eyes darted to the captain’s cabin. This was his chance. He reached for the doorknob. He knew it was wrong to trespass, but he had one question seared into his brain. His eyes darted back to the painting—and the hook attached to the pirate captain’s left arm.
How did he get the hook?
Maybe if he searched Hook’s cabin, he could find a clue, something that others had missed. That’s what the kid detectives in his books would do. They were twin brothers who solved mysteries together.
Barrie would have loved to have had a twin to go sleuthing with, but all he had was an annoying older sister. He chuckled just thinking about Rita in this situation. She would be exactly zero help.
But he knew what the brothers would do. After all, he’d read like a hundred of their books. They’d sneak away from the tour and search the boat for clues, just like he was doing. It was worth a shot, Barrie figured, and way more interesting than the dull tour. Plus, maybe he could solve one of history’s greatest unsolved mysteries. That made his heart thump faster.
He twisted the doorknob. At first, it resisted, and his body heated up, leaving him wondering if he should just forget about it. But no. This could be huge! He put all his strength into his grip, and finally, the knob let out a creak and turned reluctantly. The heavy door swung inward, squealing on its hinges, revealing the dimly lit cabin.
Barrie’s palms began to sweat. This wasn’t the first time he’d snuck into a place where he didn’t belong. When he played with Michael and John, they often acted out scenes from his mystery books and snuck into rooms where their parents didn’t want them hanging out or random places they wanted to explore. But this was the first time he’d ignored a KEEP OUT sign. And this time, he was all alone.
Suddenly, the ship lurched under his feet as a big wave slammed into it.
Barrie staggered, then recovered. His stomach flipped. Yup, that confirmed it. He didn’t like the ocean—not one bit. It was too unpredictable. It was too wild.