Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (7 of 9)

“Boy, oh, boy,” said Fred. “It sure is cold out there!” The tops of his ears were bright red.

“But,” said Ashley. “You drove over here, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” answered Fred. “But your street hasn’t been plowed yet and I had to park my car at the corner and walk down!”

“Would you like some coffee or hot chocolate to help you warm up?” asked Ashley’s mother.

“Coffee would be wonderful,” said Fred. “Thank you, Mrs. Enright.”

Ashley’s mother poured a mug of coffee for Fred and handed it to him. “Do you take cream or sugar?” she asked.

“No, Ma’am,” said Fred. “Black is just fine!” He took a long sig and wrapped his hands around the mug. “It’s warming me up already!”

“So, Fred,” said Ashley’s father. “What’s going on out there?” He pointed to the window.

“I’m not sure,” Fred answered. “The Coast Guard has no record of any distress calls from the boat. They should be out there very soon.”

Sure enough, they soon saw a large Coast Guard cutter making its way in the rough sea toward the lobster boat. When the cutter finally reached the lobster boat, they saw two Coast Guard officers throw a line to the lobster boat. They seemed to be communicating to a man on the lobster boat using hand signals. The man nodded his head and carefully made his way to the bow of his boat with the rope. It looked like he tied the rope to a mooring on the front of his boat. He carefully made his way back to the back of his boat and gave the officers two thumbs up. Slowly, the cutter turned around in the rough sea and the lobster boat moved behind it. The sea was still very rough and the snow made it difficult to see. However, they could see that the cutter was slowly towing the lobster boat behind it.

“Yipee!” said Kelly as she clapped her hands. “He’s rescued!”

“It sure looks that way,” said Fred. He used his police radio to call the Coast Guard cutter. They all listed as the cutter’s captain told Fred that they were headed to back into port with the lobster boat.

“Whew,” said Josh. “I’ll bet that guy’s relieved!”

“I don’t doubt that!” said Fred. “It looks like everything’s resolved. I’d better get back to the station house.”

“Thanks, Fred,” said Ashley.

“Thank you, Ashley,” said Fred. “As usual, you’ve helped us tremendously!”

“But, it wasn’t an investigation or anything,” said Ashley.

“No,” said Fred. “But, you probably saved that man’s life by calling the police!

Even on a snowy day, you find a way to investigate!”

“I guess,” said Ashley. “It wasn’t an investigation, just a snow day adventure!”

“That’s my girl,” said Ashley’s father as he tousled Ashley’s hair.

“Thank you for the coffee and the chance to warm up, Mrs. Enright,” said Fred.

“It’s always a pleasure, Fred,” said Ashley’s mother. “You’re always welcome in our home.”

“Bye, kids,” said Fred as he went into the hallway to get bundled up for his walk to the car. Mr. Enright walked him to the door and shook Fred’s hand.

“Hey,” said Ashley’s father. “Can you do anything about getting our street plowed?”

Fred laughed and said, “I’m afraid that another city department entirely! Besides, it’s a good day to stay indoors!” Fred left to walk up the block to his car.

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (6 out of 9)

“I’ll put the kettle on for some hot chocolate while we wait,” said Ashley’s mother. She filled up the tea kettle and put it on the burner on the stove. A few minutes later, the kettle started whistling as the water boiled. She filled five mugs with hot chocolate mix and poured on the hot water. She brought the mugs over to the table and asked, “Does anyone want marshmallows?”

“I could use a few, Mrs. Enright,” said Josh politely.

“Me, too!” Kelly piped up.

“None for me, thanks,” said Ashley.

“No marshmallows for me,” said Ashley’s father. “But, don’t we have some whipped cream?”

“Yes, we do,” laughed Ashley’s mother. She went to the refrigerator and pulled out a can of Redi-whip and put it in front of her husband.

“Thanks, dear,” said Ashley’s father as he swirled a huge mound of whipped cream on top of his hot chocolate.

“My goodness,” said Ashley’s mother. “Is there anything left in the can?”

“I think so,” said Ashley’s father as his face turned red.

“I could use some of that,” said Ashley as she took the can a made a small whirl on top of her hot chocolate.

Kelly grabbed for the can and started to squirt it in her mouth.

“Young lady,” said Ashley’s mother as she took the can from Kelly. “We do NOT do that in this house!”

“Sorry, Mommy,” said Kelly hanging her head down.

“Yes, if you insist on doing that,” said Ashley’s father. “You have to do it outside in the snow!”

Kelly’s eyes opened wide and then she realized that her father was just kidding.

“Daddy,” she giggled. “That’s just so silly.”

At that moment, the doorbell rang. “That’s probably Fred,” said Ashley’s father. He got up from the table to answer the door. A few minutes later, he came into the kitchen followed by Fred.

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (5 of 9)

“And just what is going on here?” she demanded. “I’m trying to color in my room and there’s all this noise!”

“The police will be here any minute,” said Ashley’s father.

Kelly’s face turned as white as a sheet. “The police!” she cried out. “But, I only took two chocolate chip cookies last night!”

Everyone laughed. Ashley’s mother said, “Well, thank you for telling the truth, but that’s not why the police are coming.”

“That’s right,” said Ashley’s father as he gathered Kelly into his arms. “We don’t call the police about cookie thieves. We call the ‘Tickle Monsters’ to deal with such hardened criminals.” He started tickling Kelly. She giggled and squirmed to get away.

When she got away, she stopped laughing and said, “O.k., so why are the police really coming?”

“Ashley called them because it looks like that lobster boat out there may be in trouble,” said Ashley’s mother as she pointed to the window.

Kelly went to the window and said, “Wow, you can hardly see out there!”

“I know,” said Ashley. “It looks like the boat may have some engine trouble and the weather looks like it’s even getting worse!”

Kelly said, “I hope the guy on the boat doesn’t get seasick!”

“That’s probably the last thing he’s worried about right now,” said Ashley’s father.

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (4 out of 9)

She went to the front door and let Josh in. He was covered with snow from head to toe. There was even snow on his eyebrows and eyelashes!

“You look like a snowman,” Ashley laughed as Josh started peeling off his heavy goose down jacket, took off his gloves and hat and unwound the scarf from around his face.

“Gee, thanks a lot,” said Josh as he stood on the mat and stomped some snow off of his boots.

“Take off those boots and leave them on the front porch,” said Ashley. “My mom will kill you if you get snow on her hardwood floors!”

“Oh no,” said Josh in mock horror. “Death on a snowy day!” He put his boots outside the door and followed Ashley into the kitchen.

“It was only Josh,” said Ashley as she sat down at the kitchen table. Josh sat down too.

“Josh, what brings you out on such a snowy day?” asked Ashley’s father.

“I heard about the boat,” answered Josh. “So, I thought I’d come down here to watch.”

“Couldn’t you have watched from your house, Josh?” asked Ashley’s mother.

“I guess so,” answered Josh. “But, here is where the action is!”

Ashley’s parents both laughed and her father said, “I guess he’s right! There’s always plenty of action around the Enright house!”

Just then, they heard a noise in the hallway and saw that Kelly was standing there with her hands on her hips.

 

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (3 out of 9)

“Hi, Ashley,” said Fred as he came on the line. “Is everything o.k.?”

“Well,” said Ashley. “I sure hope so, but we can see a lobster boat that looks like it may be in trouble.”

“A lobster boat in this weather?” asked Fred incredulously.

“I know,” Ashley answered. “That’s what we wondered, too. But, it looks like it’s just drifting out there in the rough seas.”

“O.k.,” said Fred. “I’ll call the Coast Guard and see it they’re aware of any distress calls from the boat. If your folks don’t mind, I’ll be over there in a few minutes just to help monitor the situation.”

Fred hung up and Ashley told her father what Fred had said.

“O.k., then,” said her father. “We’ll wait and see what happens.”

Ashley’s mother came into the kitchen and asked what was going on.

Ashley’s father said, “Ashley looked out the window and saw that there was a lobster boat that looks like it may be in trouble.”

“I called Fred and he’ll call the Coast Guard,” said Ashley. “He also said he’d be coming over to monitor the situation.”

“What a lot of activity on a snowy morning!” said her mother. “I’d better made more coffee!”The doorbell rang and her mother said, “That sure was fast!”

Ashley laughed and said, “I don’t think that’s Fred. It’s probably Josh.”

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (2 of 9)

Ashley put the dirty cereal bowls in the sink. As she was going back to the kitchen table, she looked out the window at the ocean. It was hard to see because of the swirling snow, but she could tell that the sea was rough. She looked for a few minutes and then saw a lobster boat being tossed around in the stormy sea.

“What is he doing out there in this weather?” asked her father as he came to the window.

“I don’t know,” said Ashley. “But, I wonder if he’s in trouble?”

“Why do you say that?” asked her father.

“It looks like the boat is just being tossed around,” said Ashley.

Her father looked out the window again and said, “I think you’re right. Maybe he’s having engine trouble.”

“What should we do?” asked Ashley.

“I think we should probably let the police know and they’ll get the Coast Guard,” said her father.

At that moment, the phone rang. Ashley picked up the phone on the kitchen wall. It was her best friend, Josh Stewart, who lived three houses away.

“Hey, Ashes,” said Josh when Ashley answered the phone. “No school today, isn’t that awesome?”

“Yeah,” answered Ashley. “That’s pretty cool.”

“What are you going to do today?” Josh asked.

“I’m not sure,” said Ashley. “I was just about to call Fred about a boat we can see out in the ocean.”

Fred Beasley was a young police officer who frequently came to their school to give talks on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and stranger danger. He was liked and trusted by all of the children in town. He had helped Ashley and Josh frequently with Ashley Enright Investigations.

“You’re going to call Fred?” Josh asked. “Why?”

“My dad and I think that the boat may be in trouble. Fred will know what to do,” said Ashley.

“Wow,” said Josh. “Even on a snowy day, you find an adventure!”

“I hardly think that a boat in trouble is an adventure,” laughed Ashley. “I just think he may need some help!”

“Can I come over and watch?” Josh asked excitedly.

“Josh,” answered Ashley. “It’s still snowing like crazy out there!”

“I know,” said Josh. “But, I’m bored and I don’t have that far to walk.”

 

“Alright,” said Ashley. “Come on over. Now, hang up, so I can call Fred!”

 

“O.k.,” said Josh as he hung up without even saying ‘goodbye.’

“Oh, brother,” said Ashley with a sigh. She then dialed the non-emergency number for the Donnybrook Police station and asked for Fred.

Ashley Enright and the Snow Day Adventure (1 of 9)

        Ashley Enright’s clock radio sounded at 6 a.m. She rolled over to hit the snooze button and gasped when she looked out her bedroom window. “Wow,” she said out loud. “It must’ve really snowed last night!” Her backyard was covered with a blanket of white snow. She got out of bed and went down the hall to her parent’s bedroom.

      “Mom, Dad,” she said as she opened their bedroom door. “It snowed last night!”

     “We know,” said her mother. “They just said on the local news that we got about two feet of snow and we’re expecting at least another foot. So, guess whose school is closed today?”

     “Yipee!” shouted Ashley as she jumped up and down. “A snow day is a wonderful gift!”

     “Well,” said Ashley’s father. “Go let your little sister in on the good news!” Ashley ran down the hall to Kelly’s room. “Kel,” Ashley said as she shook her six-year-old sister’s shoulder. “Get up and look out the window.”

     “Wow,” said Kelly as she looked at the snow. “That looks really deep. How are we going to get to the bus stop?”

     “Silly goose,” said Ashley. “We don’t have school today…it’s a snow day!”

     “A snow day?” questioned Kelly. “What’s a snow day?” 

     “Duh,” said Ashley. “It snowed, so we don’t have school so it’s a snow day!”

     “Cool,” said Kelly. “What are we going to do?”

     “Well,” said Ashley. “First, we’re going to have breakfast and then we’ll decide what to do!”

      Ashley and Kelly went downstairs to the kitchen. Ashley poured some cereal for her sister and made a bowl for herself.

     “So,” said Kelly. “What are we going to do today?”

     “I’m not sure,” said Ashley. “Today is a day you can do almost anything.”

    “Anything?” said Kelly in amazement.

    “Well,” said Ashley. “Knowing you, maybe not anything because who knows what you’ll decide to do!”

     “I think I’ll color for awhile,” said Kelly.

    “That’s a good idea,” said Ashley. They both finished their bowls  of cereal and Kelly went upstairs to her room to color.