Wilbur Soot x Milo the Fish {Family Friendly}

Wilbur And Delorah Go On a Detective Case

     The next day, Wilbur and Delorah went to an antiques jewelry and costume shop.  Wilbur opened the door as Delorah stepped carefully through the brown, cobwebb-filled doorway into a wooden-floored room full of old lamps and lanterns peppered in with the advertised products.
     They stepped up to the counter where a well groomed yet scraggly man stood, wrinkled with a green corduroy jacket, small black tophat, monocle, and some oddly placed long, gray hair on his chin.  Wilbur wondered why he dressed so nicely for such a humble shop.  Then afterall, he seemed quite in place.  Perhaps he was steampunk.  
     "Hello, what brings you kids in here today?" he said in a welcoming yet tired voice.
     "Well, we were actually hoping to buy something for my house, so Delorah here could see it when she came over, but a passing man on the street that I have acquainted myself with a few times told me to look for you as well.  You've got some lovely products in here."
     The about 50-looking man licked his lips a bit while he raised his head and thought.
     "Oh yes, that must've been Dean.  You can't see, but-" he pulled a little nametag attached to a little clock out of his pocket, "I'm Maxwell."
      He gave a nice little, hearty smile.
      "I'm Wilbur."  He reached out for a handshake.  Maxwell's grip was firm.  All the while, Delorah was holding on to Wilbur's arm modestly.
      "And yes, the man seems to have told me his name was Dean.  I didn't know if names were important."
      "Oh, never mind about that, son." he said with a wave of the hand and a slight chuckle.
      "Come back here, I want you two to see something behind my desk," he said while opening the little latch and holding out his arm so as to display the small area.

       "Oh, that's a lovely looking lamp, isn't it, Delorah?"

         Delorah emerged from behind Wilbur to see a shimmering red lamp with a single jewel placed in the top, middle.  It let off a light that had a little tint of orange.  Her eyes glistened a bit as they lit up on the sight.

         "Ah, that's the old red quartz.  Not worth too much, but it's rare nonetheless!"

         "Do you like it, Delorah?"

         "Well, it certainly is pretty.. but I guess that just depends on how much it costs."

         "It's only $25!" Maxwell said.

          Delorah looked at Wilbur with large eyes.

          "We'll take it!"
 

          "Great!"  Maxwell said while genuinely happy.

           As Maxwell handed him the lamp, Wilbur asked "I'm sorry sir, but was there another reason we were directed here?"

           Maxwell licked his lips a little bit more, but this time more seriously.
           "Well, it's only if you guys want to."
           "We're curious to see at least what it is!"

           Maxwell took them through a little side doorway a little bit farther back in the space, where he flicked on an old light switch and grabbed some small, yellowed papers from a small counter.

           "25 years ago, a man left these papers in here.  He was selling me the lamp and we had this little room, drop off anything you wanted to donate.  After we made the deal he went in there for a few little minutes.  I didn't follow him because I figured it wasn't my business.  I only just found these papers a month ago.  Dean's a regular here.. asked him if he would find some nice people to help me.  I would do it myself, but I'm getting too old."

         "What's on the papers?"

         "Something about 847th Street.  In the rain.  Says there's supposed to be a fountain, then a red house."

         "Well I guess we'll just have to go there, won't we?"

        "If you kids feel like it, I don't think it would be anything dangerous...."

        "I think we would be fine..." Wilbur said with a warm smile.  "We'll try it out and should be safe."