Book Scavenger

Emily and James learn that Griswold’s assistant is named Jack Kerouac, but the assistant says he is no relation to the famous author, who is Emily’s father’s favorite writer. When Jack shows them into Griswold’s private office, he finds a man already inside who says he is Leon Remora, a rare book collector who manages Griswold’s private collection. Remora insists that he is missing a book and came to the office to look for it. Jack is suspicious and sends Remora away. Jack then gives the kids a tour of Griswold’s office and confides that Griswold was a big fan of Edgar Allan Poe.

Emily compares a printed edition of “The Gold-Bug” with her copy from Griswold to see if she can uncover any more coded typos. She and James finally assemble a secret message that reads, “For the most wild yet most homely narrative which I am about to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief” (151), which is later revealed to be a line from the Poe story “The Black Cat.” When this clue stumps the pair, they decide to ask Raven about it. Raven, who is Griswold’s game assistant, confirms that this is the first clue to Griswold’s new game and Emily is thrilled to have achieved her fantasy of “moving to San Francisco and participating in one of Mr.