Tommy and Lily met early the next morning, ready to continue their mission to clear Lily’s grandmother's name. They had a long day ahead of them, talking to villagers and gathering as much evidence as they could.
"Where should we start?" Tommy asked, adjusting his backpack. "There are so many people we need to talk to."
Lily pulled out her notebook, which was filled with names and addresses. "I think we should start with Mr. Hargrove. He mentioned that Grandma helped his wife recover from an illness. His story could be really compelling."
"Good idea," Tommy agreed. "Let's head to his house first."
They made their way through the village, the early morning sun casting a warm glow over the cobblestone streets. When they arrived at Mr. Hargrove’s house, Tommy knocked on the door. A few moments later, Mr. Hargrove opened it, a friendly smile on his face.
"Hello, Mr. Hargrove," Lily said politely. "We’re sorry to bother you, but we were hoping you could help us with something."
Mr. Hargrove nodded and stepped aside to let them in. "Of course, children. Come on in. What do you need?"
Tommy and Lily exchanged a quick glance before Lily spoke. "We’re trying to gather evidence to clear my grandma’s name. We know she’s helped a lot of people, and we were hoping you could share your story with us."
Mr. Hargrove’s expression softened. "Ah, Mrs. Willow. She’s a remarkable woman. My wife was very ill a few years ago, and the doctors couldn’t do much for her. Mrs. Willow made a special tea that helped her recover. We owe her a great deal."
Tommy pulled out a notepad. "Can you tell us more about what happened? Every detail will help."
Mr. Hargrove nodded and began to recount the story. "My wife, Margaret, had been bedridden for weeks. She had a terrible fever, and nothing seemed to help. I was desperate, so I went to Mrs. Willow. She asked about Margaret’s symptoms and then gave me a mix of herbs to make into a tea. Within days, Margaret started to improve. It was like a miracle."
Lily wrote down everything Mr. Hargrove said. "Do you still have any of the herbs or the recipe for the tea?"
Mr. Hargrove shook his head. "I’m afraid not. Mrs. Willow gave me enough for a few days, and once Margaret was better, I didn’t need any more. But I remember the gratitude I felt. She saved my wife’s life."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Hargrove," Tommy said sincerely. "Your story will be a big help."
Mr. Hargrove smiled warmly. "I’m happy to help. And if there’s anything else you need, just let me know."
They left Mr. Hargrove’s house feeling encouraged. "That was a great start," Tommy said. "Who’s next on our list?"
Lily checked her notebook. "Mrs. Green. She lives just a few streets over."
They made their way to Mrs. Green’s house and knocked on her door. She opened it and beamed at them. "Hello, children! What can I do for you?"
"Hi, Mrs. Green," Lily said. "We’re trying to gather stories about my grandma. We know she helped you with your garden. Could you tell us more about that?"
Mrs. Green’s eyes twinkled with fondness. "Oh, Mrs. Willow is a wonder with plants. My garden was in terrible shape, and she gave me some tips and special plant food she made herself. Now my garden is the envy of the neighborhood."
Tommy took out his notepad again. "Can you tell us exactly what she did and what kind of plant food she gave you?"
Mrs. Green nodded enthusiastically. "She made a mixture of compost, eggshells, and some herbs. She said it would help the plants grow strong and healthy. And she was right. Everything in my garden flourished after that."
Lily wrote down the details. "Do you have any of the plant food left?"
Mrs. Green shook her head. "I used it all up. But I remember the recipe she gave me. I can write it down for you if you’d like."
"That would be wonderful," Lily said gratefully.
Mrs. Green quickly wrote down the recipe and handed it to Lily. "I hope this helps. Mrs. Willow is a treasure, and it’s about time people recognized that."
"Thank you so much, Mrs. Green," Tommy said. "Every bit of information helps."
They continued their journey, visiting several more houses and gathering stories from people who had been helped by Mrs. Willow. Each person had a unique tale to tell, all of which painted a picture of a kind and knowledgeable woman who used her skills to help others.
Their final stop for the day was the village library. They wanted to look through old records and newspapers to find any historical evidence that might support their cause. The librarian, Mrs. Hartley, welcomed them with a warm smile.
"Hello, dears," she said. "What brings you to the library today?"
"Hi, Mrs. Hartley," Lily said. "We’re looking for any old records or newspaper articles about my grandma. We’re trying to clear her name, and we think there might be some useful information here."
Mrs. Hartley nodded. "I remember Mrs. Willow well. She’s always been a pillar of this community. Let me show you to the archives."
She led them to a quiet corner of the library where rows of old newspapers and records were stored. "You can start here. If you need any help, just let me know."
"Thank you," Tommy said. "We’ll let you know if we find anything."
They spent hours sifting through old newspapers and records, looking for any mention of Mrs. Willow. Finally, Tommy let out a triumphant shout. "Lily, look at this!"
Lily hurried over to where Tommy was sitting. He pointed to an old newspaper article dated several decades ago. The headline read, "Local Woman Saves Village from Influenza Outbreak."
Lily read the article eagerly. "Mrs. Willow is credited with helping to control a severe influenza outbreak in the village by providing herbal remedies to the afflicted. Her knowledge of medicinal plants and her tireless efforts are said to have saved many lives."
"This is incredible," Lily said, her eyes wide with excitement. "This could be the key to proving that Grandma has always been a healer and not a witch."
Tommy grinned. "We should make a copy of this. It’s exactly the kind of evidence we need."
They continued searching and found several more articles that mentioned Mrs. Willow’s contributions to the community. By the time they left the library, they had a stack of evidence that painted a clear picture of Mrs. Willow’s positive impact on the village.
"Today was really productive," Tommy said as they walked back to Lily’s house. "We’ve got so many stories and articles now. We’re really building a strong case."
Lily nodded, her heart filled with hope. "I feel like we’re finally making progress. With all this evidence, we can show everyone the truth about Grandma."
When they arrived at Lily’s house, they spread out all the evidence on the kitchen table. Mrs. Willow joined them, her eyes misty with emotion as she read through the stories and articles.
"This is amazing," she said softly. "I’m so grateful for everything you’ve done."
"We’re not done yet, Grandma," Lily said determinedly. "We’re going to keep gathering evidence and talking to people. We’re going to clear your name."
Tommy nodded in agreement. "We’ve got a lot more work to do, but we’re getting there. We’ll keep pushing until everyone knows the truth."
They spent the rest of the evening organizing the evidence and planning their next steps. As they worked, a sense of camaraderie and determination filled the room. They knew that the road ahead would be challenging, but they were ready to face it together.
The next morning, they continued their mission, visiting more villagers and gathering additional stories. Each new piece of evidence strengthened their case and gave them more confidence.
One of their most important stops was the home of Mrs. Harris, the village historian. She had lived in the village her entire life and knew more about its history than anyone else.
"Hello, Mrs. Harris," Lily said politely when they arrived at her house. "We’re gathering stories about my grandma, and we were hoping you could help us."
Mrs. Harris welcomed them inside. "Of course, dear. Mrs. Willow has always been a respected member of this community. What do you need to know?"
Tommy explained their mission. "We’re trying to clear Mrs. Willow’s name and show everyone the good she’s done. Do you have any stories or records that could help us?"
Mrs. Harris thought for a moment. "I do have some old journals and letters that mention Mrs. Willow. They’re stored in my attic. Let me fetch them for you."
She returned a few minutes later with a stack of old books and letters. "These might be of interest to you."
Lily and Tommy eagerly looked through the documents. They found several letters from villagers who had been helped by Mrs. Willow, as well as journal entries that praised her knowledge and kindness.