After learning that Mayor Zisk has been removed from office, Violet and Iris follow a clue inscribed into a cliff behind the Question Mark Falls to the abandoned mansion of industrialist Lawrence Ames. There they narrowly avoid a series of winding passages and traps. Finding themselves lost, they eventually discover the Ames library. Violet remembers a clue from her trip to the cemetery and removes a book from the shelf entitled He Saw and Conquered Destiny and finds a hidden room filled with an altar and several strange objects, including the missing silver town key.

Violet and Iris quickly return the key to Elizabeth Zisk and, with Town Council member Tom Weathers’ help, the town vault is opened and Appendix Nine, regarding the reinstatement of a town mayor, is initiated. The appendix states that the town now has twenty-four hours to sign a petition declaring their desire to reinstate Elizabeth Zisk.

Violet and Iris urge the citizens of Question Mark to sign the petition and with only moments to spare, townspeople of all kinds rise to the occasion and reinstate Mayor Zisk. Officer Ron is given an award for his bravery in digging up the mayoral cufflinks and Violet is rewarded with a coded message from Reginald Willey, also discovered in the town vault, which suggests: Listen to all the notes and find the proper key. With Dr. Amodeus Harrington-Willey and Theophilus Willey, Violet follows the strange musical pattern out to the disappearing well but does not find any other clue.

On Thursday, February 29, Reginald Willey Day is celebrated across town. At the celebration, Violet notices the golden man skulking behind the pharmacy and follows him to an abandoned radio station. While directing traffic around the parade, Officer Ron has his own strange encounter with Judah Towns, who warns the officer that his investigation into a larger criminal conspiracy has been noticed by the Circle of Concerned Families and Friends. Judah urges Officer Ron to look into something called the Circle of Recognition.

As Violet continues her search into the strange musical signals being broadcast across town, what explosive new truth will she learn about the nature of the town’s disappearances and how quickly time may be running out?