by Chloe Mayson
The man paused at the edge of the seat. “Hmm, you should have it in a carrier,” he added as he slid back into the middle of the seat.
Good choice, Cortney thought. She glanced through the service window as Pop put a frozen hamburger patty on the grill. Just how much of what the cook had said was true? Did she look like her deceased Aunt Morticia? Was the cat the same cat they buried with her aunt?
Cortney took a deep breath. To distract herself from thinking of the answers to her questions, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone, suddenly curious as to why it hadn’t rung for such a long time. If nothing else, Roger, her on again and off again boyfriend should have called to ask when she would return to Malvern.
“Hey, Toots. You can forget about using your cell phone. They don’t work in Bayou George. Something to do with the vapors from the swamp interfering with the cell phone frequencies. But I have a landline at home that works if you want to stop over and make a couple of calls,” the man said.
“That’s all right; I’ll be at my aunt’s house soon. I’ll make my calls from there,” Cortney said. “But, thanks.”
“Oh, you have relatives in Bayou George?” the man asked.
“Yes, well, I did. My Aunt Morticia just passed a few days ago,” Cortney answered.
“Miss Morticia Barnaby?” the man asked.
“Yes, did you know her?”
“Holy Crap. That’s Morticia’s cat, Tom Cat,” the man said as he quickly slid out of his seat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few bills and dropped them on the table beside his coffee cup. “Lady, that cat has something worse than rabies. He's dead!” the man said as he hurried for the door.
“Hmm, what did you say to scare off Billy Jack?” Pop said as he approached with a plate in one hand and a bowl of milk in the other hand.
“I think it was Tom Cat that frightened him. He said that Tom Cat was dead,” Cortney replied.
“See, I told you we buried him with your Aunt Morticia,” Pop said as he put a plate with a thick hamburger and french fries in front of Cortney, and the bowl of milk on the other side of the table.
Hmm, if the cat returned from the dead, does that mean that Aunt Morticia will too? Cortney thought and shivered.
Chapter Two
The online picture of the house didn’t do it justice. It looked like a cross between a gothic house and a haunted one from a horror movie. It sat on a barren hill in the middle of a cemetery at the end of Sugar Cane Street, like some evil presence looking down on the center of Bayou George.
“It’s five million dollars! It’s five million dollars!” Cortney chanted as she drove through the wrought iron gate of the cemetery that surrounded the house.
God, who would build a house in the middle of a cemetery? Cortney asked herself as she looked at the crumbling headstones she drove past. I’m going to sign the papers and get out of Dodge before dark, Cortney pledged as she parked directly in front of a massive wooden door.
As she opened the car door, Cortney felt as though she had stepped onto the set of a teen scream movie. She paused and glanced at the passenger seat. The cat showed every intention of remaining in the car. “Tom Cat, you come inside with me,” Cortney said. She had accepted the fact that maybe the black cat could understand some of the things she said.
The cat licked its paw.
“Hey, what’s your worry, Tom Cat? You have eight more lives to go, and I have only one,” Cortney said. “You get your big butt out of the car, or I’ll see that you are roadkill,” Cortney added when the cat continued to lick his paw.
Tom Cat stopped and looked at Cortney.
“It wasn’t a request. Now, follow me,” Cortney ordered not knowing if the cat even understood what she had said.
To Cortney’s surprise, after a yawn, the cat stood and walked over to the driver’s seat. He gave Cortney a dirty look before he jumped out of the car.
Cortney felt silly with a cat walking beside her as she climbed the steps to the small porch. However, Tom Cat’s presence made her feel safe for a reason she couldn’t fathom. What protection can a cat, even a large cat, offer? she asked herself.
Five million dollars, Cortney reminded herself as she lifted the huge skull-shaped iron knocker and tapped it against the door. The sound echoed from within the house.
“Hmm, that’s loud enough to wake the dead,” Cortney said without thinking. She glanced down at Tom Cat. “When I’m nervous I say things that I shouldn’t say.”
“Meow.”
Cortney started to reply when the door swung open. Cortney looked inside but didn’t see anyone. “Hello?”
Silence.
“I’m not going to enter until someone comes to the door,” Cortney called out in as forceful a voice as she could muster.
A tall man stepped from behind the door.
Cortney took one look at the man’s face, and let out a scream as she fainted.
***
Something warm and wet woke Cortney as it swiped across her face. She opened her eyes to find Tom Cat’s face above her. The cat backed up as Cortney pushed herself up into a sitting position.
“What happened?” Cortney asked.
“You fainted,” the same creepy voice she had heard on the phone said.
“Yeah, I remember now. I thought I saw Frankenstein open the door,” Cortney said. “I guess my mind played tricks on me,” she added with a sigh as she turned to look at the man behind her.
“Stop! Do not turn around!” the man ordered in a voice that froze Cortney. “I do not wish for you to faint again. I had a carriage accident. Horses from the carriage following me, trampled me. I have surgery scars, lots of them, on my face and most of my body,” the man said.
“So…What I saw wasn’t my imagination playing tricks on me?”
“No, I have been told many times that my face is awful to view. However, people don’t usually faint when they meet me for the first time. Scream, yes. Faint, no. You, however, screamed and fainted.”
“Sorry about that. I’ve been creeped out since I arrived in Bayou George. I guess seeing your face overloaded my senses. I’m all right now. I’m going to turn and look at you. I promise not to scream,” Cortney said as she slowly turned her head.
Someone screamed.
God, I screamed, Cortney thought and grimaced.
“Promises from the younger generation aren’t worth much these days,” the man with the jigsaw face said as he stared down at Cortney.
“Sorry,” Cortney said.
“Hmm, your vocabulary seems a bit underdeveloped. I guess that’s to be expected from a child raised without parents,” the man said.
Cortney found it hard to follow what he said as she stared at his face. Nothing matched. One eye was brown and the other blue. One of his ears was large and the other small. She glanced at his hands. They didn’t match. Even his shoes were three sizes different.
“Ah… I’m just curious. Were you the only one in the carriage at the time of the accident?” Cortney asked.
“My brother was driving the carriage. He died of a broken neck when the carriage turned over. I was lucky to survive. It took a surgeon twenty-four hours to sew me back together,” the man said.
“Did your brother by any chance have brown eyes?” Cortney asked.
“Yes, he did. Why do you ask?” the man said.
“Ah, no reason. Just a silly question,” Cortney said as she climbed to her feet.
“Have a seat. Mildred will bring you some tea,” the man said.
“Are you Frank Steinson, the executor of Aunt Morticia’s will?” Cortney asked as she glanced at the staircase, which looked to be straight from the set of a Civil War movie.
“Yes, I am, or was, her butler. Now, I’m your butler,” he said and didn’t sound happy.
“Ah, you don’t have a sister name Lizzy do you, Frank?” Cortney asked as the scars suddenly reminded her of Lizzy Borden.
“No, I only had a brother,” Frank answe
red.
“That’s nice to know,” Cortney said. “Lizzy wasn’t a pleasant woman. She gave her mother forty whacks with an ax. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.”
“Maybe her parents deserved it,” Frank said in his creepy voice as he glared at Cortney.
“Frank, if you don’t mind, why don’t I just sign the papers? I’ll grab some money and head back to Malvern. I don’t think I fit in here at Bayou George,” Cortney said. “Ah… I did bring Tom Cat home. I bet you’ve missed him.”
“Meow?”
“I’m afraid that you are stuck with the cat. He’s not mine,” Frank said. “And, I think you should sit and have a cup of tea before we go into the library and read the will.”
“I’m really more of a coffee person. Why don’t we cut to the chase and get this over with, so I can head back to Malvern before it gets dark,” Cortney said.
“If you insist, Miss Cortney,” Frank said.
“Yes, I insist,” Cortney replied.
“Please, follow me to the library,” Frank said as he walked across the room to a teak wood door. He held the door open for Cortney and Tom Cat.
“Wow look at all these books. Some of them look older than Moses,” Cortney said.
“You can read, I hope?” Frank asked as he walked around behind a huge teak wood desk.
“Sure, I attended a Catholic school.”
“Hmm, what a shame,” Frank said as he opened the top desk drawer and pulled out the will.
Cortney chose not to respond to Frank's comment. As soon as he read the will and she signed the papers, it would be the last she would see of the patchwork man.
“I need to see some ID,” Frank said.
“Really? Pop at the Sweet Shop Diner said I was the spitting image of Aunt Morticia,” Cortney said.
“That is true. However, I still need to see your ID,” Frank said firmly as his brown eye looked at her while he studied the papers in his hand with his blue eye.
“Here’s my driver’s license,” Cortney said, as she pulled it out of the back pocket of her jeans. She stood up and leaned over the desk and handed it to Frank. As she did, she noticed that Frank’s right hand was hairy while his other hand was smooth. “Did you and your brother look much alike?”
Both of Frank’s eyes looked at her.
“Oh, never mind. It’s a silly question,” Cortney said.
“Your ID seems to be in order,” Frank said as he handed Cortney back her driver’s license. “Okay, I’ll proceed to read the will.”
“Just skip to the juicy parts where I get the five million dollars, and I’ll sign on the dotted line and head back to Malvern,” Cortney said.
“Miss Cortney, I don’t think you understand. There are conditions to be met before the money is yours,” Frank said with a smirk.
“Conditions? What conditions?” Cortney asked as she glanced at Tom Cat. “If taking the cat is one of the conditions, I agree.”
“Meow?”
“It’s more complicated than that,” Frank said.
“Okay, Frank, why don’t you just give it to me in a nutshell,” Cortney said. “Tell me what hoops I have to jump through, and then give me the papers to sign. I really want to get out of here before nightfall.”
“Okay, here’s the deal. You have to live in the house for one year…”
“I agree. Let me sign the papers, grab a few thousand dollars, and I’ll go home and pack and return in a week or two… Why are you shaking your head?”
“You didn’t let me finish,” Frank said.
“Sorry, go ahead,” Cortney said.
“First you have to live in the house for a year. Second, you cannot leave Bayou George during that year. Third, you must work at the Sweet Shop Diner during the year you are in Bayou George. If you should break any of these conditions, the entire estate will go to the city of Bayou George,” Frank said as he laid the papers on top of his desk. He held out a pen. “Are you ready to sign?”
Cortney glanced at Frank, and then down at the papers in shock.
“Tell me that you’re joking,” she finally said.
Frank pushed the papers toward Cortney. “Read the will. It’s all there in black and white.”
“Five million dollars. Five million dollars,” Cortney mumbled before she looked at Frank. “You are telling me that I don’t get a cent of money for a year. I have to live in this creepy old house, work in the diner, and can’t leave town for one year. Is that correct?”
“Hmm, there is a spark of intelligence behind those dark eyes after all,” Frank said.
“But I couldn’t even pay the electric bill for the house with the money I’ll make at the diner,” Cortney complained.
“The estate will pay for all the household expenses including food,” Frank said.
“Just for one year. I only have to live in Bayou George for one year, then the money is mine,” Cortney said.
“Live in the house, work in the diner, don’t leave town for one year, and the money is yours,” Frank said.
“It’s only for a year,” Cortney said more to herself than Frank. “After then I can relax on some beach for the rest of my life.” Cortney took a deep breath. “Okay, hand me a pen. I’ll sign my life away for one year.”
“Before you sign, I would like to tell you some extenuating facts surrounding your aunt’s death that you should know,” Frank said.
“Yeah, like what?” Cortney asked.
“Morticia Barnaby did not die a natural death. She died of poisoning. I must confess that there’s a possibility that the killer might make an attempt on your life since you will be taking over for your aunt,” Frank said.
“God, why didn’t you tell me at the beginning that someone murdered my aunt and might go after me if I came to collect the inheritance? I would never have driven down here to this creepy old town! A dead person can’t spend money,” Cortney said as she slumped in her chair.
“Tom Cat and I will protect you,” Frank said as he softened his tone.
“You all didn’t do such a good job protecting Aunt Morticia,” Cortney said.
Tom Cat hissed.
“Well, it’s true,” Cortney said as she glanced down at the cat. “Heck, you couldn’t even protect yourself either. I’m thinking now that you didn’t die of natural causes either,” Cortney paused. “God, here I am talking to the cat again as though it’s a person.”
“Tom Cat is not an ordinary cat. He understands what you say,” Frank said.
“What’s so different about him? He looks normal. And just because he says meow and hisses doesn’t mean he understands what I tell him,” Cortney argued.
Frank didn’t respond.
“Do the police have any suspects in my aunt’s murder?”
“Not that I am aware of, and I doubt they will solve the case,” Frank said. “Would you like to think a little longer on whether you want to sign the papers?” Frank asked.
“No, I’m going to sign. I’m not going to let someone scare me off. I want the five million dollars,” Cortney said in a determined tone.
“Now you sound like Morticia,” Frank said and smiled.
“So, you think the person that killed Aunt Morticia will attempt to kill me?” Cortney asked as she prepared to sign the estate papers.
“Yes, I don’t doubt that the killer will come after you. Your showing up spoils everything for the killer if he murdered her because of her position as head of the council. He didn’t expect you to be located and take over for your aunt. And quite honestly, neither did I. The detective agency your aunt hired in New Orleans finally produced results. I’m sure you aren’t aware of the fact, but your aunt has been searching for you for years.”
“I don’t understand how my aunt lost contact with my parents and me?” Cortney said.
“Your mother and Morticia had a falling out soon after your birth. She didn’t approve of your father for reasons that I will explain at a later time. When the impasse between y
our mother and your aunt couldn’t be resolved, your mother and father took you and fled. Morticia only found out about the death of your parents the morning she died. She had planned to call you and invite you to come live with her. Morticia was very excited that you had finally been located,” Frank said. “We can discuss these things later, after you become accustomed to everything,” Frank added.
“I’m going to go to the police station tomorrow. I want to know what progress they have made finding out who murdered Aunt Morticia. It seems to me my best defense is to find the killer. If the police can’t find him, I guess I’ll have to do it myself,” Cortney said.
“The police will not be of much help in the matter,” Frank stated.
“Why not?” Cortney asked.
Frank didn’t respond.
“Right! We’ll discuss it later,” Cortney said shaking her head. “I don’t understand why you are so reluctant to explain the situation to me.”
“It would be best if you conducted your own investigation into your aunt’s death, and leave the police out of it,” Frank said. “I’ll give you the details of the case later. I don’t want to strain your cognitive functions.”
“Meow.”
“Tom Cat agrees to help you investigate the death of your aunt,” Frank said as he watched Cortney sign the papers.
“Hmm, I don’t feel like a millionaire,” Cortney said as she put down the pen.
“Okay, now that I’m the heir to the estate, explain everything to me,” Cortney insisted.
“I will explain the situation to you tomorrow night. It’s a special day. Tomorrow is your twenty-first birthday. It will be a very transforming day for you, Miss Cortney,” Frank said with an air of mystery.
“Okay, whatever. I’m tired and want to take a shower,” Cortney said.
“Mildred will be here in a minute to show you to the master bedroom,” Frank said.
“Ah, how many bedrooms does the house have?” Cortney asked.
“Twenty,” Frank said.
“Really? I’m going to be the owner of a twenty-bedroom house?”