He’d sensed her arrival and wanted to know about her? Argh! “Maybe another time.” She stood up from the platform. “Judy is eager to meet her ancestor, and I don’t want to keep her or Mr. Klein waiting.”
She viewed her role as a ghost whisperer similar to that of a therapist. Listening as ghosts shared what had happened to them, or what kept them in the earthly realm often helped reconcile their issues so they could let go. Spirits were self-centered, entirely focused on whatever trauma or attachment prevented them from passing.
Clearly Daniel didn’t fit any ghostly mold she’d ever encountered. No other spirit had ever asked her personal questions before. Everything about Daniel unsettled her. Even more confusing was her own unrealistic and inappropriate desire to know more about him as well.
“Will it upset you if I’m present while Frederick and his granddaughter converse?”
“Not at all.” Yes, it would. The more time she spent with this ghost the more her own—you’re dead; I’m alive—boundaries blurred. She liked him. If he were corporeal, she’d be wildly attracted to him, and that was beyond awkward and well into weird. “See you there,” she said, hurrying down the hill to rejoin the living.
“What did you find out?” Judy asked the moment Meredith stepped into the cabin.
“Frederick is eager to meet with you, and he’s waiting for us at the saloon right now.”
Judy buried her face in her hands. “I can hardly believe this is finally happening,” she mumbled through her fingers. “I need a minute.”
“Let’s go meet him before you lose your nerve.” John put his arm around his wife’s shoulders and guided her toward the pegs where they all hung their jackets and sweatshirts.
Oliver flashed Meredith a look of uncertainty. “Should I stay here?”
“After what happened to you earlier, I think it would be best.” She picked up the battery-operated camping lantern from the kitchen table. “This is the safest place for you. After we leave, light one of the sage bundles I keep on the kitchen counter, and smudge the entire interior. Try not to set the cabin on fire,” she teased as she walked to the front door.
“Speaking of sage, I picked up a bunch at the Walmart near Missoula today,” John said as he shut the cabin door behind them.
Meredith laughed. “Walmart carries sage bundles?”
John gestured for her and Judy to precede him down the steps of the porch. “Yep. I did a search to find out where I could buy some in Missoula, and Walmart came up. I figured we’re going to go through quite a bit this summer, and now we’re fully stocked.”
“Thanks for thinking of that,” Meredith said. Interesting cabinmates, she mused as the three of them walked toward Keoghan’s. Turned out she liked all three, even the kid who had the common sense of a gnat.
Thinking of Oliver set off thoughts of what had transpired earlier that day. She, John, and Judy had put the saloon back together while Oliver remained behind with one of the bags of foil-wrapped chocolate squares. They’d found him sound asleep on the couch when they returned, the nearly empty bag of chocolates still clutched to his chest. She chuckled to herself.
John looked askance at her. “What’s funny?”
“I was just thinking about Oliver going through that bag of chocolates.” She laughed again. “Because that’s what Harry Potter did after dangerous encounters with dementors.”
“Yeah, he’s only eighteen.” John flashed her a wry grin. “I asked. He’ll turn nineteen in August.”
“Here we are,” Judy said, stopping in front of the saloon. “This is it. I’m going to meet my great-great-grandfather’s ghost.”
“You are, and then we’ll guide him into the light.” Meredith opened the door and held the lantern high enough to light their way.
Her heart flipped at the sight of Daniel, and she gazed around the saloon at the linger of ghosts watching her. At least they remained quiet. “Daniel and Frederick are waiting for us.”
She led them to the table and indicated where they should sit. “Mr. Klein, this is Judy Schulte, your great-great-granddaughter.”
“Where do I look?” Judy whispered.
“He’s directly across from you, and he’s … emotional right now.” Frederick appeared to be weeping and smiling at the same time. “This is Judy’s husband, John.”
“Nice to meet you, sir,” John said, his tone hesitant. The ghost ignored him and focused entirely on Judy.
“Tell my granddaughter it does my heart more good than she can imagine to lay eyes upon her. Doing so means my family survived without me. I’ve been … so very worried for them.” The ghost peered intently at Judy. “From which of my children’s line is she?”
Meredith shared what he said, and tears filled Judy’s eyes as well. “You can speak directly to him,” she reminded her.
“Your daughter Ellen was my great-grandmother, and her son George is my grandfather. He’s in his nineties now. He’s sharp as a tack, but he has difficulty getting around. Your children flourished, and so did Prudence. Not long after you died, the family resettled in what would become the town of Missoula. They opened another diner there. Once your sons were adults, the family built a fine hotel with a very nice restaurant. It still stands to this day.”
“That’s… good. Did my dear Prudence remarry? I … I need to know that she was happy. I tried so many times to tell her … I needed to … should’ve …”
He seemed to drift off, so Meredith relayed what he’d said.
“Is that what you tried to tell Prudence when you appeared to her so many times?” Judy swiped at her cheeks. “No, she never remarried, but she was happy. Ellen kept journals, and she wrote often about how beloved Prudence was by their growing families and everyone in the community who knew her.”
“You don’t understand. I need to tell my wife …” Frederick shook his head, consternation suffusing his ghostly features, but then he seemed to sharpen, appearing more well-defined as if he’d intentionally pulled himself together. “I was worried for my family. I had kept something important from my wife, something I meant to tell her, but I never had the chance.” He glanced at Daniel and then at Meredith.
“We all knew any claim holders who struck ore ran the risk of being robbed and murdered. I never believed it would happen to me, but I suspected it was only a matter of time before whoever was behind the crimes also robbed the bank.” Frederick reached across the table and placed his ghostly hand on Judy’s arm. “I took steps to—”
“Is he touching me?” Judy sucked in a breath. “I feel … something.”
“Yes. He’s resting his hand on your arm.” Meredith nodded encouragement to Frederick. “You can tell Judy what you never got the chance tell your wife, Mr. Klein. Doing so will bring you peace.”
“I will … find peace … at … long … last?” He heaved a ghostly sigh. “I believe the assayer had something to do with the murders and thefts. How else would the thieves have known when one of us started producing decent hauls? How else would they have chosen their victims?”
“You’re right. That damned Joe Biggs.” Daniel shot up and began pacing around the table. “I never did like doing business with that weasel, but we had no choice. He was the only assayer in town.”
“Give me a moment, you two. I need to tell the Schultes what has been said so far.” As she brought Judy and her husband up to speed, she couldn’t help noticing Frederick seemed more present in the moment, more animated somehow. They were getting closer to the point where he’d unburden himself. Now that he knew his family had done well after his demise, he’d be ready to leave.
“Please continue, Mr. Klein,” she said once she’d finished relaying all that had been said.
“Call me Frederick.” He lifted his ghostly chin. “I was careful to hide what I was doing. I never took the same route in or out of town two times in a row, so I wouldn’t be an easy victim. One third of our money I put in the bank, and the rest I hid in a strongbox on our claim. I kept a small for
tune there so we wouldn’t lose everything should the bank be robbed. But then the three got to me, and … I hadn’t told my wife.”
“The box is still where you hid it.” Meredith leaned back in her chair. “That’s what has kept you here for so long.” She turned to the Schultes. “Frederick hid a fortune before he died. He appeared to your great-great-grandmother so many times because he was trying to tell her where he’d stashed the money. He worried about the family he loved so very much.”
“Frederick, can you lead Meredith to the place where you hid the money?” Daniel asked.
“I can.” His features softened as he gazed at Judy. “Shall we go there now?”
“I think it would be best to wait until we have daylight. The terrain around here is rocky and rough, and I don’t want to risk hiking in the dark. The park closes at 5:00 PM tomorrow.” Meredith rose from the table. “Shall we meet here at closing time?”
“Not … here.” Frederick gazed around the room at the many silent, ghostly spectators who watched and listened.
“Where then?” she asked. The ghosts could not do anything to intervene, still, Frederick had been cautious in life and that characteristic had carried through in death.
The ghost rubbed his chin and frowned. “Where we met earlier would do.”
“All right,” Meredith said. “We’ll gather there tomorrow right after the park closes.”
“Grandfather, I brought family pictures to Garretsville with me. Shall I bring them tomorrow?” Judy said.
Frederick began the weepy-smiling again, and he nodded.
“He says yes.” Meredith glanced at the two spirits. “We’ll see you tomorrow night then,” she said, rising from her place at the table. Was that disappointment she glimpsed from Daniel? She managed to leave Keoghan’s without looking back. “This has been an eventful day, and I could use a glass of wine.”
“My poor ancestor has been stuck here all these years because he never told his wife he’d hidden away money for their future.” Judy shook her head. “My heart aches for Frederick and Prudence. Ellen wrote in her journal that her mother never remarried because Frederick had been the great love of her life. Prudence told her children that she’d rather live alone with her memories than pretend to care that deeply for another man. All three of her children and their families lived nearby. She had many grandchildren to dote on and look after. She was content.”
That brought a lump to Meredith’s throat. The thought of how the couple’s story had been cut short broke her heart. Having helped so many spirits cross into the light, she wasn’t sure hell existed, but she hoped a special place of torment awaited the murderous marauders on the other side.
5
The day had been perfect and cloudless, and the temperature still hovered around seventy. Other than tourists complaining about the chill when Daniel stopped by, Meredith’s stint in the gift shop had gone without a hitch.
She couldn’t imagine how awful it must be for him to hear and witness how the living reacted to his presence. If only she knew of some way to shield him from those comments.
“Ready?” Meredith asked as she and her cabinmates gathered on the front porch. John carried a shovel he’d borrowed from the maintenance shed. He also wore a backpack, while Judy carried a slender, leather-bound photo album. Oliver had his hands jammed into his front pockets. He looked a little nervous and a lot interested. Did he have foil-wrapped chocolate squares in those pockets?
“Let’s go,” she said, leading the way to the back of the cabin. They tromped up the hill to meet Frederick Klein’s ghost.
“Do you see him?” Judy asked. “Is he here?”
“Yes, he’s waiting for us, and so is Daniel.” She glanced at Oliver. “He too was a victim of the gang of three who murdered Frederick.”
Oliver tensed. “Speaking of the three …”
“They aren’t here,” she assured him.
“Good, good.” Oliver’s gaze darted around the platform.
“Miss, my claim is not far from here,” Frederick’s voice whispered through her mind as he indicated the direction they’d be going. “But … my granddaughter … what is it she’s … holding?” The ghost fixed his attention on the photo album.
“Frederick is very interested in the photo album. We still have plenty of sunlight left if you want to show him the pictures before we head for the treasure.”
“I’d love to.” Judy sat down on the platform and placed the album on her lap. “I have pictures from all three of your children’s weddings, and I have family pictures including Prudence and your grandchildren. I’ve always been the family archivist.” Judy glanced at Meredith the second Frederick sat down beside her. “Brr, I can feel him beside me,” she said.
“I’m sure you can, and he’s looking very pleased about seeing the family photos.” He was in fact radiant and visibly moved at the prospect of seeing how his family had thrived and grown over the years.
“Have you ever led a ghost’s kin to buried treasure before, lass?” Daniel asked as he came to hover beside her.
She hadn’t been surprised to find him with Frederick, but Daniel’s presence upset her equilibrium. “Yes, in a manner of speaking,” she said, keeping her voice low and moving away from where Frederick, Oliver and the Schultes were looking at pictures. “It’s not so different from the vow which keeps you earthbound.” Her tone sounded a bit curt even to her, and she drew in a breath and let it out slowly to calm herself. Her confusing and conflicted attraction to him was not his fault.
“Someone stashes away important documents, a valuable family heirloom, money, and they die without telling anyone where those things are. When that happens, it’s difficult for a spirit to move on. They haunt, and more often than you would imagine, the family will seek help from someone like me to resolve the issue.” She glanced at him. “There are websites on the internet, psychic organizations people can turn to.”
“Are you upset with me?”
“Yes,” she blurted before she could think better of it. “I mean … No, not with you but with the situation.” She shrugged. “You’re not like any ghost I’ve ever encountered before, and I’m feeling a little off balance is all.”
His brow creased as he studied her. “In what way am I different?”
Her breath hitched at his look of concern. No ghost had ever cared whether or not they’d upset her before. None had ever attempted to cheer her up or compliment her work ethic either. “What sets you apart is that you show an interest in me. I don’t understand why you care about my feelings. We’re strangers. I’m alive and you’re … not.”
“I see.” He did that staring off toward the horizon thing that all ghosts seemed to do. “I wish I could explain why I want to know you better … why I care. Alas, I cannot. I too find I’m off kilter in your presence. Since you came to Garretsville, I’ve had thoughts and experienced emotions I’ve not had since being alive. It’s as if I’ve been asleep for decades and you woke me.”
Their gazes caught and held for an oddly intimate moment. She turned away first. “Looks like they’re done with the photos.” Judy was stowing the photo album in the backpack her husband carried. “Let’s go find buried treasure.”
Meredith followed Frederick as he led the way to a river running beside a jumble of boulders covering the ground on both sides.
“This way,” Frederick said, gesturing for the group to follow.
He led them along a riverside deer path to cliffs that rose on either side. There the water tumbled over rocky shelves to form a small waterfall. A spruce tree above them grew from a crevice in the rock face, bending in an odd angle as it sought the sun over the years. Beneath that angled tree the trail led to slabs of stone forming a natural stairway. “These steps almost seem manmade,” she commented.
“If they were manmade, I’d wager they were placed here long before Frederick filed his claim,” John said from behind her. “Perhaps an indigenous culture lived in the area at one time, but it’
s more than likely they’re a natural geological formation.”
Frederick veered off the trail and stopped beside a ridge of granite protruding from the ground about five yards from the path. “On the other side you’ll see where I chiseled my initials into the stone so I wouldn’t forget. The box is buried at the base directly beneath my mark.”
Meredith relayed what the ghost had said. John placed the shovel on the ground before sliding his arms out of the straps of his backpack. He set the pack down and drew out a pair of work gloves, also borrowed from the maintenance shed. “Guess I’ll get to it,” he said.
Everyone followed John off the path and around the ridge of granite as he searched for the initials. “Here they are,” he said, brushing accumulated dirt from the chiseled letters. “Judy, take a picture with your phone. In fact, video the entire undertaking for posterity’s sake.”
“Spoken like a true historian,” Oliver said. “I’ll record everything for you. Judy is too involved.” He held up his phone, rubbed more of the imbedded dirt from the initials and took several pictures.
Meredith and her cabinmates formed a half-circle around John, leaning close to take a look at the base. It was obvious this was a spot where runoff deposited debris and soil. John put on the work gloves and brushed away a few inches of dead evergreen needles, leaves, and sandy soil.
“I did not bury the box very deeply, but it’s been …” Frederick looked puzzled. “I don’t know how long it’s been. I was murdered in the spring of 1855.”
“Almost a hundred seventy years ago,” Meredith told him.
“Hmm. Might be the box is quite a bit deeper in the ground now.”
Meredith passed along Frederick’s comments as John began digging, and Oliver recorded the event. All eyes were on the shovel and the growing hole. “This is the most interesting ghost whispering experience I’ve ever had,” she said. “I’ve helped families locate a lot of stuff, but never a buried treasure. She glanced around at each of her companions and frowned. Daniel had disappeared.
Summoned in Time: A magical, ghostly, time travel romance... (The MacCarthy Sisters Book 3) Page 6