“My extended family had given me convincing arguments as to why my ill feelings towards you and your brother could be unhealthy,” Ellen said. “So my change of heart isn’t really a change of heart.”
“Hmm, are you always this blunt?” Mitchell asked.
“I have no reason to lie to you about it or spare your feelings,” Ellen replied.
“Okay,” Mitchell said before facing Harris and the others. “I guess I owe you folks a ‘thank you’ for…”
“I assure you that we didn’t do it for you,” Avery quickly interrupted with. “I fully understand her feelings towards you, but those feelings aren’t healthy… for anyone.”
“Yes, well, regardless, thank you,” Mitchell said. “And since we are speaking, what are your folks’ names?”
“I’m Harris. Michael was married to my sister Tanya,” he began before pointing out the others. “My wife Allyson, my parents Shannon and Avery, and Ellen’s neighbor Jane.”
“Was Tanya here today?” Mitchell asked.
“Tanya was killed in the same auto accident that killed Michael,” Shannon said. “Avery, Harris and I will be taking her body back to London when we go.”
“I’m sorry for your loss as well,” Mitchell said sullenly.
When Shannon and Avery nodded, Brandon asked, “Since you are talking to us, Ellen, what do you know about our family’s Legacy?”
Ellen glanced towards her group before asking, “Should I tell them?”
“They deserve to know as well,” Shannon said.
Ellen nodded before telling her dad and uncle, “The wizard Merlin existed and we are his descendants.”
“You can’t be serious,” Mitchell replied.
“I’m serious,” Ellen assured him. “That moon-stars birthmark that grandpa had is called the mark of Merlin.” Ellen gestured towards Harris before continuing, “He recognized the birthmark and explained to me what it was.”
“Harris, how would you even see the birthmark?” Brandon quickly asked.
“I described it to him,” Ellen rattled off before Harris could respond. Harris and the others just gave Ellen curious looks. “And he recognized it because he, Tanya and Shannon are too descendents of Merlin.”
“Our common ancestor is too far in the distant past for us to be related though,” Harris added.
“Okay, well, assuming that we are descendants of Merlin, what does that have to do with our family’s Legacy?” Brandon asked.
“Our family’s Legacy is a collection of diaries that our ancestors had written out,” Ellen explained.
“Diaries?” Mitchell echoed incredulously.
Ellen nodded while saying, “Uh-huh, and I want to find them. I want to know our family’s Legacy.”
“I guess I have to be a girl to understand the allure of diaries,” Mitchell said while shaking it off.
Ellen shrugged before saying, “I guess we should let you get back to whatever it is you’re doing to your truck.”
“What I’m doing is trying to find out why it won’t start,” Mitchell said.
Ellen gave him the thumbs-up sign before saying, “Good luck with that.”
“Thanks, but I’m thinking that my truck is part elephant and had recognized this place as a cemetery,” Mitchell said.
“Okay,” Ellen said in a confused tone. “I’m not sure what you mean by that.”
“Elephants are believed to travel for a long distance to their burial ground before allowing themselves to die,” Mitchell explained. “Of course the old Tarzan movies are where I’ve heard that so that could be Hollywood’s doing.”
“Okay, well, again good luck,” Ellen told him.
“Yes, well, good luck with you on finding those diaries,” Mitchell said.
“Thanks,” Ellen said with a grin.
“Bye again,” Shannon said with a wave followed by everyone else.
Once everyone had said his or her ‘goodbyes’ Ellen and her group continued towards the SUV.
Once the six were out of earshot of Mitchell and Brandon, Brandon said, “Ellen isn’t telling us everything.”
“I know,” Mitchell said as he checked the tightness of his battery terminal. “I didn’t want to press the issue though.”
“I don’t have to be in Hannibal anytime soon,” Brandon began. “Perhaps we should help Ellen track down those diaries.”
“I was thinking the same thing,” Mitchell said. “If I ever get this truck started, we can go to Saint Louis.”
Harris looked back at Mitchell and Brandon and saw that they were out of earshot before asking, “From your quick response, Ellen, to a question directed at me, am I correct to assume that you don’t want them knowing about Sonya?”
“I don’t,” Ellen confirmed quickly. “I’m afraid that I would be going to prison for patricide if he would do anything to harm Sonya.”
Allyson put her arm around Ellen before saying, “You and Sonya are now legally in my and Harry’s care. We wouldn’t let your father do anything to harm Sonya or you.”
“I’m afraid that, that might be easier said than done,” Ellen said.
“For a person who had never really been around her father growing up, you’re certainly a cynic when it comes to him, Ellen,” Jane pointed out.
“Yes, well, he frightened the hell out of me with his life story when he was trying to bond with me a few years ago,” Ellen said as they were approaching the SUV.
Allyson just gave Ellen a consoling hug before removing her arm from around Ellen and entering the SUV.
Minutes later, as Ellen and the others were returning to the house, they saw a well-dressed man with a briefcase and a middle-aged couple at the door.
“Who’re they?” Ellen asked as Harris was parking the SUV in the driveway. The three at the front door turned to look.
“We only know as much as you do, Sweetie,” Allyson told Ellen as the ones seated by the doors went to open the doors.
As the six were getting out of the SUV the person in the suit spoke out, “Harris Bradley?”
“Who’s asking?” Harris asked.
“I’m Jack; Jack Hart from the Hart Realty Agency,” he said as the six were walking towards the three at the door. “We spoke yesterday on the phone.”
“I think there’s a misunderstanding,” Harris began. “The house won’t be ready to be placed on the market for another two weeks. I thought I had made that clear on the phone yesterday.”
“Yes, you did, but when I had told these two that this house was preparing to come onto the market, they insisted to speak with you,” Jack said.
“I’m Doyle Stevenson and this is my wife Claudia,” the man said.
“I used to live here from the age of five to the age of fifteen,” Claudia added. “When I was fifteen, my dad took a job that moved us away, and I hated moving from this house.”
“So you two are moving back to Kansas City from where?” Ellen asked.
“Doyle isn’t originally from Kansas City, but we’re moving from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois,” Claudia said.
“I’m retiring from the air force after thirty-five years,” Doyle added.
“Cool,” Ellen said.
“Were you in the air force too, Mrs. Stevenson?” Jane asked.
“No. I actually commuted each morning to Saint Louis, Missouri,” Claudia said. “I worked downtown Saint Louis.”
“In the Saint Louis’s record office?” Ellen asked in a hopeful tone.
Claudia gave Ellen a curious look before answering with, “No.” A disappointed expression came across Ellen’s face. “You need information from the Saint Louis’s record office?”
“My great-grandparents were from Saint Louis… one set of them were anyway, and I was hoping to find out what house they had lived in,” Ellen replied.
“I actually had worked with someone who currently works closely with the mayor,” Claudia said. “So I may not know anyone who works in the record office, but my friend might.”
; “I don’t want to impose on you,” Ellen told her.
“My husband and I are imposing on you folks,” Claudia pointed out. “So do you know your great-grandparents’ names and the dates they were living in Saint Louis?”
“Their names were Felix and Gloria Anderson,” Ellen began. “As for the dates, I don’t really know, but I’m sixteen, my father is fifty and my grandfather was about twenty years older than my father. So I’m guessing that my great-grandparents would’ve lived in Saint Louis around seventy to ninety years ago.”
Claudia gestured towards the door while asking, “So do you mind if I make a few phone calls?”
“Not at all,” Harris said as he took out the key to the front door.
As Harris moved towards the door, Doyle asked, “So what prompted you to put this house up for sale?”
Harris went to unlock the door while saying, “This house belonged to my sister and her husband. They were killed last Tuesday in an auto accident, and we had just come from my brother-in-law’s funeral.”
“Which his brother-in-law was my brother,” Ellen added as Harris was opening the door.
“We’re sorry for your losses,” Doyle, Claudia and Jack said.
“Thanks,” the six said before Harris gestured for Doyle, Claudia and Jack to enter before his group.
“So what is everyone’s name?” Claudia asked before walking into the house first.
Harris introduced everyone, and after the introductions were over, Claudia went to use the kitchen phone. The others went to the living room and talked.
Claudia had made a few phone calls before finding someone who could help her, and once she received useful information for Ellen, she left the kitchen.
When Ellen saw Claudia walking in, she asked, “Were you able to find out anything?”
“I have,” Claudia began. “Approximately sixty years ago… in Saint Louis, your great-grandmother was a math and gym teacher at the Roosevelt High School. There was an after-hours incident at the high school that involved your great-grandmother at which it is believed by the police that your great-grandmother was killed…”
“The police don’t know for sure?” Ellen interrupted with.
“People had witnessed your great-grandmother entering the high school prior to the incident, but not leaving it. When the police searched the high school all they could find was the clothes that your great-grandmother wore that day, which were blood-soaked and filled with dust.” Ellen noticed Shannon being drawn into her own thoughts. “Your great-grandmother’s body was never found.”
“What was the incident that took place?” Shannon asked.
“Since there has been no arrests made, that incident is still on the books as an unsolved crime so the officer I had spoken with wouldn’t discuss the specifics of the case with me,” Claudia said.
“So were you able to find out what her address was?” Ellen asked.
“I did; however, Interstate Forty-Four was built through that neighborhood and the house was demolished because of the highway,” Claudia said.
“Of course it had,” Ellen sarcastically said.
“Was there anyone else involved in the high school incident?” Allyson asked.
“There was actually,” Claudia replied. “There was a high school student injured in whatever had taken place by the name of Martha Starr.”
“Martha Starr?!” Ellen uttered. Claudia, Doyle and Jack gave Ellen curious looks. “The ‘stars of Saint Louis’ are a family.”
“What?” Claudia questioned in a confused tone.
“Last Tuesday I found out that my great-grandmother had kept diaries, but the only clue to those diaries was that they are among the ‘stars’ of Saint Louis,” Ellen explained.
“Which explains why you wanted to know where your great-grandmother had lived,” Claudia said.
“Uh-huh,” Ellen said with a nod.
“So Martha Starr’s relatives have those diaries,” Avery assumed aloud.
“If not Martha herself,” Shannon countered. When Avery shot Shannon a curious look, she explained, “If Martha Starr was a high school student sixty years ago then she would be younger than eighty years old today.”
“That gives us a starting point tomorrow,” Harris spoke out.
“You folks are going to Saint Louis tomorrow?” Jack asked.
“Ellen and I are,” Harris said. “Of course the others are welcome to come as well, but it will definitely be Ellen and me. Anyway, Claudia, since you and Doyle are here, would you two like to take a look at the house?”
“We would,” Claudia replied.
“While you’re giving Claudia and Doyle a tour, I’ll see if Martha Starr is publicly listed,” Allyson said.
“Martha could’ve gotten married after high school and changed her name,” Jane pointed out.
“Great!” Ellen uttered discouragingly. “Instead of being the ‘stars’ of Saint Louis, maybe we ought to be looking for the… the Hatfields or the McCoys of Saint Louis.”
“You do know that the Hatfields and the McCoys were two feuding families during the 1880’s?” Jane questioned.
Ellen shot Jane an annoyed look before uttering, “Yes; they were the only two names I could think of to point out how difficult it will be.”
“Don’t get discourage, Sweetie,” Allyson told Ellen. “We know that we are looking for a person now and not… whatever.”
“You’re right,” Ellen agreed.
“And we might get lucky and find that the ‘stars’ of Saint Louis are all related to Martha Hatfield or whatever Martha’s name had changed to after she got married,” Harris added.
Ellen nodded in agreement before saying, “You’re right.”
“Now getting back to that tour, Claudia; what would you like to look at first?” Harris asked.
“Do you mind if I lead?” Claudia asked.
“Not at all,” Harris said as he gestured.
As Harris, Doyle and Jack followed behind Claudia, Allyson went into the kitchen to use the kitchen phone.
During the passing minutes, Allyson had no luck with finding any listings for a Martha ‘Star’ of any spelling.
After the tour was over, Doyle had given Harris a reasonable offer for the house. Harris had once again reminded them that the house wouldn’t be available for another two weeks before accepting the offer.
When Claudia and Doyle agreed to not being allowed to move in for two weeks, Jack had both parties to fill out the paperwork, and once the paperwork was completed, Jack, Claudia and Doyle left the house.
Chapter Six
Saturday, 5:25 A.M., Harris had been awakened by sounds from the kitchen. He got out of bed and got dressed without waking Allyson.
In the kitchen, Shannon had out one of the books on incantations and was copying spells onto the pages of a legal size lined notepad. She paused at what she was doing and looked towards the door seconds before Harris walked through it.
“I thought Ellen was awake and down here,” Harris told Shannon.
“As far as I know Ellen is sound asleep.”
“I take it that you couldn’t sleep,” Harris assumed before taking a seat next to her and noticing what she was doing. “And now taking up witchcraft.”
“I’m writing down the spells that you and Ellen will need,” Shannon said as she continued to write.
“Ellen and I are going to need certain spells?” Harris asked in a confused tone.
“If Martha is still alive I think she will know what had happened to Ellen’s great-grandmother. She will also be in her late seventies and at her age her memories might not be as reliable as you’ll need them to be. So one of the spells that I’m copying for you will fix that. Oh and you’ll need to pick up an unmarked crystal ball for that spell, and hopefully they’ll be sold anywhere where crystals are sold.”
“I recognize the spell that you’re referring to. But what other spells will Ellen and I need?”
“If Gloria’s clothes were the only things foun
d the night when she had disappeared then I fear that another wizard or a sorceress had confronted her. I don’t want you or Ellen confronting any wizards or sorceresses, but if you two get discovered by one, you two might need some defensive spells to escape.”
“Yes, well, Ellen and I would be a waste of time for a wizard or a sorceress to deal with.”
“True, but some might attack and then search to see if you carry the birthmark,” Shannon pointed out.
“What would be the chances of me convincing Ellen that going to Saint Louis is a bad idea?”
“As stubborn as Ellen has proven herself to be, I doubt you’ll be able to,” Shannon said with a grin.
“Yes; I fear that you’re right.” Harris then sighed before standing up. “Since I’m up, I might as well fix myself some breakfast.” Harris then moved towards the refrigerator.
As Harris was opening the refrigerator, Shannon told him, “The others will be waking up soon, so you might as well cook enough for everyone.”
“Alright,” Harris said as he pulled out the carton of eggs and the package of bacon.
Upstairs, the smell of cooking bacon was coming through the air vents and woke Ellen up. After Ellen was dressed she went to the bathroom first and then downstairs to see who was cooking.
As Ellen was walking into the kitchen, she asked, “Are you cooking enough for me?”
Harris gave her a grin before saying, “Yes; I’m making enough for everyone.”
“Cool,” Ellen said before taking a seat next to Shannon. She then noticed at what she was doing. “Why are you copying a spell, Shannon?”
“The spell I’m copying is called a ‘Memory Talebearer’ spell,” Shannon began. “Martha’s memories might not be as reliable as we need them to be, so this spell will fix that.”
“And I will be the one who’ll do the spell,” Harris quickly added.
Ellen shot Harris an amused grin before asking, “So how does the ‘Memory Talebearer’ spell work?”
“Okay, first of all, you and Harris will need to buy a crystal ball…” Shannon was only able to get out.
“Magical crystal balls are actually real?!” Ellen interrupted with.
“Well, the appropriate spell is what makes them work and do what you want them to do, otherwise they’re just clear balls made out of crystal,” Shannon replied.
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