The boys returned with food and drink in hand and walked into Olivia’s home and entered the kitchen. “Let’s eat, me and John are starved!” Duncan blurted out. “What am I gonna do with my van dad?”

Tammy and Olivia got up and helped each other put out dinnerware as Tom said, “We’ll call someone to come out to change the tires in the morning, if they can’t do it here we’ll have it towed to town. Ol’ Duncan wants you guys to hang around for some reason. I’m sure he’ll let us know why. But the first thing we need to do is to dig that hole out.”

“Olivia, we only have five place settings.” Tammy stated.

“Yes darlin’, I know. I never eat this late in the day. You all just go ahead and enjoy the food while I go get the spare room ready for you and Tom. I’ll be fine as I had plenty of food this day, I’m watching my weight don’t ya know?” Olivia answered as she patted her large butt with a grin and a wiggle. She left the room as they all laughed at her bawdy humor.

 “Oh don’t worry about her honey. I didn’t notice it but so much has happened today she just isn’t hungry and it is late for an old woman to drink coffee and have a heavy meal.” Tom said as he spooned a healthy pile of mashed potatoes on his plate and doused it with gravy.

“Well, just the same, I’m worried about her now. I’m going to go help her and then I’ll be back so don’t you eat all the wings now. I want at least one and save me a biscuit too.” She warned them as she left the room.

The three men ate in silence as the evening wore on. When they were finished, each grabbed a longneck and walked out onto the porch. All eyes were on the gloomy mansion. They listened to the slight breeze as it rustled the turning leaves of autumn in the nearby trees. The stars were bright and the Harvest Moon was sharing its fresh beams with the gently falling leaves. “I heard on the radio this morning we’re to expect rain tomorrow afternoon. We need to get that hole done quick like or we’ll have a real mess on our hands. So you boys need to get plenty of rest now. Have you called everyone to let them know you’re staying the night here?” Tom asked them.

“Yeah dad, I called Mikayla and she is driving out here in the morning to bring me some fresh clothes as well as John’s too. I told her the van wouldn’t run, no sense in telling her the truth.” Duncan answered him.

“My girl is hookin’ up with Mikayla and she’s joining her. We never told them what’s happening here, they wouldn’t believe us anyway and it would just make them suspicious. So we decided not to tell anyone.” John quickly volunteered. “I sure hope nothing crazy goes on while they’re here.”

“Well, look at it like this, we’re still alive and well. Duncan will make sure nothing bad happens, I think we can count on that. I believe he put ol’ John in his place, the mansion is quiet and all is at peace.” Their eyes were diverted to the nearby road as headlights appeared and slowed down as it passed the farm. “Now don’t you boys stay out here too long, go to bed soon. I’m going inside now. I’ll save any leftovers for your lunch tomorrow and the beer is in the fridge. Good night.” He told them as he farted. “Oops! Stepped on a goose!” He laughingly  said as he walked into the house closing the door behind him.

“Coleslaw! See ya in the morning ya old fart.” Duncan said laughing as he and John fist-bumped while pinching their nostrils shut. They joked some and small talked a while and realized it was now approaching 10 pm and the sky was now overcast. “I think it is going to rain John. Let’s hit the sack.” They walked together to the barn.

Out of their sight a Lincoln had pulled off the side of the road with its lights turned off. Mr. O’Connor eased himself out and looked through the trees and down over the hill to the barn below with its pole light burning brightly. “Damn!” He spat out viciously as he lifted the lid to the trunck. He put on light overalls and some boots, put a gun belt on with sidearm then he pulled out a rifle with attached scope and slung it over his shoulder. He put on some night vision goggles and pulled out a metal detector and a short handled shovel. He changed his mind on the rifle and placed it gently back into the trunk No need for this tonight, I know where it is for daylight. I’ll just come back for it then if I think I’ll need it. Then he walked into the woods in the direction of the barn. A reddish ball of light met him as he got close to the barn. “All right John. Show me what you got.” He said under his breath. The red ball seemed to lead him right to the mysterious hole in the drive.

“I want to thank you John for slipping that note into my pocket earlier today. You’re wise to see things my way since this will never do you any good now.” O’Connor said softly. He never noticed the eyes watching from the mansion or Olivia standing on her porch observing them. She silently walked to the barn. After a few minutes she returned to her place on the porch and watched intently.

“I’ll be damned if I let that bitch or any one else have my treasure. It belongs to me O’Connor.  I have chosen to let you in on it now that I know where it is hidden thanks to that Tom fellow. He thinks he is clever, but he is in for a surprise my friend.” The raspy voice of John’s ghost said quietly. “Now, jump into that hole and get that key.”

O’Connor did as he was told and his metal detector quickly located something of substantial size. He threw the detector up out of the hole and furiously began digging. Soon enough the shovel let him know he had found something that did not belong in the earth. Softly he cleaned the dirt and bits of old wood away from an old metal chest. It was an old wooden one lined with lead. In vain he tried to pull it out, the weight was too much. In his mad rush not caring what would happen or seemingly knowing the sound would emit upwards and be muffled he struck the old chest lining repeatedly with his shovel until it was breached.

“That’s it O’Connor, now you have done it. Good going my old friend.” John spoke feverishly.

O’Connor pulled out a small mag light and dropped to his knees and peered into the chest’s void. He saw a lump of something and a few shiny bits and rotted paper. He pulled the shiny bits out and discovered they were gold coins, he pocketed them and looked into the chest again and retrieved the heavy lump. He soon discovered it was lead and had a vague outline of a large key.

“That’s it my man. The key to the special place I will lead you to.” John’s ghost said excitedly. “Get out now and follow me. You can return to claim any other treasure in that chest, but now you need to follow me for the good stuff.”

 “So this is what Duncan meant when he said the key was heavy with sin. He encased it in lead to protect it from rust and it symbolizes the murders he had committed. He was a smart man. I wish I could have known him.” O’Connor said chuckling softly, proudly as he climbed out of the hole.

“Don’t be a fool O’Connor! He would have slit your throat for the dog you are.” John said hissingly. “Now let’s go!”

 O’Connor followed the red ball of light that was John’s ghost into the hollow southeast of the mansion. As they disappeared from view of Olivia she walked down to the hole as the blue ball of light once again came through the front door and met her standing there. John came out of the barn and met them. It was now 2 am of the 31^st day of October.

Within a few minutes John followed the blue ball into the woods and down into the hollow 40 rods, or 660 feet he walked into the night in southeasterly direction from the hole in the driveway. Olivia walked to the barn and silently slipped into the office and sat in the chair to keep vigil through the night as though she was protecting something precious. As the sun was just coming up and a mist lay over the land, gunshots echoed from distant hollow. “It is finished.” Olivia whispered and arose to awaken the sleeping family.

So the story goes, this ghostly tale of love, greed, murder and mystery. I do hope you all enjoyed it so far. You can let me know below with a comment or if not by clicking on that little green thumbs up button just below this message. I will be completing this whopper of a ghostly tale soon, I don't think you will be let down with the final conclusion. Thanks for reading it and following it this far.

©2009 CC Riter