Spirit of the Revolution (21 page)

“You don’t say.” Mathias gazed out the window that faced the street. “Took all of a week for him to gather enough courage huh?”

“I don’t think the doodle has any courage,” Sam replied. “I think what he has is stupidity. William turned the stereo on, with the volume at full bore. The boy dashed off across the street like a deer with a bobcat on her tail.”

“Well, if all he owns is stupidity, then he’ll surely return.”

Chapter 16

“You look pleased about something.” Mathias brushed a length of wind-blown hair away from her face as they stood by the side of her car.

“Well—” Jolena shot him a wide-eyed glance and blushed. She looked down at her bag, clutched it a little tighter, and said, “I have the letter to the Scottish archives ready to mail and you know I’m still excited about finding the journal.”

“I see. Do you think you’ll arrive home on time?” He caught sight of the Parker boy peering through the bushes. His eyes narrowed as he considered the possible reasons for his daily presence this past week. None of those reasons pleased him.

“I should,” Jo replied. “If something happens to cause delay, I’ll call and let you know.”

“All right, then I’ll see you later.” Mathias stood away from the open door to allow her entrance into the car. The boy hadn’t so much as twitched. “Drive carefully.”

“I will.” She climbed into the car and started the engine. While she strapped into her seat belt, she said, “Have a good day. Because I plan to.”

“Will do.” Jolena returned his wave as she drove off. Yet, he maintained his position while keeping his gaze fixed on Owen, who fixed his gaze on Jolena. Sam appeared at his side the moment her car disappeared from view.

“What the devil do you think he’s up to?” he asked, as he too focused on the solitary figure, hunched beneath the foliage.

“I think we’re about to find out.” Mathias nodded toward the bushes just as Owen separated, then inched his way through them.

Owen shot a furtive glance in each direction before he made a dash straight for the house. He looked at the front door and then glanced over to the side of the property.

“I believe the boy is weighing his options,” he said.

“Yes, indeed. How far do you think we ought to let him get before we send him on home?” Sam asked as they charted the kid’s progress around to the back side of the property.

“I think we’ll just go ahead and invite him in,” Mathias replied. “And see what it is he’s after. Meet me inside. I’m going to follow him around and let him in the back. Get the rest of the boys ready. We’ll want to make sure our guest is properly entertained before he leaves us.”

Sam’s eyes lit up with anticipation. “Yes, good idea. I think it rude to do otherwise.”

Mathias accompanied Owen as he climbed over the fence and made a beeline for the door. The boy peeked in each direction before he took some gloves out of his coat pocket. From all appearances, the dog concerned him a bit, but since Dakota barked furiously from the other side of the second fence, he threw caution to the wind and approached the house.

Owen put his gloves on and just as he placed a hand on the knob, Mathias caused a gust of wind to blow it slightly ajar. The boy smiled a bit as he entered, seemingly pleased with the ease of his task. Once inside, he placed his hands on his hips and cast his gaze around the kitchen.

Mathias slammed the door shut. Owen let out a short, almost inaudible scream. He jumped and while in midair turned toward the door and stared. The boy shook his head, took a few deep breaths, and then licked his dry lips before heading toward the hallway.

Mathias met up with Sam near the family room. He raised an eyebrow in question. Mathias shrugged in return. They followed Owen into the room. The boy’s eyes lit up at the sight of Jolena’s stereo system.

“Awesome,” he whispered. He ran his hand appreciatively along the sides and tsked. “I gotta have this.”

“Looks like we have a thief, Mathias.” Sam sneered.

“I would have to agree, except he has yet to put anything in his pockets,”
Mathias replied. He stood back as Owen made his way to the small telephone table. Their uninvited guest opened the drawer, and then rifled through the contents. Yet, instead of leaving it a mess, he put everything away exactly as he found it. Owen dropped his head and sighed, then turned around. His gaze ambled over every nook and cranny inside the room.

“What in the blazes is he looking for?” asked Jedediah the moment he and William popped into the room.

“Something valuable, no doubt,” Sam replied.

“Well, it seems he’s finished in here,” Mathias said. Owen exited the family room, and walked toward the parlor. They followed him past the archway. Alexander waited inside the room, with arms folded, guarding Jolena’s smaller antiques.

As Owen cast his gaze around the room, Jedediah circled him, looking him over with contempt. The boy shivered, rubbed his arms, and then made his way to the small secretary. He opened each of the empty drawers in turn and peered inside. Next, Owen examined all of the cubbyholes. He searched the top of the mantel and then looked under her clock. Still, he had yet to take anything and Jolena had very valuable things inside this room.

“Why would he look under the clock?” asked Sam. “Do you think he’s looking for something in particular?”

“I don’t know.” Mathias took a step back and turned to the side, thus allowing the boy to walk past him.

“He’s heading up the stairs,”
William called out as Owen pivoted and made a sudden right-hand turn.

Alex, along with Sam and William, simultaneously appeared at the top of the landing and awaited his ascent. Mathias followed close behind.

Sam rolled his eyes, his patience spent. “Enough of this nonsense. Perhaps one of us just ought to come out ask him what he’s doing here,” he said.

Alexander shrugged and turned to face his victim. “I’ll do it.” He approached Owen after he entered the first bedroom at the top of the stairs. As Owen stooped down to open dresser drawers, Alex put a hand on his shoulder, and leaned very close to his ear. “Why don’t you go ahead and tell us why you’re here. Perhaps an idea or two might surface that could aid your endeavor if you simply asked the question aloud,” he whispered.

Owen sighed, shut the last of the dresser drawers, stood up, and took one final look around the room. “Where on earth would that woman stash a valuable letter?” he muttered, as he took a step backward and rubbed at his forehead. He glanced over at the clock on the bureau and then fixed his gaze on the window. “Sanders ain’t gonna be happy if I can’t find it.”

“By all the saints—” Samuel gnashed his teeth and balled his fist. “Apparently that spineless coward is too terrified to come after the letter himself,” he spat. “And thus has found a kindred soul to fetch it for him.”

“I think we’ve gathered sufficient information lads,” Mathias said.
“So, I think it’s time to let him know he’s worn out his welcome.”
The moment Owen cleared the bedroom and stood in the hallway, Mathias slammed the door. Then, each door in the upstairs portion of the house followed in succession. One door after the other, banged shut, then flung open, before they each slammed shut again.

Startled by the frightening spectacle, Owen spun around in an obvious effort to beat a retreat down the stairs. Sam appeared in front of him, impeding his progress. The boy’s eyes grew ever wider as he looked the ghostly apparition up and down. Mathias chuckled over the hideous expression Sam concocted for Owen’s benefit.

The terrified lad drew in a deep breath, threw back his head, and bellowed at the top of his lungs. He headed for the opposite end of the hallway then and dashed toward it as if the devil himself chased after him.

Well, they weren’t quite the devil, but—

William vacated his position to appear several feet in front of the boy. Owen skidded to a halt, raised both hands in front of his face, and whirled around. Once again, he made a mad dash for the landing. Mathias made the long hallway appear ever longer with each step he took. The boy’s chest heaved with his relentless effort to escape the house. Finally, he stopped dead in his tracks and whipped his head from side to side. His eyes settled on the short hallway leading off the center and to the library. A small moan escaped his lips. He turned toward the unexplored corridor.

“Don’t allow him to get inside the library,” Mathias called out. “He doesn’t need to know it’s there.”

William made his appearance just outside the doorway. He swung his rifle to shoulder height. Without hesitation, he aimed his weapon straight at Owen’s head and fired. Owen jerked to the side, wiped the side of his face, and looked at his hand. Again, he screamed. William’s ghostly bullet whizzed right passed his ear, and the smell of gunpowder filled his nostrils. The boy exhaled short gasps as he struggled for air. Owen squeezed his eyes shut for a brief moment, and then grabbed at the doorknob closest to his position. His gloved hand slipped right off the handle. Alex and William flew toward him while he frantically yanked off a glove. He grasped hold of the knob, then twisted and tugged at the thing to no avail.

For added effect, Mathias made the doors bulge out from their frames. Owen’s shoulders slumped forward and while shaking his head, he inched backward, away from the sight. The doors creaked and moaned eerily under the strain as the wood expanded and contracted.

“Watch out, he’s going to bolt,” Sam called out.

Their guest alternately shrieked and cried as he staggered toward the stairway. Mathias moved off to the side to allow the descent, knowing Jed waited at the bottom with Dakota at his side.

Jedediah, standing with a tomahawk in each hand, let loose with one of his war cries. Owen stopped dead in his tracks. Dak rounded the corner and jumped right through Jed’s ghostly form with teeth bared. The dog halted just inches away and all the while, he snarled and barked at the intruder. The kid dropped to his knees, rolled, and then bumped and twisted all the way down the stairway.

He landed at the bottom in a heap and then turned and looked back. Mathias, alongside the boys, appeared midway on the steps. With a skill honed by decades of experience, they slowly, so very, very slowly, descended the stairs toward the trespasser. They could hear the acceleration of his heartbeat with each step they took.

Jedediah patted the dog on his way down the steps. “That’s a good boy, Dakota. You did a good job. Stay now.”

Self-preservation prompted Owen to whirl away from them and make a break for the entryway door. Once again, he found himself tearing at the handle of a door that simply refused to open. “Let me out,” he screamed pitifully, helplessly. “Please. Please, just let me out.”

Mathias snorted his disgust and nodded at the others. “I think he’s had enough, lads. Let’s go ahead and let him out.”

At long last, they allowed the door to give way. Yet, before Owen could make his escape, Sam slammed the door shut once again, sidled up next to him, and said, “I wouldn’t think of ever coming back here if I were you—for any reason. Because next time you pay us a visit, you won’t ever leave. You’ll get to stay here forever and play with us. We’ll have such fun—”

Owen squeezed his eyes shut against the voice that would sound like the rumble of distant thunder to his ears. At the same time, he turned the doorknob with ease. His eyes popped open in surprise. He jerked the door open and in one fluid motion, sprinted across the street.

“I think I’m going to follow him for a bit and see where he goes,” Mathias said.

“I’m coming with you,” replied Sam.

Owen ran straight through several harvested fields toward his home. The thick foliage slapped against his face and tore at his legs and arms. He paid them no heed. Several minutes later, his energy spent, he collapsed and rolled over onto his back. They could hear his pounding heart as he stared upward at the late morning sky. Several minutes passed before he regained a semblance of normalcy to his breathing. He placed his arm over his eyes, fumbled inside his pocket, and extracted his cell phone. His trembling fingers floundered several times before he successfully made his call.

Paul Sanders’s muffled voice filtered through the phone, “Did you get it?” he asked.

“No. No, I didn’t get it,” Owen snarled back.

“Why are you calling me then? Where are you?” asked Paul.

“Where am I?” Owen breathed out a shaky laugh. He closed his eyes and rolled his head from side to side. “I’m in the middle of my neighbor’s crops.”

“Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you right.”

“There’s no need to repeat myself,” Owen snapped. “And you want to know something else? I’m actually enjoying the feel of slimy bugs and thorny weeds.”

“What’s wrong with you, man?” asked Paul. “You’re not making any sense. Did you get inside the house or didn’t you?”

“Oh yeah—I got in all right. You know, my aunt and uncle would die if they knew I broke into our neighbor’s house with the intent of robbing her. I find it such a pity that I can’t tell them. I mean, I could tell them a story that would top any they’ve shared to date about that creepy place, and they have some pretty wild tales of their own.” His eyes glazed, Owen paused and heaved himself into a seated position. “That’s it, isn’t it? That’s the real reason you didn’t go in and get it yourself. Why you no good son of a—”

“I told you the real reason,” Paul cut in.

“No—No, you didn’t. You paid me a pittance and then served me up to the devil himself. You hoped I’d survive long enough to fetch your precious letter. Well, I did survive. Barely. No thanks to you. I’m outta here, dude, and I’m taking the money with me. I earned every dollar of it and then some for the hellish nightmare you put me through today. If you want that letter, you can go in there and get it yourself. Let’s see how long you survive in a house full of demonic entities that don’t appreciate visitors. Happy hunting.” After letting out a string of curses, Owen shoved his phone back inside his pocket.