“I saw a cast-iron Dutch oven in the kitchen,” Jesse said. “Will it do until you have that Ethan kid transport one of your lead boxes down?”
“What do you think, Orion?”
“Seal it with wax, then duct tape. It should hold it. Now the trick is getting the thing into the first container.”
“It’s quiet right now,” Cid observed. “I’ll scoop it up with the old cast-iron coal shovel.”
“Do this within the ring of salt,” Orion cautioned. “Call me when you’re finished. I’ll have my finger on the feather 911 button until then.”
Jesse went in search of the things they needed while Cid stayed and watched. Faye moved between veils making sure no ghost was sneaking up on them.
Jesse walked in with Sally. Both of them were carrying an armload of supplies.
Sally stared at the thing on the floor and frowned. “Evil looking Play-Doh, Cid.”
“It’s the MA-17 version,” Cid said. “What do you all have there? I thought we had a case of salt here?”
“No. Cupboards were bare. We’ll investigate this later,” Jesse said.
Faye manifested right in front of Cid. “Safe!”
Cid reared back, and Sally moved to stand between Cid and Faye.
Jesse was very interested where this was going. “Faye, what’s going on?”
“Sorry! Sometimes I have a problem with spaces whilst moving in and out of the veils. I found a large safe. It’s got to be made of iron or lead because I can’t move through it.”
“Is it open?” Sally asked, stepping to the side.
“No, but big ears could crack it,” Faye said.
“I could try. Jesse, google safecracking. But…”
“You’re thinking, are we committing a crime?” Jesse said.
“Yes.”
“We’ll take a video during the operation. Take an inventory of the safe and another after we remove the negative elemental,” Jesse said. “What moron would leave the family jewels in an old safe in the… Where is the safe?”
“The library,” Faye said. “Behind the Robert Henri portrait of August Atwater.”
“I’ve seen the portrait. How did you know it was a Henri?” Cid asked amazed.
“I may not know who I am, but I know American realism when I see it,” Faye said.
“Wow,” Sally said. “She told you.”
Cid chuckled. “She sure did. Okay, let’s get this thing in the first two nests, call Orion back, and then I’ll see if I can crack the safe. I’m hoping Google will help.”
Cid expanded the salt ring before they began. Jesse held the jelly jar while Cid scooped the solidified mass up with an iron dustpan. He angled it downward, and the irritated elemental oozed quickly off the iron into the glass jar, almost filling it. Cid sealed the lid and set the pint into a half-gallon glass Mason jar that Jesse had already lined the bottom with salt. Jesse filled it to the brim with the rest of the salt and secured the wide lid.
“Now for the safe,” Cid said.
The trio walked into the library to find Faye, dressed as a moll, pointing to the portrait of August Atwater.
Cid slid his hands around the frame and noted the hinges and on the other side discovered two lock/catches and flipped them up. The framed portrait soundlessly swung out from the wall. There was a hinged panel in the opening, and Cid could see two more panels to either side of the safe, one at the top and one at the bottom. He surmised there must be a lead plate also behind the safe. “These are lead.” He opened the panel to expose the safe.
“Wow,” Jesse said.
The Lafayette, Indiana company displayed its name without shame across the front of the black safe in capital letters: SCHWAB SAFE CO., LAFAYETT, IND..
“Now to find a video on how to open it.”
“On it,” Sally said, walking out of the room.
Faye followed her without being asked.
“While the girls are away…” Jesse said. “Why are we even bothering? Let’s seal this monster in an iron casket and lower it into the lake.”
“We can’t. Kiki is depending upon us to follow the contract.”
“But we are messing with the ghosts.”
“Technically, it’s an elemental,” Cid said, putting his hand through his hair. The top lock fell in front of his forehead.
Jesse wanted to tease Cid about the Superman lock but realized that Clark, aka Superman, was just about to crack a lead-lined safe.
Sally walked quickly in. “I found three videos. One has a Yale lock in it like this one,” she said proudly.
Jesse watched as the woman looked at Cid. Did she see the resemblance too? To Jesse, Cid was the archetypal Superman, dark handsome looks, broad shoulders, fit muscular body, but more importantly, there was an honor that Cid couldn’t help wearing. It fit him like a cape surrounding his insecurities and protecting his ideals.
Cid nodded and handed the tablet back to Sally. “Here goes nothing. I’m going to ask both of you to stand further away. I have to concentrate, and I can hear you breathing.”
Sally and Jesse moved back. Faye stayed put.
Cid turned his head and began to clear the lock before seeking out the sound of tumblers falling into place. It took him four tries, but he smiled when he was able to turn the lever. He waved the others over.
Cid pulled the safe door open, and aside from a few ledger books and what looked like an odd set of iron keys, the safe was empty. Cid took everything out and managed to fit the jar inside. He took pictures of each key as Jesse and Sally flipped through the thin volumes.
“I think we should take these with us,” Jesse said.
“We can’t,” Cid said.
“Okay, then we’re copying each page,” he said and took the book to
