“Let me give you my cell number if you think of anything else,” Sally said. “It’s okay to share it with your priest.”
Audrey nodded. “Is it okay to come and visit you? Do you think they would let you out for a meal? I just live down the street.”
“I don’t know what my schedule will be until I have a few more sessions with Dr. Myer. But I would love the opportunity to get to know you better.”
“Let me know. I’d love to show off my kids, my house, my library, and my husband.”
“I’d like that too. Thanks for coming.”
~
The other contractors looked at Cid and Jesse open-mouthed.
Pete shot his hand up.
“Yes, Pete,” Cid answered.
“I thought the goal was to avoid these ghouls.”
“Ghosts, and yes, it is, but we have a unique opportunity to try to steady these ghosts so we can get our work finished. I have a hunch that they would like a few moments of clarity too.”
“Guys, I was there watching the biggest of the brutes speak with Cid about carving the fireplace surround. He’s related to the Piccirillis.”
“Are those the guys who carved the Lincoln Memorial?” Wayne asked.
“Yes. And the lions in front of the New York Public Library,” Faye said, moving into the common room slowly so not to startle Wayne. “Salvatore is a cousin of the father of Giuseppe. He died before Salvatore was hired to work here.”
“How come they are here?” Gary asked.
“We aren’t sure if they were killed so August didn’t have to pay them or because of the black magic which holds them here so the negative elemental can’t escape,” Cid said.
“Well, seems to me, gents, the men didn’t have anyone to appreciate their work who wasn’t related to that monster in the safe,” Carl said. “Let’s give them the opportunity to pass on their tips. Who’s translating?”
“I speak enough Italian to understand what they are talking about. The two Irish ghosts have used their Latin to understand the men,” Cid said. “They can help if more than one is talking or talking exceedingly fast.”
“Shall we give it a try?” Jesse said. “Please pick up your tool belts. I’ve added a few things that will get us out of a jam if the natives get restless.”
Jon watched the men leave the carriage house. “I hope this isn’t a mistake.”
“I’m not sure why Jesse wanted to do this?” Blue Daniel asked.
“Faye thinks if we give the beasts a chance to pass on their craft, it will give them dignity. Also, we will have a name for the priest to use.”
“They’re far beyond that. The best they can get is the bruisers not breaking their bones,” Blue Daniel said.
“Let them find out for themselves. We could be wrong.”
“We, who have been stuck here with the animals…”
“They were existing, like we were, in fear of the pain the pitch ghost gave us as it fed,” Jon said.
“Let’s agree to disagree,” Blue Daniel said.
They heard the door open below. They drifted down to watch.
Cid called out a greeting in Italian and was a bit disappointed that no one responded.
“Scusami,” a deep voice said from above them.
The contractors looked up to see a ghost with his hand on the ceiling medallion from where the chandelier hung. “Ho fatto questo.”
“He said that he made the ceiling medallion,” Cid told the others.
“My name is Gary, and I would like to know…” Gary went on to ask questions about the artisan’s process and to ask his advice on how to fix a spot in the coffered ceiling in the dining room.
It took a while, but between Cid, Blue Daniel and Jon, they managed to interpret the conversation between Gary and the artisan Pietro Gallo. They then took a tour of all the ceiling work on the main floor.
Next, they were greeted by a stonemason. Wayne had a dozen questions and Giacomo Costa, who had a startlingly high voice for such a bruiser, answered them. This went on for hours, each artisan showing their craft. When they had reached the ornate butler’s pantry, Cid was introduced to Domenico Raffaele Fiorentino. Cid pulled out the chisel he picked up from the floor of the basement and handed it to Domenico.
Domenico put his hand on his chest and bowed his head in shame.
Cid told him in Italian, “You were made to do bad things. I will not remember you for attacking me but for your beautiful carving.”
“You are too kind. We need to leave here before we turn into monsters.”
“Yes. I have a priest working on doing just that. How did you and the other artisans die?”
“It was cold, and we closed the windows. The furnace was not set up properly, and bad air settled on us while we slept. We died with red faces.”
“Carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s a gas you can’t see. It must have built up.”
“The light never came. I think the symbol on the floor in that room, or it’s black magic acolytes, stopped it. God doesn’t enter the devil’s lair. For days we stared down at our bodies. They finally buried us, digging as deep as they could considering the time of the year. They packed the earth hard on top and laid a stone floor over us. Not even a quality floor. Our crypt is shoddy, but yet, we can’t leave. No words were ever said. What did we do to be treated in this way?”
“I think there is a curse on this house, and as soon as we understand it, we can reverse it. We can’t give you your lives back, but we can free you from this place.
