“Thank you, Glenda,” Mia said, handing her the straw sunhat for Brian.
“A fedora? My mother warned me off men who wore fedoras,” Glenda said to Brian. He babbled his reply, and the two left the house.
Burt waited until everyone had settled. “Welcome to the emergency meeting of the Paranormal Entity Exposure Partners. We’ve been alerted to a situation here by this young man, Mark Leighton.” Burt went on to fill them in on the activities of the house and the incursion of the house into Mark’s dreams. “As you know, it’s the policy of PEEPs to drop everything when a child is in danger. Thank you all for showing up. Audrey, what have you found out about the place?”
“It’s presently owned by the county for nonpayment of back taxes. Alan has secured us permission to investigate as long as we signed a waiver. Alan acted with our power of attorney. Officially, if we get hurt, we can’t sue them,” she cautioned. “The house has been sitting on the same ground since it was erected. There haven’t been any improvements to the property, so there was little to be found on the house, besides these.” She passed out a glossy sheet of the copied photographs. “This is the last photograph of the family at the house. Mr. and Mrs. William Wayne and their sons Timothy and James. If you look to the left of the house, you will see what looks to be a specter, but in actuality, it’s William’s brother Wyatt lurking.”
“Nasty looking guy,” Cid commented.
Mark looked at the picture and closed his eyes. “They weren’t much older than this when they died.”
“You’re right,” Audrey said, checking on the dates. “I believe this is the picture that the newspaper used.”
Mark beamed. Mia caught Sam’s eye and nodded.
“Mia mentioned that you could hear movement in the house?” Cid prompted.
“Yes, I could hear the lady doing dishes and the boys playing jacks upstairs. The man, he was just sitting on the back porch smoking.”
“When you say back porch,” Mike started, “I see the original house had four porches. Which one are you speaking about?”
“The one on…” Mark closed his eyes a moment and answered, “on the west side of the house.”
“This house holds so much interest for you. Do you care to explain it?” Mia asked.
“This house wasn’t a beautiful house or anything special, but it was loved. And I hate to see something so loved be destroyed. I thought, if I could help the ghosts inside, then maybe I could get someone to fix it up so it could be whole again.”
“So you’re not in it for the hidden gold?” Mia asked.
Mike raised his eyebrows.
“No. If there was gold and I could use it, I would fix the house up with it.”
Sam cleared his voice, and Burt nodded for him to speak. “I’ve been over to the house, and even if there was gold found, it would take twice its worth for the house to be livable.”
“It all depends on its bones,” Cid said. “I’ll look at it for you and give you an honest estimate of what you’d be in for, Mark.”
“Thank you, I would like that,” he said in his most adult voice. “It might take me awhile, but I really want to save the house.”
Sam started to open his mouth, but Mia lifted an eyebrow. She looked over at Cid who was jotting down some information.
“Mark, there are no promises,” Cid began. “The first thing we need to do is to assess the house and the situation inside and whether the house wants to and can be moved. Sometimes, Mark, a house dies, but parts of it can be introduced into another house or many houses. This way the house can find other families to nurture. Do you want us to honestly look into this house or leave it be?”
Mark frowned but nodded. “I think it’s time.”
“Would you like to be lead on this?” Burt asked. “You found the haunt. You get to call the shots.”
Mark opened his eyes real wide. “Ah, no. Could you do it, Burt?”
“Okay, I’ll be lead on this investigation. I’d like to get set up for an afternoon run tomorrow. I want, you Mark, Sam, if you want to be part of this, Mike and Mia to be first to enter the building. Murphy, I want you to stand by just in case we face an unfriendly crowd. I’ll film the initial walkthrough. After, I’d like Mike and Audrey to do interviews. Audrey, I’ll want you and Cid to do a perimeter walk on film. Point out the architectural details. Smart talk about old buildings. You two are our experts. Ted, of course, you’ll keep us communicating. Set up a few trap cameras in addition to the others. I have it on good authority that there is a defunct ley line west of the house. Mark, you may have walked through it on your way to the pond.”
“Is it the thick air?” he asked.
Mia nodded. “That’s what it feels like to a sensitive. It’s kind of shimmery, especially when it’s foggy out.”
“Whoa,” Ted said. “What if the house was built from trees that grew on the line?”
“It would have a natural power,” Mia mused. “Mark, I think you found a rare haunt for us to investigate. Bravo!” Mia walked over and high-fived Mark. “It also explains how it got into your mind.”
“Anything else to discuss?” Burt asked the group.
Mia raised her hand.
“Mia?” Burt asked, flabbergasted by her raised hand.
“There is another soul who seems to need our help.” She explained the situation of the Native American and her and Murphy’s suspicions. “We have a few days until he can lead us either into a trap or to his remains.”
“I think that we can look
