Ted scratched his head. “It’s got to be the wiring. I say that we make sure the backup generators aren’t frying the old wiring here. Maybe we should move the base of this operation to a newer building.”
“Maybe. But I think that, aside from your surveillance of the ghosties in the hallways, we aren’t going to do too much here. Even Burt’s hot to find that treasure.”
Ted looked at his watch. “Come on. I left Mia heading to a bar with Fergus as her escort…”
“Bar fight,” Mason said. “He wouldn’t start a fight in this fancy hotel, would he?”
“It was so funny when he ended up on the floor at Mia’s feet, and she looks down and says, ‘I’ve missed you and your subtle ways.’ I thought I was going to pee myself,” Ted admitted.
“There is always a lot of laughter when your wife is around.”
“She’s special, Mason. I know that she doesn’t always use the right judgement, but she does what she does to set things right.”
“Then I shouldn’t worry about you two?”
“No. We’re held together by a bungee cord. We both have the freedom to be ourselves but always seem to meet back up stronger.”
“I’m going to address the elephant in the room. Murphy is back.”
“One day at a time. As I told Burt, if he and Mia can’t get along, we’ll move. I’m thinking it would be nice to buy Ethan’s family’s house and paint it a better color.”
“Can you afford it?”
“Once it gets out that it’s haunted, we will.”
Mason started laughing.
“Come on, leave this mess. I’ll figure it out in the morning with Cid.”
“Cid’s got something up his butt.”
“He’s petrified that Mia slept with Murphy,” Ted said.
“Did she?”
“No. She wouldn’t risk the consequences.”
“Would you leave her if she did?”
“No, I’d be disappointed, but I’d forgive her. I wouldn’t, however, forgive him.”
~
Lazar and Dieter were watching television when they heard the first CRACK! Thinking it was an old tree limb falling in the forest they ignored it.
CRACK!
Dieter got up, walked to the screen door, and looked out before stepping outside.
CRACK!
Dieter started running down the drive.
There, where Mia had Kevin leave his axe, Murphy was splitting wood.
“Murphy!” Dieter shouted. “Welcome home. Mom said you were on dry land and most certainly headed home, but I didn’t believe her.”
Lazar caught up. Murphy turned and tipped his hat.
“You look clean shaven and, I believe, tan. How can a ghost tan?” Lazar teased.
“Lots of time aboard ship,” Murphy said. “Where is everybody?”
“They’re on an investigation,” Dieter said offhandedly. “Dad wanted to get Mom back into the swing of things after her operation.”
“Operation?”
“You don’t know?”
“Our navigator Harley said Kai’s granddaughter saw her in the hospital, but she was fit when she left the ship.”
“She keeled over on the way back. Something was wrong with her heart. It’s not what everybody thought it was, but it had a lot to do with you, or the lack of you,” Dieter told him.
“I’m confused,” Murphy said.
“It’s confusing. You should ask Mia,” Lazar suggested. “But first, get your energy back, and I’ll make sure the PEEPs know you’re okay. You’re okay, aren’t you?”
“I’m fine.”
“I’ll leave you to it. I’m going to make a call.”
Dieter looked at Murphy. “You look different.”
“I believe you’ve grown too. How’s football?”
“Funny you should ask, Mark made varsity.”
“That’s great news. He was thinking about quitting.”
“He says he got some good advice from a friend of my mom’s.”
“Whitney? Is Whitney here?” Murphy asked.
“No, it’s not that guy she used to date. She calls him Whitney Pee Pants even though he’s a bigtime federal agent.”
“That nickname comes from me scaring him in that barn when Mia and he were about your age. He was a big man on campus, a football hero. Mia was a hanger on. She and Tom Braverman, come to think of it. Their gang used to come out here and make mischief. Whit invariably used to lay with the easy girls in the barn while the others drank and tossed rocks through the empty farmhouse windows. Mia never did. She always respected the place. The other kids didn’t like her and started calling her names, so I manifested with my axe and scared the little buggers. Next, I went into the barn and scared Whit so much he peed his pants. The other kids took off in their cars with Whit’s girlfriend. He was humiliated. Mia felt sorry for him and wrapped her flannel shirt around him to cover up the soiled jeans and walked him home.”
Dieter listened to Murphy but noticed something. He related the story like Mia wasn’t anything more than an acquaintance.
“And that’s why she and I call him Whitney Pee Pants.”
“Oh, it wasn’t him, or I think Mark would have said.” Dieter changed the subject, “How was it being a sailor? Mom said you weren’t coming home for a while.”
“It was different. Maybe we should go in the house so Lazar can hear too. I’d hate to tell my story more than once.”
“Can I call Mark? I know he’d like to hear too.”
“Fine with me,” Murphy said. “Although, isn’t it a bit late?”
“You’re right. I’ll tell him tomorrow.”
Lazar watched them from the porch. Murphy walked like he didn’t quite have his land legs yet. He had his axe again, but he was carrying a curved sword, and there was a dagger stuck in his belt. He looked like a pirate in farmer’s clothing.
“Murphy’s going to tell us all about being a pirate,” Dieter said.
“I’ve met some modern-day pirates. I wonder how they are different,” Lazar asked.
“After I exploded the C4…”
“C4!” Lazar exclaimed. “How much?”
“A box full.” Murphy held out his hands,
