Harry was thinking. “I think I know the place you’re talking about but I have no recollection of anyone living there in my time.”
“Exactly what the City Clerk told me,” Yelpy said. “She said the old deeds were in the name of Jackson – Larry Jackson – but that’s all they knew. All attempts to locate family members were unsuccessful. So, for a fraction of the unpaid property taxes I became the owner of a rather large, neglected, gothic-style house.”
“A real fixer-upper,” Bertie said.
“A real headache,” Yelpy agreed. “It started with replacing the septic system, cleaning out the well, installing a pump, running the plumbing for the ground floor… nothing drastic.” He laughed. “But, the building inspector said the place is structurally sound… which was a lucky break. In the two years since I bought it, I’ve fixed up the kitchen, downstairs bathroom and a room that serves as bedroom and office. The rest of the ground floor and the second floor remains untouched… not to mention the attic, which, with its dormer windows, must be almost like a third story. I haven’t taken the time to explore that yet.” He sighed. “It takes time and money, so it’s been slow going.”
“You have a lot on your plate,” Harry said.
Yelpy nodded. “Right, and I don’t need distractions. The thing is, I’ve been seeing shadows, like someone wearing a long hooded robe, not every day but fairly often. It walks across the head of the stairs.” He paused a moment. “Do you know of any ghost stories or legends connected to the place?”
“Not me.” Harry and Bertie shook their heads and spoke simultaneously.
“Shucks,” Yelpy replied. “I was hoping for something to give me some history about the place.”
“Sorry,” Harry said. “How often do you see the shadows?”
“Not often, but I’m away a lot and when I’m home, I’m usually working. The thought of a ghost doesn’t bother me. I’m more concerned with what the logical explanation could be.”
“Are there any large trees close to the house that might sway in the wind and cast shadows?” Harry asked.
Yelpy shook his head. “The trees are mostly a good distance from the house. There’s a large birch at the back corner, but not in the right position for the shadow. Either I’m missing something, or there really IS a ghost.”
“Will you be home around ten tomorrow morning?” Harry asked.
“I’m home for the rest of this week,” Yelpy replied.
“Good. We’ll see you then and take it from there.”
“Sounds good to me,” he said, pulling up his hood as he got to his feet.
As the door closed behind Yelpy, Bertie noticed Harry rubbing his chin. “What are you thinking?”
“That I should talk to Joe and Silas,” he said. “If anyone knows anything about that house, it’s those two.” He stood and pulled on his jacket.
“Yeah, they’re like oral history books,” Bertie agreed. “Meanwhile, I’ll see if I can find anything online.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
