Today, as Martin opened the door, Harry was pouring coffee into two mugs. He handed one to Martin and set the other one on his desk, before sitting down again.
“Mr. Hogan, I hate to bother you, but I…” his voice dropped to a whisper “…I really think Paddy’s ghost is back.”
“Not again.” Harry raised his eyebrows. “What is it this time? Did you see something? Or was it more sounds?”
Martin nodded. “I went out that way yesterday to check on several cranberry patches and I… heard something in the cave.”
“Something – like what?”
“Kind of a shuffling sound… like my great-uncle Arthur sounded in his last few years. His leg was crushed in an accident and he used a walker. When he walked, he would take a normal step with his left foot but then had to drag the right one.”
“The students aren’t out there now, they’ve finished for the season, but I sincerely doubt it’s a ghost,” Harry said. “However it could be an animal… perhaps an injured one. I’ll contact the local Wildlife Officer to check on it.”
“So, I guess I shouldn’t go out there again until someone checks it out.” Martin looked at Harry. “You really don’t think it’s Paddy?”
Harry shook his head. “Paddy is long gone. I don’t know what to say that will convince you Mr. Martin, but trust me when I tell you that it’s definitely not Paddy O’Flynn.”
The door opened just as Harry finished speaking. “I say… did someone just mention my name?” The owner of the voice walked in and closed the door behind him. He walked over to Harry’s desk and extended his hand. “I’m Paddy O’Flynn… but I didn’t know you were expecting me.”
Both men stared at the newcomer in surprise as he removed his hat and sat down on the chair next to Martin. What little hair he had was the colour of orange-red flame. He has to be Irish, Harry thought, and he was curious about the name.
Every bit of colour had drained from Gary Martin’s face as he stood and went quickly towards the door.
“Excuse me. I’ll be back in a minute,” Harry said to the stranger as he hurried to catch up with Martin. He caught him beside his car. “Is something wrong?” Martin shook his head first and then nodded. “You don’t look good,” Harry said. “You’re white as a sheet.”
“I’ll be fine… once I get over the shock,” Martin said, nodding his head.
“Shock?”
“Well… I know you can see ghosts, at least some people can, but I never thought they actually looked like real people.” Martin’s voice was as shaky as his legs felt.
Harry laughed. “I can assure you, Mr. Martin, that man in there is no ghost. He just happens to have the same name as a former resident of this place.”
“Yeah, the same name as a ghost… unless he IS the ghost.” Martin was shaking his head. “One thing is certain. I definitely won’t be going out to… THAT place anytime soon.” He opened the car door. “See you around, Mr. Hogan.”
Martin drove away as Harry returned to the office, shaking his head. “Sorry about that,” he said as he resumed his seat.
