Muffin, where are you?  She poked her little head out from a small cupboard, then came slowly over to me.  How did you get your tail caught in a mousetrap?  Meow.  What do you mean, “never mind”?  I gently remove the trap from her tail and feel to make sure everything is okay.  Now be more careful, you scared me half to death with that shriek of yours.  Meow?  Yes, your tail is just fine, but it will likely be sore for a while.  Meow, meow!  Oh, you found something too?  Good girl, what is it?  Hmm, a book on that table with no dust on it.  Hey, it’s a history book of this area and there’s a chapter marked in it.

Let’s go in the other room where there’s more light and read this chapter.  We get comfortable in the old rocking chair.  Okay now, let’s take a look at what it has to say, maybe we will pick up a clue in here that will help us.  Look at this Muffin, it actually talks about Mrs. Baker and her family.  Apparently she was quite wealthy but always invested in buying gold instead of putting her money in the bank.  Some people, though, think it’s just a local legend and that she really wasn’t very wealthy at all.  Well, that doesn’t help too much.

Hmm, here’s something odd Muffin.  It says that Mrs. Baker only had one child, a son, yet John told us she had 2 children.  There’s something wrong here Muffin, but I’m just not sure what it is yet.  We definitely need to find that woman, I’m sure she’s the key to this mystery.  Meow?  Yes, I’m talking about the ghost.  Only she’s not a ghost!  Hmm, this is an odd time to get cuddly Muffin.  Meow.  Oh, you’re not, then what’s…Muffin points behind me with her tail.  I turn around and there’s the woman, but…she’s glowing!

Okay, I don’t know how you’re doing that but we are going to have a talk, and right now!  I ran over and managed to grab her arm before she could get away.  She struggled like a wildcat to get free and we wrestled till we were both on the floor.  Hey Muffin, I could use a bit of help here!  She ran over and “Chomp”!  AAAAA!!!!  Muffin, I’m on your side, remember?  Meow. (sorry).  “Chomp”!  AAAAAAAAA!!!!!, screamed the woman.  I now had her pinned to the floor.  Okay, now let’s do some talking, I said.

Are you going to keep sitting on me?  I’m quite comfortable, I said, do some talking and I will consider letting you get up.  Watch her feet Muffin.  Muffin growled loudly.  Okay, said the woman, please don’t let her bite me again!  My name is Lydia Baker.  Wait a minute, I said, we’ve been down that road already.  That’s Mrs. Baker’s name, but you are not her.  I’m her great granddaughter, she continued.  Okay, are you John’s sister or cousin?  John isn’t even a relative, he’s just after the gold, and I can prove it too!

So far you’re doing okay so I’ll let you get up.  But we’re going to keep talking.  Okay, said Lydia, I’ll tell you what this is all about, I have the proof in this room.  Fine, let’s go see this proof.  Are you going to keep holding my arm so tightly?  For now…I don’t want you disappearing again.  And don’t forget, Muffin is watching your bare feet.  Meow!  Muffin growls again.  Muffin isn’t too happy that you have been scaring her so much.  I had to do that, I wasn’t sure if you could be trusted.

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

© 2020 Steve McLeod.