by Olivia Swift
“I brought the gold nuggets. Don’t know why really,” Magda said.
“I have a table. Let’s put the nuggets on the table in the circle. It might help bring the ghost forward.” Merle lifted the table and placed it in the middle of the circle of chairs. Magda placed the gold nugget truffles on the table. They all made themselves comfortable and Merle ran through her normal protection routine.
“Hold hands,” Merle said. “If there is a spirit person here, can you come forward please?” She waited and nothing happened. “We did appreciate that you came to the hoedown to try and help us. Were you telling us something?” Merle went on.
“We would like to talk to you. I think that you want to help us and I brought my gold nuggets for you. They are on the table. Come and have a look,” said Magda.
“We know that Whitemist was a trading post,” Jeremy joined in. “I would like to let people know about it. Talking to somebody who knew the place would be great.”
“Can you make a noise if you can hear us?” Merle said and Declan pointed to the area behind Magda.
“We know you’re here. Thank you. Can you make a sound please?” Merle asked and there was a decided thump from underneath the floorboards. “Thank you so much.”
“Can you see an orb, Gina?” Merle asked.
“I think so, but it is very faint.”
“Are you not sure about talking to us?” Magda queried. “Make one noise for yes.” There was a pause and then a slight noise.
“Can you do that louder so that we know it really is you, please?” Merle requested and quite quickly the noise came with a more definite sound. “Thank you.”
“Can you see my gold nuggets?” Magda asked. “They are for eating but I thought you might like them.” There was a noise and Gina said that she could feel that he was much happier.
“Are you here trying to help us?” Gina’s dad asked and received a loud bang in response.
They looked at each other.
“Is he helping about the ghost town or about the present time?” Sam softly asked. Merle took that on board and asked the gold miner if he was talking about the ghost town. There was no reaction at all.
“The present day?” Merle asked and there was an immediate response.
“Is it about the men at the door? The singer and the other two?” Bart joined in. After a pause, there was a noise from the floorboards.
“All of them?” Jeremy queried and there was no response.
“So, it is just one of them,” Magda thought out loud. “They did all ask questions, but it might have been just simple curiosity.”
“What about the clocks and time connection?” Sam suggested and there was a noise from beneath their feet. “So, the time thing is important?” Another response.
“Thank you for helping,” Merle said. “I think this must be hard for you.” The noise that came back was softer and Declan said that he thought the man’s energy was running out.
“Tell me if it is about clocks,” Merle said. There was nothing and she wondered if his energy was used up.
“What about watches?” Bart queried and there was one sudden and loud response that was very like the original gunshot sounds from the ghost town site.
“Wow!” Jeremy said. “That was definite.”
“And used up his energy,” Declan added. “He is fading away.”
“Look,” Bart said and pointed at the gold nuggets. A small orb of light made a circular pattern over the plate and then moved towards Magda and disappeared.
“I think he approved of the gold,” Sam said.
“He definitely tried to help but I cannot think about what connection watches have to the crime other than there is one on the side of Tweedie’s vans,” Rula remarked and Merle gasped. “What have you thought of?” Rula added.
“Let us just close this circle down,” Merle took a deep breath to calm herself and talked down the session. Then she stood up. “Remember all the questions about when I collected the firewood?” The others waited. “I said that the wood was put on the pile, but I put it on the wood stack behind the house here. The wood I keep for my own stove is in here.”
“And?” Branston prompted.
“There were some other bits of stuff. They fell down with the wood and I left them,” she paused. “I think there was a watch.”
Branston strode out of the back door and the others all filed after him. He switched on the outside lighting and then found the flashlight on his phone to look at the pile of wood under its own little shelter. He dropped to his knees and the others found their cell phones as well. Merle leaned over and pointed to where she could see a slight glint. She knew where she had dumped the wood.
Branston reached out and moved the pieces of wood to one side. Jeremy pointed out that some of those flat pieces could be from the ghost town.
“We can get those later,” Merle said as Branston picked up the watch from the ground. They followed him back into the kitchen and he put what they had found on the kitchen table.
“Well they didn’t have watches like this in the gold miner’s day so it must be later,” Jeremy said.
“Could just be a lost watch. They do drop off and get lost sometimes,” Magda pointed out but she knew in her heart that it was more than that.
“Should we wear gloves to pick it up?” Bart wondered and Merle found a box of them and handed them around. Branston was the first to look at the watch properly. He rubbed some of the dry earth away and turned it over in his hands.
“Not a cheap watch,” he said. Bart held out a hand and Branston passed it to him. He just stood there for a moment and the others watched.
“Can you sense anything?” Gina asked and he passed it to her. She shivered and passed it straight back.
“What is it?” Magda queried.
“It just has a bad feeling. I cannot explain it,” Gina answered and Bart agreed with her. Sam took the watch and rubbed away at the face and then looked at the back.
“It has something engraved on it.” He exclaimed and found a wet cloth to give it a wipe. Mikey obligingly shone a light on the watch and Sam whistled.
“It says, ‘Rock on, Marti’,” he told them.
They gazed at each other.
“Rock on and the name - suggest Martin Tweed,” Rula said. They all looked at her with sympathy because it seemed like it was leading them back to her cousin’s death. “She would recognize Screechin’ Tweedie. Did she see him doing something bad and that was why she was shot?” Mikey put his arm around Rula and she leaned against him.
“How bad?” Magda wondered.
19
“What do we do about it?” Katie asked.
“I guess we tell the police,” Merle said. “The ranch is really busy over the weekend. Maybe it can wait until Monday.”
“We did find out more. The gold miner does not seem angry anymore,” Magda added.
“Declan and I were going to work on the extension over the weekend. We can keep in touch,” Sam said. “Where will you keep this watch?”
“It can go in the safe,” Branston answered. “I’ll put it in a plastic bag to keep it as untouched as possible.” He found a bag and did just that. They agreed that the picnic was still on for Tuesday.
“Hopefully, the police will have what they need by then and we can go back to being normal,” Merle said.
“I will spend tomorrow measuring and taking photographs for the website,” Jeremy told the rest and Bart offered to help. Alison added that she had to start looking at the house and organize her furniture to be transported. They all started to leave but Magda noted that Bart was still talking to Gina.
“The start of something good there,” she thought to herself. “I do like that.”
Back at home the cats were behaving, and nothing had been disturbed. The three humans sat to talk about what had happened. Jezebelle lifted her head and looked at Alison’s cell phone on the coffee table. It rang.
“These psychic cats freak me out some
times,” Magda said as Alison looked at the caller and smiled.
“Hello, Webster,” she said, then listened for a while and said he would be very welcome. It would be nice to have company. They finished the call.
“Webster said that as Gina is helping Bart and Jeremy, would I like company at the house.”
“Great idea,” Magda said and went to get the keys. “You can keep these now.”
“Thanks,” Alison said and gave her niece by marriage a hug. “I do need to start making proper plans.”
They were all tired and ready for a good night’s sleep. Jezebelle went off with Alison.
“I wonder what the police will discover in the end,” Magda said to Sam as they slid under the covers.
“We’ll stick close to each other in the meantime. This is a murder case and the person might be desperate.” Magda shivered at the thought and nestled against him. She felt the cats settle around her legs.
“I am glad we’ve got each other,” she said. Sam kissed her nose and wondered what he would do if anyone did actually try to hurt her. Nothing disturbed their night and on Monday morning he dropped her at the café before roaring off to the yard to collect wood and tools.
Customers were interested in the work going on to build the new extension and Magda took the chance to ask what they thought of her ideas for selling western mementos but also adding modern things like the Swanson accessories. Katie had actually framed one or two of the drawings and propped them on the counter to get some feedback. In fact, one woman asked if she could buy one which was a really good sign.
“I love the frames,” the customer said, and Katie smiled. Magda picked one up to look at it because she had not seen them finished.
“The frames are beautiful, Katie,” Magda said.
“Handmade by Declan so they are a bit more expensive.”
“But unique,” the customer said. Katie had to work out a price on the spot. The extension was coming to life before their eyes and at the end of the day the roof was in place.
“Need to cover it until tomorrow but it’s almost wind and watertight,” Sam said. “We can do more tomorrow then there will just be the interior to finish.”
“When this is in place, would it be alright to have a Saturday off? Mikey and I are going to visit my mom for the weekend,” Rula asked.
“Just tell me when. We can double up and Sam can come in and help,” Magda smiled. They closed up for the day, roared home in the truck and found Alison making steak and potatoes for all of them. She said that she was planning a shopping expedition for curtains and other things and had measured everything up.
“My furniture is on its way. It should fit in there quite nicely.”
“Was Webster a help?” Magda asked with a twinkle in her eye.
“He was indeed,” Alison replied. “He says he will come and help move furniture and has offered to bring tools and do some jobs I would like done. Don’t you grin like that, Sam Barnes. He is a nice man.” Sam and Magda both laughed out loud.
“He obviously thinks you are a nice lady,” Sam answered.
“I hope he likes cats,” Magda said. Then her cell phone rang, and Crystal jumped up beside it on the coffee table. “Stop being psychic, Crystal,” she said and heard Branston on the other end.
“Just to say that the main woodpile in the barn was completely messed about through the night and believe it or not two of the big trash bins had been tipped out as well.”
“Oh dear,” Magda said. “Whoever dug in the ghost town is still looking for something.”
“I am guessing the watch,” Branston answered. “We called Southern, but he is out of town until Wednesday. I didn’t say what it was about.”
“Just take care and we will see you Tuesday,” Magda said. “Call if you need us for anything.”
She called Rula and told her what had happened and Sam brought Declan up to date. The cell phone rang again. This time it was Bart who asked if he and Jeremy could drop by.
They told them that Branston had booked a security firm to be around the place through the night. “The ranch business has to go on and it seemed a sensible thing to do.” They talked back and forth about the possibilities of danger and whether the watch might really solve the mystery from ten years ago.
“While you are here, can I run down the list and ask you about prices for these items for the shop?” Magda asked Jeremy. He looked over the list, asked if he could keep the copy and named her prices on the larger items.
“If that is okay, I can email them to you.”
“Lovely. We will have those items, Katies’ pictures and the western truffles. It’s a great start.”
“And my book about ghost towns,” Jeremy said. “I can sign copies for you.”
“Wow! Thanks!” Magda said.
Rula is taking the next Saturday off to visit her mom. Sam has ‘volunteered’ to help out in the shop.
“I had forgotten that we planned a cowboy dress up day for the grand opening,” Magda added.
“I will have to come back for that,” Jeremy said.
“Before that, of course, you and Mikey have to go on your first ever horse ride,” Sam joined in.
“Mmm,” Jeremy said. “Might be a huge disaster but I’ll give it a try.” They said their goodbyes saying they would meet up on Tuesday.
Sam and Declan continued to work hard on the extension. Alison and Magda went to Magda’s old house and took some paint to touch up the odd spots that needed a freshener.
Katie said that she would give the horse ride a miss and look after the café. Declan decided to do the finishing touches to the extension and be around if he was needed. That left Rula and Magda free to enjoy the picnic.
Tuesday morning saw them putting a picnic together and looking forward to a day outdoors. Alison said that she would have a restful day at home and waved them off.
They all met up at the stables where Branston had sorted out the mounts for guests and had moved on to horses for his friends. He roped in Magda to help and Merle came and handed reins to those that had ridden before and Branston chose very sedate horses for those that hadn’t.
Mikey was trying hard to look as if he wasn’t bothered but he was nervous, and Jeremy said that he liked horses but had never actually sat on one before.
“Branston leads the way and Jeremy will ride right behind him, the rest can ride where they like and Mikey can be at the back with me behind him for safety,” Merle instructed. Branston hooked his own horse to the rail and showed Jeremy how to put his foot in the stirrup and mount the horse, and gave him some other basic instructions. Merle and Rula did the same for Mikey and when everyone else had their picnics and blankets in saddlebags, the party moved slowly forward.
Branston’s right hand man waved them off and closed the gate. He went back to the room they used as an office to see who else needed any help.
“How does it feel, Jeremy?” Magda called and he told her that it felt fine as long as it was slow. Rula rode alongside Mikey and he was definitely gaining confidence. Branston kept an eye on everything over his shoulder and Merle did the same from behind. By the time they had left all signs of the ranch behind and were out on a trail that looked like untouched wilderness, they all started to enjoy the day. Bart and Gina rode alongside each other; both seemed to be competent riders.
Branston pointed out things to view and after an hour of riding they came to a halt at a spot with logs laid out that were obviously meant for sitting. The horses were hitched to trees and the two new riders helped to the ground. Drinks were pulled out of the saddlebags and passed around. The two new riders said they were enjoying themselves. Branston waved an arm and explained where they were.
“We have a rest here and then turn off the trail over there,” he pointed to where the ground started to rise a little. “If we go through the trees and over the ridge, there is a huge lake. Well worth the ride for the view alone. We can picnic at the lakeside and have a campfire.”
“
Hope you’ve got a lighter. I don’t want to rub two pieces of wood together,” Mikey said. “Camping I can do.” He turned to Merle. “Would you give a camping permit and charge for trusted experienced people to camp on the land?”
“Don’t see why not,” Merle told him. “We can think about it and work something out.”
“In fact,” he said. “In winter there would be more people keen to do that. It would be out in the wild but still fairly safe.”
“And we have less riding people in the wintertime,” Branston said. “Come on, folks. Let’s see what you think of the place.”
Everyone mounted up and rode as before. Mikey was definitely feeling more confident.
“I actually like this,” he told Rula.
“I’ll give you some lessons on trotting and controlling the horse,” she said. “I like the camping idea as well.”
Branston held up a hand.
“Just a sec folks. Stay here. There should not be anybody else out here.” They all stayed still and looked where he was looking. He rode off at some speed, standing in the stirrups and looking around as he went.
20
“He always was a natural rider,” Magda said.
“He should have been born back in cowboy times,” Merle laughed.
“I see he has all of the things like a rope lasso, gun belt and rifle in the scabbard,” Jeremy pointed out.
“You do need a gun of some sort in case wild animals have to be dealt with,” Merle said. “All of the men and women who take out tours can handle a gun and a rope. Some of them are really good with a rope.”
They all saw Branston disappear into the trees and waited for what seemed ages for him to reappear. He came back out and raced across to them, coming to a skidding halt and kicking up lots of dust. “Definitely somebody out there. Hoof prints and broken branches. They took off.”
“Do you get trespassers?” Magda asked.
“Yes,” Merle said. “But I have to admit that I am not feeling happy about this.”
“Neither am I,” Gina added.
“Right. Let’s just be careful. We are going in a different direction and it was probably just a couple of sightseers,” Branston told them and led the way he had decided to go. It led away from where he saw the movement of somebody watching.
