The Daughters of Julian Dane

by Lucile McCluskey

  “No, I’m not, and I’m at the window. Can you get through?”

  “I’m trying,” she answered with a sense of relief as she moved a chair, a floor lamp, and a bedside table to squeeze closer to the window. The room was so big. Finally, she could see the tops of two big windows in front of her. She crawled under a mattress supported by two chests, climbed over a rolled up rug, and walked through the legs of an overturned table, and came face to face with herself in a large mirror. She moved it to get around it, and then wished she hadn’t.

  “Mama is not going to like this,” she muttered, “and I don’t either.” She wanted to be through with the supernatural. But here she was again, facing a person that she could see right through. Why was this happening to her? Was she having to trade Vicki’s presence for this?

  He was an old man, short, overweight, dark hair with a lot of gray in it, and bearded, with shaggy eyebrows. He wore a black suit, white shirt, and a black, bow tie – the kind of clothes a person was buried in. “You’re young Addie,” He said from his position at a telescope mounted on a desk close to the wall of two big windows. “So, young Addie, how is that you can see and hear me?”

  “How do you know who I am?”

  “Simple. I eavesdrop.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Eli Gates.”

  “Why are you here?”

  “Do you mean why haven’t I gone on from this world to the next?”

  “Yes. That’s exactly what I mean.”

  “That’s a long story. I’m not sure I want to tell you,” he answered, and turned back to the telescope to peer out.

  “What are you looking at? I wanted to come up here to see how far I could see from here.”

  “Pretty far,” he said. “Right now, I’m watching the two idiots, who make up half of this town’s police force, trying to force four big trucks to move from the shopping center’s parking lot.” He turned back to Addie. “You didn’t answer my question. How can you see and converse with me?”

  “I guess it’s because my father, Julian Dane, was a spirit.”

  “Hmmm,” he said. “I can believe that. You’re the spittin image of his portrait that hung in Willy’s bedroom until Cutler took it away.”

  “He brought it to me. Miss Willy wanted me to have it.”

  “Oh,” Eli said, looking at Addie studiously. “And you now own Stonegate since you inherited Nickelos Dane’s estate, and Willy had sold him Stonegate. Right?”

  “Yes. And you are Miss Willy’s and Nickelos Dane’s grandfather.” Addie grinned real big. “So that makes you my great-grandfather.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no?” she asked irritably.

  “No. I am not your great-grandfather,” he answered without turning from the telescope.

  “If you’re Victoria’s father, and she was Julian Dane’s mother, and he was my father, then ...”

  “Just take my word for it. I am not your great-grandfather.”

  “I guess there’s something I don’t know then.”

  “That’s right, and I’m not planning to tell you.”

  “But I want you to be my great-grandfather. I’ve never had even a grandfather. If you were my great-grandfather I could call you Grandpa.”

  “You may call me Grandpa or anything that pleases you, young Addie. Maybe one day we’ll know each other well enough that I will tell you.” he said absently. “Those two idiots are going to use force on those truck drivers. Somebody needs to use some on them.”

  “May I see?”

  “Sure.” And he moved aside for Addie to use the telescope.

  “They’re making them uncover whatever it is they’re haul ...” Addie screeched. “It’s trolley cars! Brand new trolley cars! Oh, they’re beautiful. Mama and I went with daddy on a job to Gatlinburg a couple of summer ago. They use trolley cars as public transportation in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. We loved them. Some days we’d just ride the trolley cars every where they went. She moved from the telescope so Eli could have it back.

  “Why would the police want those men to move their trucks?” she asked. “Nobody uses that part of the parking area.”

  “Just so they can show their authority. A crowd is gathering. Now, they’ll really show their muscle.”

  Addie was looking out the window. It was so far away, still she could tell pretty much what was going on. “They have no right to make those men move. I own that parking lot, and I don’t mind them being there.”

  “Then why don’t you go tell them that?”

  “Why, I couldn’t do that, could I?”

  “Why not? It’s your parking lot. They’re making the people move on now, when all they want to do is look at the trolley cars.”

  “Kill-joys,” Addie said. “Most of those people have probably never seen trolley cars. Now, they’re making them cover them back up.”

  “And they’ll make them leave. You just wait and see. I’m sure they wouldn’t have parked four trucks if it hadn’t been necessary. One of the drivers is on the phone up at the super market. They probably have some kind of trouble.”

  “Then the police should leave them alone.”

  “Why don’t you go tell them that?”

  “You really think I should?”

  “If I owned that parking lot, I would.”

  “Well, I own it, and I will. Those men can stay there as long as they need to. They’re not taking up space that the shopping center needs,” she declared, and took off, pushing things out of her way as she headed back to the elevator.

  “That’s the thing to do,” she heard Eli say as she was leaving. Eli, she thought – her great-grandfather, whether he admitted it or not. Grandpa, she thought as she hurried.

  The Lincoln. It was parked at the front door. Mama was asleep. Daddy had said she could drive only in an emergency. This must be an emergency for those truck drivers. She’d be real careful.

  All was quiet when she reached the second floor. Della had given her one key to the car. It was in her pocket. She crept out the big front door as quietly as she could. The idea of driving the big car put goose bumps on her arms. But she could do it. She had soaked up everything Mr. Mobley had said. She slid into the driver’s seat with excitement, inserted the key in the ignition and turned it. The motor purred into life, and Addie felt a new life in herself, an exciting new life.

  Slowly she drove the car down the long driveway toward the open gates. There was no longer a gatekeeper in the gray stone, gatekeeper’s cottage. She made the turn onto Stone Drive and then onto River Road. By the time she was going over the bridge, she was beginning to feel confident, and picked up speed. She had to get back before her mother awakened.

  She parked the car carefully in a lane away from the trucks, got out and walked over to the three truck drivers who were arguing with the police officers she knew as Cleo and Buddy. One of the men was pointing up toward the super market. He seemed to be the oldest. He was saying “... move them as soon as my dad makes some arrangement. He’s on the phone up there. Can’t you give us that much time?”

  “You don’t have to move your trucks at all,” Addie said to the dark haired man.

  The man turned to Addie. “Look, Miss, we have enough trouble...”

  Both officers looked at Addie in surprise. “Now, you just move ... Oh, it’s you, Miss Martin,” Cleo said.

  “Yes.” she said. “And I have the right to say who has to move from this parking lot and who doesn’t. If you don’t believe me, call Chief Bugg. He’ll tell you that I do.”

  “Come on you kids!” Cleo was saying. “You people move on.” He hadn’t paid much attention to Addie’s declaration.

  She stepped up in front of the short, fat Bubba. “Call Chief Bugg, or I will,” she demanded. Then she turned to the truck drivers. “You may stay here as long as you need to. This part of the parking lot is never used.”

  “Now see here, Miss Martin ...”

  “I asked you to call Chief Bugg,
or else just take my word for it.”

  “Okay. I’ll call him,” Bubba said as he moved toward the patrol car. “But you’d better be telling the truth, or you’re in deep trouble.”

  A tall gray haired man rushed up to the three drivers. “It’s true! The radio was right. Harvey is dead!” he exclaimed. “I finally got hold of that no good stepson of his. Boys, I’m afraid we’ve got trouble!”

  The four men had moved into a huddle between two of the trucks, but Addie could hear them plainly enough from where she stood waiting for Bubba to make his call.

  “Dad, what did he say? Did you tell him we have to have our money back right away?” The youngest of the three men asked anxiously.

  “I did, but he says he doesn’t want the trolleys, that it was another one of Harvey’s fool ideas to begin with. And his mother is not putting out another cent on them. Said if we wanted our money back we’d better find ourselves a buyer for the trolleys.”

  “He can’t do that, Dad. We let Harvey have our money in good faith.” Another of the three men said forcefully.

  “And Harvey would have been good for it. You know that, but he died. And that jackass stepson of his is now in control. We just have to think what to do. We do have the titles for the trolleys made out to me, so actually, they belong to me. Surely, we can sell them for a lot more than we’ve got in them,” the older man assured the other three.

  “Oh, and I’m sure the market on trolley cars is great this time of year,” a young voice said sarcastically. “Dad, just where do you think we’re going to sell four trolley cars?”

  “I don’t know. And I’m sorry, boys. I shouldn’t have asked you to do that, and I shouldn’t have done it. That was all the cash I had. I know Harvey was as good as his word. He just didn’t count on having a heart attack.”

  “That was all the savings we had.”

  “What about me? I didn’t put in a whole lot, but it cleaned out our bank account, and the baby is due any day now.”

  Bubba appeared at Addie’s side. “It’s all right, Miss Martin. I don’t understand any of this, but the Chief says leave you alone. Let you do what you please.”

  She thanked the officers politely, and they got into their patrol car and left. She went around the truck and approached the group of men. She hated to but in on them, but she needed to go. “Sirs?” The tall gray haired man turned and looked at her, annoyed. “The police won’t bother you anymore. You can stay as long as you need to.”

  “The police were going to make us move,” the oldest looking of the three young men said to the older man. “This young lady said we didn’t have to, and there goes the police, so I guess she has the right to let us stay. Thank you, ma’am. We appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome,” she said, and walked back to the Lincoln, wishing she could see more of the trolley cars. Boy! Wouldn’t it be neat if Riverbend had trolley cars? She thought.

  Her mother was still sleeping when Addie returned to the mansion and looked in on her, and there was no sound of Miss Mattie. She hurried to the elevator and returned to the fourth floor. Eli Gates was still peering through the telescope.

  Without turning around, he said, “You accomplished your mission.”

  “Yes. But I don’t think my mother is going to like it.” She hadn’t liked her telling that Miss Lilly that she was her new landlord. She didn’t seem to want the inheritance known. She wondered why? “But I’m glad I went. You were right. Those men have big troubles.”

  Eli had turned and was looking at Addie reproachfully. “Young Addie, if those men have troubles, and you helped them even a little bit, then you did the right thing. You know, in my day, when a female became sixteen, she was considered a woman. And she stood on her own two feet. You can’t do what you know is right and worry about pleasing everybody else. What’s their trouble? I suppose you were eavesdropping.”

  “No, Grandpa.” Grandpa. She liked the sound of that. “But I overheard them from where I was. It seems they were hauling those trolley cars to some man who suddenly died of a heart attack, and they have all their money invested in them which he was to refund. But his stepson says there’s not going to be any refund, that if they want their money back they’ll have to sell the trolley cars. I wish they belonged to Riverbend. Wouldn’t that be neat?”

  “Hmmm. It just might at that. Trolley cars as public transportation.” He said thoughtfully. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  “I’d love it. I think everybody would.”

  “You know, it could be the shot in the arm to turn this dying town around.”

  “Mr. Cutler says that most of my inheritance is in real estate that’s going no where, so I guess it is a dying town.”

  “And somebody needs to get busy and put life back into it again.”

  How do you do that? Turn a town around. And who could do it?”

  “Well, I helped to build it. I could do it. I don’t have anything else to do. With your help, of course,” he added hastily. “You say those men have to sell those trolley cars? The people sure seemed to like them.”

  “That seems to be the only way they can get back their money. What are you thinking, Grandpa? And how could you help this town? You’re just a spirit.”

  “True. But now I have someone I can communicate with – you. But let’s take one thing at a time.” He suddenly had a grin on his face and a gleam in his eyes. “Why don’t you go buy those trolley cars you like so well?”

  “Grandpa!” But she saw that he was serious. “Where would I get money to buy four trolley cars?”

  “Young Addie, just go find out how much they want for them. I’ll show you where to get the money.”

  “You’re rally serious!”

  “Just go, will you? I sort of like those things too.”

  “Okay. I will.” And she was again pushing things out of her way to get to the door of the elevator. When she reached the second floor, all was still quiet. She rushed out the big front door not really thinking about what she was doing. And she made her trip to the shopping center in the big car a lot quicker than she had before.

  The four men were still huddled together between two of the trucks. The older man was practically pulling his hair out as the other three, talking all at one time, were giving him suggestions and demanding answers to questions.

  She hadn’t opened her mouth when the older man saw her. He frowned at her. “Miss, you’re butting in on private business.”

  “Wait a minute, Dad,” the oldest of the other three said. “Miss, is there something we can do for you?”

  “I – I heard you mention that you had to sell the trolley cars. How much do you want for them?” She blurted out before she could lose her nerve.

  The three men looked at the older one, then at Addie. “Why?” The older man asked, annoyed.

  “I uh, I might be interested in buying them.”

  “You what? You’re just a kid,” the man exclaimed.

  Addie bristled. “If I have the money, what difference does it make how old I am? Do you want to sell them or not?” She was surprised at her own words.

  “Yes. We want to sell them,” the youngest of the men said. Addie recognized his voice as the one who had said the baby was due any day. “Do you really want to buy them?” he asked.

  “I asked how much, didn’t I?”

  “And you’re serious?” the older man asked.

  “I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”

  “Dad, listen to her.” the oldest of the three said.

  “All I want is my money back, and my week’s pay, and my percentage of the two thousand Harvey promised us as interest on our money,” the youngest said in a demanding tone.

  “I’ll settle for that,” the one who seemed to be the middle son said. “Lori will have my hide if I don’t get that money back in our account right away, like I promised her.”

  “Dad, I’ll have to go along with Joey and Mitch. They need their money,” the oldest son said. “An
d I don’t like having my money tied up in them either,” he added.

  “I guess I’m outvoted then,” the older man said. “Let’s see, that’s forty for the trolleys, four for our week’s wages, two that Harvey promised us for interest, and our expenses ...”

  “Would fifty-thousand buy them?” Addie asked.

  “You got fifty thousand?” the older man asked.

  “I was just told to come see how much you wanted for the trolley cars. If you’ll take fifty thousand, I’ll go see and be right back.” She pointed to the top of Stonegate, which could be seen above the trees across the river, high on the bluff. “I have to go to that house there. I’ll be back as soon as I can. She turned from the men and was walking to the Lincoln.

  “I don’t believe this,” she heard one voice say, and another, “Wow! Some car!” She turned the car around and headed back to Stonegate.

  All was still quiet when she entered the mansion, so she hurried to the elevator and to the spirit of Eli Gates. She sure hoped he knew what he was doing. It would be terrible to disappoint those men, especially the youngest one. He seemed the most desperate to get his money back.

  “Okay,” she said to Grandpa Eli’s back, for he was still at the telescope. “Fifty thousand is the price. So where are we going to get the money?”

  “Fifty thousand! That’s all they want?”

  “Grandpa, they’re sort of desperate. That gets them their money back, their wages and expenses. One of their wives is expecting a baby. He really needs his money. You can’t pay a hospital bill with a trolley car.”

  “You’re sure getting yourself a bargain. I keep up with the economy, you know. Willy was an avid newspaper reader. I would read over her shoulder, and I watch the news on that TV contraption when anyone will leave it on.”

  “Grandpa! The money! I practically told those men we were buying those trolleys. Now where do I get the money?”

  “Oh! The money! Well, come over here to this desk, and I’ll show you where Willy hid the seven hundred and fifty thousand of the one million she took from Nickelos Dane to sell him Stonegate.”

  “Really! Oh, my! Is it cash?”