Redemption at Shadow Lake

by J E Grace

Samantha looked around taking in the expanse of a large kitchen typical of the early 1900’s. Everything appeared just as it looked years ago.

  She continued through the house entering what must have been a smaller dining room and large living room. As she went through each room downstairs, she realized that they all faced an enclosed larger room which must have been a ballroom.

  The ceiling of the ballroom extended up to the second floor and skylights above that bathed the room with light. The room had wooden walls, and tiled floors and Samantha could almost imagine what it must have been like in the past. A raised platform area ran along one corner which appeared to be for a band.

  As she walked the length of the room, it was as if the air was changing. She gasped, her eyes began to blur, and she felt as though everything was spinning. The walls were shifting. Waltz music filled the air, and she could hear voices that sounded like they were coming from somewhere far away. One minute she was in an empty room and the next, it was live with occupants dressed in period clothing.

  Samantha tried to focus. The last image she was able to make out was that of a young man dressed in a tuxedo. He looked confused, and she had a feeling he was trying desperately to tell her something. Now I see things. I have to get out of here!

  The man’s face was the last thing she saw as her body hit the floor and she entered a dark abyss.

  Chapter 8

  S amantha’s body ached as she pulled herself up. The room was empty once again. She had one instinct…run. There was something evil about the house, and she needed to get out.

  Samantha ran to the stairway and didn’t stop all the way around the corner of the house until she hit what felt like a brick wall. Arms came out of nowhere, holding her in place.

  “Whoa! Hold on there. You look like you ‘ve seen a ghost.”

  When she calmed down for a second and looked up, she was stunned. She looked into the most beautiful blue eyes she had ever seen. The man was broad shouldered and had blonde hair that hung shy of his collar. His voice was husky but non-threatening. She pulled away from him trying to gain her composure.

  “Who are you? Is this your house?”

  “I’m Jonathan Williams. Sorry, I frightened you. And no, it’s not my house. I’m a photographer and was taking some photos of the outside” he said. “If you don’t mind my asking, why were you in such a hurry?”

  “I’m a realtor and was checking out the property. The backdoor was unlocked, so I decided to go in. I thought I heard someone in the house and I guess I overreacted. You know, big empty houses and strange noises. My nerves got the best of me,” she continued walking towards her car.

  “Well, nice meeting you, Samantha. Next time, you might want to bring someone along. It’s not safe these days being way out here alone,” he said.

  “Thanks. I’ll keep that in mind,” said Samantha as she entered her car. She locked her door and sat there for a few minutes to steady her nerves. He was right, but he could be a serial killer for all she knew. What was I thinking? Samantha, you have lost your mind. What on earth happened in there?

  She started her car and saw Jonathan watch as she pulled away. She could have sworn he was staring at the logo on the side of her car. Would she have to worry about him stalking her now? But he seemed like an all right guy. But didn’t they say that about Ted Bundy?

  She called Beverly at the office, not going into any details about what had happened at the house, as she wasn’t quite sure herself. Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

  As she was driving along the road, she felt something poking her. As soon as she could, she pulled over into a nearby turnaround and stopped the car and put her hand in her left jacket pocket. She pulled out a small antique key. How did this get here, can this day get any weirder?

  Chapter 9

  I t was late afternoon when she pulled into the driveway at the lake house. The sun was starting to set and all the usual night sounds were music to her ears. She was beginning to enjoy living in Shadow Lake.

  Her visit to the mansion on McClure Rd was something she couldn’t get off her mind. I’ve never been prone to believe in ghosts, so why am I buying into it now. Maybe I fainted from missing lunch. That is possible, right. Great, now I’m talking to myself.

  Then there was Jonathan. What are the odds of coming out of an abandoned house and running into the arms of that gorgeous hunk?

  Samantha went into the bedroom and got out of her clothes slipping into a pair of comfortable pajamas. As she removed her jacket to hang it up, the key fell out onto the floor. She picked it up and placed it in her jewelry box on her dresser before heading for the kitchen. I’d like to find out what that key is to but then that would mean going back to the mansion.

  Samantha needed a cup of tea and some Bible scripture. She put on the kettle and sat down on the sofa. Her Bible was always within reach, and she opened it to Joshua 1:9 and read, “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

  What a fitting verse. God was trying to let her know she shouldn’t be fearful, but when strange things happen, it’s hard not to be. She prayed for God to tell her what she needed to do.

  A part of her wanted to go back to the mansion. After all, there was the key. The amateur sleuth in Samantha required answers. Maybe too many Nancy Drew books over the years. She would place it in God’s hands and let him show her the path she should follow.

  She read for a few more minutes and then went to rescue the tea kettle as the whistle resonated throughout the room. Placing a tea bag in a cup and then adding sugar, she returned to the sofa. She blew on the tea and took a small sip enjoying the flavor of orange and spice.

  Reaching for her laptop, she placed it on her lap and powered it up. The windows screen emerged, and she logged on. Before she even realized it, her fingers had typed in Jonathan Williams into the search box. A couple of names popped up which she was able to eliminate one immediately. A photograph of Jonathan appeared. There was no mistake. She would never forget those captivating eyes.

  Jonathan was born in Shadow Lake and was married to his childhood sweetheart right after graduating from college with a marketing degree. She kept reading and then she stopped and drew a breath as the next article began to load on the screen.

  “Marilyn Williams, the wife of a prominent Shadow Lake photographer, was murdered today. No known suspects are in custody and the matter is still under investigation. As she scrolled down, she ran across Marilyn’s obituary. She checked for more articles and then read that the case had been closed and marked as unsolved. It stated that she was most likely killed by a drifter that had moved on.

  What a tragedy. Samantha had to revise her opinion of Jonathan. No. Not a serial killer, but a man who lost the love of his life. He had suffered a terrible loss. His concern about her being at the mansion alone now made sense.

  There were more articles about the opening of William’s Photography Studio at 1946 Sleepy Creek Rd. She would make a note to pop in and look at his work. What could it hurt? It wasn’t like she was looking for a relationship.

  Chapter 10

  Shadow Lake- Summer 1903

  R obert McClure Sr. first set eyes on the property at Shadow Lake while on a hunting trip. He was fascinated by all the wildlife and the vistas with a perfect view of the spring chasm. He could see for miles, and it was raw land; ripe for the taking, and a means to his vision. He was a wealthy man and used to getting what he wanted. One look and he was hooked.

  In his mind's eye, he could see a massive mansion built from the most excellent stone and timber cut on the property. He would spare no expense, and it would be the most elegant mansion any man had ever seen. He would hire the best stone mason’s money could afford, and he would have a sawmill built, the likes of none ever seen before.

  The McClure Mansion would be three stories high with massive chimneys and dormers. Ten bedrooms for the family he someday planned to have and plenty mo
re for guests Hopefully, he would have some sons to carry on his name and continue his legacy.

  There would be a billiard room, a sunroom overlooking the lake, a ballroom for the parties where he would entertain the most elite of the country, and a music room for his wife to enjoy.

  Outside he would build stables to house the most beautiful horseflesh available, a garage to accommodate the many vehicles for his functions, a massive water tower, and beautiful gardens to enjoy on a summer day.

  It was more than a dream. Robert McClure didn’t have ideas; he had visions that manifested on a grand scale.

  Robert stood on the back edge of the property and turned to face where he would build his mansion. He imagined a large fountain with a circular pathway leading to the view of the lake.

  His fiancé, Edith, just barely eighteen, was used to Denver’s city life, but she trusted Robert and would follow anywhere he wanted to go. She came from money, and as long as she could live according to the lifestyle she was accustomed to, she would be content just to be his wife.

  He smiled to himself. His father would have been proud of what he did with his fortune, especially only being in his late twenties. Yes, the McClure legacy would go on. He would see to it.

  Two weeks later, Robert returned to his land. He was now the owner of 150 acres of wild, untouched wilderness. He would marry Edith and move to his property at Shadow Lake.

  Shadow Lake- Spring 1922

  The three-story mansion stood proudly. It was a massive structure of beauty that dominated the landscape, with its many towers rising to meet the open sky. It was a modified English Renaissance style that Robert had always admired and the first of its kind in Colorado.

  Stones are quarried on site below where the house was to be built and were moved by mules, then by a hoisting engine pulling a cart on tracks. The sawmill had planing equipment and a lumber drying room. Stonemasons shaped and laid stones, and it was a laborious job.

  There were windows on every side to take advantage of the many views. Finished it was a twenty-eight-room structure comprised of 8 bedrooms on the third floor and eight bedrooms on the second. The most significant bedrooms had fireplaces.

  On the first floor was a large living room, dining room, music room, billiard room, sunroom and smaller dining area. Every room on the first floor faced an enclosed central ballroom.

  There were large attics above the third floor on both sides of the central ballroom. Electricity wasn’t available, but Robert had the mansion wired for whenever it was. A large furnace in the basement provided heat. Water was piped in via the five-story water tower with its large holding tanks.

  It was no longer a vision but a reality. Edith was elated with their new home and the fact that their sons, Robert Jr., Carey, and Rebecca would finally have a permanent home.

  Over the past nineteen years since Robert Sr. purchased the property, he had invested a lot of money. The town of Silver Lake had a bank, three churches, a hotel, school, flour mill, automobile repair shop, a few working mines, and a cemetery. Robert had amassed a fortune.

  Chapter 11

  S amantha kicked back on the sofa absorbed with trying to find out if there were McClure relatives still living. It seemed that the McClure’s were quite prominent and even had a connection to Shadow Lake beyond the mansion they had built. Again no references to an address.

  She clicked on a link and was surprised to find quite a bit of information on the McClure’s. She spent the next hour reading as she sipped her coffee and scrolled page after page on her laptop.

  Robert Sr. had amassed a fortune in real estate, and even the market crash of 1929 didn’t stop him but he had bribed a politician to get a business deal through that would make him even more wealthy.

  Then on Christmas Eve on his way home from making the deal, his chauffeur had lost control of the automobile, and it had gone off the road down a steep embankment finally resting up against a tree. He was found dead the next morning by a family friend headed to the Christmas ball held at the mansion.

  That was just the beginning of a series of devastating blows to the McClure family. On a cold winter night, Rebecca wandered outside to check on her horse. She slipped on the way to the stable and fell, hitting her head on a rock, killing her. Her older brother, Carey, found her and took it the hardest. They had spent lots of time together, and he missed her dearly. Carey fell in with the wrong crowd and was gunned down by a criminal associated with a bank robbery in Denver.

  Robert Jr., took the train to Denver to retrieve Carey’s body for burial in the Shadow Lake Cemetery. Mrs. McClure was beside herself and fell apart at the funeral. After the doctor administered a sleeping powder, she finally settled down to sleep.

  In the months that followed Robert Jr. could do nothing to bring his mother out of the grave depression she was in, and she spent endless hours in bed, her body wasting away.

  By the time the end of the year came around, Christmas was non-existent. There were no parties with friends, no visitors, and when Mrs. McClure passed away, Robert discovered that the McClure fortune is lacking, except for enough to get him to Denver to fund an opportunity he hoped would gain him recognition and new wealth.

  Samantha clicked on a reference to Denver 1933 that had a McClure notation. It appeared to be a historical archive of a reporter who had taken an interest in the family and had written a piece on them. The column stated the following:

  Robert McClure, Jr., happened to be in the right place at the right time. With President Franklin Roosevelt providing massive amounts of money to help industry, Robert’s investments flourished.

  He had collected a massive amount of money as an investor in the railroad. A new line was starting that would run from S.E. Colorado introducing streamlined, lightweight cars that provided modern luxury and comfort for passengers.

  At a Valentine’s Day ball, he met his future wife, Catherine, a ravishing woman with reddish brown hair, green eyes, and a smile that took his breath away. She dressed in a green gown that draped over the contour of her body and was backless showing her crème colored skin and smooth shoulders. He took a deep breath, strolled over to her, his dark eyes traveling over every inch of her body drinking her beauty in, and introduced himself, asking for permission to dance. She smiled and took his hand following him out onto the dance floor. They waltzed together, their bodies seeming to meld into one another, and at that moment he realized she was the one for him.

  They spent the next two months together at every opportunity. Catherine’s father gave his blessing when Robert asked for Catherine’s hand in marriage. They got married at her father’s house in the garden that June and by the following year their son, Matthew was born. Robert was a loving husband and a doting father. Catherine couldn’t be happier.

  In 1935, Robert Jr. returned to the McClure Mansion with his family. He took great pride refurbishing it to its earlier glory. Catherine began to love it as much as he did even though it was secluded.

  Matthew eventually married a local woman, Rebecca, in 1944, and they had a son and daughter of his own and lived at the mansion: Bryan and Bethany.

  Samantha scrolled through the rest of the records she could find, but the trail seemed to grow cold after 1944. What happened to the family after 1944?

  She turned page after page of the history of Shadow Lake records until she finally came to rest on an Obituary from 1984. Robert McClure Jr. had passed away of natural causes leaving a son Matthew. No mention of Matthew’s wife. Was she still living? What about Matthew’s children? What happened to them?

  Samantha turned off her laptop and placed it on the table next to the sofa. Her eyes felt strained and her muscles tight from leaning over her computer for so long.

  Samantha got up and went to take a shower before bed. She would see what else Beverly was able to find out with the local assessor’s office tomorrow.

  She had to find out if there was a clear title and who owned it to complete a transaction with Calvin if he want
ed to go ahead with the sale. He would most likely tear the structure down. But based on what she had read, could it be granted historic landmark status?

  Chapter 12

  M r. & Mrs. Connor met with Samantha at the office and made their offer. She faxed the paperwork over to the owner. Now, it was a waiting game to see if they accepted or not.

  She finished up some other paperwork that had been pushed to the side when the Connor’s came in. After all, there were priorities. And a sale was at the top of the list.

  It was around two p.m. when a phone call came in from Calvin Benham. A chill rushed through Samantha’s body. Why does he affect me this way?

  Hello, Mr. Benham,” said Samantha as she reached for some paperwork. She looked out the window at the busy traffic that rushed past the office.

  “Miss. Dunning. Please call me, Calvin,” he said.

  “Mr. Benham lets keep it professional. What can I do for you?” she said with a furrowed brow.

  “I would like to write up an offer on the house. Sometime tomorrow, perhaps,” said Calvin. He could imagine the excitement coursing through her veins as she totaled up the commission in her head.

  “Let me check my calendar,” said Samantha checking her book for the next day. “How would one o’clock be? I have some free time then,” said Samantha getting up from her desk.

  “See you tomorrow,” said Calvin hanging up.

  The fax machine beeped. Samantha crossed the room and pulled out the sheet- a single last page of the contract- from the owner of the commercial property, signed by the owner. One down. Now to call the Connor’s and give them the news and go over the inspection and escrow procedure. Hopefully, they could close within thirty days.

  Samantha placed the sheet in Connor’s file and gave them a call. They were ecstatic, and Samantha provided them with a list of local inspectors. They were also going to drop off the down payment to open escrow at Shadow Lake Title Co. the following morning. She loved clients who took control and didn’t drag their feet. It made the transaction go so much smoother.