"That sounds good to me," Jason said glancing at the wristwatch, which he always wore on his left arm. "Steph. Why don't you, Mason and the kids work your way back to the house? I will be there in a minute and we can wrap this up for today. I suspect Mason has other business he has to attend to and we did promise the kids that coal mine tour. What do you think, Mason?"
The lawyer replied, "Yes, that's probably a good idea. As soon as you are finished freshening up, we can go out front and finish up our business."
Jason washed and dried his hands thoroughly in the spa tub using water as hot as he could stand it. Steam billowed into the air surrounding him. Suddenly Jason felt like someone was watching him. He looked around the room but could see nothing but his own reflection in large mirrors as well as the rising cloud of steam. Perhaps the movement of the steam reflecting in the mirrors had created the illusion of someone watching. However, even with this explanation the feeling was still unsettling.
He finished his business and left the building, stopping once to look behind him as if expecting to see someone, but of course, he remained alone. Jason closed the door tightly behind him and headed to meet his family back at the main farmhouse. Back inside the spa the surfaces of several of the mirrors rippled wildly as maniacal laughter echoed from deep within the glass walls.
Chapter 16
"It’s official," Stephanie said, her face beaming with an ear-to-ear smile, as Jason walked into the kitchen where she, Armstrong and the kids stood waiting. "Look. Mason gave me the keys to the house. It's all ours now." She held out her hand palm up to display the two sets of jingling keys. Jason noticed each set was attached to a key ring with a gold fob emblazoned with a stylish "W". Like the monogrammed towel he had used in the spa building, he wondered with uncertainty was that "W" for Washburn or for Wright; or did it even matter?
Stephanie said, "He suggested we take a few days to let all of this sink in and then start planning our next course of action. This is all so exciting, I feel like I am becoming a bit scatterbrained."
"That's to be expected," the lawyer said. "And remember, during the time you are away from here, if there is absolutely anything you folks need from me do not hesitate to call me. That also goes for any time in the future. As I mentioned earlier, I hope you are satisfied with the job I've done so far and will consider using my services for all of your future legal needs."
"Um... Yes," Jason responded a bit distantly. He was preoccupied, still unable to get the distracting image of the small tombstones and the family graveyard out of his mind. Also the way Sammy had seemed to see something in the cemetery. Not to mention, that strange inscription 'Taken From Us Too Soon, By The Hand Of Evil'. That message troubled him terribly as it kept repeating inside his head. "I think we need some time to absorb everything that's happened in the past two days, and also I’m sure there'll be many, many things I'll need to take care of at work as well. I think after the next week or so, we should have a good plan in place."
He looked again at the keys in his wife's hands and inquired of Armstrong, "Are they the keys for the house as well as the rest of the outbuildings?"
"Actually," the lawyer explained, "all of the doors on the property, front back, side as well as all of the outbuildings are keyed exactly the same, so you only need a single key to get inside any of the buildings. The other keys on the rings are for the Ford pickup and the tractor in the barn. There are no keys needed for the garage as they work with the automatic garage door openers. The four remote openers for the garage are in the top drawer of that cabinet over there." He pointed to one of the base cabinets along the wall. Jason walked over, opened the top drawer and saw the four garage openers.
The lawyer continued, "That reminds me, I should have pointed out each of the garage doors also have keypads mounted to the sides of the doorframes with keyboards, which all use the same four digit number combination, 1-2-3-4 to open them. Now that I think about it, I should probably recommend you change the combination to something you will easily remember, and something that’s not quite as simple for someone else to figure out. Right now, I am the only other person alone who knows the current combination, so as soon as you reprogram the openers the number will be safe, secure and exclusively known by you and your family alone. And of course, there is no need or reason for me to know the combination any longer as the house is now yours."
"Yes. You're right. Thanks, Mason," Jason responded. "That's a good idea." As he looked at the lawyer, he thought he saw a momentary dark expression pass across the man's face. He could not put into words what it was about the look that didn't sit well with him, probably because it had appeared and then disappeared so quickly as if Armstrong had inadvertently let down his guard. It was like the lawyer knew something Jason didn’t, and the man was keeping that mysterious knowledge from them. For a moment, Jason thought he actually might have misinterpreted the look, but the expression had been so intense and gave him such an uneasy feeling, deep down in the pit of his stomach, that he was certain there was something to his suspicions.
Because of these strong sensations, an idea unexpectedly entered Jason's mind; something, which at first seemed to be a bit paranoid to him, but which was an idea he couldn't seem to shake. Although Stephanie now held what were supposed to be the only sets of keys to the property, he wondered if perhaps there might be another set; one which the lawyer had made especially for himself. If the man did have his own set of keys then he wouldn’t care one bit if the garage door opener combinations were changed because he could still gain access to the property whenever he chose to.
Jason didn't know why he suddenly had this idea, as he was usually not so mistrustful of people, although he would be the first to admit he didn't particularly care for lawyers. And Armstrong hadn't really given Jason any reason to distrust him. But when he combined the gut feeling he was experiencing with the strange look he thought he had seen pass over the lawyer's face, he began to wonder if he might actually be correct. As such, his level of mistrust of the man was beginning to increase by the second.
If the lawyer had made his own set of keys, it would mean whenever the Wright family was away from the property, Armstrong would be free to enter the house and could do whatever he chose to. Jason had assumed the lawyer had already been given such free reign to an extent before the death of Stephanie's uncle, and likely even more so since then. Jason also had made the logical assumption the man might not readily want to relinquish such access even though he and Stephanie had taken possession of the property.
What if, in his role as ad hock caretaker, Armstrong had started treating the property as if it were his own, believing he could come and go as he pleased? Jason thought about the self-deprecating joke the lawyer had made in the spa building about how frightening it might be to see his large naked figure reflected in the mirrors. He suddenly started to wonder if the lawyer had helped himself to several relaxing baths in the huge claw-foot tub. The image, which under normal circumstances might be somewhat humorous, made Jason's stomach cramp with disgust. Had Jason known what unspeakable event had actually occurred inside that same spa only a month earlier, he would have collected his family and fled the property, never to return. But unfortunately, he didn't know and could only analyze what he saw before him. The more Jason thought about the lawyer, the more he became certain of his distrustful feelings.
Then he began to wonder, what if Armstrong had stolen paintings or jewelry or other such possessions from the property and had already sold them? In the living room, Jason had seen some paintings on the wall that even to his untrained eyes seemed to be quite valuable. Stephanie’s uncle had been dead for over a month and that had given the lawyer plenty of time to steal a few valuable items. Jason recalled how that morning at the meeting the lawyer had given him a complete inventory of the estate accounting for virtually every item in the house. He hadn't looked at the list very carefully as he was overwhelmed by the value of the estate. However, he would be going over the accountin
g in detail as soon as possible. He suspected such documents could have been altered to hide certain thefts, but he didn't know and maybe never would know for sure. Since neither he and Stephanie had known anything about Washburn prior to his death, they had no idea about the extent of his possessions. As such, it would make any thievery relatively simple to hide.
Jason didn’t want to appear ungrateful to the lawyer and even felt a bit guilty about his suspicions, especially since the man had seemed to be nothing but helpful to them during the entire settlement process. But perhaps Armstrong had been too helpful. Jason recalled how that same morning the lawyer had all the critical papers ready, explained everything, answered all of their questions and even arranged for the remaining two hundred and fifty thousand dollars cash from the estate to be wire transferred to Jason and Stephanie’s personal bank account so it was immediately accessible to them. But then Jason wondered if the cash had truly been all the money that remained in the estate. What if the actual amount had been more? What if it had actually been five hundred thousand or even a million? Would the lawyer have the means to swindle the young, unknowing couple?
And how could they ever know the true value of the estate or the extent of the lawyer's thievery? Since Washburn was a solitary type of man, with no relatives, no friends and one who apparently had led somewhat shady former life; it was unlikely even the best forensic accountant could accurately inventory his holdings and determine if anything was missing.
There was definitely something in the lawyer's strange look, no matter how brief, which caused Jason to now distrust the man completely. He began to sincerely believe what a few moments ago was just a passing fanciful thought. It was as if he suddenly knew for certain Armstrong truly had made his own set of keys and had, in fact, been stealing from the estate. Jason also presumed the lawyer had been swindling Washburn and skimming money all during the restoration.
Since Jason had now convinced himself of Armstrong's nefarious intentions, he had made up his mind to solve this dilemma himself and as with the gravesite, to do so quickly. As soon as he returned home, he was going to start searching the Internet for an area locksmith and was going to have all the door locks changed and re-keyed. Or perhaps he would hire a locksmith from Berks County instead, just in case one of the local businessmen had connections with the lawyer. He realized just how paranoid these thoughts seemed, even to himself, but it was something he just felt he needed to do. In fact, he was going to make sure the locks were changed even before he took care of the cemetery situation.
He had also noticed another security issue while they were walking around the inside of the house. It was one, which he was certain Stephanie hadn't observed. The property did not have an alarm system of any kind, whatsoever. He had seen smoke alarms at strategic places around the house but he didn't see any burglar alarm type system or control panel of any kind. He decided to broach the subject with the lawyer and see how he handled the question.
"Mason?" Jason asked pretending not to sound suspicious, "I couldn't help but notice something that I found quite strange, especially when you consider the value of this property, and I was wondering if you could explain it to me. I assume you will have the answer, since after all, you were the project manager during the renovation." Jason couldn't suppress the almost accusatory tone in his voice. Stephanie watched with a bit of confusion, unsure of where Jason was up to with his strange line of questioning.
The lawyer replied with obvious guarded anticipation, "Yes, Jason. If I can answer your question, I will be happy to do so. What is it?"
Jason said, "I didn't see any alarm system anywhere in the property. No electronic keypad, no cameras, no window alarms, nothing. You had said Mr. Washburn had a bit of an unsavory past, which he had left behind to move here. I would suspect such a man might have enemies and might also want to have some type of early warning system in place to protect himself."
"You are absolutely correct, Jason. And quite observant I might add." The lawyer replied with a pleasant and complimentary air. "The property does not have any security system. Mr. Washburn didn't believe in security systems of any kind, especially those with cameras. He felt he had taken care of himself his entire life and had always done so without the benefit of electronics and he was not about to start now. You may have noticed the combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms scattered about the property. Mr. Washburn hated them as well, but local building codes required them and there was nothing he could do to get around that. Believe me, I tried at his request to get a variance from the requirement, but to no avail. He also didn't like the keypads on the garage doors, but they came with the doors and had been installed before we were aware of them. Apparently he didn't care about them enough to ask me to have them removed."
"But even we have a security system in our little townhouse." Stephanie suggested, "And our entire house isn't worth as much as just the garage in this place."
The lawyer explained, "Perhaps so, Stephanie. But you have to keep something in mind. And I say this with no disrespect to your community. Your home is located only about ten or fifteen miles away from a major city, Reading. You live in a much more highly populated area than around here. And whether you like to admit it or not, the crime rate is significantly higher in your county than here as well."
"But still..." Jason interrupted, "With a property of this value... No security system? Seriously? I mean, I just don't get it."
"Well, you just had to know Mr. Washburn," the lawyer replied with a bit of frustration. "He was set in his ways and had no interest in such security. As I mentioned earlier, most of the modern and more luxurious renovations to the property were to a great extent the results of our designers. As you saw by Washburn's bedroom, his needs were simple and specific."
What Armstrong actually knew, however, was that the designs for the property and all of the modern lavish renovations were actually ordered by the unseen, unearthly occupants of the property and were specifically created to appeal to the Wright's own tastes. He also understood there was no need for a security system of any kind. The beings inhabiting the property were more than capable of keeping the home safe from any unwanted intruders, as was evident with the recent fiery demise of one Mr. John "Jack" Moran, whose charred remains were still a fresh and revolting memory in Armstrong's mind.
Once again, that same strange expression passed across Armstrong's face, and Jason didn't fail to miss it this time either. Although he was correct in not trusting the lawyer, the look, which bothered him so much, was not born of any thievery Armstrong may or may not have committed. The truth was, the lawyer had not taken a single thing from the home and never would. He would not have been permitted to do so. The look he wore was one of trepidation. The lawyer could not help but recall his encounters with the specter of the dead Washburn and felt genuine guilt, possibly for what might await the unsuspecting family.
Regaining his composure the lawyer suggested, "I know of a local security firm, which I am certain would be happy to provide you with an estimate to install such a system for you. That is, if you truly feel it is necessary." To Jason, the lawyer sounded almost insulted by the proposition.
Jason replied, "Thanks, Mason. But that won't be necessary. When we are ready, I am sure we can take care of that ourselves." Jason decided he needed to cut the cord with the attorney as soon as possible and handling the security system installation without Armstrong's assistant was as good a place to start as any.
"As you wish," the lawyer said. Then he held out an arm directing the family toward the front hallway. "As Jason supposed earlier, I have to be at another appointment shortly, so I must be on my way. I know you folks will want to be heading into town for your mine tour as well."
"Thanks, Mason," Jason said, sounding as sincere as possible, "You have been a great help, and we appreciate it. But I think we want to wait here for a little bit longer and talk in private about a few things before we lock up and head out. We will be contacting you sometime next
week. That is, if we feel there is anything we need and cannot handle ourselves." Jason imagined another piece of the imaginary cord connecting him to Armstrong snapping as he suppressed a smile.
The lawyer could tell by the tone of Jason's voice he would likely never be hearing from the man again. Though he had tried his best to not let his internal anxiety about the hell-born specters, he obviously had not been successful. It was apparent Jason didn't trust him and had wanted him out of their lives as quickly as possible. He could do little else about that. Armstrong had done his legal duty to the estate, and he had carried out the demands of his evil tormentor Washburn as well. Although he feared for the Wright family, he now feared more for himself and prayed Washburn would leave him in peace. But somehow, he didn't think that particular prayer would be answered.
Chapter 17
The lawyer sat behind his massive oak desk as the sun began its slow decent over the western silt-covered mountainous horizon on that Sunday evening. The glorious spectacle was visible in all of its majestic amber and crimson splendor as he watched through his large office window. "Red at night, sailor's delight." H. Mason Armstrong said aloud. Then he thought "More like, red at night, lawyer in fright." He knew “in fright” was not a strong enough description for the terror, which held him in its grasp like the tightening grip of the tentacles from some powerful unseen creature, slowly crushing him, choking off his ability to breath.
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