by Ben Hammott
Diablo's snarls and snaps lessened. The wolf was puzzled. The voice was not one he was used to. He had been born in captivity and all he had known was cruelty and harsh words. This voice was different. It soothed him. Its natural instinct to attack and eat began to fade.
"That's better. My, you are a big feller aren't you? Old as well by the look of your grey fur, probably as old as my master as he has grey hair like you, but a lot less as you can see, more bald than hair now."
As if he understood, Diablo glanced at Ebenezer.
Ebenezer smiled nervously.
Furtive checked Grave Filler had not been damaged and climbed to his feet.
Diablo jerked his head around and snarled at Furtive.
"Stay still Mr. Furtive," Lurch ordered.
Furtive froze.
"It's okay, boy, he won't hurt you. I am going to put you down, but I don't want you to attack anyone. I want you to be a good boy, okay?"
Diablo didn't answer, obviously.
Lurch placed the wolf on the ground and slowly released his grip.
"Now that's better. You be a good boy and we can all be friends."
Diablo sensed the big human posed him no threat and cocked his head to one side and stared at Lurch. He wanted to hear the voice again. He had never heard anything like it before; it was so soothing and kind, he liked it.
Lurch crouched before Diablo and held out his hand.
Diablo's eyes focused warily on the big hand reaching toward him and licked its lips.
Ebenezer half turned his head away, expecting the wolf to bite off the appetizing hand at any moment.
Furtive, who had the exact same concerns, placed a finger on the trigger and made ready to bring the weapon into use if the wolf attacked.
"It's okay, boy," said Lurch softly. "I'm not going to hurt you." He placed his large hand gently on the wolf's head and stroked. "That's nice, isn't it? I don't suppose anyone's ever stroked you or shown you any kindness before have they?"
Sadness appeared in Diablo's eyes.
Lurch moved a little closer.
Ebenezer gasped.
Lurch scratched behind one of the wolf's ears.
The wolf's eyes tried to look at the hand. It felt nice. It tilted its head to one side.
Lurch smiled."Yes, I knew you'd like this." He moved his hand under Diablo's chin and scratched it gently.
Diablo purred like a giant kitten with a throat infection.
"You like that, don't you boy?" Lurch rubbed Diablo's side and when the wolf rolled onto his back, rubbed his belly.
Furtive relaxed the weapon. "I have never seen the like in all my life."
"He's always had a knack with animals," said Ebenezer. "I've seen birds land in his hand when he's holding food for them:"
Ebenezer took a step toward the wolf.
Diablo looked at him but didn't snarl.
"It's alright, Mr. Ebenezer, come and say hello to Wolfy."
"Are you sure it's safe?"
"Yes, Sir, he's like a big puppy."
Ebenezer looked at Diablo's teeth. Puppy certainly didn't spring to mind. To play it safe he moved around Lurch and nervously touched the wolf's back. Gaining courage when it wasn't bitten off, he stroked and scratched the wolf's back. "He likes it," said Ebenezer hardly believing he was stroking a wolf.
"I don't think he's been shown much kindness, Sir." It was said in a tone that hinted the two were alike. "But he will now."
Ebenezer used both hands to lavish attention on the wolf. "It's quite therapeutic actually. Just what the doctor ordered. He said I should get a pet."
"Em, no, Sir. If I recall, the doctor said, 'you should find yourself a companion, a live in nurse to look after you and you should stay away from animals because…'"
"Butler!" Ebenezer stood up and gazed at Butler with a concerned expression. "Is everything okay?"
"Yes, Sir, everything is fine. Crakett is dead; he had a heart attack I think. Arthur has gone to the train station, fully paid, and your house is all but destroyed."
"I don't care about the rest, it's you I'm worried about, are you sure you are all right?"
"Yes, Sir, I am good, I promise."
"What about Sebastian and his men?" asked Furtive.
"They were watching the house burn last time I saw them." Butler looked at the wolf licking Lurch's face. "I see Lurch has tamed the devil."
"I would not have thought it possible if I had not seen it with my own eyes," said an amazed Furtive. "A minute ago it was a snarling, ferocious beast preparing to rip us to shreds and now it looks no more frightening than a kitten."
"Can you control it, Lurch?"
"Yes, Mr. Butler. He'll be alright now he knows we are his friends."
Butler glanced along the tunnel. "I assume if your grandfather's inheritance is down here, it lies in that direction."
Ebenezer nodded. "It does."
"Furtive, would you like to lead the way?"
"I'd be glad to."
"Can you walk, Sir?"
"Of course I can walk. I may be old, riddled with boils, bunions and many other ailments, some never before known to man, and have one foot firmly in the grave, but when there is a great treasure to be had I could climb a mountain."
"Maybe a very small one, Sir, a gently sloping hill perhaps."
Furtive led the way with Ebenezer and Butler behind him and Lurch and his new found friend following in the rear.
Shadow, who had followed them inside and seen Lurch, amazingly, befriend the wolf, watched the unlikely group of friends head deeper into the mine and felt a little jealous of their close companionship. It must be nice to have friends.
Making the decision to let them keep their treasure, Shadow turned and walked away.
It took them ten minutes to reach the barrier in the form of a brick wall that stretched the height and width of the passage.
Ebenezer walked up to the wall and laid a hand upon it. "The treasure must be behind this."
Butler looked at Lurch. "What do you think; can you knock a hole through it?"
Lurch looked at the wall. "I think so, Sir." Lurch looked at Diablo. "Wolfy, sit!"
Diablo sat with his tongue hanging out, his gaze rarely moving from his new master.
Lurch walked up to the wall and kicked it with the bottom of his foot. A dull thud echoed through the mine. The joints around the area of impact cracked. A second kick curved a section of wall in. The third kick produced a large hole.
When the bricks had stopped falling and the dust settled, Butler shone his lantern into the hole and stepped through. The others followed. They all looked at the large metal vault constructed from sheets of riveted iron. Though a little rusty, it still looked in good shape. Ebenezer crossed to the large door set in the front and pointed at the combination dial. "Damn, we don't have the code."
Furtive flexed his fingers with a crack of knuckles. "You have me. You don't need the code."
"You think you can crack it?" Butler asked.
"Of course I can crack it. I am the best safe-cracker in the world."
"But how do you know you are the best safe-cracker in the world?" asked Ebenezer. "Do you have an annual competition or something?"
"Well, no, not exactly, I just sort of know I am," said Furtive.
"I'm not knocking your skills or anything, I was just interested, that's all," Ebenezer told him.
"Okay." Furtive approached the safe and examined the dial.
"So your skill level compared to all the other safe-crackers in the world is one you've set yourself."
Furtive glared at him. "I need absolute quiet or I can't do this."
Ebenezer nodded.
Furtive put his ear to the door beside the dial.
"It's just that Butler could say he is the best butler in the world, but that doesn't mean he is."
"Oh, Sir, but I think you'll find I am."
Ebenezer looked at Butler. "Would that be another self appointed title?"
Butler t
hought about it for a few moments. "Best we keep quiet, Sir, so Furtive can do his job."
Furtive spun the dial to the right until he heard a faint click. He turned it to the left. CLICK! He continued and following the fifth click the rasping of metal from within the cavity of the door signaled the mechanism to unlock the vault had been activated. "That should be it."
Butler had noticed the code that unlocked the safe. "The combination was your grandfather's date of birth and death and the age he died," he told Ebenezer. "18, 17, 18, 88, and 71.
"That's why he included an image of himself in the paintings," said Ebenezer, "it was a clue."
Furtive coughed to attract their attention. "Would you like me to open it?"
Ebenezer nodded with excitement in his eyes.
Furtive spun the four handled lever and one by one the thick bolts around the door were heard retracting. He pulled on the long lever to release the final catch and the door swung open. A stream of musty air tainted with decay whooshed out. All gazed through the opening and all were astonished by what they saw. Jacobus Drooge!
"Now of all the things I imagined hiding behind that door," said Furtive. "That was not one of them."
They entered and stared at the decayed skeletal corpse of Ebenezer's grandfather sitting proudly in a large ornate chair inlaid with gold painted details. His expensive hand tailored suit still possessed an air of elegant style. The white shirt, yellowed with age, not so much. Even in grisly death his persona was of a man of wealth.
The taught skin stretched over boney hands and skull had browned with age. The sunken eyes stared but did not see. Lips pulled back in a gruesome grin, smiled at them, whether in a mocking or congratulatory manner for finding his inheritance, was unknown. What was known by all present was that it was very creepy.
Diablo walked up to the ghastly corpse and gave it a sniff. It was the worst mutton he had ever encountered and declined taking a bite.
"One would hope he looked more handsome when he was alive," said Ebenezer.
Butler noticed Furtive's eyes focused upon the large jewel encrusted ring on one of the dead man's boney digits. "Just to let you know, Furtive, I will check the ring is still there before we leave."
Furtive huffed in an insulted manner. "I am a lot of things but I won't rob from the dead."
Butler raised his eyes brows in argument.
"Well, okay then, I would, but not now you've noticed the item I won't."
The three men and the wolf turned their attention to the other less creepy objects in the room and all― except for Diablo who didn't really care unless it was edible and not mutton― were a little disappointed by what they saw; three wooden crates one yard long and half that wide and high.
"Hmmm." said Butler.
"I thought there would be more, especially after seeing the size of this vault," stated Ebenezer.
"How about we open them before contemplating suicide," suggested Furtive. "Just because its only three small crates it don't mean they ain't full of valuable stuff."
With tail wagging, Diablo wandered over to the crates and when he had stiffed each in turn and discovered none contained anything he could eat, he was also disappointed.
Butler pointed to the nearest crate. "Lurch, can you please open it."
Lurch moved to the nearest crate, gripped the lid and with a loud screech of nails being pulled from the wood, ripped it free.
It was full of neatly stacked piles of one thousand pound bank notes.
"See, I told you," stated Furtive. "There has to be a million pounds in that one at least. If the others contain the same as this one, that's…" He paused to count on his fingers. "…three million quid."
Ebenezer pulled a wad out and flicked through them. "I love the smell of money, even if it is a bit musty." He glanced at the other two crates. "I wonder if they do all contain the same."
"Let's find out, shall we, Sir," said Butler. "Lurch, the next one please."
Lurch leaned the nail studded lid he still held against the back wall of the vault and ripped free the next one.
Bathed in the yellow glow that filled the vault, they all stared at the gold ingots stacked neatly inside the crate.
Ebenezer, close to tears of joy, fell to his knees and, with a certain amount of heaving and struggling, lifted out one of the bars. "It's so beautiful."
Furtive could also not resist picking one up. "I can't even imagine what all this is worth, but I know somethink, we're rich, filthy stinking rich."
Ebenezer glared at Furtive. "Correction, Furtive, I am rich, filthy stinking rich, you're just a bit less poor than you were before when I pay you."
"Of course, Sir, the sight of the gold made me all excited. I even forgot to mention me bonus like I said I would."
"So excited it seems," said Ebenezer, "that it made you drop that bar of gold you held but a moment ago straight into your pocket."
Furtive looked at his empty hands in mock surprise. "Oh, golly, thank yer for pointing that out, Mr. Ebenezer, I hadn't noticed. It must have slipped from me hands" He reluctantly fished the gold bar from his pocket and placed in back in the crate.
Ebenezer returned his to the empty slot. "Lurch, put the lid back on to avoid any more mishaps."
"Yes, Sir." Lurch squeezed past Furtive who seemed reluctant to move away from the gold, laid the lid in place and hammered in the nails with his fist."
They all turned their attention to the remaining unopened crate. "So far we have had bank notes and gold, each more valuable that the one before," said Butler, "so if the theme continues, this one has to contain something really special."
Ebenezer pointed at the crate. "I'd be happy if was another one filled with gold. Lurch, open it."
Lurch pried open the crate.
The lantern light shimmered off the facetted diamonds that filled the crate. Some were large and others were not so large, but none they saw could be said to be small.
All were speechless.
"Well, Sir, it seems your money troubles are over."
Ebenezer scooped out a handful of the precious stones and let them dribble back into the crate. "They certainly are."
"Mr. Ebenezer, Sir, when it comes to the time to pay me, I wouldn't mind if a few diamonds were included."
Ebenezer looked at Furtive. "You are in luck, Furtive; you have caught me in a good mood. You have performed excellently during this venture and I am quite certain without your help we would not be here now."
"I agree," said Butler.
"So I think it's only fair that we forget about our original contract and pay you a fair amount for services rendered. To this end, how would you like to be paid fully in diamonds and a wad of bank notes for your immediate expenses?"
"I would like that very much, Sir."
"Hold out your hands."
Furtive's hands shot out to form as large a bowl as he could.
Ebenezer filled them to overflowing with the precious stones.
Furtive poured them into his pocket without spilling a single one. "Thank you, Sir."
"No, thank you, Furtive, and you can keep that gold bar you slipped in your pocket a moment ago when you thought no one was looking."
"Thank you, Sir. Sorry, I can't help it."
"I know, Furtive, you are a thief and always will be I expect."
Butler helped Ebenezer to stand.
"Okay, Lurch, seal the crates and we'll think about getting them out of here."
Ebenezer grabbed a wad of bank notes and handed them to Furtive, who promptly caused them to disappear into one of his pockets.
Butler turned his thoughts to moving the precious cargo. "If Lurch can carry the gold, Furtive and I should be able to drag the other two out of the quarry."
"I have some rope we can tie around them to make them easier to move," said Furtive.
"Good idea," Butler agreed.
Furtive fished out two coils of rope and set about securing them around the crates.
"What are we going t
o do when we get up top?" Ebenezer asked. "We can hardly drag these along the road. My brother or his men would see us for sure."
"I admit it is a problem, Sir. Perhaps we can hide somewhere until Sebastian and his men have gone; I can then nip to the stable, hitch the horses up to the carriage, load the crates and get far away from here."
"It might work," said Ebenezer, "as a temporary measure we can head for Havasham Hall. Agnes will give us a bed for the night and in the morning we can make plans about what to do next, but I doubt my brother believes we perished in the fire. He'll suspect we used an escape route and might at this very moment be looking for us."
"Maybe we should leave the treasure here, Sir, until we are certain it's safe to move."
"I am not leaving the inheritance behind, Butler. It's taken me too many years to find."
"It's what I thought, Sir." Butler took the rope tied to the diamond crate Furtive held out.
Lurch picked up the crate of gold like it weighed no more than a sack of potatoes.
"Not too heavy, Lurch," Butler checked.
"No, Sir, it's fine."
Ebenezer approached his grandfather, placed a boney hand on one not too dissimilar and said in a soft voice, "Thank you, Jacobus." He gave the dead man a slight nod, turned away and exited the vault.
Butler watched the others leave and noticed Furtive glance longingly at Jacobus Drooge's large ring before he stepped out dragging the crate behind him. Butler looked at the corpse's face. "I hope this has all been worth it, Sir," he said quietly. He gripped the rope and pulled the crate of diamonds out of the vault.
To seal his grandfather in his chosen tomb, Ebenezer attempted to shut the door, but it was too heavy. "Give me a hand Lurch."
Lurch stepped up to the door and because his arms held the crate of gold, shoved it with a shoulder. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the mine. From within came the sound of something old and bony crashing to the floor. Something, which seemed roundish in shape, rolled across the floor and struck the door with a dull thud.
Lurch looked at his master and shrugged. "Sorry, Sir."
"I guess it's not so much rest in peace as rest in pieces, for old Jacobus, now," said Furtive.
