Page 62 of Ghost
Chapter Twenty-Three
“What is it?What’swrong?”Mitch asked, running from the bathroom.
Mason looked up towards his friend.“This.”He pointed to the strongbox sitting in the sink.
When Mitch came towards him, only then did Mason notice the ghost standing off to the side.He was now dressed in much nicer clothes, however.His shirt was clean and pressed as were his pants, and his hair was neatly combed, but he looked sad.
“What the...?”Mitch looked at Mason and then back to the contents of the box.“Is that cash?”
“I think so,” Mason picked up the bundles of money wrapped in rubber bands that were disintegrating as they handled the wads of money.
“Look.”Mitch pointed into the box.“What’s all that?”
“Bearer bonds,” the ghost said.
Mason looked up.The man’s voice sounded resigned, as if he’d given up.
“What are these?”Mitch asked, holding the certificates up.“What’s American Telephone and Telegraph?”
“I think that is AT&T.”Mason looked at the ghost who was nodding his head in agreement.
“Holy shit,” Mitch said.“These could be worth a fortune.
“I think I said the exact same thing.”Mason looked at the ghost again.“Could you run down and get Patty and/or Nick?These belong to them now.”Mason looked at Mitch who looked at him like he was crazy.“It’s the right thing to do, Mitch.Don’t even think about keeping this.It isn’t ours.”
Mitch sighed heavily.“You’re right, of course.I’ll be right back.Damn.”
Mason watched Mitch go down the stairs before turning to the ghost.“What’s your name?
“Owen.Owen Higgins.I own this place.”He looked at Mason sadly.“Or I did.”
“It’s okay, Mr.Higgins.Patty and Nick are really good people.”
“Yes, I know.They have done wonders with my old store.”He looked at the box again.“That was my life’s savings and my uncle’s.It was everything I had.I should have shut the store long before I died and spent it on myself.”He looked at Mason again.“I thought I’d have more time.”He looked down at himself, then looked up at Mason.“I...guess it’s my time now.I’m all done here.”
“I understand, Mr.Higgins.I’m sorry.”
Owen Higgins shrugged his shoulders.“I am sorry that I came at you.I’ve been so worried that someone would find my hiding place that I never....Well, I have been hanging around trying to protect it.Don’t know why exactly.I guess that sounds stupid to you.”
“No, Mr.Higgins, it doesn’t sound stupid.”Mason felt bad for the old guy.“Mind if I ask you a quick few questions?”Mason took a few steps closer.“Do you know when you died?”
Mr.Higgins thought for a moment.“I think it was in 1972 or thereabouts.”
“And how long did you own the store?”
“Let’s see.”Owen rubbed his chin.“I moved into the store with my uncle in 1916, I wasn’t even eighteen yet.He raised me you see.My mother died shortly after I was born, and my father died at sea when I was eleven.I came to live with him then.My uncle never married.The store was his life and then mine.”
“Did you know the Watsons?”Mason asked gently.
“Pfft, that old witch, Mrs.Imogene Watson?Sure, I knew her.She was about as mean as a rattlesnake, that one was.Hateful old woman.”
“Do you remember when she died?”
Owen nodded.“Yes, I most certainly do.They found her in the basement of that old house.They couldn’t be sure how long she’d been dead.She must have been down there a while though, from what I gather.The whole house stunk from what they said.The police, that is.”
