Blood Lines Buried Treasure

By Cathy Pace Matthews

Emma was settling into her new home in Missouri and things were going great. She had inherited the farm from her Grandmother when she had died the year before. Emma soon found out that her family’s estate came with more than the land. There was a curse and a few specters that had made things a little rough for a while. It would appear a buried treasure has been added to the list as well to go along with everything else. The biggest problem with that is there are people out there looking for that treasure and they are by far worse than any ghost she had fought. Now she has a new love in her life and planning a future but those people have every intention of cutting those plans short and ending Emma's life. The body count is rising: can she and her pieced together family stop them or will Emma and her friends be added to the rising body count. Among Emma’s little army she does have a secret weapon. Those pesky spirits that had caused so much trouble when she came back are now fighting on her side and Emma is going to need each one and even they may not be enough to defeat these monstrous individuals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cathy Pace Matthews
• Release date: Feb 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311800176

Cathy Pace Matthews

I love the twisted and macabre. I also love the old horror where the thing that went bump in the night scared you and not all the blood gushing from a jagged wound that is more likely to gross you out. There is a difference. Don’t get me wrong I can do gore and quite well when I need to.I’m also not a young adult author. I’m way too old for that and personally at this point in my life I want to read a book that involves men and women over twenty five and under one hundred and twenty five. If you’re younger than that I don’t think you’ll care and if you’re older than that, then God bless you and let me know, I’ll change the upper end of the timeline.I tend to be outspoken and nothing is sacred when it comes to my writing. Well that part isn’t entirely true. The farm in the Blood Lines series is and I don’t apologize for that. I started writing because of that farm.I strive to create the unusual and different and that’s not always easy, as a matter of fact, it’s hard. I try hard not to do the tried and true.When I read a horror story I want to read a horror story. Can it have love and caring in it? Sure, but let’s keep things in perspective. I want to scare you and I’ll leave it up to other really good authors, and there are some really good ones, to give you all that other stuff.I set out to write horror. I will take you to places in my books you’ve never been before and along the way I may make you laugh because what fun is real horror if it can’t make you laugh on occasion? The good part about the humor, you still have to turn the page and what waits for you there might not be so funny.I have also recently become a producer for the short horror film, She Summoned Him. I'm looking forward to the the release.I'm married to a wonderful man, Buddy, and between us we have three very beautiful daughters. We love to travel in our converted 1963 Greyhound 4106 and discover new places and meeting new people. I grew up with four wonderful brothers, one of which is no longer with us. I was born in Mississippi, grew up in Tennessee, and fell in love with Missouri as well as a man who comes from there.I am surprised at how much writing has helped me grow as a person. I pay a lot more attention to things around me than I used to and can find a story in almost everything I see and hear. I have also learned what a truly dark sense of humor I have. I love making people raise an eyebrow at me on occasion.My husband and I were recently at a local restaurant and were picking at one another. The waiter walked up about that time and I asked if they had an oven large enough to put a body in. He asked why and after a short explanation with a wicked little gleam in his eye he told me they did. What concerned me was that wicked little gleam. I have since found out that a lot of restaurants do have ovens big enough to hold a human body. My suggestion to you is not to make the waiting staff of any eating establishment angry. You might end in up on the menu the next night.With seven books of my own under my belt, at present count, nine short story books, one exceptional book of short stories along with eight other gifted writers and the next one in the Blood Lines Series that I'm working on I'm pretty happy with where I am in my life right now.

Book preview

The man stood in front of the mirror admiring his appearance. He hated the down home good old boy look he was having to assume but it was necessary for the task before him. He did think he manage to carry it off rather well and lent a touch of class to it. He adjusted a couple of things one more time and turned from the mirror.

He took a last look around his bedroom to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything. He really didn’t want to have to come back anytime soon because he had overlooked anything. He took a quick look in his closet and seeing the perfectly hung perfectly tailored suits he once more regretted what he was having to wear. He shut the door to the closet and picking up his suitcase he walked out of the room.

He sat the case down by the front door and went into the kitchen to get a couple of things he had hidden there and returned to the living room. He placed these objects in another smaller bag he would also be taking. Here he also made a quick check to make sure he had everything he needed. His whole house was nothing more than a means to an end. The few personal type items scattered around were not the things that he was worried about. They had been nothing more than window dressing. One thing about him was he didn’t get attached to things. If he succeeded this time there was a good chance he might not ever return to this place. There was no sense of loss or trepidation about leaving the place behind him. Well he would come back for one thing. He would set this place ablaze so nothing was left. He wished he could do that now but it would only result in people asking questions and right now that wasn’t what he needed. That was the problem when you led more than one life. There was the nice neat one that you presented to the public but then there was always at least one you kept hidden from view.

What this man really did want was in a small town in Missouri. He thought he had been close to it a couple of times before but someone had gotten in his way on both occasions. Not this time. He was determined that this time it would be his.

He thought of the young woman who had possession of what he knew should have been his. For most of his life he had been brought up on the stories of what the woman’s family had managed to keep out of the reach of his. One of his ancestors had actually died trying to rectify that injustice. He was determined he would succeed where his ancestor had failed.

He had been so close a couple of times before but fate had been against him. This time however he was going to be on top of every aspect of the operation and had no doubt that he had taken every precaution to insure his success. The stupid worthless bitch that stood between him and his family’s fortune. He was going home to collect what should have been his.

He had planned this carefully, right down to the last detail. He also had no problems killing anyone who go in his way. Nothing was being left to chance. Even his fall guy would soon be in play and that made the man smile.

He thought about that a minute. Yes his number one fall guy would soon be available to take the blame for everything but there was another one as well. He had been putting pressure on this other person for some time.

He thought of what he could do if he had all that money in his hand. He could leave the country and not have to worry about anything again. He could live out the rest of his life with a different identity and use the money to help him acquire everything he deserved. He could finally move in the circles he belonged in and not have to deal with the worthless lot who didn’t know their station in life. That station of course was beneath him.

He thought of the woman again. He pictured her in his mind. Even if she willingly handed over what he wanted it wouldn’t keep him from exacting his revenge. The humiliation her family had brought to his wouldn’t go unrewarded. He would see her grovel at his feet begging him to end her suffering and even then he wouldn’t be finished with her. He was going to make her pay for everything that her family had done to his. Only then would he end the life of one Emma Cathryn Rodgers along with everyone she cared about.

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CHAPTER 1

Candice stood in the shadows of a column in front of the hospital waiting for a certain man to appear. They had only known one another for a short time and although he was a disgusting person she needed him. They needed him. There was something they wanted and he was the only one who might know where it was hidden. It was information that she was sure he wasn’t willing to share, at least not yet. That was a position she intended to change.

The man stepped out the door and noticed Candice by the column. He walked over to her and put his arms around her. Sugar you shouldn’t be standing out here all by yourself. There’re a lot of crazy people coming out those doors and you never know what one of them might do. He finished his statement by kissing her on the mouth.

It was all she could do to keep from gagging. She had to keep reminding herself what was at stake. If that stupid bitch had just fallen in line and done what was expected of her Candice wouldn’t be going through this now.

Well Nat I have you to protect me from the big baddies running around out here now.

Nat couldn’t understand what had made this beautiful young woman look him up but for the time being he was glad she had. He had been locked up in that mental ward for the last eight months. He had a score to settle with someone and he intended to do just that and in spades. For the time being he was going to let this little cupcake keep him company and continue to let her think he was as dumb as she thought he was. He wasn’t sure what she was up to but he intended to find out and have a little fun with her until then.

Where’s the car Candy?

It’s in the parking lot. Come on. Do you need me to carry anything? Candice pretended not to notice what little the man had with him.

No honey you just walk beside me and look pretty. What about a place to stay?

Well you said you wanted someplace that let you blend into the background so I have a nice RV set up at a place close by. Plenty of room for two and you’ll be able to stay out of the public eye until your court date. I managed to get us a spot that’s a little away from most of the other people staying there

You got an RV?

Yes I thought it would be a little more private than a hotel and not as constrictive. Plus we can both stay in it without people noticing us too much and still have our own separate spaces.

Nat was amused by her statement but managed not to laugh. Separate spaces my ass. She meant sleeping arrangements. Well, now he knew how far she was willing to go but he was sure he would bring her around to his way of thinking one way or another.

Nat thought back about Candy and how she had shown up at the hospital back in November. She had claimed she had read about him in the papers and made a big deal about how it had broken her heart the way he had been treated. She started coming around about once a week after that.

Nat had told her on the third or fourth visit that she was his little piece of candy and he would love to eat her up. She had tried to conceal the look of revolution that his remark brought on but she didn’t quite pull it off. He informed her that from then on he was going to call her Candy. He knew that Candice hadn’t liked his little moniker for her either but she’d let him roll with it. It was amazing what a woman would put up with when they wanted something, and Candy wanted that something really bad.

Nat had either lost all the assets he owned or they had been tied up in one way or another since he had been locked up by the courts. This made it even harder for him to figure out what it was Candice wanted. He might have understood if this had happened before his little mishap but right now he had damn near nothing.

They arrived at the car and he was happy to see it wasn’t some little sports car but Candice’s choice was almost as bad. It was one of those cutesy little SUV’s that girls often drove. They didn’t have much more room than a car and they tended to look like someone stuck a bigger vehicle in a machine; shrunk it and it came out a little warped and distorted.

He loaded what little he had with him into the vehicle and they got in and pulled out of the hospital parking lot. Nat looked back over his shoulder and took stock of how little he did have. The thought of what he had lost made him hit the door of the SUV with his fist.

Candice jumped and almost pulled the vehicle over to make the man get out.

What’s wrong Nat honey? She was already having trouble being nice to this revolting slug little on trying to sound like she gave a damn one way or the other if he lived or died. How she would be able to carry on this pretense for any length of time was anyone’s guess.

Just thinking about the mess I find myself in. Nat shortened his answer because if he told her everything that was going through his mind he had no doubt that she would run screaming from the car. He also wished that she would cut the cutesy southern accent. This girl was no more a Georgia Peach than he was.

The fact that both of them needed something from the other they were each aware of. However, neither one of them ever considered that they might accomplish more by uniting in their goals. Instead they only thought of getting what they wanted and doing the other one in.

Nat sat for a while brooding over his predicament. He had no real memory of what happened that night at the Rodger’s place. In his mind he knew that the people there that night had been the cause. They had to have ambushed and drugged him or something close to that. What the doctors had told him about his ‘ramblings’ as they called them from that nigh made no sense at all. His hand still hurt him from where they had attacked him. It had been in a cast for months. Nearly every finger in his right hand had been broken as well as his wrist. Now he was facing a court date for attacking that oversized son-of-a-bitch Taylor. Well he would get even and when he did they would regret ever having fucked with him. He would also get what he felt belonged to him and that stupid bitch who possessed it now would be the one to ultimately lose all she held near and dear. He thought about Emma and how he would like to get a hold of her. Not only would he like to make her pay for how she had humiliated him but there were a few things he would like to do just because he wanted to do them. He looked over at Candy and smiled. Until he could get his hands on the other one this one would do just fine.

Nat looked down at his hand. They had tried to tell him that the little dark haired bitch did that to him. He knew better of course. There’s no way that some bird brain female had gotten the better of Nat Connors. No, the only one who was big enough to take him on was that oversized troglodyte Davis. He would bet that it took at least two others to help that son-of-a-bitch take him down as well.

They arrived at the RV Park and Candice helped Nat get settled. It wasn’t a bad looking setup and Nat had to admit it would suite him just fine for the time being. Candice of course made a point of informing him he would be sleeping in the forward area of the damn thing and she would be sleeping in the back bedroom. The reason for this arrangement was to give him his space or so she claimed. He knew better but said nothing. There would be plenty of time for him to indulge his more sadistic pleasures once he got his footing and knew just what he had access to in regards to his finances and properties. Right now his ex-wife controlled most of his land but there were a few things he knew she had no knowledge of and he was hoping the courts didn’t either.

Candy did you get me that phone? Nat needed to hit the ground running and there was an idiot he needed to get in touch with. The guy may not be the brightest bulb in the box but he had been useful in the past and he was sure that the guy could be useful again. An idiot he might be but an idiot who knew how to keep his mouth shut and do as he’s told.

Candice reached into a drawer and pulled out the phone. Here it is, ready to go. I will just step outside and give you your privacy. Actually it was Candice that needed her privacy. She had a call to make herself and Nat didn’t need to hear what she had to say.

Candice left the RV and walked to where she couldn’t be seen. She pulled her phone from her back pocket and tapped one number. When the person she was calling answered she didn’t waste any time. That stupid piece of crap kissed me, can you believe it; he kissed me?

Deal with it Candice. We need him right now and your job is to keep him happy and get the information we want.

If you think for one minute I am going to sleep with that baboon, think again big brother. Candice was so mad she was shaking.

Little sister you will do whatever is necessary to keep that man happy. Remember what we’re after. We have way too much riding on this and we can’t have you going little Miss Morality on us now. We both know better than that anyway. It wouldn’t be the first time you used your feminine talents to get what you want.

"Maybe, but they were my marks and not one that was picked for me. I’m telling you brother if this goes south like the last time I guarantee you, you’ll have me to deal with.

"Candice we both know that we don’t care one damn bit for each other. When we have what we want you and I can go our separate ways and never have to set eyes on one another again.

It's no wonder mom or dad was never real crazy about you.

Candice, mom and dad weren’t too crazy about either one of us. We were simply window dressing they had to have to complete the image of the up and coming middle class family. All the two of them were interested in was keeping up appearances.

And how did that turn out for them big brother?

Candice’s brother laughed before answering. Not real well.

Yes and you need to remember that. You are every bit as concerned about appearances as they were. You have been so busy climbing over people to get to the top that it is beginning to catch up with you. We wouldn’t be in this mess if you hadn’t run your mark off the last time. Candice was still pissed about that.

Careful Candice, don’t push me too far. You need to remember you didn’t do a great job with that one either. You got caught. We need this and we need it as soon as possible.

Yes but in the meantime I have this cow to deal with.

Well in that one area I have faith in you. You’ll bend him, I’m sure of that.

Oh I will bend him alright. Right now I had better get back to him before he comes looking for me. Catch you later. With that Candice hung up the phone. She had already made up her mind that her brother was going to go the same way their parents did.

She shut her phone off and headed back to the RV. Nat was coming out the door as she got close.

Where did you go Candy? Nat would have been out looking for her before now but he had to get some major matters taken care of and he didn’t have time to waste.

I just took a little walk while you took care of whatever you needed to. I was headed back because I was getting lonely.

Well, why don’t you come on in here and let’s get comfortable Candy baby. Nat slid his arm around her for the second time that day only this time he let his hand slip down below her waist and gave a little squeeze." He couldn’t help but smile when she stepped away from him slightly. Yes she was going to be fun.

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CHAPTER 2

Emma looked up to see Steve coming through the field in her direction. She could tell by the way he was walking he wasn’t a happy camper. She really didn’t know what to think when she noticed Alison right on his heels. Crap something bad had happened.

Emma put the brush down she had been working with and told the students to pack it up for the day. Being a professor of archaeology she was used to digging in the ground but these days she was digging on her own property. When she first came here to Missouri to settle her grandmothers estate she had no idea she would end up staying. She also hadn’t expected when they were looking for her grandmother’s, three times removed, grave that she would hit on a small Indian campsite and now she was up to her elbows with a bunch of students digging into prime farmland that she owned.

Emma looked out over the field that lay between her and the house. Up until last year this fifteen acre field had been farm land. Now it lay open and unused. At times she felt a little selfish about it not being farmed. She hoped that in the not too distant future she would be able to reforest the fields around the house. So much of the wind breaks and small forested areas were being cleared for the large farming company’s. The wildlife was fast losing their natural habitats and she found that unacceptable.

Returning her attention to the two approaching figures Emma took her gloves off and went to meet Steve and Alison. She wanted to get them back to the house before they dropped a bomb on her.

Passing Steve she said. To the house?

Steve gave a positive response and they all headed in that direction.

Emma went straight to the kitchen sink to wash her hands and after she was finished she turned to the two who had followed her in. OK you two, what gives?

Connors is out of the hospital. Steve only managed to get this out through clenched teeth.

Yeah, he got out this morning. Alison was really pissed and not bothering to hide it.

I know a lot of people who would’ve liked for them to have kept him locked up for the rest of his life but it was a mental ward. It was a pretty safe bet he was going to get out sooner or later. Emma didn’t like the idea of that man out and running around anymore than the other two but there wasn’t much they could do about it.

I was hoping they would transfer him over to the jail and keep him up there until his court date but that didn’t happen. Alison still didn’t understand why that hadn’t been the case.

Alison we don’t always get what we want. We do know that he isn’t likely to come around here causing trouble.

Emma until this guy goes to court and ends up behind bars, be careful. We have no idea what this madman is capable of so until something is done we all need to watch our backs.

You really think he is that dangerous? Emma thought they might be overreacting just a bit.

Alison is right Emma, we need to be careful. Word is he doesn’t remember what happened the night he trespassed on the property and started slicing tires. He stopped talking about ghost and started claiming that we had to have drugged him and set him up. When the DA had told Steve that story he had damn near lost it. The district attorney had tried to reassure Steve that no one was buying into his account of that night. Still, that hadn’t done anything for Steve’s disposition.

It was Emma’s turn to be mad. What? You’ve got to be frigging kidding me.

No. He’s claiming that we must’ve drugged him that night at the party. I hate to tell you this but he is saying that he was actually a guest here that evening. The way he is telling it is you must have invited him so you could set him up.

No fucking way. Surely no one is buying that ridiculous story? Emma was pacing the kitchen floor and Alison just let out an angry cry of rage that would rival Grayson’s.

The resident spooks evidently decided they had something to add and opened with a breeze that blew through the house at that moment and causing a glass to fly off the counter. Emma could understand their rage but this breaking stuff was getting a little old.

Alison who always seemed to be the quickest to respond to them decided to nip this in the bud quick. Come on you guys, your temper tantrums are getting expensive. Please find a less costly way of showing your anger.

It seemed to work because they heard a collective sigh and the breeze settled down.

Thank you. Alison also seemed to show the most patience with them as well which might have had a lot to do with the way they responded to her.

You do realize Alison you may never be able to move out of this house. I don’t think they would let you. Emma placed her arm around her friend and they leaned against each other taking comfort in the closeness.

I know I carry a gun but I have to be honest with you, as long as that crazy bastard is out there I have no intention of going anywhere. This is the one place I know we’re all safe from that jug head. Alison neither jumped nor cried out when an invisible hand gently stroked her check.

Damn!

What is it Emma?

I’m going to have to call the school and tell them we are going to have to pull the plug on the dig for now Uncle Steve. I can’t have those young people being seen coming in and out of here while that man is on the loose and we don’t know what he’s up to. I would hate to have anything happen to any of them because of this.

You really think you need to do that?

Uncle Steve you do remember who we are talking about? I think Emma is doing the right thing. Yes, we may be overreacting but I had rather overreact than ignore it and have something happen that we might have avoided. There is no point in us taking any chances with anyone’s safety and wellbeing

Alison he didn’t hurt someone until after he had the crap scared out of him by Grayson.

I know, but he did harass and bully people and a bunch of students to him would be child’s play. It’s best to keep everyone we can away from here so they don’t get caught up in anything Connors might throw at us. That guy was a menace before Granddad got a hold of him.

Girls I have to get back to town and meet Charlotte at the restaurant to go over some final details for the reception. This really couldn’t have come at a worse time.

You just get ready for that wedding Uncle Steve. We’re not going to let that low life mess up your big day. Alison assured him.

Oh Lord no! Aunt Charlotte would kill him with her bare hands. You too nuts have waited a very long time for this. What’s it been, twenty some odd years now?

Shut up Emma, and thank you Alison.

After Steve left Alison walked with Emma back out to where the students were finishing with the cleanup. She informed them that for the time being the work was on hold and she would let them know when it would start back up.

Emma I’m going to have to head back out myself. At least it isn’t like it was last year about this time. When you first returned everyone was worried about you being alone in the house but now it is the safest place for any of us to be.

I know. Sometimes I still have a hard time with the overcrowding around here and I’m not talking about the warm bodies.

There’s damn sure no abundance of the living anymore. Since Cornelius now stays in his little cabin and Aunt Charlotte has moved in with Uncle Steve we pretty much have the place to ourselves. Well and the ones we don’t have to cook for. At least we still have each other Emma.

Emma knew that Alison meant that in more than one way. After hers and Darrell’s relationship ended Alison’s personal life had been pretty lonely. Jackson, Taylor’s brother, was trying to be there for her but she was turning a blind eye to him. Thar bright idea of Alison’s mom had turned out to be a major catastrophe.

Emma couldn’t help think about how Alison’s mom had been trying for years to set her up with a man of the cloth and what does Alison do? She goes out and finds one on her own and she gets hurt. Darrell had encouraged her to take the job with the Sherriff’s Department and stay in Randles. He had thought the job would be her sitting behind a desk and not patrolling the streets. He couldn’t reconcile himself to a minister’s wife carrying a gun. The fact that he had lost his first wife to cancer also hadn’t helped. He was afraid of losing a second to violence.

Emma waved at Alison as she drove off and Emma headed into the house. She was trying to decide what to fix for dinner when her phone rang.

Hey Taylor, what’s up? Taylor had become the man in Emma’s life after Cornelius had done a little setting up of his own.

You hear the news?

Yeah, Steve and Alison stopped by to let me know. Here it comes she thought.

Is Cornelius there? Yep, there it was, right on cue.

Yes, he is out somewhere on the property doing what he does. Do you need to talk to him? Emma knew what Taylor wanted Cornelius for but she let Taylor continue to dig his own grave.

No but you need to ask him to stick close to the house for now. And there is was. Let’s all act like goofballs and play the let’s protect Emma card.

Taylor, did you just hear yourself? Did you forget where I live? Do you not remember what my other housemates are capable of? Remember the last time Connors came on this property and what happened? I damn sure haven’t. The one place we’re all safe from any physical harm is here on this farm.

Emma I’m sorry, I worry about you and don’t want anything to happen to you. You also need to remember that I got my hand nearly sliced off while on that very farm by Connors. This was true but Grayson hadn’t been very happy about any of them being here at the time.

Things were a lot different then than they are now. Grayson now likes us and tries to protect everyone here. Even Uncle Steve’s place is safe I’m sure because Matthew hangs out a lot there these days.

Taylor laughed. How is Steve handling a ghost guest at his place?

Until they decide to move on he will have to handle it the same way we handle it here. You put up with it and do a lot of praying they don’t destroy everything you have in a fit of rage. At least Matthew is relatively calm most of the time.

The others are getting better aren’t they?

Yes. When Uncle Steve and Alison told me about Connors being out earlier they started a blow up but Alison made them behave themselves and it passed with only a broken glass.

At least they didn’t blow out every window in the house and destroy all the cars again.

Fortunately the insurance companies bought the tornado story.

Emma it was a tornado, just not one brought on by the usual weather condition.

Smart ass.

Yes, but you like me. Taylor never pushed the love word with Emma. He was afraid that she still might run for the hills if he did. He felt sure that she did love him but she was still healing from the loss of so many family members and the old family curse that they had managed to end. Actually it was Emma inheriting the property that ended it but the ghost, Grayson, hadn’t been at all happy about it when she first arrived back on the farm,

Since the late eighteen hundreds Emma’s dad was the only one in his bloodline to make it to age forty and only barely. He had died when a car fell on him a couple of months after his fortieth birthday. Emma had been twelve and after her dad’s funeral Cathryn, Emma’s mom, had taken her back to Memphis where she was originally from. She swore that neither she nor Emma would ever set foot on this place again. She never did come back or so everyone thought. She didn’t set foot in Randles but she spent a lot of time in the area doing research as it turned out. She had been working on finding answers to why there was so much bad luck in the Rodger’s family. Unfortunately Cathryn was killed by a drunk driver on a two lane road in Tennessee. Among her possessions she had left a notebook for Emma with instructions for her to return and find the answers. Emma found them all right but she had almost died in the process herself.

The hostilities and curse had started back in eighteen eighty when Grayson’s son Jason, fell in love with Matthew’s daughter Mary. Grayson sent Jason up north to stop him from marrying her but by then Mary was pregnant. Grayson managed to keep the pregnancy from his son and Mary had the baby alone and she died in childbirth. She never saw Jason after he was sent away and she never held their baby daughter. Matthew lost it after Mary’s death and cursed the Rodger’s family saying that it wouldn’t end until it was put right by his female descendant inheriting all that the Rogers’ owned. What made this even sadder was that it was all over what each one believed in and nothing else.

Mary’s daughter Elizabeth was born healthy and was taken away and adopted. She grew up and had children of her own and lived to be a nice old age. Emma as it turned out was not only the descendant of Jason and Caroline, woman Jason ended up marrying. The part that was a little creepy for everyone sometimes was the fact that she was also the descendant of Elizabeth, the child of Jason and Mary. That ended the curse that Matthew had placed on the family but Grayson was having no part of it. He tried to kill Emma several times and almost succeeded on his last attempt.

Anyway just as he was about to finish Emma off Mary and Jason appeared and stopped him. Everyone could only speculate what happened then but they all figured that seeing Jason and Mary standing on either side of Emma brought home what he had lost. What the whole family had lost over time and seeing her standing between those two specters Grayson must have realized that she was his descendant in a way that no one ever before had been or ever would again. Ever since then he had stayed pretty close to her to keep her safe.

Matthew was known to appear right before and or after someone died in the family. It was thought to make sure his curse was carried out but Emma now believed that he was trying to warn people. She had been there when the car had fallen on her father and she had seen Matthew just before the accident. What she remembers about him the most was that he had looked so immensely sad.

Taylor brought Emma back to the present. You want to have dinner with me tonight?

I’d love to but I think Alison is having a bad day.

The thing with Connors or the crappy situation with Darrell?

Both I think. Why don’t you and Jackson come over here for dinner? Alison may not be ready to start another relationship right now but she likes Jackson and he does make her laugh. Emma really wanted her friend to be happy.

Sure. I need to talk to Cornelius anyway. Is Darrell still keeping those girls away from Alison?

No, he lightened up on that one. The three of them went shopping yesterday and came back all giggles. I sometimes wonder if Alison was more in love with Darrell’s two girls than she was him.

I know what you mean. Those three get together and it’s pandemonium.

Look, if what you’re going to talk to Cornelius about is him watching me, don’t. I’m a big girl and can take care of myself.

Look little Miss Smarty Pants, not everything is about you. Taylor wasn’t about to tell her that was exactly what he was going to talk to Cornelius about and if he had to those pesky spooks as well.

Ah, I’m crushed.

No you’re not. What time do you want us there this evening?

Don’t you think you should ask Jackson if h’s free and wants to come?

Get real Emma. We’re talking about him spending an evening with Alison without a lot of interruption from others. I don’t care if the world was ending tonight he would make them reschedule for him to have a chance to be with her.

OK how does seven sound to you?

Works for me Beautiful, see you then.

Emma finished the call and put her phone in her hip pocket and went to find Cornelius.

She spotted him once she stepped out the back door. He was headed toward the barn, he was coming from the direction of the road that ran down the southern side of the property and she turned that way to intercept him.

She noticed the irises were late to come up this year and she was worried that they wouldn’t be in full bloom the second week in May as was the norm. Steve and Charlotte were getting married here in the side yard and had planned their whole wedding around that. Starting in mid to late April, the irises would start blooming reaching their peak mid-May. This would be followed by the day lilies in June. During that time the ten acres of land that made up the yard and grounds surrounding the house would look like a fairy tale garden on into mid-July. There would be a sea of color from all the flowering plants that someone had started planting long before anyone here had ever been born.

The leaves had started to return to the branches