Oakfield

By Jodi A Woody

Olivia is a writer with a life that is crazier than fiction. Book sales are down and the indie market isn't what she had hoped for. So, when she gets a mysterious letter to visit a Queen Anne home at Oakfield, she looks at it as a vacation. Little did she know that in less than one week, her life would change...forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jodi A Woody
• Release date: Oct 22, 2015
• ISBN: 9781518736568

Jodi A Woody

I've always loved the written word. I enjoy writing almost as much as reading. My tastes run from science fiction and fantasy, steampunk and westerns, to historical and romance. The only genres I don't read, ever, is horror, (Life is scary enough, why add to that?) And Erotica. My all time favorite stories are fairy tales! Especially ones that have been re-written for adults. Now that my children are now grown, I have started to write again. The ideas are coming faster than my fingers and brain can keep up with. I live in Wisconsin with my husband of thirty three years. We have raised three children of our own and had others in our home off and on over the years, through fostering and just helping those that we 'adopted'. I have nine grandchildren and am blessed to have two with me on a daily basis. Though I plan on writing some Christian fiction, I am first of all a Christian, I do plan on writing some that are purely for entertainment without any kind of "Christian message". My goal is to make some characters come alive and to provide a small place of escape for my readers.

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Oakfield

By Jodi A Woody

Copyright © by Jodi A Woody 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage the piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

Prologue

Where is the child? Horace Acerbi calmly asked his son.

Someplace safe, answered the young man. "Did you think I was capable of taking care of a baby?"

Your mother and I would have cared for the baby, Horace replied as he removed a speck of lint from his suit coat.

The sixteen year old raised his eyebrows, but refused to rise to the bait. Looking his father in the eyes he waited silently.

So you packed him off like old rubbish to be raised by strangers? the father asked shaking his head in condemnation.

Still the young man kept his peace.

Horace walked to the window of his great domain and stood gazing out at the night sky.

"I suppose you didn’t give the mother much thought. She took the news rather hard, I am afraid. The housekeeper found her, just a short time ago, hanging from the chandelier in the nursery. It seems she used your old jump rope to do the job."

You lie! the young man finally caved.

Go see for yourself, I told them to leave her. I wanted you to see what you have accomplished by your willful disregard for propriety.

You want to lecture me about propriety? yelled the youth as he ran from the room.

He took the stairs two at a time until he was on the third floor of the mansion. Blind with rage, out of breath, and riddled with guilt he burst through the door of his old nursery, and there cold and still, hung the body of the only person who had ever loved him…

1

The Offer

So what do you think? Olivia asked her husband.

I’m not really sure. What do you know about this guy? answered John looking at the formal letter hand written on fancy old school stationary.

"Not much. I googled him and didn’t come up with much of anything. All the info was from the early 1900’s, so unless this guy is a zombie there isn’t a lot of information. He is listed as the owner of Oakfield which is the name of an estate that includes a huge Queen Anne mansion. I couldn’t find any criminal records. It is a little weird though, that’s why I waited to show you. I figured if it was some kind of a time share sales pitch, there was no sense even telling you about it. There is a name and number for a law firm that I can call, Montague and Morris, I did get information on them when I did a search. They are a legitimate and prestigious law firm."

So he wants you to write the story of his family? And it says he is offering to pay all the expenses and that you would be staying at the mansion. He is guaranteeing you five hundred dollars even if the book never goes to print? John read looking up at his wife.

Yes. That’s more than I would make in the two weeks at school. The few pictures I could find of the house were interesting, the place looks huge. You know I love to tour those old houses and this could be a great opportunity for us. You know how hard it has been trying to sell my books, Olivia commented.

I know, maybe self publishing your book wasn’t the best idea. Things have been tough. Can you get that much time off from work?

I should be able to. That’s what substitutes are for. Mostly I’m just worried about leaving for that long and not being here with you, explained Olivia. How would you manage?

John was silent for a minute looking at the letter in his hands.

"I can see if Dad can come and stay while you are gone. He’s been complaining about being bored since his retirement. We would probably have to pay for his plane ticket here and back. Things are tight for him too. That would pretty much eat up your five hundred…but if we think of it as a vacation for you, then that’s not so bad. I’m not so sure that I want you traveling alone especially to a place that you can’t find any info on, John replied. Why don’t you give this lawyer a call and just make sure. If it sounds like it’s a valid offer, I’ll call dad and we can call this Lucian Acerbi and give him our answer."

The only contact info I have is his mailing address. He must be one of those old men who is technologically challenged, smiled Olivia.

I resemble that remark, chuckled John.

Hey, you’re only a year older than me, so watch it buddy. Twenty six is still a long way from being old. And you could figure out the computer if you wanted to.

"No thank you. Why don’t you go and give that lawyer a call and then we can plan your working vacation," John said with forced cheer.

Olivia hung up the phone and gave a dramatic sigh.

Should I go?

The lawyer had confirmed that Lucian Acerbi was a client and assured her that the offer was legitimate. The letter had put a longing in her heart for change. After years of hospitals, treatments, medicines, and feeling like she was stuck on a merry-go-round of nightmare proportions, she had lost her faith. Her life revolved around John and his injuries. Going back to work part time as a pre-school teacher was a necessity and it had taken her three years to finish her first published book. The indie market had looked like a doable option after having her manuscript rejected by several publishers. Now, she was just as frustrated with her lack of sales as she had been with the rejection letters.

Is it selfish of me to want a break? I love John so much, but we haven’t been separated since he came home. I even sleep at the hospital during his surgeries and physical therapy. I need to get away…and I need to get a story that a publisher will want. If John Sr. can come then I will send a letter back to this old man. Maybe he really does have a story to tell. John must be worried about our mounting bills or he wouldn’t even consider letting me go. It would be good for him to spend some time with his father. Now that his mother is gone, John’s dad is a little lost. We may not have a lot of room, but I would have gladly given up my writing sanctuary for the extra help. I don’t think John’s dad understands what it takes to take care of his son. Listen to me… how selfish can a person get and still call herself a Christian?

Shaking her head to clear away the guilt she decided to have John call his dad, Big John, before she lost her nerve.

2

Oakfield

Olivia got out of the limo thanking the lawyer for picking her up at the airport. She stood in front of an iron gate that was as tall as the twenty foot stone walls on either side. As she was looking for a buzzer or an intercom, a section of the stone wall to her right opened up like something out of a Sci-Fi movie and a middle aged man stepped out. He was dressed in old fashioned work clothes and wore a bowler hat. As he handed her a piece of paper, she couldn’t help thinking he looked like some of the old pictures of dockworkers from the nineteen twenties, even down to the handlebar mustache.

She gave a tentative smile and read the note: My name is Thomas Greene. I am mute. Please come with me and I will take you to Oakfield.

Olivia smiled at the man to indicate she understood. He simply grabbed her suitcase and turned to walk back through the door he had just exited. Olivia took