A Century of Wandering

By Julia Peper

A couple’s move to an old West Virginia house stirs up a haunting hundred-year-old mystery . . .
 
June 23, 1923: Local Couple Disappears Under Suspicious Circumstances
 
Thanks to a new job opportunity, and with their children now grown, Mary and her husband, Rick, have moved from Indiana into a one-hundred-year-old home in West Virginia. But while adjusting to such a big change in her life, she has no idea that she is about to encounter the ghost of a woman named Jillian—and become instrumental in helping her solve the mystery of how she and her beloved disappeared without a trace so long ago, after the warm moonlit night they planned to meet under the old oak tree and elope . . .

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Feb 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781639842957

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A Century of Wandering

Julia Peper

A Century of Wandering by Julia Peper

Copyright © 2020. All rights reserved.

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Published by Pen It! Publications, LLC

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ISBN:  978-1-954868-04-5

Edited by Rachel Hale

Cover Design by Donna Cook

Prologue

She looked out the window past the ivory lace curtains at the moon shining in the dark night sky, its shimmering light dancing on the mountaintops in the distance. This night was going to be one burned into Jillian’s memory always, the night that she pledged her love to Kevin and bound her life to his forever, her wedding night. There would never be a night more important than this one.  The emotions that were running through her were indescribable. She felt nervous and exhilarated all at the same time if that was possible. In just a matter of hours, she was going to be Mrs. Kevin Butler. She had loved him since she was in seventh grade, and now she would finally be tied to him for life, and no one could stop that. 

Kevin would be waiting for her down by the large oak tree at the end of the street as they had discussed earlier in the day. Was it really just a few hours ago that he had asked her to elope with him? She would have rather had a wedding where her family could have been there to celebrate with her, but it wasn’t to be. They did not like Kevin and thought that nothing good could come from her being with him. They hadn’t always felt that way, but in recent months, they had drastically changed their feelings for him. Although it saddened her to know this, it didn’t take away from how much she wanted to share her life with Kevin. She knew that he had taken some risks, but all was going to work out just fine. They would have a wonderful life together. They would have a home of their own, children to love, and a future that she had always dreamed would be hers. 

She took one last look back at the lavender bedroom that had been hers for the past eighteen years of her life, and then she was gone. She threw a leg over the windowsill, carrying her satchel, and climbed down the trestle. Once on the ground, she began to make her way through the yard to the oak tree. The night was warm, and the only sound that could be heard was the noise of nature. She ran in her excitement and made her way there in no time. As she approached the tree, she thought she could see Kevin leaning against it in the light from the moon she had gazed upon earlier. He was so handsome, even in the moonlight she could see the confidence vibrating from his stance against the tree. This was it; it was really happening.

Chapter 1

Mary lay underneath the old oak tree in her backyard, gazing up at the twisted limbs that seemed to reach out like fingers toward the tranquil blue Indiana sky. Early summer in Indiana could be a great season in a state that was known for its rapid changes in weather. Many said that if you didn’t like the weather, just wait a few minutes and it will change. This particular day was a wonderful one because there was not a cloud in sight, and the temperature was perfect at 70 degrees. And that is one of the reasons why that for this one moment in time, life seemed so simple, almost perfect really. It was a beautiful day with just enough wind to carry the scent of lilac from the flowers out front that Mary put so much love and effort into each summer.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this could last for just a little while longer, she thought? Why couldn’t it?  She closed her eyes and let the peace surround and engulf her, taking her to a place and time of serenity.  She drifted back to a time decades before, a period in her youth, where she felt safe, loved, and carefree.

Go ahead Mary. Give the line a jerk! You have a fish!

Daddy, Daddy!!! I got it! Look at it, it’s squirming! Can we keep it?

No honey, we are going to put it back and let it live to be caught again. 

Maybe I can catch one too! yelled Sabrina. 

Sabrina was Mary’s younger sister by three years, and the girls had a great time together for the most part. They argued some, but no more than could be expected from siblings. They were two different types of girls, but they were close and loved each other immensely, and always tried to help each other out. 

Come over here Sabrina, I see lots more fish. I’ll help you!

I am afraid that it is time for us to head back to camp now girls. Your mother will have dinner ready, and we don’t want her to get everything done, and we aren’t there to enjoy all her hard work.

So, the three started back from their afternoon of fishing. What a great afternoon it had been. Mary’s dad was such a gentle man, and you couldn’t have asked for a better father.  He loved his girls very much, and they never doubted it. He thoroughly enjoyed his time with his girls, as he affectionately called them. 

Her mom did have dinner ready upon their return, hamburgers, hotdogs, and macaroni and cheese. It was one of those meals that you eat sitting around the campfire, which is exactly what they did. The memory of it was so fresh in her mind, she could almost smell that campfire.  Oh, how she loved to make s’mores over the fire. They used to love making them so much that they usually made more than they could eat. But somehow their dad could always find room for one more.

Mary had loved the times they went camping. It was such a relaxing time with no television, telephones, and other distractions. Her father and mother didn’t have to work, and everyone could enjoy each other. There was none of the stress of everyday life when you were camping. Somehow, being away from the normal things made a world of difference in one’s attitude. It was truly a time of bonding for a family. It helped to center everyone, giving them a sense of what is really important in life. This was definitely why Mary and Rick made sure they took her children Keith and Savannah camping often. As a result, Keith was an avid outdoorsman, and Savannah went camping as often as she could.

Last fall, Keith had hiked forty miles of the Appalachian Trail with a friend. Mary and Rick were nervous about it because he had never done anything like that before. But all had gone well, and Keith had really enjoyed himself. He had learned a lot about what he needed to carry and what wasn’t necessary. He said that his backpack was forty pounds on that trip, but now he has narrowed it down to twenty-six pounds, which is a lot more doable for him on long excursions. Even his dog, Ziggy travels with him and has her own backpack of supplies. I guess we made an impact on him, thought Mary.

She was lucky to have had a wonderful childhood. Her parents loved her and tried to provide her and her sister with a good life. They were hard working, upper-middle class people.   Mary’s life had been carefree as a child. No one depended on her to make decisions that would affect everyone’s life. Oh sure, there were times when her life wasn’t easy, but all in all, she always knew that she was loved and had family there to support her.    

Those simpler times seemed forever ago at the moment. Mary had come out back after her morning workout. At fifty, she tried to take care of herself. She had exercised on and off all of her life. She had smoked for twenty-seven years, and finally quit at the age of forty-five. So far, she was a pretty healthy woman. She knew the current calm was only momentary, but she needed to steal what time she could for her own peace of mind. It wasn’t as if she was busy as she was when Keith and Savannah were young, but she was busy doing the things she wanted to get done during the day, and she just needed a few minutes to herself. She needed to relax, unwind, and find the serenity to approach the day’s tasks with a calm and confidence that came from having control over her emotions and thought process. Mary was a firm believer that she could accomplish anything with the right attitude and frame of mind. Now if she could only apply her philosophy to today’s dilemma. How had she gotten herself in this position? It seemed that just when life started to feel secure and comfortable, something always happened to shake things up. 

After all, Rick was a great husband and father. Her difficulties were trivial compared to others she knew. But still, it was her dilemma, and at this point it seemed like a life altering decision. It felt like it, because it would change her life as she knew it. Rick had been offered a job in West Virginia. It was a great opportunity for him and would also offer further advancement in the coming years. Although he really wanted to take the job offer, he was letting the decision be Mary’s. He wanted her to be happy, even if it was at his expense. He really was a wonderful man. Mary had always felt very blessed to have married him.

What would be the best in the long run? The children were grown and starting their own lives. There was a sizable increase in salary that Rick was being offered as a supervisor at the new automobile plant that was being built in West Virginia. They wanted him to help hire and train the maintenance crew for the plant. He could also move back to Indiana and keep the position here once that factory was up and running, which would likely be a two-year period. If he took the position, they could likely move to an upscale neighborhood in Charleston. It would be nice to not have to worry about money for a change. They were probably considered a upper-middle class household, but they still had to watch how they spent their income. Mary was a third-grade teacher. With both their incomes, they were able to live in a modest home, and provided their children with the things they needed, and most of what they wanted. Still, they were always mindful of their spending and its’ effect on their future plans. There would be some wiggle room if they made the move to West Virginia. Oh, what should they do?!

She seemed to keep thinking in a circle about it. All of these things she had thought about a hundred times or more. But she always came back to the fact that she really just didn’t want to move. Greenfield, Indiana was her hometown. Oh, she had moved away for college, and she and Rick had lived in Colorado when they had first married for six months, but other than these time periods, Greenfield had always been her home. Her family was here. How could she leave her mother? She was 73, how many more years would she have left? 

Mary, are you there?

Wow, it was almost as if her mother knew she was thinking about her, and somehow managed to show up at that exact moment.

Yes, Mom. I’m out back. What are you doing, getting your running done for the day?

Mary’s mom, Jean, was 73 but looked like she was in her sixties. She was five foot one and had a petite frame. She hadn’t had an easy life. She had lost her own mother at 16 to cancer with three younger siblings to left at home. She worked hard for everything she had. She and Mary’s father had  worked hard as well for all that they had obtained over the years. They were great parents and very family oriented. They did everything they could for Mary and her sister. Yes, she had been lucky. 

Mary’s father had died of a heart attack eight years earlier. It had been very difficult for her mother, and there were times when Mary wasn’t sure her mom would make it, but she had and eventually