Treasured Legacies (A Mary O'Reilly Paranormal Mystery) Read Free Page B

then looked across the room. Bradley
was instructing Clarissa on how to put only a little butter on the toast, while
he helped remove the thick coating she had already put on it. “You’re all going
to make it,” he said softly.
    She smiled up at him, absently placed her hand on her
stomach and nodded. This is going to work ,
she decided adamantly. We are going to
make a great family.

Chapter Four
    After assuring Bradley that she could drive her car, Mary
finally arrived at her office a little after nine o’clock and Rosie was already
waiting for her at the front door.
    “Well, you’re here bright and early,” Mary said, as she
stepped out of her car, pulling her purse and computer bag along with her. “How
was your Sunday?”
    “Stanley and I had a nice quiet Sunday, just being lazy,”
she replied, as she studied Mary’s face. “But more importantly, how are you
feeling?”
    Trying to smile convincingly, she nodded. “I’m good. Much better.   Thanks
so much for all you did on Saturday.”
    “All I did was to nearly get you and Clarissa killed because
I didn’t watch her,” Rosie said, her eyes downcast. “I can’t tell you how sorry
I—”
    “Rosie, it wasn’t your fault,” Mary insisted as she put her
arm around her friend. “Clarissa wasn’t honest with you.   You thought she was safe and secure with
Katie. You would have never left her otherwise.”
    “But—” she began.
    “No buts,” Mary replied. “It simply was not your fault.
Okay?”
    Rosie nodded. “Okay,” she exhaled softly.
    Unlocking the door to her office, she held it open for Rosie
and then put her things on the desk. “Have a seat,” she offered. “I’m just
going to start my computer.”
    She pulled her laptop out of the bag and attached it to the
docking station on her desk.   She powered
on the laptop and then sat down in her chair and turned to Rosie. “So, what’s
up?” she asked.
    “Actually, I’m here with a business proposal,” she said and
lifting one eyebrow added, “A paying business proposal.”
    “Well, this is a great way to start a Monday morning,” Mary
replied with a smile. “What can I do for you?”
    Searching through her purse for a moment, Rosie finally
pulled out an index card and handed it to Mary.   “This is a listing of mine,” she said. “A lovely old
home out in the country.   The
house is large and well-maintained and the acreage around it is breathtaking,
but we’ve been trying to sell it for over a year and there are no bites.”
    Mary looked at the address. It was on a quiet road between
Freeport and Lena, a nice area.   “Is it
overpriced?” she asked.
    Shaking her head, Rosie scooted forward in her seat and
lowered her voice. “It’s haunted.”
    “Actively haunted, like ghosts showing up during an Open
House?” Mary asked.
    “No, nothing like that,” Rosie said. “Just an uncomfortable
feeling when you enter the house. Everyone who’s taken a tour loves the
outside, but once they are inside, they want to hurry out.   No one knows why.   Or at least, they aren’t willing to say why.”
    “Did anyone die in the house?” Mary asked.
    Rosie nodded slowly. “Yes, although the owners didn’t talk
about it, I did some research,” she explained. “The husband of the woman who is
selling died in a farming accident. He was suffocated in a grain silo.   I think he’s haunting the house.”
    “Well, that would make sense,” Mary said. “Perhaps he
doesn’t know he’s dead.”
    “That’s what I thought too,” Rosie agreed with a smile. “I
thought you could just come out to the house and have a conversation with him
and then he could move on.”
    Sitting back in her chair, Mary folded her arms over her
chest. “You know it’s not always that easy,” she said. “What does your client
think about having me check things out?”
    Avoiding Mary’s eyes, Rosie chewed her lower lip nervously.
“Well, about that,” she began.
    “You didn’t tell