Page 142 of Ghost

Mason pushed the tip of the old needle into the crack, and using some force, was able to push the small piece of metal until it gave way.He heard a small click and the center board lifted a fraction of an inch.

“Pull the board up towards the outside wall,” Francis instructed.Mason did so.“Now feel underneath, towards yourself.You will find a wooden lever.”

“Got it.”

“Pull it back towards yourself,” Francis whispered.

It took a bit of force, but Mason managed to get it to move.

“There is another one further down.Do the same only push it in the opposite direction.”

Mason did as he was told.

Francis took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.“I had always feared that it would be found, especially if the house had burned down.”

Mason had to chuckle.“I doubt anyone could have randomly found this until they were repairing the roof for a leak.”

“I had not thought of that.”Francis frowned for a moment.“Pull the boards towards yourself, then you can lift the two remaining boards away."

Mason gave a good tug, and the old flooring lifted away quite easily.So easily in fact that Mason fell over backwards onto his butt.

Francis laughed as Mason sat there with the two joined boards in his hands.

“I don’t see what’s so funny.”Mason scowled at him.“Now what?”

Francis only pointed to the space under the flooring.

Mason got to his knees and looked into the hole that was there.Inside was on old lockbox.He glanced up at Francis, who nodded.He pulled the box from its hidey-hole.

Mason frowned when he saw a small lock on the box.“Where’s the key?”

Francis smiled.“Here,” he answered, crooking his finger.He took a step backwards.

Mason followed.

Francis pointed to a brick that was slightly above Mason’s head.“That brick is loose,” Francis explained.

Mason reached up with both hands and with a little work pulled the brick away.He felt around and found a small key.They smiled at each other.

Mason picked up the box and struggled to get the lock undone.“Must be some good stuff in here if you went to all this trouble to hide it.

“You shall see, my love.You shall see.”

Mason lifted the lid and found a stack of papers, all tied up in a disintegrating blue ribbon.He carefully lifted the bundle out of the metal box.When he went to pull the bow of the ribbon, it did fall apart, bits falling to the floor while most of it drifted away like dust particles.

“That ribbon used to belong to my cousin Ellen,” Francis smiled.“She had left it behind during one of her visits to Hobonny.”

Mason opened the first document that had been on top.When he saw what it was his eyes opened wide, as did his mouth.“This is a property deed for a place in London!”

“In...deed it is!”Francis laughed at his own pun.“You will find several there.”

“London.As in London, England?”

Francis laughed even more.“I do know where London is, Mason.I have been there.”

Mason looked further into the stack.There were more property deeds for houses in England, one in Paris, France and a few in New York City.Each time he opened one, he looked at Francis.

“I am a very good businessman.Or I was,” Francis stated.“I cannot take all the credit however.My father had started when I was a mere child.I only continued to do so as he taught me.”