Page 22 of Ghost

T he next day was more of the same. Mitch and Paul both worked on the bathroom, getting the final pieces of tile cut and placed, and then the grouting.

Mason went to the bank to deposit the check he’d gotten from Nick and Patty, and then hurried over to the big box store to get some hardware for the bathroom.

He’d decided to splurge and get a new toilet and all new faucets. Mason thought he could still use the bowl of the sink, although the pedestal would be a memory before he was done. But, until he found what he was looking for, it would have to do.

When he pulled up next to the side wall of the courtyard, on the side street, he noticed a car there, so he parked a bit farther down, closer to Nick’s store.

It was only a little after nine in the morning, and it was already blazing hot and the humidity was enough to make you think you were swimming, it was so wet.

“Hey, Mason. We got comp’ny,” Mitch said as he stood up. He stretched his back. “All the grouting is done. It might take a while to cure up since it’s so damn sticky outside.

“Tell me about it.” Mason wiped his forehead. “I’m going to have to think about getting some air-conditioning in here. I doubt I could sleep in this kind of weather.”

Mason heard Paul talking to someone in the living room. He looked at Mitch and whispered, “Who’s here?”

Mitch grinned. “Go and see.”

Mason went into the living room and saw Paul up on a ladder hanging an antique light fixture. The man standing holding the ladder turned and greeted Mason.

“I had to come see for myself.” The guy waved his hand around the room. “It’s like this room was where it was meant to be.

“Hi.” Mason shook the man’s hand. It was the guy from the salvage yard. “Glad you think so. I know I do.”

“I had to come see for myself,” he said again as he handed Paul a screwdriver. “You’re now the go-to guy for historical renovations, it seems. I’ve heard your name several times since Friday. I need to get your number. After seeing this, I’ll make sure to recommend you without hesitation.”

“Just what Mason needs, more work.” Paul took a step down from the ladder. “Hey, Mitch, you wanna flip that breaker on and let’s see what we got here.”

Mitch hustled out. Paul got off the ladder and looked up. “I can’t say it’s my taste, but damn, that looks like it was always there.”

“It’s on!” Mitch yelled.

“Flip the wall switch on,” Paul directed Mason.

Mason was flabbergasted. Paul was right. It did seem like the whole room was original to the house. It all fit together, and the new light just finished it all off.

“I know we introduced ourselves before, but I’m Mark Hempstead,” the salvage yard guy said.

Mason shook his hand. “Mason Montgomery.” Mason was glad that Mark had reintroduced himself because Mason had forgotten the guy’s name.

Mark chuckled. “Oh, I know who you are.”

“Um... how much is this light?” Mason asked hesitantly.

“It’s a welcome gift.” He looked around the room. “Consider it priming the pump. I hope to be seeing a lot of you in the very near future. If there is something specifically that you need, and can’t find it, let me know and I’ll see if I can’t get it for you.”

“That’s almost the same light that was in the dining room upstairs,” Francis whispered in Mason’s ear.

Mason had to blink a few times to keep himself from looking over his shoulder at Francis. “I might be looking for another fixture like that for upstairs. I’m thinking the dining room.”

“Certainly,” Mark said. “I may have exactly what you’re looking for. I also have a drop pendant light from the same era, the same house this one came from actually. It hung above the stairs. I’ll hold onto them for you.”

“Thanks,” Mason replied. “I’ll have to come over and take a closer look to see what you have. I’ll make a list of things I’m going to need.

Mark reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “Give me a call or come by the shop.”

“Knock, knock. Anyone home?” Patty yelled from the open door.

“In here, Patty,” Mason called back.

When Patty entered the room, she looked at the new light. “Wow.” She looked at the men in the room. “If I didn’t know any better, I would have said this room was original.”

“That’s exactly what we were just sayin’,” Paul said.

Patty turned on Mason. “Is that bathroom done yet?”

“Jeez, Patty, it’s not even ten o’clock yet,” Mason answered.

“Well, is it?” Patty stood there with her hands on her hips.

“We’re waiting on the grout to dry, which may take all day in this humid weather,” Paul answered for Mason. “Might need to go and get a fan to blow on it.”

Patty shook her head. “Men.” She strode out, arms pumping. “Sometimes I just wonder how y’all get anything done at all.”

Paul, Mitch and Mason all cracked up laughing, while Mark looked somewhat startled.

“Don’t mind her,” Mason said, wiping his eyes. “She’s in a hurry for me to get started on one of her projects.”

“Ah, that would explain it,” he answered, also laughing. “How many projects?”

Mason sighed. “At least two to start with. I have a feeling she’s going to want to do more, though. And then there are a few of her friends that are also wanting work done.”

Mark chuckled. “I had a feeling you were going to be busy just from what I’ve heard.” He turned and looked at the room again. “I’ll let you get to it. I don’t want to hold you up.” He faced Mason. “Make sure to come by the shop later next week.”

Mason shook Mark’s hand again. “Thank you for the light. It’s amazing.”

“It was my pleasure.” Mark nodded to both Paul and Mitch. “You gentlemen have a good rest of the day.”

After Mark had left, the three of them stood looking into the bathroom.

“I’m not sure what all we can do until this grout has had a little time to cure up,” Mitch said, yawning. “Hell, I need a nap.”

“That’s what you get for staying out all night,” Paul harrumphed.”

Mitch frowned at the bigger man. “I did get some sleep, thank you very much.”

“Here, come help me with this thing,” Patty said from the doorway. She had a large pedestal, oscillating fan dragging behind her.

Paul stepped forward and picked up the heavy fan. “Wow, this will certainly help.”

“Out on the curb is a dehumidifier,” she said directly to Mitch.

“I’m on it.” Mitch squeezed through the door frame around Paul.

Paul set the fan up in front of the door to the bathroom, got an extension cord and had it running full blast in under two minutes. By that time, Mitch hauled in the big floor dehumidifier, setting it up in the middle of the small dining room area.

“There,” Patty said, dusting her hands off. “That should help speed things up.” She looked at Mason with one eyebrow raised. “What else do you have to do in there?”

Mason shrugged. “Once this grout is dry, only thing left to do would be to wash it off and then paint, get the new toilet in, put the sink back in and install the faucets.”

“How long will all that take?” she asked.

Paul and Mitch looked at Mason. “If we all jump on it, I guess only a few hours, I’d say,” Mitch said.

“Hmm.” Patty again put her hands on her hips. “Then I suggest you get that big tub out of the apartment over the store while you have some help.” She looked at Paul and Mitch. “Y’all still leaving Wednesday?”

Both men nodded. “Yes, ma’am,” Paul said.

“You got nothing else to do, now do you?” Patty smiled. “I might even convince Nick to throw in some lunch.”

“I’m there,” Mitch said, already licking his lips.

Patty stared at Mitch. “How is it you eat so much and stay so damned skinny?” Before Mitch could say anything, she was already out the door.

Paul whispered, “Skinny ass.”

* * * * *

M itch, Paul and Mason stared at the old cast-iron, clawfoot tub. None of them were looking forward to hauling the thing down the stairs. It was a sure bet that it was going to weigh a ton.

Mitch set down his toolbox. “I’ll get it disconnected. Do we know where we’re gonna put this thing once we get it outta here?”

Mason shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll go ask Nick where he wants it,” Paul answered, heading off downstairs.

Mitch knelt down with a large pipe wrench ready to start. Mason went to check out the bit of kitchen there was. He leaned over the one cabinet to see how it was attached when an old man yelled at him. He was cussing up a blue streak.

Mason stood up startled. “What in the hell?”

“What is it?” Mitch called from the bathroom. “You need help?”

Mason looked at the man who was standing in front of the cabinet now, his arms crossed. He was barefoot, wearing a stained under shirt and pants that’d been out of fashion for at least twenty plus years, also stained.

“No, I’m all good,” Mason yelled back. He turned back to the man. “Who are you?” Mason whispered.

The man glared at him. “None of your business. You need to leave here. Get out of my house.”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that, and this isn’t your house anymore,” Mason said quietly, moving slightly towards the man.

“It is my house,” he yelled. “Get out!” He pointed towards the door.

Mason shook his head. “I’m sorry, sir, but that’s not going to happen.”

It was obvious that man wasn’t about to move. Mason went into the bathroom and riffled through Mitch’s toolbox.

“What’cha lookin’ for?” Mitch asked, still bent over the bathtub.

“That little crowbar and a hammer.”

“Crowbar is in the bottom.” Mitch looked over his shoulder at Mason. “Hammer should be in that tray on the floor.”

“Got it.”

Mason walked back out into the kitchen area. The old man wasn’t there, but he had a feeling that as soon as he started to remove the cabinet the old man would be back.

He looked at the cabinet and wondered what was so important about it.

It wasn’t like it was worth anything. He peered inside and didn’t see anything.

Mason wedged the crowbar in behind the old thing and as soon as he started to pull, the old man came screaming back.

Mason took a deep breath, knowing what was coming.

The old ghost ran through him, attempting to keep Mason from removing the cabinet. Mason couldn’t help but shiver. The taste in his mouth wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been with Francis’ mother, but still bad nonetheless.”

Mason pulled hard on the crowbar and the cabinet came loose, nearly toppling over onto his feet. The old man rushed Mason again, screaming he had no right and to get out of his house again.

Looking closely behind the cabinet, he saw a hole cut into the plaster. Mason stuck his hand in and felt a metal box. Lifting it up, it was just small enough to fit through the hole. The old man continued to scream and cuss.

Mason set the lockbox in the sink, took a deep breath and opened it. “Holy shit!”