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Angus walked into his office and nodded to his partner. "How's things going on the shooting?"

Franks sighed. "Slow. We've got a lead on the identity of our second shooter, but no clue where he's hiding out. Amy's at the morgue now seeing what information the autopsy can give us."

"I just left there. Lance had something we had to discuss first thing this morning." Angus poured himself a cup of coffee, then sat down. He turned on his computer and waited for it to load.

"Something you couldn't discuss at home before you went to work?" Franks asked.

Angus grinned. "I needed to interview someone only Lance can see. How would you like to assist me in closing a seventy-year-old cold case?"

"Seriously?" Franks leaned back in his chair. "Tell me more."

"Well, I'm not even sure it's a cold case. The woman was reported missing seventy years ago. The husband said she ran off with her lover." Angus got up and closed the office door, needing privacy for the rest of the story. "Turns out, the guy's son died this week and told Lance his father had killed his mother and buried her in the backyard. He hopes we can dig her up and bury her beside him. As far as he's told me, he left a written confession about what his father did inside his house and with his attorney. The issue is, there are no surviving family members and he's leaving everything to a neighbor who doesn't even know he's receiving anything. So I need to somehow get into the house and find the attorney's information along with the confession and this guy's will. Then go from there to see if we can still find a body that's been buried for seventy years."

"Holy shit." Franks laughed. "Wow, I did not expect that."

"I know. I found a record of the woman being reported missing, but it doesn't look like much was done. I'm guessing with no other leads the cops back then just took the husband's word that she'd left with another man. I need to pull the old case file and look at their notes. Of course, nothing is digitalized, so I'll have to go look through the old files in the storage room." He wasn't looking forward to that. Nothing was where it should be in that room.

"So how old was this guy who died?" Franks asked.

"In his eighties. His dad died nearly forty years ago, and he still didn't come forward with what his father had done. He claims he was worried that he'd be blamed for not telling anyone when it happened. The father sounds like your typical abuser. He was convinced the wife had gotten pregnant by another man. Killed her right in front of their ten-year-old, then buried her in the yard that night." Angus took a drink of his coffee. "What I need to figure out is how to get into the house so I can let on there's even been a murder. Right now, it looks like some guy died at home and Lance has no idea who to release the body to."

"We can go in and look for papers to find a heir, right?" Franks asked.

"Someone could, but it's not something homicide would request being involved in." Angus sighed. "The neighbor has a key to the house, so he could let us in. I just don't want to get caught jumping into something I shouldn't have any knowledge of in the first place."

Franks tapped his pen on his desk. "Maybe this is where we can find out exactly how open Captain Marshall is to ghosts. You told him your mother sees them and he was interested in talking to her and learning more. Tell him your mom got a message about this and you want to follow up. He'll either believe you or not. At least we'll know whether or not we can take any ghost stories to him in the future by how he reacts to this."

"True." Angus still didn't like talking about ghosts when it came to people who were in charge of his career. All it took was one person to question his sanity and his career was over. While he would never deny his mother or her ability, or even Lance's if people found out about him, Angus did all he could to keep that side of his life quiet. His mother had told Captain Marshall she saw ghosts, even credited them with helping in a serious hostage situation and Angus hadn't denied anything. Franks was right and this was probably a good chance to see if Captain Marshall really believed them. "Okay, let's go see how the captain wants to handle this. Best case is we get to contact the neighbor and use his keys to get into the home, worst case is you and I get sent for psych evals this afternoon."

Franks laughed. "They send us to get evals and your mother would be in there with a pack of ghosts proving they're real in no time."

"True. Still, that's the last thing we need." Angus shoved his phone in his pocket as he stood. "Thanks for being with me."

"Always. If I wasn't, your mother would be on my ass, and I don't need that." Franks grinned as he walked out of the office.

Angus followed, his stomach knotting at what they were about to attempt. He would keep Lance's name out of things for now, but he wouldn't lie to the captain. He had to word things just right.

Franks knocked on Captain Marshall's door. "Got a sec?"

"Sure, come on in." Captain Marshall waved them in. "What's up?"

Angus shut the door and Captain Marshall narrowed his eyes. "Sorry, but this is something we don't want others hearing." He sat down in front of the captain's desk with Franks beside him. "Um, were you serious when you said that you believed in ghosts and that some people can see them?"

Captain Marshall sat up straighter. "What's going on?"

Angus exchanged a glance with Franks, then went for it. "I've got information from a man who just died about a murder that happened seventy years ago. His father killed his mother and buried her in the backyard."

There was silence for a moment, then Captain Marshall nodded. "Go on."

Angus did, explaining everything he knew about the case starting with the murder, then the man being scared to come forward all these years, then on to how the neighbor would inherit everything and didn't know about it yet. When he was done, he shrugged. "We need a way to get into the house to find that confession so we can investigate."

Captain Marshall rubbed his temple, then nodded. "Did you find anything about the victim?"

"Not much, but I haven't gone into the archives yet. There is a missing person's report on her, but it doesn't look like anyone did much with it. I'm guessing they just took the husband's word that she'd ran off with another man."

"What year was this?" the captain asked.

"Nineteen-fifty-four," Angus admitted.

"Damn." Captain Marshall shook his head. "There's probably nothing in the case file. A few notes from the responding officers, but there wouldn't have been cameras back then. Maybe a few interviews with friends, but I don't think you're going to find much. You believe this ghost?" He laughed. "I can't believe I just asked someone that."

Angus smiled, understanding how hard this was for someone who hadn't grown up around ghosts. "I haven't personally spoken to this ghost. I did ask him questions, but the answers had to be relayed to me. I don't have the ability to see or hear them. But yes, I believe this is true."

"What was the name of the ghost you spoke with?" Captain Marshall turned to his computer.

"Scott Mayburn. He died in his home several days ago. Neighbor found him and called it in. He had a stroke at the breakfast table. The M.E. has the body and is just waiting to find out who to release it to," Angus told him.

"Do you know where in the house to find the papers we need?" the captain asked.

"I do. Everything should be in a lockbox on his closet shelf. He said there is a copy of his will, his attorney's information, and the confession. He also said the attorney has a copy of the confession in a sealed envelope that is to be opened upon Scott's death." Angus glanced at Franks who had been oddly quiet beside him.

"Okay, here is what I want you to do. We need to find a next of kin anyway. The responding officers should have searched while there, but obviously didn't do a good job. Hell, maybe they just took the neighbor's word there was no next of kin and figured why bother looking for a will. I don't know what the hell they were thinking, but we'll fix it. First try to find this neighbor. His name is listed here as Jared Winder." The captain wrote something down on a piece of paper and handed it over. "There is the contact info he gave the responding officers. See if he'll let you into the house so we don't have to break a lock. Find what you need, and once we have that confession, we'll contact the attorney to handle the rest of it. He'll have to work with us while we investigate, but that shouldn't take long. If we know where the body is buried, we should be able to use ground penetrating radar to see it. Hell, maybe even a cadaver dog could still hit on it. Those dogs can smell things a century or more old sometimes."

"I was told there is a map with the confession." Angus was relieved this was going so well.

"Find out if there's anything in the archives about this case. I know it's a pain to go looking, but there has to be notes or something. The force was just a few officers back then, but someone had to write something up." Captain Marshall shook his head. "I still want to speak to your mother sometime."

"We'll do dinner one night if you'd like." Angus was more than happy to offer now that he was sure the captain wasn't going to give him a hard time about things.

"I'd like that. Now go and keep me updated on what you find out. I'm interested in seeing this confession. It's not every day we get to go back seventy years. What a horrible secret to live with, especially knowing she was buried right outside." Captain Marshall sighed. "The world is full of evil." He focused on Franks. "Any news from Detective Burns yet?"

"Not yet. She was headed to the morgue last time I spoke with her." Franks glanced at Angus.

He nodded. "She was there waiting on the autopsy."

"Good, keep me posted on that as well. Assist her as needed. This case," he waved his hand at his computer, "is seventy years old. It can wait if it needs to, but let's at least try and get his body released and buried."

"Thanks, Cap." Angus stood.

"No problem. And you talk to your mother and find a good night we can go to dinner. Somewhere quiet where we can talk openly." He smiled. "My wife is going to think I've lost my mind."

"Only for a minute. My mom will convince her soon enough that you're not crazy." Angus started to leave.

"Now that I believe," Captain Marshall said as they left his office.

Angus glanced at Franks as they headed down the hall. "Well, that went better than I expected."

"It sure did. Let's give that guy Jared a call and see when he can meet us to let us in the house. Not sure how he's going to feel when he learns he inherited a home with a body buried in the backyard." Franks went to the coffee pot, filled two cups, then handed one to Angus.

"He can always sell it. There's a bank account as well that he'll get. No clue how much is in it. This is one time it sounds as if karma got it right. The kid has been helping Scott for years around the house, and now he'll get rewarded for being a good neighbor. You don't hear stories like that often." Angus sat at his desk.

"Too bad we can't be the ones to tell him. We'll let the attorney do that. I do think we should have the attorney open the confession envelope while we are there so we can keep him from panicking and thinking he's got to report everything." Franks sat down. "He's going to be stunned he worked with this guy and had no clue."

"Everyone who knew him will be." Angus leaned forward and started typing. "I wonder what Scott did for a living." He quickly did a background on the guy. "Well, I'll be damned." He shook his head. "Our ghost was the owner of the Mayburn Hotel just outside of town. You know that big place near the golf course?"

"Yeah, it was sold about five years ago. Nice place. I handled a murder there a few years back. I remember thinking I'd never be able to afford a night there on a cop's salary." Franks leaned forward. "What else you got?"

"Not a lot. He was well known in business circles around town. Honored for his work in the hospitality industry. His hotel won numerous awards." Angus sat back. "No wonder he didn't want to confess what his father did. It might have tarnished his reputation."

"Proof that no one comes from a perfect family. Every family has its secrets." Franks nodded to the paper on Angus's desk. "Call that Jared guy and see when we can meet. I don't want to sit around here all day."

"Better than a lot of places we could be." Angus pulled out his phone and dialed. He had to only wait a few minutes before he got an answer.

"Hello?" a young man asked.

"Hi, is this Jared Winder?" Angus asked.

"It is?" There was caution in the man's voice now.

"I'm Detective Young. We were told you might have a house key to get into Scott Mayburn's home. We need to get inside and look for some legal papers. A will or something that might tell us his final wishes and who to release his body to. We figured having you unlock the house was better than us having to break in. Is it possible you could meet us there at some time today?"

There was a slight pause, then a hard breath. "Yeah, sure. I can't believe he's gone. It's weird not being able to go visit him. Anyway, it's almost ten now. I have to be at work at eleven. If you get here now, I can let you in and you can just lock up when you go. I was wondering what was going to happen to his body."

"We can be there in fifteen minutes. That would be great if you could meet us." Angus heard the emotion in the guy's voice and wished he could give him the comfort he needed. Right now, Angus had to act as if he knew nothing and be professional.

"That's great. I live three houses down. I'll watch for you to pull up," Jared told him .

"Thanks. We'll see you in a few." Angus ended the call and gave a nod to Franks. "We'll have to look around a bit and make it look like we really are searching, but it's not such a stretch that something like a lockbox might be in the closet. We see that all the time."

"We'll find the paperwork, then see if we can get in to see the attorney this afternoon." Franks stood.

"I have to meet John at my old place at three to hand over the keys and show him a few things, but that won't take too long." Angus shoved his phone in his pocket and stood. "You want to drive?"

"Sure, but you're buying lunch." Franks grinned.

"Deal. It's my turn anyway. You decide where. Just no burgers. I'm having those tonight with Lance." Angus followed him out to the cars. Once inside, he put on his seatbelt and programed the address into the GPS. "Not an expensive neighborhood like I'd expect the owner of the Mayburn to live. Then again, he probably stayed there because of his mom."

"True. You have to wonder how much her murder affected his life. I couldn't do it. I'd have to say something to someone. I can't imagine walking into my backyard and knowing my mother was buried there." Franks started the car and pulled out of the lot. "I think I'd have nightmares sleeping in the same house knowing a body was back there, even if it was my mother."

"You and me both, but he was forced to stay there when he was ten. He probably overcame that fear young. His actions might not be moral, but they make sense. I can understand his fear after so many years of being silent. It's not what I would have done, but I can't judge him for his choices." Angus sent a quick text to Lance to let him know they were headed over to the house to look for the papers. If all went well, the body at the morgue could be released this afternoon, and Angus could arrange to find out if there really was a body in the backyard. So far, everything was falling into place. He just hoped it stayed that way.