The Mystery of Kolbe Mansion: Part V

Read Part IV here.

THE MYSTERY OF KOLBE MANSION

Part V: Learning More

Uncle Bill’s face appeared a moment later.

            “We were just exploring Uncle Bill,” I said Annie came over beside me when Uncle Bill arrived.

            “Exploring huh? More like sneaking around, you guys should have stayed in your room.”

            “But you said we could go anywhere in the house we wanted except the room at the end of the hall” Annie remarked coming out from behind me. Uncle Bill sneered,

            “Supper’s ready come on downstairs.” We went back down the stairs and into a large dining room. It had a large table that sat twelve people but only Uncle Bill, Annie, and I sat at the table. Chicken was brought in along with bread, potatoes, and a variety of fruit. Uncle Bill began to eat when Annie said,

            “What about Grace?”

            “What about her?” Uncle Bill asked,

            “Don’t you say it,” Annie asked him.

            “Pray? Oh uh well you say it,” He told. She bowed her head and closed her eyes.

            “Dear Lord thank you for the delicious meal you have given us and allowing Uncle Bill to pick us up at the train station. Please help Uncle Bill to like me more he doesn’t seem to enjoy having me around, in Jesus name Amen.” Annie raised her head and began to eat not realizing Uncle Bill’s astonishment to her prayer.

            “You think I don’t like you?” question Uncle Bill awkwardly.

            “Nope you yelled at me and you don’t like my name.” Annie told him and continued eating.

            “I didn’t mean to yell at you and I do like your name I was just surprised is all. I knew some one years ago with that name, she was very special to me.”

            I looked at Annie and she looked at me. We continued eating. After supper we were sent to bed early because of our long day. There were two beds in our room separated by a night stand. Annie turned the light out and we lay in our beds.

            “Owen, where is Uncle Bill’s son?” she asked me,

            “I don’t know Annie, I don’t know.”

***

            We woke up the next morning to smell of flapjacks and bacon. We ate our breakfast in a hurry and ran out into the yard to spend our morning. We walked around the house and ended up in the garden. We saw a man, who was very old working there pulling up weeds and spreading up dirt.

            “What’s your name?” Annie asked him,

            “Oh me,” he said, “I’m Lance, the garden, and who might you two be?”

            “I am Annie,” she told him, “and this is my brother Owen.”

            “Hello Owen!” he said,

            “Hi,” I replied.

            “What are you two up to this fine day?” he asked us tugging on a root.

            “Were looking for clues,” Annie told him, “to find out what happened to Miss Anne.”

            “Is that so?” he said, “and where did ya here about her?”

            “The man at the train station told us,” I said.

            “Oh,” he replied pulling harder on the root. “It’s really a sad story about Miss Anne and her- he stopped, hoping we hadn’t heard the ‘and’.

            “And her son?” I asked. He looked at me shocked,

            “Yes,” he whispered, “did you uncle tell you about Will J.?”

            “Will J.” I said, “Was that his name? We found the birth certificate in the attic.”

            “Oh, is that where William put it?”

            “What happened to him Mr. Lance?” Annie asked him.

            “First, it’s not ‘Mr. Lance’, it’s just Lance. Second I can’t tell you what happened to Miss Anne or Will J., you’ll have to ask you Uncle that.”

            We said good-bye to Lance and Annie and I walked around to the other side of the house.

            “Well he wasn’t much help. All we know is that Uncle Bill’s son’s name was Will J..”

            “It’s a start” Annie said, “and we’re learning more!”