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                             The Estate of Argos
                             Chapter 1 Last Will and Testament

           "I Mark Visone being of sound mind and under no dories do hereby make this my last will and testament.  I place as executors of my estate the legal team of Mr. Harry Wiccan and Mr. Thomas Dagon.  They will execute all of my last wishes.

To my beloved wife Barbara you bequeath 50% of my total estate except my estate I called Argos.

To my darling daughter Kristen I bequeath 25% of my assets except for my estate that I call Argos.

To my beloved son Justin I bequeath 25% of my total assets except for my estate that I call Argos.

To my sisters: Jacqueline Visone, Beverly Corrally, and Charlotte Houston and to my brothers Michael and Robert Visone, I and granting you my estate that I named Argos, with the condition that you can survive. Being that I was a 7th born of a 7th born it is my wish and desire that you not take possession of Argos for 7 months and you can only move in on a Friday the 13th of any month after the 7 months. Should you choose to sell my beloved estate you must all live inside where I can show you the same torment and misery you showed me all my life. You must live inside Argos for 30 days, should you survive with your life and your sanity intact. Then it is yours.  But if you should join me in death then my beloved Argus goes to my next living heirs not yours" Mr. Harry Wiccan finished reading the will and placed in down on the table and looked at the family Kristen and her brother sat in the front their Aunts and Uncles sat behind them.

"Mrs. Visone if you and your children will follow me I have some papers for you to sign" Thomas Dagon gestured for them to follow him.

    The surviving wife and children of Mark Visone walked out of the lawyer's main room as their aunts and uncles looked on.

"Well this has got to be the most piss poor estate reading I ever had to misfortune to be involved in" Michael snapped looked right at Harry Wiccan.

"Why we were not even informed that our brother Mark was sick or even dead!!!" Jacqueline chimed in.

"Well you see---"But before Harry Wiccan could continue he was cut off again

"You had no right not to inform the next of kin!!!" Beverly commented calmly

"Mark's sanity always was lacking" Robert said sternly.

"Mr. Wiccan what exactly is Argos?" Charlotte inquired of the lawyer

"Your brother's 42 acre estate" the lawyer said looked at them all.

"42 ACRE ESTATE!!" Beverly and Jackie said at the same time.

"Oh this I got to see!" Robert chimed in.

"I bet you it's 42 areas of land with a trailer on it." Michael said

"Argus is a 23000 square foot manner, with stables, swimming pool and—" But Mr. Wiccan was interrupted again.

"23000 square foot are you serious?" Beverly said

"Mr. Wiccan can we please see the property?" Jackie asked

"Of course, but as per the will you cannot take passions for 7 months from the date of your brother's death and you must live inside for 30 days and move in only on a Friday the 13th. " Mr. Wiccan felt the need to hit on that detail of his late client's last wishes.

****


        The Argus estate was surrounded by an 8 foot tall brick wall painted dark blue; the 10 foot rode iron fence had two 15 foot stone statues on either side of the main gates stood watch. The Statue on the left the 3 headed dog Cerberus from Greek mythology the guardian of the gates of Hades.  On the right hand side a 5 headed dragon stood watch.

"These hellish things will be the first to go" Robert looked at his sister Jackie.

"It's as if it's watching us" Jackie grimmest looking at the 3 headed dog.

"Mr. Wiccan what's the value of this estate? "  Michael asked pulling out a notebook.

"According to the county clerk's office 13 million" The lawyer answered, once the cars pulled up to the front of the main house and everyone got out. Beverly looked at the house; it had an addition on each side of the main house.

"Behind the house is a massive Chinese garden" Mr. Wiccan began

"Look there's a lake, it's huge" Charlotte said

"There are stables, a shooting range, green house, art gallery, play house, servant's house, blacksmith shop and a gym." Mr. Wiccan said.

"I'm going to look around" Charlotte headed off to look around.

"I think that is a good idea, I'm sure that won't be a problem. "Beverly looked at the lawyer

"The ownership of your brothers' estate isn't transferred over until after 7 months' after his death and you stay 30 days in house and on these grounds" Mr. Wiccan stated.

"Can we go to the cemetery and see Mark after we inspect the property Mr. Wiccan? Jackie said sincerely. She looked around at her brothers and sister.

"Of course Ms. Visone" Mr. Wiccan opened the door to the estate; the parka floors had a beautiful shine to them. On the wall was a portrait of their parents when they were in their 20's.

"It remarkable, it's a perfect likeness. Where did Mark find a picture of mom and dad when they were so young?"  Robert looked at his brother Michael. Jackie looked at the painting and turned to Mr. Wiccan.

Robert looked at the artist who did the portrait of his parents "Kris Visone painted this?"

"Kristen you're kidding me!" Jackie couldn't believe her niece was capable of should good work.

"Yes Kristen said her grandparents wanted to have the portrait done as a present from them to your brother Mark." Mr. Wiccan commented and then continued.

"You're free to look around, the final reading of your brother's last will and testament will be done when and if you move in for your 30 day stay. Oh and before I forget NO spouse and No Children are permitted to stay during the 30 days" the lawyer explained

"And why not?" Jackie asked with a stern face.

"You brother insisted upon it, it's a condition of the will" The lawyer saw the puzzled looked on the women's face he was informed that Jackie was single and had no living heirs.

"Mr. Visone said, he was going to repay all of you for making his life miserable for so many years, and that his issue was with you not your spouses or your kids" Mr. Wiccan  said as his cell phone rang .

"Excuse me please" he answered it and stepped outside.

****

    Charlotte made her way into the private stables went she stepped inside there was a 16 stalls a Nanning could be heard from the far end. As she looked a chestnut quarter horse with a white blaze running down its nose stuck its head out of the stall to see who was there. Charlotte as awed by the site of the animal.

"Aren't you the most beautiful thing" As Charlotte walked over she saw a barrel with apples and carrots inside. Charlotte grabbed 2 carrots and began feeding the horse. The quarter horse began feeding the on the treats happily. As the horse moved over to one side Charlotte saw a plaque on the back wall of the stall.

"What can that be?" she looked around Charlotte was not use to being around a horse and was a little nervous. Then she saw the grain bin only a few feet away.
She walked over and opened it the grain bin was full there was a large scooper inside. Charlotte filled the scooper full of grain and opens the stall door the horse walked right over to its grain bowl. Charlotte smiled as she poured the large helping of grain into the horses feed bowl.

"That's right you just eat this all up I just wants to see what that plaque says." She smiled and patted the horse as she listen to the animal happily eat its food. Then walked over to the plaque and read it aloud.

"To my Beloved Duchess, this stall will be forever yours. I wait for the time that you and I ride together once again and I join you in the afterlife."The women stood there and blinked, "Why would you put a plaque like that up if the horse is –" It was at that point Charlotte felt a cold chill run down her back and she no longer heard the horse moving or eating its food. The temperature dropped and she could see her own breath, Charlotte's teeth began to chatter as she began to turn around the horse was gone and a disembodied snorting sound could be heard. The frighten women screamed for her life, petrified to even move.

    Mr. Wiccan heard the screams of terror and ran for the private stables he opened the door and ran toward the end stall where he saw Charlotte Houston screaming hysterically.

"Miss Houston, Miss Houston!!" Mr. Wiccan shook the women in order that she might come to her senses.

"Are you all right?" Mr. Wiccan was concerned for her.

"There was a horse in the stall!!" Charlotte began to sob

"That's not possible this stall is always empty" He was trying to be comforting

"DON'T TELL ME, I KNOW WHAT I SAW, I EVEN FEED IT CARROTS!!" she saw the looked
in the lawyers eyes.

"Come on now maybe we should go and get back with the rest of your family." The lawyer guided the frighten women out of the stall Charlotte could only manage to take small baby steps she was so scared.  Once outside the private stables they began to walk over to the house.

"No I don't want to go in the house!!" She grabbed the lawyer by the arm and held on tightly.

"We have to in order to get everybody else" He looked at her, hoping she wasn't going to get emotional again.

"If it's all the same I like to wait inside the car, I'm just too scared to go in that house after what just happened" The women's eyes pleaded with the lawyer.

"Very well Miss Houston" Mr. Wiccan showed the scared women into the back seat of his Lexus.

"Now I'll be right back, I'm going inside and get one of your brothers or sisters ok?" He was trying to be as comforting as possible.

     No sooner had the lawyer walked inside the house; Charlotte looked up and saw the doors to the private stables begin to open. There was the same horse all saddled and tacked up and being lead outside by its owner. Charlotte was so terrified that she slid her body down hoping the neither the horse nor its spectral rider would see her. Charlotte watched as Duchess rubbed her head on to her owner body.  The rider scratched the horse on her bottom jaw. The rider got on his mount and looked at the car, Charlotte eyes were locked on what she saw. She was frozen scared out of her mind, the rider leaned forward and the horse took off like a shoot running at a full gallop right for the car.

******

         An archway which read Hall of Memories was etched across the archway for all to see. A plaque on the sidewall was inscribed and read I delicate this hall to all those people who made a profound and significant impression on my life.  It was signed Mark Visone, The first of the large painting was at least 8 foot tall and 4 foot across. The first portrait was of Barbara Visone in her wedding dress standing outside in the backyard of the tiny home they first got in Jersey City New Jersey. The inscription under the painting read "Barbara Visone wife, mother, and my soul mate. 1963 –" Jackie read the inscription aloud.

       Across from Barbara painting was a stocky man at least 28 years old riding on a chestnut quarter horse a white strip ran down the horse's nose. The man had short brown hair and brown eyes and the biggest broadest smile. Jackie recognized the background it was Liberty State Park, the New York skyline was perfect it even had the World Trade Center before the 9-11 attack. Robert read the inscription at the bottom.

"Michael Tranchi friend and horsemen, you taught me about horses and about how to live my live to the fullest. I am forever grateful 1967-"   Robert read the small plaque at the bottom of the painting.
       Further down the hall was still more portraits, there was one of an United States Air Force Airmen dressed in is camouflage uniform wearing his blue beret with a patch of an eagle grabbing on to lighting bolts. The background was the main gates of Hill Air Force Base.

The inscription "Mike Gallagher you took me under you wing help me get past my fears and make it past basic and tech school. You will always have a place here in our hearts 1963- 1998" Jackie said reading aloud.

      A portrait of Kristen dressed as a witch and cradled in her arms was a black bat winged cat with crimson red eyes she was standing in front of their first house Mark and Barbara got when they moved to Indiana.  The painting itself stretched almost 8 feet high by 4 feet across, Jackie read the small inscription at the bottom.

"Don't judge me based on your ignorance by Kristen Visone" Just then the soft playing of a piano Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata could be heard further down the hallway. Jackie and Robert looked at each other then followed the sound to a room and opened the door to the music room.

"Mr. Visone, Ms. Visone" The music suddenly stopped once Robert had placed his hand on the door knob.

"Your sister Charlotte in my car hysterical" The Lawyer explained

"That's nothing new for Charlotte" Jackie laughed and looked at Robert

"She quite distraught I think you better come" Mr. Wiccan tried to get the
brother and sister to hurry but it was no use.

"The music stopped?" Robert commented and opened up to looked inside the 30x30 room. A piano and Harp music stands and chairs for at least a couple dozen guests the room was decorated in a French 17trh century fashion to represent an air for elegance.

" I really must insist that we go to my car, your sister is quite upset" Mr. Wiccan could not believe the lack of compassion from either Robert of Jackie, it was no wonder that his late employer cut off all communication with his family.

"Mr. Wiccan did my brother Mark come to you to do just his will? I mean to say have you had a lot of dealing with our younger brother" Jackie wondered just what the lawyer may or may not have known.

"Ms. Visone" He began

"Please call me Jackie we normally never stand on formality, do we Robert?" She wanted the lawyer at ease the more relax and comfortable he was with her the more she might be able to get out of him

"Well Jackie I've been employed by your late brother for close to 10 years" Mr. Wiccan commented.

"10 years, how on earth did Mark get this much money??!!" Robert asked

"He hit the Mega millions Jackpot for over 300 million" The lawyer stated calmly.

"Well I for one can't believe that Mark and Barbara didn't manage to piss it all
away!!" Jackie scolded the thought of her brother living the good life for 10 years and not including her made her blood boil.

"He never made any attempt to visit me or my family for over 30 years; he always was the oddball of the family" Robert looked back at his sister.

    As they walked outside the front door of the manner Charlotte was halted on the floor boards of the back seat of Mr. Wiccan's Lexus curled into a ball and screaming and crying wildly. Jackie hurried over and knocked gently on the back window. "Charlotte it's us, open up its ok sweetie" But Jackie's sister was too busy screaming and crying hysterically to even know she was even outside the door. Mr. Wiccan unlocked the car door with the remote on his key ring and Jackie opened the door.

"It's OK it's OK!! Ssh!!! Tell us what happened" Jackie cradled her sister and helped her out of the car. Charlotte held on to her sister tightly.

"OK let's get you inside" Jackie smiled but Charlotte was scared to death

"NO I want to go home; I don't care about anything else!!" Charlotte snapped..
Robert ran over to his sister's other arm to help her inside.

"Don't worry Charlotte everything going to be ok" Robert was worried for his sister.

"Don't worry everything gonna be fine" Jackie patted her sister on the hand
Thank god I got that prescription of tranquilizers Jackie though to herself.



*****

      Jackie handed Charlotte a cup of hot tea to help settle her nervous.

"Here sweetie, drink this" Jackie was concerned, she looked at the others in the
room. Jackie walked up to Michael saying.

"I gave her half a tranquilizer tablet that should help sooth her nerves" Mike nodded.

Mr. Wiccan's cell phone rang as he answered it he turned his back on the Visone clan so he could talk in private and walked outside the room.

"I still can't believe that Mark and Barbara hit the lottery, he always was lucky, stupid but lucky" Robert comments got a lot of approval from his brother and sisters

"Well look at Barbara, she didn't even have the decency to tell us our brother died!" Jackie shook her head in disgust.

"Well you never told any of us when his Mother-N-Law died, not one of us called him!" Charlotte spoke up

"Oh Charlotte grow up!!! That not the same thing!!" Jackie chastised her sister for even thinking such a thing.

"Let's face it Mark always was weird, married a weird wife and had that bitch of a kid Kristen and a social outcast for a son!" Beverly added her voice into the conversation.

"I asked him time and time again when are you going to visit me in Colorado. He always has one pathetic excuse after another." Robert looked at his sister Jackie and walked over to the window where a car was driving into the property.

"Mike do you think we can sue Barbara for more of the money? I mean she's not that bright, why should she get 300 million and we have to split 13 million 5 ways." Jackie looked at Mike hoping he might have an idea.

"Trust me I'll get us more money especially if we get rid of some of the crap he's got in this house" Michael stood up and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"Good Lord look who it is" Robert said looking out of the window. Jackie walked over to the window to see.
It was Kristen getting out of her small Toyota car as she headed for the front door all her aunts and uncles headed out of the kitchen except Charlotte who stayed behind.

"Kristen sweetie it so good to see you" Jackie said greeting her niece with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"What a wonderful painting you did of our parents!!" Beverly said with a smile

"Thank you" Kristen replied simply she knew her late father hated them all.

"Where did you dad get a picture of your grandparents when they were so young?" Beverly asked with a smile.

"He didn't, grandma and grandpa Visone agreed to sit for me" she looked at them Kris could see them rolling their eyes.

"Please excuse me I just want to get my cat" Kristen turn and walked toward the Hall of Memories.

Michael walked over to Jackie "Make sure she doesn't take anything from the house everything in here belongs to us now" Jackie nodded and headed toward the hallway were her niece went. As she got closer Jackie saw her niece walking out with a black cat in her arms. She smiled and looked at her niece.

"Who do we have here?" Jackie looked at the all black cat. But the cat just growled lowly with his ears flat back.  Jackie was taken by surprise by the cat's aggressive posture. Kristen's aunt noticed that the cat's eyes were red.

"Boy or girl?" Jackie asked what sex first it would be a little awkward to be in control of the conversation if she messed up on the animal's sex.

"Boy" Kris said lovingly stroking the feline's ebony fur while he rested peacefully in his arms

"Can I hold him?" As Jackie moved to take the cat from Kris and cat let out an angry hiss.

"Maybe I better not" she said Jackie smiled

"Probable a good idea to let me hold him, He has a habit of biting people he doesn't like. " Kris said calmly still petting the cat

"So um what's his name?" The aunt asked politely, Kris smiled and petted the black cat" His name is BadCat" The cat looked at and Kris and purred happily

"BadCat?, Um how nice, you know when your dad was your age he had a black cat he named it Cosmic Creepers!" Jackie smiled trying to make a joke but her niece just turned and began to walk out of the hall of memories.  Jackie turned and looked at the picture of Kristen that hung on the wall but it changed the black demon cat of missing from the picture.

"Ah, Kris where did you say you got Badcat from?" Kris's aunt was even more confused than ever.

"Oh we picked him up from the underworld Pet Smart" Kris couldn't help but smile. She could imagine the smoke pouring out of her Aunts head trying to figure that one out.

"It's so nice to see you again, even under these circumstances" Jackie was trying to be kind to find some common ground with her niece. But Kristen said nothing

"You know, you and your mom and brother can come over and visit us at any time. Won't that be fun?" Jackie smiled

"What makes you think you're going to be living here?" Kris ask annoyed

"Well your dad willed the estate to us, you know your aunts and uncles" Jackie smiled as if she had accomplished something.

"Didn't the will state that you have to stay inside for a 30 days after my father been buried for a few months?" Kris asked looking at her aunt as if Kris knew something that Jackie didn't.

"Well yes, but your father did have a way of being eccentric" Jackie smiled and tried to rub Kris on the arm, but Badcat wouldn't allow it.

         Charlotte was in the kitchen with her hands over her face, she was trying to relax and make sense of what happened to her in the stables. Just then a hand reached across and rubbed her arm up and down "Hey? What's the matter" a man's voice said kindly. Charlotte pulled her hands away from her face she was in my awe then shock sitting across from her was her late father. He smiled kindly at her, he looked just the way Charlotte remembered him healthy and strong. The 60 year old balding man smiled at his daughter.

"Charlotte I don't have a lot of time, what happened to you in the stable is just the beginning. Mark is very angry at all of you; if you agree to stay here for the 30 days he'll try and kill you!!" The old man was serious concerned

"But we love all loved him!" Charlotte couldn't believe her father even say such a thing.

"You know how strange he's always been, and he stopped talking to you for how long?" he said looking at Charlotte trying to convince her to see his side.

"Well yeah, Jackie told us some the strange things he's was into" She began to explain

"Did she!!" her father's eyes narrowed in anger

"Daddy is something wrong?" Charlotte looked concerned for her father she completely forgot she was speaking with a ghost.

"Charlotte go to Mr. Wiccan and ask him what happens if you choose not to move into Argos" He grabbed her hands and held them tightly.

"Hey Charlotte" it was her sister Beverly. Charlotte looked at her father with his kind face.

"It's all right go on" The old man smiled as Charlotte got up out of her chair and walked out of the kitchen. The old man sat there in the chair for a moment, and then
his face changed completely to a man in his 40's with wire framed glasses then disappeared altogether.

   "Charlotte, Kristen's here I guess she getting some things. Michael has Jackie keeping an eye on her." As Beverly explained to Charlotte, they walked down the hall. There they saw her two brothers Michael and Robert. Coming out of the hall of memories were Jackie and Kristen holding Badcat.

"She just came to get her kitty cat!" Jackie said with a wonderful smile on her face.

"Kris I've got a question for you and your family!" Michael narrowed his eyes in anger.

"Yes?" Kris looked up at Michael he was 5'10 but built like a brick wall.

"How about, Yes Uncle Michael" Beverly spat. Kris looked at her aunt then let out a defeated sigh, then perked her head up

"Yes?" she said angrily, Badcat growled lowly in such an odd way it was as if the cat was laughing.  Kris's uncle was not amused at all.

"WE ARE FAMILY!!" Michael yelled at her niece, then continued

"Why didn't you have the decency to at least notify us, ANY OF US! That our
brother was dying!!" Michael's was accustom to being in control 25 years as a police officer had taught  him many thing, by intimidating people came naturally to him.
Kristen stood there a second stroking BadCat then commented softy.

"My dad didn't die from some disease, it was a car accident." The girl eyes watered, BadCat looked up and Kris and the animal let out a soft meow.

"Oh sweetie we didn't know" Jackie went over to console her niece, but BadCat wouldn't have it.  The cat gave out a low some and deep growl that stopped Jackie right in her tracks.

"That exactly the point Kris, neither you nor your damn Mother or even your brother Justin never gave us the ability to pay our last respects to your father!! He was our baby brother and we loved him!!" Michael was furious and looked at his niece waiting for some response.

"Well? Don't you have anything to say for yourself?" Michael eyes were glaring at her. The rest of Kristen aunts and uncles were almost stone faced except for Charlotte who was ready to duck in the event something can flying without warning at Michael.

"When dad was in the hospital both mom and I did talk to my father about calling you. I was willing to call so was mom!!" Kristen tried to explain

"So why didn't you!!" Jackie snapped

"Dad knew he was dying and he said Let Mr. Wiccan notify them after I'm bury" Kristen looked at Jackie

"Mark would never say anything like that!!" Robert interjected

"My father said and I quote they never respected me when I was alive why should they respect me when I'm dead unquote" Kristen looked at her so called family members. They were silence for a few brief moments then Michael interjected again.

"Well then, if that was true why leave us a 13 million dollars house!!" Michael smiled.

Kristen knew at this point everything she remembered about her relatives was true and her father anger toward them and how he hated each and every one of them.  It wasn't a home to them, a 42 area manor made lovingly into a home. To them Argos was only money, that's all they cared about.

"Dad had it stated in the will; didn't he read that part to you? You have to stay here 30 days seven month after my father's death-"Then she paused and looked at them.

"You know what I better not spoil it, my dad's got quit a temper you know" Kris stroked BadCat and looked at her cat.

"You ready to go BadCat?" Kris looked down at her pet; the black cat looked up and gave a noticeable nod. And the two of them walked out the door.


     Charlotte was wide eyed; she knew that cat nodded in agreement to her niece's question.  That animal was smarter then it looked.  Charlotte walked closer to her sister Beverly.

"Michael I say we start getting an estimate on everything worth anything in this house" Jackie commented looking that he painting of her parents. She wanted that painting for herself and she wasn't going to let her siblings get it.

"Robert there's got to be pad of paper we'll start cataloging everything of worth; I don't think we find anything of any real value." Michael was confident of his Brother Mark's simple nature. As the oldest brother looked out of the corner of his eye there was Mr. Wiccan listening to everything that was being said.

"Let me make this perfectly clear!! This house is not yours!! Yet anyway!! Come with me I will finish reading the read of part of the will that concerns you." Mr. Wiccan was disgusted by their behavior. The many stories his late employer told him were true.

"Now follow me, and we'll wrap up this matter so I can be done with the likes of you people" Mr. Wiccan looked directly at the brothers and sisters. And began led them down the hallway toward the formal dining room. Inside the room was decorated in colonial 1700's an ornate fireplace sat in the corner above the fireplace was a portrait of a state trooper sitting in his squad car.

"Mr. Wiccan?, who is this?" Michael smiled as he walked up to the portrait and pointed to the trooper in the painting.

"One of your late brother friends" The lawyer explained getting his papers and the will together.

"Well the best Mark ever got was armed security guard" Michael chuckled as he looked at painting then noticed Kristen's signature again.

"Hmm, Mark's daughter seems to have some talent in doing portraits." Michael looked at the trooper in the painting. 25 years in police work he was looking for some fault he could exploit, but both the state trooper and the squad car was perfect.

"Mr. Wiccan if the officer" Robert began but was cut off by his older brother.

"Trooper, those in the state police are called troopers for a reason. They have earned it!!" The older brother snapped

   Robert cleared his throat and continued talking to the lawyer "Is the Trooper still alive Mr. Wiccan? If he was such a dear friend, Mark would have added him to the will, right?"

"No, no Trooper Bilack died just a couple of years ago." Mr. Wiccan had almost finished setting up. Charlotte stared at the painting of the state trooper and noticed two small girls sitting in the back seat of the squad car. Charlotte found herself unable to look away from the portrait. A women with short brown hair almost mystically appeared in the painting, and the trooper was now clutching the steering wheel of his patrol car as the women stood outside the car and pumped 10 rounds of a semi automatic into the troopers face killing him.


"Mrs. Houston" A shiver ran down Charlotte back as she then heard the lawyer calling her name. Mr. Wiccan looked at her happy that he got her attention.

"I would like to finish reading the final piece of your late brothers will if you please." Mr. Wiccan wanted to finish with these people, he was sorry he never took with his late employer said about his relatives.

"Mr. Wiccan one final question and we can continue ok?" Charlotte had to know.

"When did my niece do that painting?" She looked at the lawyer

"About 3 months after Trooper Bilack was murdered." The lawyer wasn't sure why she asked but he didn't care.

"How?" Charlotte asked the question so fast it took everyone by surprise

"He was shot in his patrol car by his ex-wife" Mr. Wiccan explained He stared at her and wondered.

"Did you see something? Mrs. Houston?" The lawyer asked calmly, Charlotte nodded to him then added.

"When she shot him, there were 2 girls were in the back seat, right?" Charlotte looked at the lawyer.

"That's right; his ex-wife was insanely jealous of the fact that Brandon was engaged to someone else and shot him in the face and head 10 times while their daughters were in the back seat." The lawyer explained recounting the tale.

"How could you have known that?" Jackie asked her Charlotte

"Many people have had that experience, Kristen said she painted in what she called spiritual portrait sitting." Mr. Wiccan finished up his tale hoping now he could conclude his work.

    Mr. Wiccan looked at the brothers and sisters then continued.

"Now in accordance with your brother's wishes anytime after seven months after his death you can move in on the 13th of the month, you must stay on the property for 30 days. You cannot bring any family members with you only the 5 of you, if you leave the property for any reason you forfeit your inheritance. So anything is classified from an emergency trip to the hospital to taking the car out for a test drive. Is that clear?" Mr. Wiccan looked around at all of them. Then continued

"Now if you stay on the property for 30 days you will each be given a clue to a special part of your inheritance, you will each receive something completely different.  If you do not find in 30 days you lose the right to it and it reverts to your sister-in-law Barbara and her 2 children Kristen and Justin.  But if you find that item within the 30 days you have only to notify be and I will come over and sign the item over to you." The lawyer looked around making sure they understood.

"Now if you want this special inheritance right now, you must be willing to give up your rights to the manor and I will turn it over to you. If you decide to do this you have 7 months from the date of your late brother's death to notify me, do you understand?" The lawyer looked at them.

"Let me get this straight if we stay the 30 days we get a clue to a personnel hidden treasure and if we find that treasure within 30 days we get the manor and the special treasure" Jackie asked making sure she understood the stipulations.

"That is correct but if you leave or do not survive your portion reverts back to your sister-in-law and her two children." The lawyer added

"Why wouldn't it go to our next of kin?" Michael said angrily, the thought if this gold mine going back to Barbara and her 2 brats wasn't going to fly with him.  Maybe we should get in touch with a lawyer ourselves, there's got to be a legal loophole we can exploit!

"And if we choose not to take the manor we still get the special inheritance right Mr. Wiccan?" Charlotte was remembering her father warning, she was leaning toward just getting what she could and leaving.

"What exactly are were talking about here Mr. Wiccan, just what sort of special inheritance did Mark have in mind for us?" Beverly asked

"Well there is a 40% ownership to a diamond mine for his sister Jacqueline" Jackie was beaming 40% of a diamond mine she would have all the money in the world she ever wanted.

"There are the rights to a small hotel and the Bahamas for Beverly called Coral Reef." Beverly saw the dollars sign in her mind running a hotel in the Bahamas would be like being on a vacation and getting paid for it.

"$5,000 a month for the rest of your natural life goes to you Mrs. Houston"
Charlotte smiled she barley made $3,000 a month for herself and added $5,000 would put an end to all her financial woes.

Mr. Wiccan looked at them then continued with the brothers." For Robert there is a boat valued at 95,000.00" Robert's eyes widen and his jaw dropped he was an avid fisherman and even if he didn't like the boat he could sell it and use the money to put a down payment on another boat, a bigger and better boat.

"And for my brother Michael ownership of a local armed security company with 32 employees for him to run if he wishes it." Michael just smiled.

"Now your brother Mark died on July 11 of this year, so 7 months would make it February which so happens to be on a Friday you can move in and begin this little adventure. I have some papers for all of you to sign and if you still wish we can go to the crypt to see your brother." Mr. Wiccan looked at Jackie first she was the one who first mention it.

   "Is the cemetery far from here Mr. Wiccan? Maybe we should get a bite to eat first before we go, we would be happy to pay of course" Beverly said without batting an eye. The lawyer looked at Beverly confused then clarified saying.

"Your brothers crypt isn't in the cemetery Mrs. Corrally" He smiled

"It isn't!!" Both Jackie and Robert said at the same time.

"No the family crypt is here on the grounds, right under this very house" Mr.
Wiccan clarified

"What that will bring the market value of the property down!!" Beverly squawked

"That moron never could do anything right" Michael said looking at his brother
Robert.

"Oh god Mark what were you thinking!!" Jackie said then continued "This isn't the
1700's nobody puts crypts in the back of homes anymore" Jackie placed her hands on her head and shock her head in disgust.

    Mr. Wiccan just stood there and stared at his late employer's family in disbelief, he
knew that Mark didn't like them and that he stopped all communications with them for more than 10 years. And here they were bickering about how the crypt would devalue the manors' property value.  Oh Mark can you forgive me for doubting you?  Just finish your job Harry, have them sign there paperwork and you won't have to deal with them until February at least. Once all the proper paperwork was filled out and the last of several tedious questions answered it was time to visit the crypt.