Keeper: Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Four hours later and Jamie was dust covered and realizing the house was far larger than he had ever imagined. The notebook he had grabbed to take notes from the journals, should he manage to find them now held a scrawled map showing the vague whereabouts of rooms. He shook his head at the sketch realizing an architect would have laughed long and hard at his floor plans. For the most part they consisted of vaguely rectangular boxes containing quickly scrawled notations of what was stored in the room.



“At least I can find them again if I have to,” Jamie said as he closed yet another door behind him. At the moment he wasn’t really sure he would ever need to find that room again since it held a variety of ladies clothing that he thought might have been the height of fashion at the turn of the century. “Make that last century,” he amended. “Although I would have to wonder what Albe was doing with ladies clothing from the year 2000 if I came across it.” An amusing image skittered across his brain and he let it go with a snort giving no validity to it. “After all,” he said as he made notes. “If Albe were cross dressing I’m sure he would do so with class. No rhinestone studded princess t-shirts for him.” Jamie moved across the hallway and opened yet another door.



“Now this looks promising,” he said. The walls were lines with shelves. And the shelves were filled with books remarkably similar to Albe’s journals. The floor was piled high with wooden crates of varying sizes and Jamie wound his way around them, moving towards the shelves. “Apparently everyone took the term Keeper seriously and never threw anything away.” Jamie reached the shelves and pulled out of the volumes down. It had the year 1904 stamped on it’s spine in flaking gold numbers. Jamie flipped to the first entry. It was dated September 12th, 1904. The handwriting had faded to a sepia tone but was still quite legible.



“Someone passed penmanship class with flying colors,” The letters were uniform and all clear to read. Jamie’s penmanship had always earned him a U for unsatisfactory and disappointed looks from his teacher who always believed he was capable of more. Jamie scanned the entry and found the author had a dog named Bess who had given birth to four healthy puppies. Someone named Emma had fallen in love with the brown one with one white foot and white spots on the tips of its ears. The entry was written with such warmth and affection that Jamie had to smile. It didn’t actually help him out of his current dilemma though so instead of continuing on with the entries in order he flipped towards November. There was no mention of Lune Merdos either on November 2nd or in the days preceding it. Jamie put the volume back on the shelf and idly ran his fingers through his hair as he thought about things.



“Lot of books to go through,” he said. “Even if I’m just concentrating on November entries. Maybe looking for the book on House first would be a good idea.” Making sure he could sleep safely while looking for references to Lune Merdos seemed like a good plan. His eyes scanned the shelves, looking for a volume that didn’t resemble a journal. Nothing looked immediately apparent. He moved slowly around the room, taking more care with his steps after banging his shin on one of the crates. Again nothing. Jamie sat down on one of the crates and rubbed his sore shin as he thought about it.



“Okay,” he said to himself. Talking through a problem usually got him the best results even if it had always caused rolled eyes when living with family. Out of habit Jamie glanced around to make sure no one was with him.



“Okay,” he repeated. “If I had a book that I wanted to keep safe what would I do with it?” He thought about it. “I would put it in a place only I could get to.” He looked around the room.



“Well since no one else can find this place it is safer than a bank vault.” He drummed his fingers on the crate liking the thumping sound they made on the wood.



“Would I lock it up?” He looked at the other boxes in the room and realized he’d need a crow bar to search them.



“Maybe but what if I wanted to consult the book every now and then? I wouldn’t want to have to grab a crow bar every time I wanted to read it. I’d want to keep it simply like the journals. Those you can just pull off the shelf.” He looked at the shelf.



“Except it isn’t on the shelf. The shelves only have the journals.” A light bulb started to flicker in the back of Jamie’s brain.



“Unless it is on the shelf. If I wanted to keep something safe I would make it look just like everything else so it wouldn’t stand out.” He looked back to the shelves at the rows and rows of journals.



“Damn this is going to take a while.” The light bulb got brighter.



“House,” he asked.



“Yes Keeper?”



“Do you by any chance know what year you were built?”



“Of course Keeper, it was inscribed on the cornerstone of my foundation.” Jamie shook his head.



“Could you tell me what that year was?”



“Yes.”



“What was it?” Jamie clarified realizing he was going to have to remember to be more direct when dealing with House.



“1852. I was started as an Italianate and then modified with Queen Anne elements when I was later modernized.”



“Really?” Jamie said politely.



“Yes, The Keeper of the time married and the family needed more room. His wife preferred the new style.” Jamie wondered if the clothing in the other room belonged to the Queen Anne architecture loving wife.



“I see,” Jamie said, standing and moving back towards the shelves. Once there Jamie scanned the dates on the Journal’s spines. Apparently Albe was the only one who put start and finish dates on the covers. Everyone else simply made do with years. When Jamie reached 1852 he smiled. There were two volumes with that particular year on the spine. While there were several other duplicate years on the shelves, no doubt representing active times, Jamie had a good feeling about this one. He pulled the first volume down. It was a journal, like the others. He put it back on the shelf and took the second volume from 1852 down.



“Jackpot,” he said as he flipped through the pages. Details of floor plans and construction notes met his eyes. There were even little drawings scattered throughout the book that reminded him of the field guide Albe had provided him with. Jamie flipped to the cover and sure enough the name on the fly leaf was Alexander Fulton.



“Same as the other book,” he smiled. Tucked into the back of the book was a map. “That will be helpful.”



“Keeper,” House said, interrupting his perusal of the volume.



“Yes?”



“Your housekeeper is looking for you. He seems somewhat distressed by your absence.” Jamie shut his eyes for a moment and mentally cursed himself blue. Del wouldn’t be able to find the floor he was on and after the recent attacks had cause to worry over his absence.



“I’m on my way,” Jamie also realized House would be unable to tell Del his whereabouts. Jamie slipped the map back in the book and decided to take both with him. It wasn’t as safe as leaving it in the store room but at the moment availability was more important. Jamie left the sore room, pulling the door shut behind him with his free hand. He quickly strode through the corridors and back towards the more accessible parts of the house.



“Where is Del?” Jamie asked House as he moved.



“On the floor with the library.” Came the response. Jamie altered his path to lead himself back up to the library rather than down towards the kitchen. Del caught sight of him as he cleared the landing. The relief was written plain across his face.



“I’m sorry,” Jamie said as he approached. “I was in the store rooms and forgot you wouldn’t be able to find me since you couldn’t find them.” Del raised an eyebrow at the mention of not finding rooms but let it slide.



“Of course,” he said, relaxing more now that he could see Jamie was safe. “The High Talbot sent word of our intruder and dinner is ready if you are.” Jamie smiled.



“More than ready thanks.”



“Good then,” Del gave Jamie a bit of a once over. “You might want to take a minute or so to wash up. I’ll meet you back in the kitchen.” Jamie looked at his dust streaked hands and was forced to agree.



“Fair enough,” Jamie said with a laugh. “At least you aren’t sending me to bed without my supper.” Del laughed showing Jamie there were no hard feelings and headed back down to the kitchen as Jamie went to wash up.

Hi okay this week sort of slipped by in a whirl of packing but Monday morning will see a new chapter. I also had to work out some plot kinks. I think they are finally figured out as well.  God I love my white board and dry erase markers. Anyway for those of you who followed Pilot and Storm Chaser, Storm Chaser will soon be out.  Hopefully I will have a release date soon.  what I do have now is the cover.  Thought you guys might like to see so I'm posting it. More chapters monday.  have a great weekend.  v

Keeper: Chapter 15

Sorry for the longer delay than expected.  Things ended up getting shaken a bit more than I planned.  I was recently offered a new job and I decided to take it.  So in January I will be leaving Louisiana and moving to Wyoming. I still plan on aiming for 2 chapters a week but the days they get posted may be a bit sporatic as i try to pack up and move. v

Chapter 15

Jamie picked up the notebook where he had scrawled the notes of what he had learned about the current situation. It was a depressingly small amount. He shrugged as he tucked a pen into the spiral binding of the notebook and a second as backup into his back pocket.



“Least I’m not bored,” he said to himself. “House?” He asked aloud.



“Yes Keeper,” came the response. Jamie thought the house sounded jittery and he frowned.



“Are you all right?”



“Yes Keeper. I am just unaccustomed to such…activity.”



“I see. Sorry to keep disturbing you.”



“Not at all Keeper, it is I who should apologize. Several things that should not be now are.” The house sounded slightly distraught.



“Somehow I don’t think that is your fault,” Jamie told it. He looked around at the shelves. “I don’t suppose you know if there are any books relating to you on the shelves? Or maybe an esoteric volume on house repair?”



“There is a book dedicated to me,” the house told him somewhat proudly. “One of the earlier Keepers wrote it as I was being built.”



“Really? I don’t suppose you know where that book is at the moment.”



“I believe it was put away safely.”



“As in not stored in the library or study?”



“Yes Keeper. Visitors are often entertained here.”



“I wonder if it could be with the other journals?” Jamie mused.



“It is possible,” House answered him.



“Do you know where that is?”



“No keeper I am sorry, only living beings can be tracked.”



“I see. I don’t suppose you know what room is called Storage room 3 in the inventory?”



“I am afraid not Keeper,” The house sounded disappointed.



“That’s not a problem,” Jamie assured it. “That just means I’ll have to look for it.” Jamie tapped his notebook against his leg and thought for a second. He hadn’t heard the mini hazmat team climb the stairs so he figured he was alone on the floor. “Might be a good idea to search this floor first.” He stepped into the hallway and began opening the various closed doors lining the hallway. He didn’t have much hope of finding a store room on this floor however as he had been through most of the rooms as a child. As he remembered, most of the closed doors revealed unoccupied bedrooms. Jamie thought about Albe’s journal entry and wondered any of these rooms had been occupied since the mourners had gone home. It was a sad thought and he wondered how the house felt about it. Did House miss having people running up and down its halls? Did it miss large gatherings for holiday meals? Or was it happier to be left alone to sleep and dream whatever dreams a house dreamed. Jamie closed yet another bedroom door and wondered if houses actually dreamed.

“Maybe there is an answer in the book,” Jamie thought intrigued by the concept. Mentally he tried to figure out when the house was built and who had actually been the Keeper to take notes. He quickly gave it up as a lost cause however as he didn’t know enough about architecture to hazard a guess and he was fuzzy on the names from Albe’s family tree.



“Going to have to remedy that,” he muttered. After all if he was going to be reading their personal journals, Jamie figured knowing their names might be helpful. Jamie finished with the quick search of the floor as he heard footsteps on the main staircase. Figuring the clean up crew’s arrival was eminent he ducked into the back stairwell and took a short corridor to another level. He shook his head. Somehow the house seemed more maze like today than at any time he had explored it as a child. He opened a door and found trunks stacked against the wall while dust cloth covered furniture dominated the center of the space. Jamie frowned.



“I don’t remember this room,” he said aloud. Jamie ducked back into the hallway and looked down the corridor. Nothing looked familiar. The framed prints even looked odd. While he had no illusions about seeing the entire house before he was fairly certain there was not an entire floor he had missed. His eyes narrowed.



“House?” he asked.



“Yes Keeper?”



“Was this floor here before?” He asked feeling vaguely silly.



“Yes Keeper the floor has always been here.”



“Do you remember me ever coming here before?”



“No Keeper you would not have come here before.”



“I wouldn’t?”



“No, when you explored the house before you were not the Keeper so there were places you could not go.”



“I see. So you hid an entire floor from me?” He thought of the house’s exterior and tried to puzzle out how he had missed a floor when driving up. “Would I see the floor from the outside?”



“No keeper, I always look the same from the outside.”



“Is there more than one floor I haven’t seen?” Jamie thought hesitantly of the inventory and wondered how it was ever completed let alone checked.



“Of course Keeper.”



“I don’t suppose someone thought of making a map?” Jamie smiled hopefully.



“Of course Keeper.”



“Great,” Jamie said, sighing with relief. “Do you know where the map is?”



“Of course.”



“I don’t suppose you would mind telling me?” Jamie asked when it was clear the House had no plans to continue.



“It is with the book that was written when I was built.”

“Of course it is,” Jamie said. “Of course it is. Thanks.”



“Happy to be of service Keeper.” Jamie assumed an additional sarcasm would be lost on the house and so continued his search.

out of town

Going out of town untiul December first.  I will post again on Wednesday Dec 2nd and get back to a regular schedule after that.  Sorry about the screwiness of the schedule. Happy Thanksgiving! v

Keeper: Chapter 14

Sorry for the delay.  Had to work out some plot issues. v

Chapter 14

Jamie returned to the parlor and took a seat in the red striped chair while Del showed the High Talbot to a guest bathroom Jamie hadn’t known existed. He wondered if the house had secret rooms it only revealed when there was need of them. He sipped his cooling tea. In time Del escorted the High Talbot back to the parlor. Jamie idly wondered if this was protocol or if the brownie didn’t really want to leave anyone, no matter what the rank, free to prowl around unescorted. Jamie rose from his chair as they entered. He set his cup down on the small table with the slight chink of china on china as it met the saucer. The High Talbot was still dabbing at a barely discernable smudge on his shirt.



“This is appears will be as good as can be expected,” The High Talbot said deliberately looking away from the spot.



“I’m sorry,” Jamie said somewhat hesitantly. “Is there something else…?” His comments were waved away.”



“No Keeper your housekeeper has been most helpful. What I need now is merely a change of clothing.”



“I see,” Jamie said. He wondered exactly what type of Fey the High Talbot was and if all of his ilk were this obsessive.



“Meanwhile I will have someone sent to remove the remains of the bag from your porch as well as to remove the detritus upstairs.”



“Thank you,” Jamie replied. “I really appreciate it.” The High Talbot waved away Jamie’s gratitude.



“It is nothing,” he said. He fixed his piercing blue eyes on Jamie who suddenly had to fight the urge to squirm. “The Keeper maintains order and balance. I wish you luck in a speedy resolve to your situation.”



“Thank you,” Jamie said realizing the problem of who was trying to kill him was all his.



“I will send any information gleaned from the remains to you. If the man who tried to bluff his way into Keeper status is found any information gleaned there will be returned to you as well.” Jamie again relayed his thanks as the High Talbot took his hat and coat from Del and prepared to leave. At the door, which Del held open, the High Talbot paused and looked at Jamie as if he wanted to say something. He thought better of it and instead merely gave a formal parting. Jamie wondered if he had driven to the house and mentally pictured a carriage drawn by horses breathing fire. Del shut the door before Jamie could see any sort of vehicle and when Jamie looked out of the sidelight the High Talbot was gone.



“Well that was certainly interesting,” he said. Del snorted.



“Interesting is not exactly the word I’d be using.”



“Probably not,” Jamie conceded. He thought of the burned spot on the bedroom floor. “Will we need to put water on the upstairs floorboards to keep them from burning down the house?”



“No,” Del told him. There was an amused glint in his eyes and Jamie had the feeling his ignorance was amusing. “The clean up crew will deal with it.” As if on cue footsteps sounded on the porch. Del opened the door before anyone could knock. The two of them looked out on what Jamie privately thought of as a Fey decontamination crew. They were shorter than Del by about a foot but what type of people they were was hard to tell as they all wore some sort of miniature hazmat suit.



“Good timing,” Del told them. “We have this nasty bit on the porch and a mess in the bedroom to clear.”



“Don’t forget the calling cards,” Jamie said, wanting them out of the house as well since all of the information had been taken from them. All three of the decontamination crew turned and stared at him. No one moved. Del sighed.

“You are making them nervous Keeper. Best if you go on about your business and I’ll deal with them.”



“Ah,” Jamie said. “Well then I’ll be in the library.” Jamie turned and left. As he stepped away he heard the sounds of movement and assumed the crew was dealing with the decimated luggage. He was curious and wanted to watch but figured he would rather have it done right then have some one forget something because they were jumpy from observation. Upstairs, Jamie avoided Albe’s room and paced between the library and the study as he tried to determine his next move.



As he moved he looked at the empty spot on the shelf where Albe’s most recent journal would have been placed. The other books had been ordered from the catalog and with luck would arrive soon, bearing with them some sort of clarification. The journal could not be replaced. Jamie stopped and scanned the arranged volumes wondering what Albe had seen, not only in the last few weeks but over his lifetime as Keeper. The volumes were dated but it didn’t look like Albe had followed the one volume for every year. The dates on the spines appeared to be hand written. The first date was the date of the first entry in the volume and the second date the same as the final entry. Some volumes spanned several years while other years seemed to take up several volumes.



“Busy time,” Jamie concluded. He scanned to the earliest volume. Its start date was listed as May 12, 1937. Jamie did some quick math and realized Albe would have been in his twenties at the time. Jamie slid the volume off the shelf and flipped to the first entry.



May 12, 1937



Grandfather is dead. That thought keeps swimming through my head in an inescapable loop. He was a force and thinking of him as gone is like thinking of the world without rain or wind. It is as though the natural order has been upended. Perhaps it merely seems that way because I am now alone in the house. His house. The family has all gone to their respective homes leaving enough covered dishes behind to feed me for a month. I did not tell them that much of it will spoil before I get around to eating it. I also did not tell them that I felt relief at their leaving. If I had to hear one more time about Elizabeth’s theory of threes I would have lost what little patience remained. I had run out of my store of logical arguments by the end. While I admit both grandfather’s passing and the Hindenburg’s crashing were both tragedies I hardly thing they are on the same level even if they did happen on the same day and I refuse to live in fear of the third tragedy Elizabeth believes to be waiting somewhere around the corner. I tried pointing out to her that if the two events were equated Grandfather’s death was one death and the dirigible’s demise signaled the deaths of 36 others bringing the entire count up to 37 individual tragedies. She burst into tears exclaiming that my pronouncement meant two more deaths were on the way. I did not try to ferret out the logic of this as I was too busy being chastised by Aunt Margret for disregarding Elizabeth’s delicate constitution. I suppose that complaining about delicate cousin Elizabeth was not what Grandfather meant me to record when he told me that I must keep a journal during my time as Keeper of the Crossroads just as the others before me had done. I wish he had told me what the Keeper of the Crossroads was and what I’m supposed to do other then just hand me a dusty volume of rules and an odd little necklace.



Jamie smiled at the entry. At least he wasn’t the only one thrown into the deep end of the pool without swim fins. Jamie closed the journal as a thought struck him.



“All of the Keepers kept journals,” he said. “Or they were supposed to.” If the Lune Merdos occurred on the Day of the Dead then details might have been recorded in previous years. Jamie flipped through the journal until he reached November 2nd. There were some notes about a war in Spain but no mention of Lune Merdos. He scanned over the few days prior to the second and learned that Albe had met a very pretty woman named Eleanor when he had run some errands in town and had several conversations with a fairy. Jamie shrugged, no longer thinking such entries were unusual.



“After all I spent a good portion of today talking to a brownie and a sentient house.” He replaced the book on the shelf and picked up another volume with November 2nd entries. This one was for 1938. Again nothing mentioning Lune Merdos. “Maybe it doesn’t happen every year.” He mused. Jamie continued to the end of Albe’s journals. He found vague references to world events and odd happenings in the realm of the fey. He also found that Albe had married pretty Eleanor and that she had died in childbirth. She and the baby, who did not live past the birthing, were buried in a small family cemetery on the property. Jamie never remembered seeing a cemetery on any of his walks with Albe. He made a mental note to look for it’s location on the property maps and pay a visit. Even if there was no burial, he could put a marker there for Albe. Jamie closed the last of the journals. He found no mention of Lune Merdos.



“It can’t be a one time thing,” Jamie said to himself. “Maybe it happens only every one hundred years.” In that case he would need some of the older journals. Jamie put Albe’s journal back on the shelf and walked over to the desk. If the journals weren’t stored in the library or study then they had to be in one of the back rooms. Jamie quickly flipped through pages, dismissing furniture and jewelry in a way that would have made his mother gasp in horror. Midway through the inventory he found what he was looking for. It was a list entitled Journals. Below it was a list of names and years.



“Now I just have to figure out what room they called Storage room 3.” Jamie smiled. “I guess I get to go on a scavenger hunt after all.”

Keeper: Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The High Talbot stared at Jamie. He had gone completely still with Jamie’s pronouncement. He looked like a statue. Jamie could not even see the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. Del wheeled in a small cart containing a tea pot with the appropriate gear for two and a plate with a variety of sweet and savory offerings. His appearance broke the High Talbots statue like stance.



“I hope you do not find this too presumptuous Keeper but I believe you are mistaken.”



“No,” Jamie said as Del began to pour the tea. “I don’t believe I am. Someone tried to kill me this morning. Quite early this morning actually.” Jamie looked at Del as he took the offered tea cup. “Thank you.”



“You are serious?” The High Talbot said. Jamie nodded.



“Quite serious.” The High Talbot’s eyes shifted to Del. Del nodded.



“It is true your Lordship. The Keeper isn’t exaggerating. It happened shortly before dawn.”



“Who would do such a thing,” the High Talbot said. By the tone of voice Jamie though the comment was just voicing a thought rather than a question but he answered it anyway.



“I believe it is the same person or people who killed the Keeper before me.” Jamie took a sip of the piping hot tea. It was brewed nearly as strong as coffee. The High Talbot reached for his own cup. He poured a small measure of cream into it and used the tongs to add a sugar cube. Jamie noticed as he moved that his hands were shaking slightly. When the cup was fixed to his satisfaction the High Talbot took a deep sip. It seemed to steady him. He looked at Jamie his blue eyes bright and piercing.



“You believe Keeper Albrecht Fulton was murdered.”



Jamie met his gaze. “I do.” The High Talbot exhaled an impossibly long breath and took another sip.



“This will not do,” he said. Jamie quirked an eyebrow up in surprise. “There are rules.” He told Jamie firmly. “The Keeper maintains the balance. One does not kill the Keeper. It simply won’t do.”



“I appreciate the sentiment,” Jamie said dryly. From his position by the door Del quirked his mouth up in a half smile. He was too polite to do more than that in the presence of such a high personage. Jamie got the impression that he would have retreated out of sight and back to the kitchen quickly if her weren’t needed to confirm earlier events.



“Yes, this is most distressing to you as a person I am sure sir but you are the Keeper. As reprehensible as killing one person may be it is magnified exponentially when your position is taken into account.”



“I see,” Jamie said. “My I ask what would have happened if I had been killed this morning?”



“Chaos,” the man said firmly. “The entire system would be out of balance. It would be utter chaos. Most improper.” Jamie got the distinct impression that the High Talbot did not like things out of order. “May I ask what happened?”



“Last night I fell asleep in the Library,” Jamie began. Somehow he figured telling people where he was sleeping while someone was actively trying to kill him in his sleep was not a good idea. It was the only deception in his tale however and Del had no problem nodding in agreement when the High Talbot looked to him for confirmation.



“You used rubbing alcohol and paint?” The High Talbot asked. Jamie had been proud of his ruse but the tone of the question made him feel a little silly.



“Well I didn’t want to really hurt him,” Jamie replied.



“I see,” The High Talbot said. “In that case it was quite resourceful.”



“Thank you.”



“I believe I may be of assistance. I would like to take a look at the damage upstairs if I may? If, as your housekeeper suspects, a secondary trap exists I may be able to nullify it, possibly determining something of it creator as well.”



“That would indeed be of assistance,” Jamie told him. Del gave him a sharp look. “And I would be deeply grateful.” He added quickly. Apparently the High Talbot did not usually render assistance in person.



“It will be my pleasure.” He stood and Jamie followed suit. He let the way upstairs, the High Talbot following and Del trailing along after. At the closed door to Albe’s room Jamie reached for the door knob. Behind him the High Talbot cleared his throat. Jamie turned to find both of his companions frowning at him.



“If there is an active spell within the room it is most likely keyed to your presence. It would perhaps be best if it remain dormant while we have a look.” Jamie looked slightly puzzled.



“In this case dormant would mean not actively trying to kill you.” Jamie moved his hand away from the door knob as though it were red hot.



“I see,” he said sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just not used to this whole magic thing and people trying to kill me.” He backed away from the door. Del made a shooing motion and Jamie kept backing up until the brownie was satisfied he was out of harms way. Feeling a little useless Jamie watched as the High Talbot opened the door to Albe’s bedroom. The man lifted an eyebrow as he took in the damage.



“It was perhaps a good thing that you fell asleep in the library,” the High Talbot commented. “And I believe your Housekeeper is correct. There is something still active.”



“Can you remove it?” Jamie asked. The High Talbot opened his mouth to reply but shut it again rapidly. He stared into the room and Jamie wished he could see what was going on.



“That is most distressing,” The High Talbot said.



“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one,” Del said. The High Talbot glanced down at him. “Sir,” he added.



“What is going on?” Jamie asked. He took a step forward. Green smoke started to drift around the High Talbot’s feet. Jamie froze.



“It seems to be activated by your voice so I would appreciate your not speaking.” The High Talbot said. Jamie nodded and clamped his lips down into a thin line. “You will need to back out of the way,” he told Del. Del nodded and moved out of the doorway. He placed himself halfway down the hall, squarely between Jamie and the door. Jamie smiled despite the danger. The smoke tried to move past the High Talbot, pushing into the hallway. Instinctively Jamie backed up a step. The smoke seemed to turn towards him and he decided that moving might be as bad an idea as talking. He pretended to be made of granite.



“I do not think so,” the High Talbot said to the smoke. He spread his hands wide, palms towards the smoke.Jamie thought he saw something like a heat haze directly below the hands. He narrowed his eyes but the haze did not change. The High Talbot appeared to push down and the smoke retreated into the bedroom. It moved slowly, grudgingly Jamie could see the High Talbot’s jaw clench and he realized that whatever was happening took effort. The High Talbot followed the smoke back in the room. Whatever was happening was silent and beyond Jamie’s line of vision. He had the feeling Del would not let him walk over and peek inside. The brownie was doing his own statue imitation and taking up more of the hallway than Jamie thought possible. They waited and Jamie’s breath sounded load to his own ears. He was beginning to wonder if someone should go into the room to check on the High Talbot when a hand gripped the door frame. The High Talbot stepped into the hallway, leaning heavily on the door frame. His hair was askew, his suit rumpled and it looked as though he had bitten through his own lip.



“I believe that has done it,” he said. Jamie relaxed.



“Thank you,” he said.



“Not at all,” he replied. “I don’t suppose you have somewhere I might use to freshen up a bit?” He eyed his rumpled suit with distain.



“Of course,” Jamie said, wondering which of the guest bathrooms would be suitable.



“This way your Lordship,” Del said taking the decision out of his hands and leading the High Talbot away. Jamie followed, glancing into Albe’s bedroom as he passed. The wooden floorboards were scorched in a vaguely circular area about three feet wide. In the center were two hand prints of unburned wood. The air had an acrid smell that snuck into the back of his throat and lodged there like a stone. He coughed, wanting to spit the taste out. Wondering if he should put some water on it to make sure the house didn’t burn down he followed the two people who might know the answer.

Keeper: Chapter 12

Sorry about the missing day, got a bit tangled up this week.  v.

Chapter 12

Jamie tidied his paint and assorted other jars and with Del’s help brought them back out to the porch studio.



“That was pretty quick thinking on your part,” Del said with a proud smile. Jamie grinned.



“It was wasn’t it? You weren’t so bad yourself.”



“I do try,” Del responded. He sniffed the jar of what was supposed to be toxic acid. His nose wriggled at the smell. “So what exactly is that stuff. It smells evil.” Jamie laughed.



“Paint and rubbing alcohol. I figured the paint would give it color and the alcohol would tingle. If it had gotten into his eyes it would have burned like hell but no real damage would have been done.” Del nodded his approval and they went back into the kitchen so Jamie could wash off his hands.



“Do you know a Stedovan?” Jamie asked as he dried his hands on the towel looped through the refrigerator’s handle. Del shook his head.



“Doesn’t ring a bell.”



“Hmm,” Jamie thought for a moment. “Del what do you know of the keeper’s house? Or what did you know before you came?”



“Not much,” Del replied. “Mostly that it is the keeper’s house so therefore whoever lives here must be the keeper. There are rumors that the house knows the false keeper.”



“So in theory, if the man had shown up and taken residence here as temporary keeper he would be recognized as keeper because he occupied the house?”



“Sounds true. Which might explain why they tried to move so fast. No one has really met you,” Del said.



“You have,” Jamie said as they moved back towards the parlor to straighten it for the High Talbot’s arrival. Del snorted.



“No one of note has met you,” he amended. “The High Talbot authorized me to work here. If I had been daft enough to buy this fellows story, especially if you had met your end with the boulder last night, then he would for all appearances be accepted. He would answer calls and my guess is that there would be no mention of his being interim anything where company could hear. He would just be called Keeper and folks would accept that since he was in the house.” Jamie straightened the chair and set its feet back into the indentions in the carpet. Del wound the rope back up into a coil. Jamie pretended not to notice that the cut Del had made to free their prisoner had been mended and the rope was now just one long piece.



“So he could have pulled it off.” Jamie said. He thought of House. “In theory.”



“In theory yes,” Del said. “There are those who would have been so rattled they would have bought the story as a life line. As a rule folks like me look after the house and those that live in it. We don’t get mixed up in wider doings.”



“House?” Jamie asked.



“Yes Keeper.”



“If I were killed with the boulder upstairs, what would have happened?”



“The housekeeper would have sought out the High Talbot and I would have sealed all entrances and exits until another Keeper came.”



“So if I had died you would have let this man is as the new Keeper?”



“No,” came the reply. “He is not Keeper.”



“How would you know?”



“Because you are the Keeper.”



“Yes but if I was dead how would you know who the new Keeper was?”



“He would wear the key.”



“I see,” Jamie said. Del was staring at him with an amused look on his face and Jamie remembered the brownie could not hear the house speak. Jamie shrugged and lifted the chain, pulling the medallion everyone seemed to refer as the key from his shirt. “So if he had been wearing this he would have been accepted as the Keeper?”



“No,” came House’s reply.



“Why not?” Jamie asked with a frown.



“He could not be Keeper.”



“Why not?”



“Because you are Keeper.” Jamie sighed. He had the feeling that House was not an esoteric thinker.



“If I were dead.”



“No even of you were dead he would not be Keeper.”



“Why not?”



“He was not human.”



“So a Keeper must be human?”



“Yes.”



“Why?”



“I do not know.”



“You just know that it is.”



“Yes.” Jamie turned to Del.



“Did you know that the Keeper has to be human?”



“No,” Del said shaking his head. “But it makes sense.”



“Oh?”



“Human’s aren’t tied to any of the houses so they would be outside of any conflict. A keeper’s job is to resolve the conflicts with an outsider’s perspective.”



“Makes sense I suppose,” Jamie agreed. “On more question House if you don’t mind.”



“Of course not Keeper.”



“Did you sense anything coming into this house after we let the man in?” Del’s eyebrow rose at the question.



“No Keeper.”



“Nothing at all? Not even a flicker of something?”



“Nothing at all.”



“I see, thank you.”



“So the house couldn’t sense the smoke?” Del asked.



“Seems that way. I wonder if that is because the smoke wasn’t really alive or because it was tied to the virus like thing someone slipped into the calling cards,” Jamie mused.



“I couldn’t tell you,” el replied. “For that we would need an expert.”



A knock sounded on the door. Del jumped but looked to Jamie before moving to answer it.



“I think by now everyone realizes I am still alive.” Del walked into the hallway and opened the door. On the porch was a tall man dressed in a black suit. Jamie could see the suit had tiny gray pinstripes. The stripes were dark gray and almost blended with the black as if the owner thought that even pin stripes were too ostentatious. He was, by Jamie’s estimation nearly seven feet tall. He was thin however, not as though he were starved but as though he as built that way. One hand was wrapped around the top of a black cane with a sliver knob handle. He had a top hat on his head and piercing green eyes. He didn’t look overly unfriendly but Jamie had the feeling he was a bad man to cross. At the moment he had a frown on his face. His gaze however was not aimed at Del. It was aimed at the bag the intruder had brought with him.



“Or more aptly the remains of the bag,” Jamie thought. The satchel looked as though something inside had exploded from it without bothering to open it.



“Probably explains where the green smoke snake came from,” Jamie said into the quiet. The tall man’s gaze snapped to him. Del cleared his throat. The tall man looked down.



“Good day your Lordship,” Del said with a little head bob. “Thank you for coming so quickly, please won’t you come in?” Del stepped out of the way and the tall man crossed the threshold.



“Keeper Fulton,” Del said. “I would like to present to you his lordship the High Talbot.” The High Talbot removed his hat and Jamie was surprised to see the man had hair the color of straw. Somehow he had expected it to be black.



“A pleasure to meet you sir,” The man said his voice rolling out in smooth tones. He inclined his head slightly.



“The pleasure is mine of course,” Jamie replied. “Please, won’t you come have a seat in the parlor?”



“Thank you,” the High Talbot said. He held out his hat which Del took immediately. He then shucked his coat, handing it to Del as well. Del turned and whisked them both off as the High Talbot followed Jamie into the parlor.



“We have had some what of an odd day today,” Jamie began as they both seated themselves. “Thank you for coming so quickly, I hope it hasn’t inconvenienced you in any way.”



“It would be more inconvenient to have a discomfited Keeper,” the High Talbot said with a friendly smile. “Not to presume too much but I suppose that … thing on your porch is tied to your odd day?”



“It is, although it does come in at the end of the story,” Jamie confirmed.



“The end? Well I suspect the beginning must be quite something.”



“It is actually,” Jamie replied. “My day started with someone trying to kill me.”

Keeper: Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Jamie watched as Del tied the unconscious man to one of the red striped chairs.



“The one without the key,” Jamie thought absently to himself. He was sort of in a daze as Del worked. Things like tying people to chairs after having knocked them out were not something he had ever contemplated as part of his life. Del stepped back and Jamie seated himself in the other chair, the one with the key and waited for the man to wake up. Since his head hadn’t been hit that hard, it was not a long wait. With a moan he stirred and as soon as he realized he was bound, he started to struggle.



“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” Jamie cautioned. “You might upset the chair and knock yourself out again.” The man stopped struggling. He stared at Jamie through narrowed eyes.



“Release me now,” he said. The words came out with a slight reptilian hiss and Jamie lifted an eyebrow.



“You aren’t human are you?” Jamie asked, his tone more curious than anything. He received only a glare in response. Jamie shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter, I suppose all things being equal. What do you know about rocks? Specifically the kind that magically appear to crush unwary sleepers?” The man started to open his mouth and then clamped it shut in a thin line, as if he thought better of his response. Del poked him in the back with the rolling pin.



“Silence isn’t going to help you,” Del said, his tone dark.



“We could just wait until the High Talbot gets here,” Jamie said. “It shouldn’t be too long.” He watched panic skitter across the man’s face. Jamie leaned in as if speaking confidentially. “He doesn’t really like people using his name improperly does he?”



“I heard he takes a dim view of it,” Del said. “A very dim view.” The man swallowed hard but kept his mouth shut. Jamie was starting to think they would have to actually call the High Talbot. He hadn’t because he didn’t know if the High Talbot was in on this plot.



“Of course,” he thought. “I’m still not sure what the High Talbot does other than act as a work reference.” From the man’s fear he bet the High Talbot was a little higher on the food chain than your typical temp agency supervisor. He stared at the man in the chair. Interrogation was not exactly something he was trained for. Odd scenes from bad movies flashed through his mind.



“You know if he won’t talk on his own,” Jamie said. “We’ll just have to take matters into our own hands. After all I have questions and it would be a shame to let the High Talbot have all of the fun getting them. Watch him while I go get my tools.” Del looked somewhat surprised but nodded. Jamie got up and left the parlor. Behind him he could hear Del talking to the bound man, telling him it would be better if he talked before Jamie returned.



Jamie shook his head not sure how far his impromptu bluff would get them. He went out to the small studio Albe had created for him in the enclosed back porch. He picked up anything he thought might be useful and returned to the parlor. Del was still making low threats and the man in the chair had begun to shake. Jamie felt bad for him but reminded himself that the man was part of a plot to kill him and summoned his inner terrorist such as it was. He resisted the bad German accent as it seemed to go more with mad scientists than the role he was attempting.



“Has he decided to be smart yet?” Jamie asked. The man swiveled his head around at the sound of Jamie’s voice but Del blocked him from seeing Jamie’s ‘tools’. Jamie took his time arranging them on the sideboard. He made sure the glass clinked and the wood and metal implement snapped harshly against the surface.



“No,” Del told him. “He has decided to be very, very stupid.”



“Pity,” Jamie said, trying to keep his tone dispassionate. “I rather liked this carpet.”



“We can always have it cleaned,” Del said.



“True,” Jamie agreed. “But it is never the same. And the maids do complain so frightfully.” Jamie walked away from his tools and into the man’s line of sight. He could see the man swallowing hard, his eyes wide as he watched Jamie. Jamie felt like a snake mesmerizing a rabbit. Jamie kneeled in front of the man until he could look him in the eye. He stared into his eyes for a moment then sighed.



“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said truthfully. “But you are leaving me no choice. Are you sure there is nothing you wish to tell me? Nothing you wish to share?” The man’s eyes were wide and he was breathing so hard and fast that Jamie feared he would hyperventilate but he didn’t say a word. Jamie sighed again and stood up.



“Very well then. I suppose we could always get new carpet.” Jamie walked back over to the sideboard and picked up an empty mason jar.



“It has been years since I had to mix this particular concoction,” Jamie said addressing his words to the room at large. “Most people aren’t stupid enough for me to have to use it. But some things you never forget.”



He placed the Mason jar down with a click and picked up a bottle of de-natured alcohol. He clinked the glass bottle against the other containers and slowly unscrewed the cap.



“In their separate components,” he said conversationally, “The elements are harmless. That is what makes them so wonderful. Even under the closest inspection no one would think their being here even slightly odd.” Jamie poured the alcohol into the Mason jar. “Unless one knew the recipe.”



Jamie picked up a jar of red paint and slowly poured enough into the alcohol to tint it. He then exchanged the red paint for the blank and mixed it until it was a darkly evil looking red. As he mixed he wondered how long he could keep this bluff going. Jamie picked up the Mason jar and a long handled wooden paint brush. He also grabbed a rag. He moved to stand in front of the man again.



Jamie carefully placed the Mason jar on the small decorative table between the two chairs. He made his movements very careful and precise as if afraid of spilling anything on himself. The man’s eyes followed the jar and then darted back to Jamie.



“Don’t touch that,” Jamie told Del. “I wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”



“Of course, Keeper,” Del said, his tone respectful. “Is that what I think it is?”



“Yes,” Jamie said. “Unfortunately it is.” Dell let out a low whistle.



“I didn’t know there was still a man alive who knew how to mix it.” Del said in awe. Jamie was thankful for the brownie’s acting ability.



“I always hoped I’d never halve to. But unfortunately someone is trying to kill me.”



“Understandable during these circumstances Keeper. No one would fault you.” Jamie took the rag and slowly wound it around the base of the paintbrush.



“I wouldn’t want to burn my hand,” Jamie told the watching man. “You understand.” Jamie indicated the jar. “You know what that is and what it does don’t you?” The man shook his head. “Really?” Jamie continued. “The name is of course unimportant as it changes from time to time. But what it does is very important. Do you think I should tell him what it does or keep it a surprise?” Jamie asked Del.



“Seems like it would be up to you.” Came the reply. Jamie looked thoughtful for a moment.



“I suppose there is no harm as he seems determined to find out for himself.” Jamie smiled. “This is a very special concoction. When brushed lightly on your skin it will slightly tingle. So light you might even begin to enjoy the cooling sensation. But once it dries. If a second layer is applied a lovely chemical reaction takes place and the skin begins to burn and blister.”



“Very nasty stuff,” Del said.



“It is,” Jamie agreed. “That is why this is so rarely used. Of course that is nothing to what happens should any of it get into your eyes or mouth.”



Del clucked his tongue. “Now that is the stuff of horrors.”



“Once in your eyes it doesn’t need a second layer to start the burning and every blink, every shift of your eye will spread the burning fire is it eats its way through.” Jamie thought of the sting rubbing alcohol would have in the eyes and magnified the pain. “In your throat it would burn out your vocal cords, searing your throat with every swallow. And once started it can’t be stopped.” Jamie paused. “That is why we always start on the mouth last. It would be hard for you to talk without those.”



“And out here there is no one to hear you scream,” Del added. Jamie made sure his hand was shielded from drips by the rag and moved the paint brush towards the Mason jar.



“Are you sure you have nothing to say?” The man shook his head. Resigned Jamie dipped the brush in the Jar. He looked over at Del. “House?” Jamie said. “You had best call the High Talbot and tell him to hurry here.”



“Of course Keeper,” House said. No one else blinked and Jamie realized no one else could hear the house.



“Thank you,” Jamie turned back to the seated man. “People have been known to go mad with the pain.” Jamie lifted the dripping paint brush from the jar and slowly moved it towards the man’s face. He knew as the alcohol started to evaporate it would produce a cool tingling sensation. He knew he would have to be careful and go slow. With luck someone would arrive before he had to start on the second layer. “Hold still,” Jamie said. The man flinched as the paintbrush came into contact with his cheek. Jamie traced a line down the side of the man’s face and then pulled the brush away as if awaiting a reaction. The man’s mouth opened and closed as he felt the tingle of the evaporation.



“We can stop any time,” Jamie told him. “The permanent damage only occurs after the first layer is complete.” Jamie traced a line across the man’s forehead and again waited. The third line went across the man’s upper lip and Jamie nearly smiled, breaking the illusion. The line above his lips dripped down a little on the side making it look like an odd mustache. The smell of the paint and alcohol made the man’s eyes water.



“I can’t tell you,” he gasped out. Jamie paused, his brush close to the man’s cheek.



“Tell me.” He said.



“He will kill me.”



“So will we,” Del told him. The man paused, torn between the thought of which death would be worse.



“Who will kill you?” Jamie asked.



“Stedovan,” the main whispered the name, his voice barely audible.



“Stedovan?” Jamie repeated. “And who exactly is Stedovan?” The man’s eyes went wider than Jamie had seen them, the whites gleaming.



“He’ll kill me,” the man said, his voice panicky. Out of the corner of his eye, Jamie caught movement in the hallway. He stood and looked. Del turned to see what had caught Jamie’s attention. Green smoke was sliding through the cracks around the door. It wasn’t billowing as though something had caught fire and was edging in but like a solid gaseous being. Once through the cracks instead of dissipating like smoke it came together as though it were one long snake. The green smoke snake began slithering into the parlor. Del backed away. He started pulling Jamie with him.



“We can’t just leave him here,” Jamie said pointing to the man in the chair. If the smoke snake was dangerous, and all of Jamie’s natural instincts said it would be, then abandoning a bound man to it would add some of the blame for his death to Jamie’s score. Jamie started forward. With a groan, Del shoved him back and took a step forward. A small knife glinted in his hand. The man squeaked but Del simply cut the ropes binding him.



The ropes fell away and the man sprang to his feet. Del grabbed him by his shirt collar and hauled him towards the front window. The snake flowed towards them as they stepped away from Jamie. Del reached the window and tugged it open with one hand. When it was open, Del heaved the man through the open window and stepped quickly away. Seeing its prey escape, the snake darted towards the open window and in a moment was gone. Jamie looked through the glass as Del slammed the window shut. The man was running as fast as his legs would carry him, the snake following in pursuit.



“Well that was certainly interesting,” Del said as they both watched the man disappear beyond a stand of trees. “I wonder what the High Talbot will make of that.

Keeper: Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Jamie left the study and headed back down to the kitchen. He didn’t know if anyone was watching the upper windows for movement so he ducked low and avoided them. He felt a little silly doing so, as if he had been transported into some sort of spy movie, but the thought of the crushed bed was a good motivator.




“After all,” he thought, “If you wanted to kill someone how much easier would a sniper be?” Del was mixing something in a bowl when Jamie entered the kitchen. Luckily he was far enough away from the windows. Thinking more of snipers than anything else Jamie was glad the man was safe. Del glanced at Jamie with his usual smile but when he spotted the look on Jamie’s have the smile fell.



“What’s happened?”



“House says someone is sneaking around the outside. Whoever it is accidentally brushed up against the glass when looking in.”



Del’s face darkened at the news. “I see,” he said. His set the bowl down and picked up a wicked looking cleaver. Jamie swallowed hard.



“I’d rather find out a few things than scare him away.”



“I can find out a few things.”



“Without bloodshed if possible.” Jamie looked pointedly at the cleaver and Del sighed. He put the cleaver down and picked up a rolling pin. It was the marble one that Millie had always used for pasteries.



“Better?” Del asked.



“Yes, thank you.”



“They started it you know.”



“I know ,” Jamie told him. Del seemed disappointed by the change in weapon but he didn’t reach for the cleaver again. “We need a plan.” Del shrugged.



“I sneak outside knock them out tie them to a chair and when they wake up you ask your questions,” Del said. “What more of a plan do we need?” Jamie frowned. Somehow he thought Del’s tap on the noggin with the marble rolling pin might not be something their intruder would wake up from.



“The intruder has stepped on to the porch, Keeper.” House said. It sounded affronted by the action.



“He’s on the porch?” Jamie responded.



“How do you know that?” Del asked.



“What?”



“How do you know the intruder is on the porch?” Del asked again.



“House just told me. You didn’t hear?”



“No,” Del responded shaking his head.



“Great, so I’m the only one who can hear the house talk. Why is that not comforting?” Del chuckled.



“It means you are the true Keeper. The House is keyed to you. It wouldn’t do for it to be blabbing to everyone the secrets it keeps for you.”

“I suppose that’s true,” Jamie conceded.



“But I suppose if he is on the porch He shouldn’t be too hard to find.” Del started to move to the back door that led out into the kitchen garden. “I’ll just sneak around the side. You stay here.” Before Jamie could protest there was a knock at the front door. Both of them turned, startled by the sound.



“That’s not usually how intruders operate,” Del said.



“No it isn’t.” Jamie agreed. “New plan. You go answer the door and show our guest into the parlor. Try to find out what he wants without the rolling pin. I’ll stay out of sight.” The knock sounded again and Del moved towards the front door. Jamie noticed he didn’t put the rolling pin down.



“I’m coming,” He called. The knocking stopped. Jamie slipped into the informal parlor where he could listen in while not being seen. Once Del was certain he was out of sight he opened the door. Standing on the doorstep was a rather ordinary looking man. He was dressed in cream colored slacks with a white dress shirt neatly tucked in. He had skinny tan suspenders with shiny silver fasteners. They appeared to be more of an affectation rather than pants support. His shoes were soft brown leather and he was tapping one foot rather impatiently. By his feet was a brown leather suitcase. The man had light brown hair and brown eyes. His nose reminded Jamie of a Greek statue as it was sharply pointed. Jamie watched him in the reflection of the doors glass. He frowned at Del.



“It is about time,” he said sharply. “Do you leave all of your guests stranded out her for this long? If so that will be changing immediately.” The man tried to step forward over the threshold but Del did not give way.



“May I help you sir?” Del asked. The man snorted.



“Do you not know who I am? Have you not been told of my arrival?”



“No sir I have not.” Jamie had to give Del points for maintaining an even tone of voice if nothing else.



“I am the interim Keeper. I would have thought that much would have been clear.”



“Interim keeper?” Del asked.



“Yes, yes,” the man said. ‘It is unfortunate that the keeper was killed without naming a successor but these things happen. I will be in charge until it gets all sorted out.” He looked down at Del. “And I can say I will be sorting out a few things here as well.”



“I see sir.” Del said. “Why don’t you come into the parlor then and sit down after your no doubt long trip.” Del stepped to the side to allow the man passage. Jamie couldn’t see Del’s face but if he had been the man on the porch nothing would have gotten him to go into the parlor. Del’s voice made it sound like something of a gallows invitation. The man however was not Jamie and his tone softened with the invitation.



“Finally, some decent manners.” He stepped over the threshold. “Have my bags brought to my room and fetch some tea while you are at it.” The man turned to the formal parlor and walked into the room without looking back. Del shut the door, leaving the suitcase on the porch. Jamie snuck into the hallway as Del followed the man into the parlor.



“May I ask sir,” Del began. “Who sent you?” There was another snort from the man.



“The High Talbot of course. Who else? Now I find I am hungry as well. With the tea please bring me a light snack to tide me over for dinner. When you return I will look over the evening menu and decide if it is appropriate.” In the hallway Jamie rolled his eyes and decided he had had enough.



“I don’t think that will be necessary Del,” he said stepping into the formal parlor. The man was sitting in one of the red striped chairs and as Jamie entered he stood.



“You dare to countermand one of my orders to my staff?” The man said indignantly. “Who do you think you are?”



“How rude of me, Please allow me to introduce myself. I am James Fulton, Keeper of the Crossroads. The rock missed.” Color drained from the man’s face. He started to stammer out a response but no words came. He bolted trying to run for the door but Del was faster than he was. He tripped the man and he went sprawling, hitting his head on the edge of the table on the way down. He was unconscious when he hit the floor. Del tapped the rolling pin he still carried against his leg.



“I guess I didn’t need this after all.”



“I guess not,” Jamie said. He bent over to make sure the man was still breathing. To Jamie’s relief, he was. They both looked at him for a moment.



“I’ll go get the rope from the kitchen. We can decide what to do after he is secure.”

Keeper: Chapter 9

Advice for the day: Never "borrow" a flash drive without asking. v.

Chapter 9

After a few minutes of reading Jamie had more questions than answers. He was however composing quite a book list. Albe’s synopsis was quite helpful but somewhat shy on details as he had relied on the provided book list to flesh out some of the details.



“He knew he might be killed over this but didn’t think anyone could or would break in and steal his books,” Jamie said to himself leaning back in the chair. From what he could tell the issue Albe was investigating dealt with two factions who had crossed on what was either a cultural issue or a religious one. Jamie couldn’t tell and he was pretty sure Albe hadn’t figured it out either. Jamie looked over at his notebook.



The page was now divided in half. One side listed the books Albe had mentioned. He wasn’t surprised to find there were five titles on the list. Jamie glanced at the shelves. The books were grouped by topic rather than alphabetically which is what slowed down his inventory checking the day before. Perhaps the books around the missing ones would prove helpful.



On the second side of the page Jamie had started a list of the terms he was unfamiliar with. Most of them had been footnoted with references to the missing books. They were also words that appeared frequently in the pack of letters he had found the day before. Jamie glanced at the clock on the wall. It was barely six o’clock. He ran his fingers through his hair and let out his breath in a long steady stream as a plan began to form in his head.



“House?” He asked.



“Yes keeper?” came the ready reply.



“Do you know how Albe ordered his books?”



“Yes Keeper. He made a list, often from catalogs and had me send the list to the book sellers.”



“Could you send a list to them from me, only with yesterday’s date on it?”



“Yes Keeper.” Jamie nodded.



“When do you normally send out the mail?”



“First thing in the morning.”



“Good. What do I need to do?”



“The dated and signed list should be placed on the front hall table next to the calling card holder after it is sealed. That is the normal place for sending out messages.” Jamie nodded. He pulled out a nicer piece of paper than his notepad held and copied the list of missing books down. He used his best handwriting and dated it for the 6th of October. The seal was still in the secretary downstairs and Jamie took the list downstairs, waving it a little as he walked so that the ink would dry. Hopefully it was early enough in the morning that it would seem reasonable that the list was compiled the day before. Then it would have gone out with the normal morning mail regardless of his physical state.



“Not a perfect plan,” he said to himself. “It assumes that others actually know the routine of the House but it will have to do.” Jamie retrieved the key from under the chair and unlocked the secretary. With a little trial and error, and a few burnt fingers, Jamie managed to melt the wax into a reasonable circle and press the seal into it. He looked at the impression. The edge of the J was not as crisp as he would have liked but the impression showed up well in the green wax. Jamie tilted the sealed list a little and caught the glint of metal as the gold threaded through the dark green wax caught the light. The color very much suited Albe. Jamie placed the list on the table, carefully avoiding touching both the calling cards and the holder. Before he returned to the study, he detoured to the kitchen.



“You hungry already?” Del asked with a grin.



“No still full,” Jamie assured him. “I just wanted to get the list of people who left calling cards first.”



“Of course,” Del said. He indicated the list still on the table and then looked at Jamie. A wary smile appeared on his face. “You have a plan?”



“I have the start of a plan,” Jamie confessed.



“Good,” Del told him. “You just let me know what I need to do to help.” From the look Del gave him Jamie had a feeling Del was hoping for the part of the plan involving pain to whoever had tried to kill him. He left and headed back up to the study.



“And I thought brownies were nice. Kind of gives you a new perspective on that whole Girl Scout thing.” He told himself as he moved. When Jamie returned to the library he picked up his list of unfamiliar words and turned to the book shelf. He sighed. “There is nothing like old fashioned research,” he said, reaching for the first likely book. “I really hope it has an index.”



As Jamie perused the shelves he pulled books that looked like they might deal with the list and stacked them by his feet. When he had about eight he retreated back to the desk with his stack. He settled himself in the chair and flipped his notebook to a clean page. Several hours later he was interrupted by Del. The man set a plate with a sandwich on the edge of Jamie’s desk. Jamie looked up at him, blinking owlishly.



“I called twice but you didn’t hear me,” Del explained. “Any luck?”



“Some,” Jamie said. He realized he was hungry and picked up half of the sandwich. “Thanks,” he said.



“Not a problem.” Del turned to go.



“I don’t suppose you know who the Gederan and the Federan are do you?” He asked. Del shrugged.



“I’ve heard of the names before but not much else. Those aren’t the type of folk that mix with my kind.”



“What do you mean mix?” Jamie asked. Del favored him with a sardonic smile.



“As with any society there are high caste and low caste,” Del began. Jamie started to interrupt but Del waved him to silence.



“It isn’t always called a caste system,” he continued. “Sometimes the divide is economic or educational but people, fey or otherwise divide themselves into groups. Like following like. And the groups figure out a system of ways to deal, or not deal, with each other. That is the way of things no matter what you call it.” This time when Del paused Jamie nodded and took another bite of the sandwich.



“Now,” Del said, satisfied his explanation would be taken. “I am one of the workers you might say. We come in several varieties of course but are still in the same general group. The Gederan and the Federan, well they belong to the high court. They aren’t what you would call workers. So I can’t really say I know much about them.”



“I see,” Jamie said. He wondered if Del was allowed to say much about the way things operated. He seemed to use general terms rather than specific. “Well there goes my hope of a short cut.” Del laughed. The laughter sounded a bit relieved.



“I’ll give you a yell for dinner then,” he said as he headed out of the door. Jamie thought about what he had learned while he ate his lunch. “The Federan and the Gederan both want the Lustan for the Lune Merdos.” That was the gist of Albe’s summation. So far Jamie had figured out that the Federan and Gederan were both groups in the high caste of one of the kingdoms of the fey. It sounded like they normally got along but for this one thing they were willing to kill each other. The Lustan was some sort of place. Jamie had found a picture of it in one of the books and glanced over. To his eyes it looked something like Angkor Wat. “Except the carvings look a little more Egyptian.” Jamie had yet to find out what the Lune Merdos was but figured that it was some sort of event. Either way he did know that the Federan and the Gederan refused to share the Lustan for it and Albe had been trying to determine who had the rights to use the temple for that night. Jamie finished the sandwich and put the plate on the edge of his desk. He started to pull one of the books closer but stopped himself. He pulled his laptop closer and returned to Albe’s stored files.



“Nothing on Lune Merdos,” he said after a few minutes. On a whim he decided to Google it.



“Do you mean Luna Muertos?” The search engine asked him, assuming he had misspelled his query. Jamie shook his head. Figuring he wasn’t going to get any better results he clicked yes. After a few more clicks he found out that Luna Muertos was an old term for a lunar eclipse.



“Sounds reasonable,” he said. “I wonder when the next one is.” Jamie typed in a second search. November 2nd was the answer. “The Day of the Dead. I wonder what the odds of that are.” Jamie recalled seeing the November date added to one of Albe’s notes but it didn’t connect with anything. He leaned back in the chair.



“If this Lune Merdos is going down on the Day of the Dead then I have only about three weeks to figure this mess out.” From what he had picked up from his reading if a decision was not made prior to the event then a blood bath would take place as each group tried to take over the site.



“So no pressure,” he said. “Great.”



“Keeper,” House interrupted his thoughts.



“Yes,” Jamie said.



“There is someone here.”



“Here?” Jamie shot to his feet. “Where?”



“Outside. He is peering in one of the windows. I think he might have been there a while but he just now brushed against my glass with his breath.”



“Good,” Jamie said. “Lets see what our visitor is up to.”

late posting

My flash drive is currently MIA so I will be conducting the great seach for it this evening.  A new post will be in the morning. Sorry if that throws anyone off schedule. And if anyone happens to see a runaway flash drive, remind it that life on the streets can get pretty ugly and send it home. val

Keeper: Chapter 8

Sorry for the late posting, got pulled into a meeting before I could post this morning.  v

Chapter 8

Jamie stared at the boulder and splintered bed and swallowed hard. He looked up at the ceiling expecting to see broken and town roof supports. Instead there was a large black scorch mark. The white paint of the ceiling was blistered and cracked.



“Odd,” Jamie said. He started to step forward but felt a burning on his chest before he could cross the room’s threshold. He looked down in surprise to find the keeper’s medallion glowing blue and nearly hot enough to burn him. He stepped away from the door and the metal cooled, its blue light dimming. Del was staring at the medallion.



“My guess is there is another nasty surprise waiting just incase the rock missed.” Del told him. He had a grim, angry look on his face. He looked through the open door at the wreckage. “We’ll be needing to call to get someone to clear that before we can clear up.” Jamie nodded. Now that his heart had stopped racing and was returning to normal he was starting to feel a bit numb. No one had ever really wanted to kill him before. He shivered and realized he was wearing only his boxers and that the hallway was quite chilly. Del noticed the shivers as well.



“I think we’re all out of sleep tonight. I’ll go start breakfast and we’ll see about getting something warm in you.” Del turned and walked back down the stairs, heading towards the kitchen. Jamie closed Albe’s bedroom door and retreated back to his room. He closed his door, wanting a little something more between him and the other room. Del was right, there was no going back to sleep now. He looked over at the clock. 4:28 am the glowing red clock read.



“Well I’ve gotten up earlier,” Jamie said to himself as he pulled on jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt. He put on heavy socks but not shoes. Somehow moving silently sounded like a good plan for a while. Once dressed, he sat back down on the bed and stared at the wall for a moment.



“House?” He asked. “Are you awake?”



“Yes, keeper.” The house replied. It didn’t sound a bit sleepy. In fact it sounded agitated.



“Do you know anything about the giant rock in Albe’s bed?”



“No Keeper. I swear I let no one in.” The house sounded distressed.



“I’m not accusing you of anything, House.” He reassured it. “I’m just trying to figure out what is going on. Can you tell me the last time Albe slept here?”



“Five nights ago.” House told him.



“Five?” Jamie repeated. He counted back in his head. “That would be October 2nd then since this is technically the morning of the 7th?”



“That is correct Keeper.”



“They told me he was gone on the 4th, I came with the Family on the 5th,” Jamie mused aloud. The timeline fit. Can you tell me what happened between Albe waking on the morning of the third and right now?”



“Of course keeper. The previous keeper rose, ate and left. You and your family then came,” house paused. “Would you like a recounting of the visit?”



“No,” Jamie said. “I think we can all live without that. Pick up again after we left.”



“Very well. After you left several people dropped calling cards off. They were slipped under the door and I made sure they were placed in the holder.”



“Did you see who they were?”



“No but their names would presumably be on the cards,” House told him in a slightly huffy tone of voice.



“If they dropped off their own cards,” Jamie replied in his own huffy tone. The numbness was starting to fade and he was starting to get angry. Someone had tried to kill him.



“True,” House conceded.



“You can’t really see anyone outside of your confines can you?”



“Only the keeper,” House admitted. Jamie nodded. Something to think about later.



“After the cards were dropped off?”



“Nothing until you came.”



“Has there been anyone other than me or Del here since I arrived?”



“No Keeper.” Jamie nodded slowly.



“Has Del been upstairs? Or worked any magic that you could tell?”



“Del Has been upstairs twice since his arrival. Once to let you know that dinner was ready and once this morning after the bed collapsed. He has worked nothing but hearth magic since his arrival.”



Jamie tapped his finger on his knee in thought. He blinked as he remembered Albe’s book. He pulled the satchel out from under the bed where he had stashed it and tugged out what he had dubbed the fantastic field guide. Under brownie he found two drawings. One of the drawings looked remarkably like Millie the other was a male version that didn’t look exactly like Del but close enough to be a cousin. He was wearing the same sort of clothing Del had been wearing in the kitchen. Jamie quickly scanned the description.



“Tend to dress well when traveling is somewhat of an understatement,” he muttered as he read. “A brownie is also known as a house elf and unlike the rest of its more exotic kin, has no problem dealing with iron. They love to keep secrets and are fiercely protective of the families they have decided to assist. Once becoming a part of a household a brownie will consider it his or her sacred duty to keep the family safe while they are within the confines of the home. The brownie will use its magic to these ends. The precise magic a brownie holds has never been determined as the brownies only work magic when away from the eyes of others. Should a brownie ever turn on its chosen household and seek to harm the occupants it will loose its domestic skill. Milk will curdle; meat rot and bread refuse to rise.” Jamie thought of Del making breakfast downstairs.



“Well that would be one way to tell if Del is on my side or not.” Jamie stood up and turned towards his closed door, preparing to see if Del’s breakfast was edible or not. He stopped when he saw a small white card tucked into the corner of his bulletin board. The board was on the back of the door which is why he hadn’t seen it earlier. It was where Albe would leave secret clues to begin scavenger hunts or messages about where he was going.



“Apparently one person thought I would sleep in my own bed,” he thought. Jamie walked over to the board, his socked feet making no sound. He pulled the card from the corner of the board. It was wedged between the frame and the cork. The side facing him was blank. Jamie flipped it over. One word was written on the reverse.



“Luddite,” Jamie read aloud. He smiled knowing Albe wasn’t trying to insult him but rather giving him the missing pass word. He tucked the card in his back pocket. “We’ll see if the milk is spoiled before we go onto the computer.” Jamie opened his bedroom door.



For a moment he stared at Albe’s closed door. There was nothing odd about it, yet somehow it had taken on an almost sinister look. Jamie shook his head and stepped into the hall way. He pulled his bedroom door shut behind him. Jamie felt a little foolish doing so, he knew nothing was going to seep out of Albe’s room and lie in wait for him in his but he closed the door anyway. He quickly left the hallway and went down to the kitchen.



After the cool halls the kitchen seemed like a haven of warmth. Jamie took a deep breath, inhaling wonderful scents. He could detect no scent of rot. Del placed a plate of sunny side eggs and bacon on the table and motioned him to sit. Jamie slid behind the plate.



“The biscuits will be out in just a minute, Del told him. The little man poured a glass of orange juice, a glass of milk and a mug of coffee. He placed all three in front of Jamie. Jamie looked at the glasses and then back at Del. The brownie seemed a bit flustered. He filled the kettle with water and set it on one of the burners.



“I didn’t know if you were a tea o a coffee sort of person,” Del said. But there will be tea in just a minute.” Jamie took a sip of milk. There was nothing curdled about it. He set the glass down.



“Del, are you all right?” he asked. Del thumped a mug next to the kettle and placed a tea bag in it.



“It is me that should be asking that,” Del said in a rush. “I sign on to care for the house and nearly a blink later you’re almost crushed in your own bed. It is a disgrace.” Del turned and jerked the oven door open. He grabbed the tray of newly baked biscuits and pulled it out. Jamie winced.



“Aren’t your hand’s burnt?” he asked. Del looked at his hands. They were slightly reddened from contact with the hot metal but not burnt.



“I’m fine,” Del replied. He flexed his hands and some of the manic anger seemed to drain from him. “Although it would have been what I deserved.”



“You don’t deserve punishment,” Jamie said. Del sank into one of the chairs. “This wasn’t your fault. Someone killed Albe and I think that same someone is trying t kill me.”



“The keeper before you was killed?” Del asked. There was fire in his eyes.



“I believe so.” Jamie said. “Things are just a little too wonky for it to have been an accident. The trick is figuring out who did it and why.” Del calmed and drummed his fingers on the table as he thought. Jamie took a bit of his eggs, dipping the edge of a biscuit in the golden you as it streamed from the broken center.



“Seems like a keeper would have kept records of the projects he was working on. It might do to check the last thing he recorded.”



“That would be a good place, but his last journal is missing, as are several books from the library.” Del looked very surprised.



“How would someone smuggle books out of this house without the, um well, House knowing about it?”



“For that matter how did someone sneak a boulder into Albe’s room without house knowing it?” Jamie countered.



“Someone found a way around the house’s defenses.” Del let out a low whistle. “That takes some heavy doing. Either very big magic or very small.” Jamie frowned.



“Small?”



“There are some places where tiny things can go, slipping between the cracks so to speak, and no one would notice. Takes a lot of skill to do though.” Del told him. Jamie thought of the calling cards.



“Could it be slipped in like a disease?”

“Disease?” Del asked his putty like face creased into a heavy frown.



“Like the feds slipping small pox infested blankets to the Indians to make them sick,” Jamie said. Del’s frown deepened.



“I suppose it could be possible. Did someone send you a blanket?”



“Not a blanket, no,” Jamie said. “But there are calling cards. According to House they are the only things that came into the house between Albe’s leaving and me arriving.” He paused and looked at Del. “I don’t suppose you know how to tell if one of them had some kind of magical small pox?”



“I could take a look, but it really isn’t my thing.”



“You have to be better than me.” They left the kitchen and went to the front hall. Jamie reached for the cards but Del’s hand stopped him.



“If they are infected then you shouldn’t be touching them.”



“I touched them before, when I came in,” Jamie told him.



“Hmm,” Del said. “If you touched them then it might have activated something. If you touch them again then who ever sent the card might be able to know it and realize that his first hit missed.”



“You mean they could try again.”



“I mean they could try again,” Del confirmed.



“Can you tell anything about the cards?” Del picked up the cards and flipped through them. Jamie could see his jaw clench as he shifted the cards. Slowly he placed them back in the receiving tray. “Anything?” Jamie asked.



“Something,” Del said. “But whatever it is now coats all the cards so I can’t pick out the one that brought it in.”



“Can you get the names? We might want to pay them a visit to see what we find.”



“I can remember the names,” Del said. “I’ll write them down for you in the kitchen while you finish breakfast.” They returned to the kitchen and Jamie finished his breakfast while Del jotted the names down. When finished, Jamie leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee.



“We are well stocked on supplies, right?” Jamie asked. Del looked up from his list.



“We are. I filled the pantry after lunch yesterday so we wouldn’t be caught unawares by visitors.” Jamie nodded.



“I think laying low for a few days might be a good idea,” he said. “It will give me time to hopefully figure a few things out and maybe someone will come looking to see if their plan was successful. After all if I was setting a trap to kill someone and I knew the trap had been sprung I would want to see if it worked.” Del nodded slowly, a dark smile creasing his lips.



“I really hope they send someone.” Jamie recalled the fiercely protective line in the guide and realized that like dressing well, it was an understatement.



“I think I will head upstairs and see if I can figure out what books are missing. There are no windows in there so it won’t look like someone is working. Maybe I’ll even find a book dealing with House and how someone could have gotten past its defenses.” Jamie went back upstairs to the study.

“House,” he said as he pulled out his laptop and seated himself behind the desk.



“Yes?” It asked.



“Can you tell if someone is near the house, er, you?”



“I can tell only once they are on my porch or touch my walls.” Came the response. Jamie nodded.



“If someone does, can you let me know?”



“Of course.” Jamie assumed this was as close to a burglar alarm as he was going to get. He booted up the computer and logged into the mozy site. To his delight the password worked perfectly. To his surprise there were several files stored there. Again Jamie wondered if Albe had a laptop stashed somewhere or if that had been stolen along with the books. He scrolled through the list until he found the file marked Aphid. He smiled and clicked the file open. The file contained several smaller files inside. There were pictures and a lot of text. Jamie scanned the files wondering where to begin. One file near the center of the list was titled read me first in capitol letters.



“That looks like an excellent place to begin,”

Keeper: Chapter 7

Short chapter because I'm on the road.  Much longer chapter tuesday v

Chapter 7

Jamie made a trip back downstairs to retrieve the inventory then returned to the study. He pushed his closed laptop to the side of the desk and flipped through the large stack of papers to the section marked study. He checked off the large scale items like the desk and chairs but skipped over the contents of the drawers to start on the listed books. While Albe, or whoever had cataloged the collection, had been thorough in listing all of the books and authors they were not in the same order on the shelves as they were on the paper. While the paper list was alphabetical by authors’ last names, the shelves had the books grouped by subject. The only way he would find out what books were missing would be by process of elimination. Jamie sighed heavily, then rolled up his sleeves and took the inventory to one of the shelves.



Several hours later, Jamie was a bit dustier than when he started and only a little closer to figuring out what books were missing. He had managed to work his way through one set of shelves.



“Only one?” he thought to himself. “Should have been more.” He looked up at the shelves. The room had what Jamie estimated as a sixteen foot ceiling and the shelves went all the way up. Some of the books were standard sized and some very thin folios wedged between stouter volumes. So each four foot shelf held a varying amount of books. His stomach rumbled before he could estimate how many books he had gone through and a chuckle came from the doorway.



“Looks like my timing was right,” Del said. “Dinner is ready if you are.”



“Let me just wash up and I’ll be down,” Jamie told him. Del headed back to the kitchen and Jamie went back to his room and its connected bathroom. He washed his hands and realized his shirt had picked up a fair amount of dust as well so he changed it before going down.



The smell from the kitchen was marvelous. The sight was even better. Jamie seated himself at the table and was handed a bowl full of thick stew. A freshly baked loaf of bread was also sliced and ready to eat.



“While there was no more ready made I did find some flour and what no in the pantry,” Del told him as he took his own seat.



“This is really good,” Jamie said. “I’m glad House was offended by me living off processed frozen foods.” Del laughed and for a little while they ate in silence. Outside in the gathering dark rain began to fall. Jamie smiled knowing he would sleep well in the rain. He looked at Del.



“You wouldn’t by any chance know where someone like Albe would have bought books do you?” he asked Del. The small man looked a little surprised by the question but thought about it. “Some of the books don’t exactly look like they would be easily available at normal book stores. “ Jamie clarified. “I know some of them are quite old but others looked fairly new.”



“Ah well I can’t say for certain where he got his books but I do know the majority of certain works are ordered by catalog. You have to be a certain someone to get on their mailing list of course.” Del told him. Jamie nodded and continued to eat. It meant that when he had finished going through the book list and found the titles he couldn’t just walk into one of the large chain bookstores and pick up a replacement copy. Considering some of the titles, he wasn’t very surprised. Somehow he didn’t think the large dissertation like book entitled “Clans of the Drashen” would be a best seller.



“If you happen to come across any book catalogs would you let me know?” Jamie asked.



“Sure,” Del told him. “After dinner Jamie was disinclined to leave the warm kitchen. As they had eaten the rain had increased and the outside temperatures had dropped noticeable. As the house cooled it seemed larger and more empty. Jamie pulled a notebook and pencil from the drawer Albe always used for odds and ends and began to make a list. He knew books were missing from the library and he needed to find out what books were missing, who might have taken them and why. He added a note to speak with House in the morning about who had been here before Albe had gone. He tapped the pencil on the note pad and then added ‘search for books on House’ to the list. Since House had been so offended by the thought of a person being allowed in while the keeper was out it might not want to admit that someone could enter without permission.



‘Now I’m worrying about a house’s feelings,’ he thought to himself. ‘Crazy day.’ Jamie added Mozy to the list of things to look into. ‘What would Albe have used for a pass word?’ he asked himself. ‘Knowing Albe it would be something completely nonsensical so it couldn’t be guessed. Of course if Albe had known I would be looking for it he might have put something I would know.’ Jamie started making a list of random words that had been jokes and sayings of Albe’s things they had shared. While the memories were fun none of the words felt quite right. After a time he started yawning and realized his early morning was catching up to him. Del had long since finished in the kitchen and disappeared to his quarters. There was bread dough left to rise overnight in a towel covered bowl on the counter, otherwise there was no indication of anyone else in the house. Jamie decided an earl bedtime would not be a bad idea.



Jamie climbed the stairs and turned into his room. As always there was a stack of wood next to the fireplace. Jamie shivered a little and decided a fire would be a good thing. He lay the logs and kindling as Albe had taught him and soon had a warm blaze in the fireplace. He placed the grate in front of the fire to prevent a spark from burning the house down and turned out the overhead light. Jamie quickly stripped and climbed into bed between the cool sheets. He shivered at the cotton against his skin but figured his body heat would soon warm them up. Jamie snuggled down into the bed and watched the shadows from the firelight dance on the ceiling. The steady sound of rain drumming on the room soon lulled him into sleep.



Jamie was awoken sometime later by a loud crash. The fire had died to ash and the room was black. Only familiarity with the room kept him from bumping into anything as he reached to the door. He turned on the light as he went and when he opened the door light spilled into the hallway. Jamie could hear foot steps approaching and a light growing brighter fast at the entrance to the stairs. Del soon appeared holding a small oil lamp.



“Are you all right?” he asked Jamie. Jamie nodded.



“I think the sound came from Albe’s room.” Del frowned for a second and then his face cleared.



“The master suite hasn’t been cleared out yet,” he confirmed. Personally Jamie didn’t think he would ever really want to take Albe’s room but let the thought slide. Jamie reached for the door knob and swung open the door to Albe’s suite. The four poster bed was broken and splintered on the floor. A giant boulder lay on top. If Jamie had been sleeping in the bed at the time of its arrival he would have been killed. He swallowed hard and stared.



“It looks like someone wants to kill the Keeper,” Del said.