Keeper: 36

36.


The group went inside the house and Jamie led them to the family parlor, thinking it was more comfortable than the formal one. He was thankful that Del had retrieved the cart with a pot of coffee and all the accoutrements and was passing the cups around. He wasn’t quite sure how Del had managed to have a full pot of fresh coffee available but was too busy trying to listen to House without looking crazy to pay it much attention.



“The security stuff is set up in the back, would you like to come with me to see it or just have me bring a tape?” Jamie thought a second. “”If it has a tape, it might be a digital thing. To be honest I haven’t looked into it too much.”



“Understandable,” The Sherriff said. “Perhaps we had better go along.”



“All right,” Jamie said nodding. “Everyone set for coffee?” Jamie led the parade through the house to one of the back rooms. Here Albe had converted one of the closets to a security station. With the closet doors shut there was nothing noticeable about it, which is why Jamie had passed the closet without thinking about it until House pointed it out. The room was one he had not gotten around to inventorying yet. Inwardly he sighed. If events kept coming at him the way they had been then it would be up to the next Keeper to complete the inventory.



“And that’s not even counting the hidden floor,” he thought to himself. As they walked Jamie noticed both the Sherriff and his deputy looking around with interest.



“Did you know Albe, Sherriff?” He asked as he swung the closet door open. Everything looked as House said it would.



“I’d met Mr. Fulton a time or two,” the Sherriff answered. “Mostly he kept to himself and didn’t cause too much trouble.”



“Heard the stories though,” the younger officer said. This earned him a glare from the sheriff and caused him to utter a mumbled apology.



“No problem,” Jamie said. “Albe was a bit of a character.” Jamie studied the monitor and flashing lights of what looked to be recording equipment. “I don’t suppose anyone knows how to work this stuff?” he asked.



“Billy,” the Sherriff said. Billy stepped forward.



“It’s a lot like the warehouse in Denerton that got broken into a few months back,” He looked at the machines for a moment and then glanced at Jamie. “May I?”



“Sure,” Jamie said gesturing to the equipment. Billy handed Jamie his coffee mug and started fiddling with the equipment with the air of someone who truly enjoyed playing with electronics. “Well,” he said after a few minutes. “It looks like it was recording.” He looked to Jim. “What time did you get here, sir?”



“Around six thirty, maybe seven,” Jim answered.



“And Michael’s van was not there?”



“No,” he replied.



“Then it would have had to come after, then,” Billy mumbled turning back to the electronics. On the screen they could see Jim’s car pull up and Jim get out. He pulled to the side of the road, parked and got out of his car. He jumped the gate and walked off screen. The camera just showed the car sitting by the road side.



“I think we can speed it up,” the Sherriff said.



“Yes, sir,” Billy replied. The screen remained the same but Jamie could see the numbers on the digital display speed up. Suddenly Michael’s van appeared. Billy slowed the speed to normal time and they watched as Michael stopped his van at the gate. In eerie black and white silence, they watched Michael attempt to open the gate. Once he discovered a new lock had been put on the gate he retreated to his van and removed the bolt cutters from the back. He tried using them on the new lock Jamie had installed and Jamie felt some vindication when the bolt cutters he brought were unsuccessful.



“Ha,” Jamie said. All eyes turned to him. “The guy at the hardware store said ordinary bolt cutters wouldn’t work.” He explained. They turned back to the screen. Michael was not pleased that his bolt cutters were not working. He slammed the gate with the cutters, looking for all the world like a kid having a temper tantrum. The gate seemed unaffected although Jamie was certain there would be some dents and dings in the gate if he looked closely. Seemingly stymied, Michael turned his rage upon Jim’s car. They watched as glass shattered and tires deflated under Michael’s assault. Michael hefted the bolt cutters over his head like a club and began to hammer on the hood of the car.



“Michael has a bit of a temper doesn’t he,” The sheriff said.



“He is used to getting his own way,” Jamie said softly. On screen, Michael seemed to tire. He returned the bolt cutters to his van, and as Jim had done, hopped the fence and walked off camera.



“That does seem to cover both the trespassing and the damage to the car,” The sheriff said. “You claimed he broke in before?”



“Yes,” Jamie said, I don’t know if it’s still on there but there were witnesses.” Jamie gave them the time and Billy rolled back the recording to the appropriate time.



“This thing has about a month’s worth of recording time on it,” He told Jamie. “And then it looks like it switches to another disk. You probably have several months worth of images here.”



“Good to know,” Jamie said. “Hopefully it won’t be needed as often.” They watched as the car pulled up and Michael used his bolt cutters to open the gate. While he did not think that Bella would go against Michael the investor had no real reason to lie.



“Especially not when he is on film,” Jamie thought. The investor, George Jennings could be seen stepping out of the car, a frown on his face at Michael’s bolt cutters and a question on his lips. They couldn’t hear the question or Michael’s response but it didn’t look like the answer completely satisfied George.



“That certainly covers that,” Billy said, pleased with himself.



“Can you make copies for evidence?” the Sherriff asked him. Billy nodded and a few moments later was removing a memory card from the machine. That task complete the group moved back towards the front of the house. Jamie offered refills on coffee but they were declined. Jamie walked them towards the front porch. The sheriff stared at his vehicle with Michael in the back. Billy stared into the woods. The sheriff gestured for Billy to move to the car, which he did, carefully not turning around. The Sherriff frowned.



“Is he always this jumpy,” Jamie asked.



“The stories are interesting regarding this place. Tends to spook a lot of people. Personally I think Old mister Fulton liked it that way. Certainly kept the local teenagers from sneaking onto his property with a keg in tow.” The sheriff glanced at the woods. “The case against Michael is pretty good. Off the record, do you keep any dogs? Dachshund or otherwise?”



“No,” Jamie replied. “I tend to like bigger dogs and before I moved out here I lived in a small apartment. I might think of getting one if I stay out here though.”



“I see,” the sheriff said. “I’d be interested to know what grabbed Michael. After all there might be some truth to some of those stories.” He glanced one more time at the woods and then looked back to Jamie. He smiled, shook hands with both Jamie and Jim and then walked to his car. Jamie and Jim watched him drive away knowing Del had already left to take care of the gate.



“I wonder what did get Michael,” Jim asked.



“I don’t know but the way the shirt and pants were ripped I doubt it was a branch.”



“Or a dachshund,” Jim added. He looked into the woods and frowned. “I wonder if the sheriff believes in werewolves.”



“You are joking,” Jamie said. Jim shrugged and turned back towards the house. Jamie followed him back inside.



“That’s all we need, Michael as a werewolf.”