“Wait a minute,” said Chief. “What about the drawings the Indian did? Did they show the skeleton and treasure?”
“They did not and yet he claimed he drew those rooms,” said Rose. “When the Englishman returned alone to the site toinspect it, he left with scratches, claw marks on his arm, and a sizeable lump on his head. But he lived.”
“That means of all of us, I’m the safest,” said Joseph staring at his wife. “I can get into the tower and hopefully get a piece of bone to be examined.”
“Joseph,” she said with tears in her eyes, “I’m not sure that’s wise. He could still harm you.”
“He might but based on what we’re hearing and seeing, he won’t kill me. We have to try and figure out what was so important about killing these people and why, even in death, he’s still doing it.”
“I think he’s right, Julia,” said Rory. “I don’t like it but I think he’s right. If he gets into trouble, we’ll be there to help him get out. However, I do think that you and Rose should be off the property itself. You can be in the car or waiting outside the property line but you cannot be in the castle itself.”
“I’m afraid I’ll insist on that,” said Conor, “and Sean and I will be joinin’ you.”
“Conor, you’re most likely not high on his list of friends,” said Rory. “You had the priest that wrote about him, saw the room for himself, and your family has escaped his touch for generations. You being there could anger him.”
“I could, but then again, I could be a distraction for Joseph. Either way, we’ll be there.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The team arrived at Castle O’Shan just as the skies opened up once again. A steady, soft rain bathed the grounds, the hills and cliffs seemingly greener with the moisture.
“Maybe this is a sign,” frowned Julia holding tightly to Joseph’s hand. He smiled at his wife, leaning over and kissing her.
“If it were a sign, we’d never get anything done in Ireland,” smirked Sean. “He’ll be fine, lass. We’ll make certain of it.”
She watched as all the men moved toward the castle. They stopped at the main bailey gate, lined up like giants in the land of leprechauns. One by one, they entered the Bailey and then, took off like shots.
“What are they doing?” asked Rose.
“I’m guessing creating a distraction for Joseph,” whispered Julia. Through the binoculars she could Joseph walking steadily toward the tower stairs. Once through the doorway, she could no longer see him.
“Wait,” said Rose. “Where did they go? I don’t see any of them.”
“Oh my gosh! Of course!” laughed Julia. “A ghostly trick for a ghost. They’re using our stealth technology. They’re all there.”
Julia held up the tablet, pressing the buttons to see her family behind the stealth suits. Rose stared at the device and gasped.
“It’s magic,” she whispered.
“It is magic of a sort,” said Julia. “It’s actually incredible technology. It’s very smart. I don’t know if it will fool a ghost but it was definitely worth trying.”
Joseph walked steadily up the stairs, the stealth suit covering his long, lean frame. He was, after all, fifty-percent Caucasian. He wasn’t sure if that was too much or too little for the ghost’s liking but he was going to attempt to be safe no matter what.
As he hit the last landing, he glanced around the stone pillar and saw the tower room. Just as Sherilyn had said, there were goblets of gold and silver, bowls of the same. There were even mouse-eaten furs and blankets.
He took one more step, now standing at the doorway to the tower room. For one split second, the face of John O’Shan was visible to him. Gaunt and gray, his hollow eyes were filled with sorrow and pain.
Joseph wasn’t certain why he did it but he removed the suit and stood before the ghostly figure.
“You don’t have to kill any longer,” he said softly. “There is no one that can help you now. Your death is done.”
“How do you see me? Are you a sorcerer? Are you a witch?” asked the ghost.
“I see many things,” said Joseph. “You must stop the killing.”
“Or what, Indian,” he said with disdain.
“You know my kind?” asked Joseph.
