Chapter 102

Many old clocks had a key and were kept locked. This was especially true of the big "grandfather" clocks. Children were attracted to the weights on chains and the swinging pendulum. In the four years that Elijah had kept the clock running and keeping proper time, he had never locked it with the key kept up on the flat top of the case. He used a finger to try to open the door, but it didn't budge. Reaching up to the top, his fingers found the key behind one of the finials. The key and his fingers came away with dirt on them. He felt sorry for the old clock, once expensive and cared-for, as it stood there, silent and neglected.

After opening the large glass door, he gave the pendulum a small nudge. It moved back and forth reluctantly and then stopped. Elijah knew this was both because the weights that powered it were all the way down and because the mechanism was really dirty. It called out to him for help.

"It doesn't run," said Wayne, coming from the other room. He was used to listening to the radio, but at the moment he had other things on his mind. He left the others to enjoy the music and the radio host's banter.

"I can see that. I am surprised it is still here after all these years."

"I guess it's a permanent fixture. My grandmother liked it, but I don't think it was running back then. I have never seen it working. My dad says it would cost too much to have it fixed and we have other clocks."

"How many generations of your family have lived here?" Elijah asked.

"Quite a few. I know I heard my grandmother was born in this house. So that means her parents lived here. Did you know there's always been a rumor that a couple of ghosts once haunted this property? There were supposedly murders here, way back."

"I have heard that too," Elijah said, nodding. He did not add any details.

A thought occurred to Wayne and he frowned. "Did you live here back then? There was also a tale of a magic wall around the place for a while. Like now!"

"Yes." Again, Elijah didn't explain. He let Wayne come to his own conclusions.

"So, I guess the magic wall was really there. Here. You go where it goes. Or it goes where you and your family go, huh?"

"Or so it seems. Yes. Wayne, would you mind if I tried to fix this old clock? I am rather fond of it."

"Be my guest. If you can fix it, fine." Wayne could see that Elijah didn't want to discuss the other matter further.

"Do you have small tools?"

"A few. I don't know if they're what you need. There's a workshop in the cellar."

Kol's laughter came from the other room, prompting Wayne to mutter, "Your brother reminds me of my cousin Barney. Laughed easy. Goofy sometimes."

"There is another side to Kol. Do not underestimate him," Elijah warned.

"I won't." To which he added, "My cousin Barney has a bad side too. He's in prison now. The family doesn't talk about him."

Elijah did not mention that Kol had killed thousands in his long lifetime, sometimes for the blood, but sometimes just for the excitement of the kill.

Claudette came from the room behind him and cautiously went to the door to the parlor. Although she was afraid of the loud machine with the singing man inside, she was curious.

"It is safe," Elijah told her.

To Wayne, he said, "Let us go and look at the tractor situation. I am sure we can figure a method to set it upright."