Chapter 12

The morning sun rose over the bustling town of Bangor as the two Garner brothers carried their brief cases and made their way into the office building after returning from Collinsport the night before. The storm had subsided, and, for the most part, everything was business as usual.

Richard and Thomas entered their office and sat down at their desks. Within minutes, a buzz sounded through the intercom speaker. "Yes, Marie?" Thomas answered.

"A man here requesting to see both of you. He won't tell me who he is or why he's here, but he's demanding to see you personally." Marie replied in a slightly annoyed tone. "I told him that he needed to make an appointment, but he won't listen to me or leave. Want me to call security?"

The brothers looked at each other for a moment, and Richard spoke. "That's fine, Marie. Send him back here. I think I know who he is. He's harmless and just very shy. I spoke with him over the phone yesterday. Tell him we'll see him now."

"Okay, Mr. Garner. He's on his way," the secretary answered.

Within seconds, the office door opened and a large, stocky man wearing a flannel shirt and faded denim pants walked inside. Dirt and mud covered his shoes and tracked onto the carpet with each step he took. He stood there quietly, nervously rubbing his hands together.

"Matthew Morgan." Thomas acknowledged him.

"Ayuh." Matthew looked down at the floor. "I-I did just as ya told me to, sir. He ain't gonna say nothin' about Missus Stoddard no more; I made sure o' that. I passed him on that road just like ya told me to, and I run over him. Didn't kill him at first, but...I killed him with one o' my tools from the shed and buried 'im out in that field by the road. Hated doin' it to him because he was a real good man and all for helpin' Missus Stoddard, but...I know what ya said and did what I had to do. He was too dangerous to be livin' with secrets like that, and I don't think he woulda liked livin' the rest of his life that way."

Richard stood and walked over to Matthew. "Don't say anything else, Matthew. The less you say the better. Now tell me two things. First, where is the car?"

"Took it to a mechanic in town. Told him I hit a deer on the road last night. He said it should be fixed by this afternoon." Matthew answered.

"Okay, and second." Richard lowered the volume and tone of his voice. "Where is the body of the girl?"

"Well, I buried his body right next to hers last night out in that field. Nobody'll find'em there. Ain't nobody goes down that way no more, and they sure 'nough won't be lookin' out in that field for anything." Matthew replied, looking up at Richard.

"Alright, Matthew. You did well. Now, exactly what are you going to tell Elizabeth when you get back?" Thomas questioned.

"That I took care of the car, gave the girl a peaceful burial, and helped set the detective up in a nice place to live outside of Augusta." Matthew looked down again as he spoke.

"And...?" Thomas prompted him.

"And that I'll do all the runnin' of the place and everythin' that she needs done outside of the house. She'll never have to leave the house ever again, and her secret's safe with me to my grave. I'll take care o' things for her." Matthew stated boldly.

Richard looked at Thomas, nodding his head. Pulling open a desk drawer, Thomas pulled out a checkbook and started writing.

"With all due respect, Mr. Garner," Matthew interrupted, making his way toward the desk where Thomas sat. "I ain't interested in your money. My only interest is Missus Stoddard. I ain't like the two o' ya that only take care o' her because she's payin' ya to. I do what I do just b'cause I care about her, and I'd do it all over again for nothin'. So you can keep your money. I don't want no part of it. I'm going back to Collinwood now. Our business is done."

The two men watched Matthew leaving without saying a word, shutting the door behind him. As he walked back into town to the mechanic shop, he paid the money for the repairs and started home quickly.

As he parked the car outside of Collinwood, he walked inside the door of the mansion. Elizabeth was sitting in the drawing room, holding her baby girl, Carolyn, in her arms. Matthew, not wanting to disturb her, started walking up the stairs.

"Matthew?" Elizabeth called to him.

Pausing on the stairs, Matthew replied before turning around to go back into the drawing room. "Yes, Missus Stoddard. What can I do for ya, ma'am?"

"I just spoke with Richard on the phone, and he told me about what happened." Elizabeth stood to her feet, still holding Carolyn in her arms.

"Ma'am?" Matthew looked puzzled, wondering what she had been told.

"That you and Detective Trask gave the girl a proper burial, and that the detective will be staying near Augusta." Elizabeth answered.

"Oh, ayuh...that's what happened, alright. I didn't want to bother ya with the details o' things, but I'm glad ya heard from him first. Ya don't hafta worry about nothin' no more." Matthew looked down at the floor, not sure what else he should say. "Well, I...I guess I'd better be headin' to work now, Ma'am. If you'll excuse me." Matthew nodded his head respectfully toward Elizabeth.

"Oh, Matthew? I've spoken to Richard and Thomas concerning another matter—the old cottage on the estate. I want you to live there. You've earned more than you bargained for, and I would feel much safer if you were there and could watch the house for me. It's much more fitting for you than a guest room here in the house." Elizabeth said, trying her best to muster a smile for him.

"I appreciate it, Ma'am, but I...I would like to be closer to..." he paused, hesitating to reveal his true feelings. "Here inside the house so I could be closer to the two o' ya in case somethin' were to happen or someone would go snoopin' and pryin' around the house."

"Matthew, I will be fine, and so will Carolyn. I would feel much safer if you would let me stay here with her, and you take the cottage. I've already spoken to the attorneys and the paperwork is being drawn." Elizabeth told him. "Please, you would be helping me feel better and more secure for being able to do a favor for you in return."

Matthew turned and nodded. "Yes'um. I'll get started on movin' in right away. You're too kind to me, Missus Stoddard. I ain't deservin' of such a nice place, but I thank ya. I'll take real good care of it, and I'll take real good care o' the two o' ya."

Elizabeth smiled. "I know you will, Matthew. I trust you."

Matthew nodded and gave a half smile to her. "Thank you ma'am...well, good day, Missus Stoddard."

Walking back toward the upstairs, Matthew left Elizabeth and Carolyn alone in the drawing room. While he was moving all of his things in from his guest room to the cottage, another man was beginning to start a new life of his own by the docks of Logansport.

A thin, young Irishman in his early twenties was boarding a freighter headed for Europe. As he made his way to the starboard side, he looked back in the direction of Collinsport, scowling as he thought to himself:

I gave you a simple plan, did all the dirty work, even pulled the trigger and murdered that girl, and ya still nearly ruined us by dropping that vial I gave ya! We coulda been swimming in your wife's money right this moment, but ya had to go and louse things up, Paul Stoddard. I'm going off on me own, now. There's big scores waiting for me out there, but someday I'll be back here to claim what you failed to deliver. When I come back, I'll have something more valuable than anything else in this world—all the secrets. Soon enough, Collinwood will have a new master, and his name will be Jason McGuire!

(DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to Dark Shadows. This story is a creation of my own within the universe of Dark Shadows with the sole intention of entertaining the reader. I do not profit or receive any royalties from the owners of the property, Dan Curtis Productions)