Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 323(@300wpm)
“Pepper, what mystery brings you to the church?” he asked with a chuckle.
I smiled. “A local one, Reverend.”
“Come in then and we will see if we can solve it,” Reverend Herbert offered, stepping aside for Ian and me to enter.
Ian introduced himself after the reverend closed the door.
“It is good to finally meet you, Ian. I was wondering when you might come and visit your uncle’s grave.”
“We did the other day, though an unfortunate incident delayed us some,” Ian said.
“A break-in to the Willow Mausoleum,” the reverend said, nodding. “I heard about it and thought it might have something to do with your visit today.”
I didn’t waste time in asking, “Who holds the deed to the Willow Mausoleum?”
“The church,” the reverend answered. “All records for the Willow Mausoleum remain with the church. They cannot even be accessed through the cemetery files. It was something Ignatius Willow had written into legal documents when he turned the mausoleum and land over to the church. All reverends who have served the parish have been made aware of it when assigned here.”
“One would think Ignatius Willow wanted a secret kept,” Ian said.
I loved that Ian often said what I intended to say or ask. We did think alike.
“It has been speculated,” the reverend said, “but rumors have a tendency to grow over the years, so it is difficult to say what reason the man had for keeping his family’s mausoleum records confined to the church.”
“Is it true he permanently sealed his daughter’s tomb never able to be opened again?” I asked.
“It is and you can see marks and chips on the marble where people tried to pry it open,” the reverend said.
“Then it is possible that there is something valuable buried with Verbena?” I asked.
“So, rumors say, but the only way of knowing that is to open the tomb and according to the documents signed between Ignatius and the church that can never happen,” the reverend explained.
Again, Ian asked the question I was just about to. “What if a relative of the Willow family agrees to it?”
“I’m afraid it would not matter since the church has been granted the rights to the mausoleum in perpetuity. Of course, if a family member, proven to be a descendant of the Willow family, wanted to gain access to the mausoleum, they would be granted permission. But the church has the final say in anything regarding the mausoleum.” Reverend Herbert leaned across from behind his desk where he sat. “I know what you are thinking, Pepper, but I cannot allow you to go snooping around in the mausoleum. It is a sacred resting place, and I will not have it disturbed. I will, however, grant you access to the documents so you can see for yourself what Ignatius Willow intended. But not today. Millie will arrange everything and call you with a convenient date and time.”
“That is generous of you, Reverend, and I appreciate it,” I said. “One other thing before we go. Has Damian Stone gotten in touch with you about the Willow Mausoleum?”
The reverend nodded. “He has and he claims to be a descendant of the Willow family, but he has no proof of it.”
“Wouldn’t it be difficult to establish a direct line to the Willow family when the three descendants are dead?” Ian asked. “How could a bloodline be matched to them?”
“That’s the problem. Ignatius kept excellent business records but not personal records. No correspondence with family or friends has been found between either he or his wife, Claire. They arrived in this area and established the town. The only thing known about them is that they were Irish immigrants.”
“Did Damain Stone say why he believed he was a descendent of the Willow family?” I asked.
“He told me it was known in his family, something passed down through generations that their origin was with the Willow family who had founded a town in Pennsylvania. But as I said, he has no proof, no documents, no DNA to prove it. There is a book, The History of Willow Lake, the Willow Lake Historical Society had published that might offer some insight.”
“I have it and it is somewhat helpful,” I said. “One more quick thing, Reverend and we will leave you to your duties. “Would you know if there is a secret passageway in the mausoleum?”
The reverend chuckled. “I have been asked that question more than I’d like to remember. I don’t know. I suppose anything is possible, but I have no knowledge if there is or isn’t one. However, I do believe the documents you will review include the original drawing for the mausoleum.”
CHAPTER 5
“The deck is going to look great, Pep,” Ian said, finishing his tea as he looked out the French doors the next morning and waved to the workers who just arrived for the day.