He put down the book, grabbed his cane and made his way over to meet the young man mowing. The young man saw him crossing the road and drove the mower over to meet him. They met at the wrought iron gate.

“Good afternoon, my dear sir,” Mr Berryman said as he reached out to shake the younger man’s hand.

“It’s a wonderful day,” they shook hands.

“I’m Cecil Berryman.”

“You wouldn’t be the Cecil William Berryman that wrote ‘Blood Stone Lost’?”

Cecil was caught by surprise, “That was my first novel, been out of print for years. How did you come by that one?”

“I found it amongst my grandfather’s books. It’s a first edition hardback.”

Now Cecil was really surprised, “You will have to get me to sign it, might make it valuable. Now who might you be?”

The young man grinned politely, “I’m Johnathon W. Chanser.” Something about the glimmer in his eyes that made Cecil know he was looking to see if he knew that name.

“You look too young to be the man that built this house?”

John laughed a little, “That man died in this old house and left it to his younger brother, who I am a direct descendant. My father signed the deed over to me a few weeks ago.”

“Awful big house for a young man.”

“I love old houses and I’ve been making a living restoring houses for the last ten years. My dad says I need to settle down in one and find a wife, so I can have him some grandkids.” Both laughed over that.

They both became lost in conversation and spent most of the next house talking about the old house. The conversation didn’t stop until a red camaro pulled up into Cecil’s driveway. They both looked over as a beautiful teenage blonde girl got out. It was Mr Berryman’s daughter Carol.

Cecil whistled to catch her attention and she beamed a bright smile as she looked at them. Her eyes went straight to the young man’s red hair. A strange soothing shiver ran down her spine as her eyes met the eyes of that young man. An urge went through her to know who he was. She had planned to go inside and change, then leave again to meet her friends. She walked right across the street not thinking about how much that house has always creeped her out.

As she approached the young man got off the mower and came to the fence, “Good evening, my name is Johnathon Chanser and you must be the charming Caroline.”

“Why uh yes,” she was a bit startled.

“Your father has told me much about you.”

“He would!” giving her dad the look.

Mr Berryman blushed, “Well he asked and I only answered.” He then began making his way across the road, “I’ve got to get back to my book before that villain kills the pretty little girl.”

Her jaw dropped with embarrassment and then explained, “That’s his way of leaving us alone so we can get to know each other better, but I bet he has already told my life story.”

“He spent half the time just talking about you and how your his last kid about to move away.”

“I’m not moving away. I’m going to the college across town and I have no plan to move into a dorm full of crazy girls.”

“Good, then I will see you more,” he said with a big smile, “I’m a little thirsty, would you like to come in and have a soda with me.”

Her eyes went wide as she looked up at the house, “You got a key to this old house.”

“Of course, it’s my house,” he opened the gate for her. She hesitated before entering the gate, “Don’t be afraid. The only thing that haunts this house is a pretty little girl of ten.”

“Your kidding, aren’t you?”

“I don’t kid about the dead.”