THE HAUNTING PAST MYSTERY OF THE BORDELLO

THE HAUNTING PAST: MYSTERY OF THE BORDELLO After finishing our initial work, on Delcon Maximillians village, our pilots were just preparing Ghost Ship Two, for launch, while Tami and I were securing the "staff" section, of the plane, when we heard the chime, telling us that Mr. Brown was coming on the video-comm. When Tami and I sat before the monitor, Mr. Brown came on screen, to ask "Are you, still, at "Delcons" village?" When Tami would say "Just preparing for take-off", Mr. Brown would say "Might I ask you to place your departure on hold, for a short while?" When I would say "Okay, boss, whats up?" Mr. Brown would say "I have another case file, right on your door-step, so to speak" When Tami and I looked at one another, then Tami asked Mr. Brown "What do you mean?" Mr. Brown would flip through our, latest, report, then ask "Do you remember that adjacent property? The one he (me) investigated? The property which had been the original choice, for the casino location?" When Tami would say "Ofcourse, we visited the place, however, we failed to find anything beyond an old, weed infested, foundation" Mr. Brown would ask "When your visited the property, was it day-time, or night?" When Tami and I admitted it was around mid-afternoon, Mr. Brown would ask "Would you mind taking ANOTHER look. This time, AFTER sun-set?" When Tami reminded Mr. Brown "All of our findings, or lack of same, are in the report" Mr. Brown would say "Exactly why I want you two "on-point". You are on-site. You are, already, aware of most of the properrty's history. This, it seems, is exactly why even the client wants YOU to investigate the premises". When Tami would ask "Investigate what?" Mr. Brown would say "Reports are coming in, claiming that, after MIDNIGHT, "things" are being seen. In fact, some "things" are being witnessed, just after sun-down. The clients request is simple enough. They just want you to either prove, or dis-prove, the claims, of haunting". It was amazing how, even as Tami agreed that we would remain on-site, our pilots were shutting down the fight systems (As thought they KNEW we would never turn down the chance to investigate a haunt). When the pilot entered the staff area, he would tell us, as they passed by "I knew this would turn out to be a case". When Tami asked "How?" The pilot would say "Simple. You did too much research, on that property, for simple curiousity". When Mr. Brown had neglected, to inform us of (OR, what the client failed to inform the Brown Agency of), was the fact that the client not only wanted to know if there were any spirits, around the property, but the client also wanted to verify if, in fact, the property had, once, been a bordello. Well, for Tami and I, it was just a matter of time, and patience, for us to discover whether spirits were present. The most difficult part, of the investigation, would be the question of proving if the property had, in fact, once been the site, of a bordello. Providing such proof would be, further, complicated, by the fact that the home had blown up, and burned down, more than a century ago. Back in the days when a "Bill of Sale" could be ANY-thing, and written by ANY-one. Sure, "back in the day", only MEN were, legally, allowed to purchase property, many women "got around" this, by using their husbands, or fathers, names. With the exception of telegrams, and certain, mail, packages, no signature, or I.D. was required, for most transactions. In those days, if goods were ordered, and paid for, the goods were delivered, period. Ofcourse, back in this time, written contracts were not required. A hand-shake was just as binding. All of this meant that, in regards to this case, as Tami had outlined, in our preliminary report, was just how fake some of the so-called "documentation" could be. Take the photo's, of the women, for one example. The women, in the "old" pictures might be dressed in Victorian-era clothing, and even have Victorian-era hairdo's, however, my partner spotted the fakes, just as easily as she could spot quality clothes. Simple fact was that, in the era, when the photo's were, supposedly, shot, there were no washers, dryers, indoor plumbing, etc. As a result, the women, of the day, were, nearly, as "beefy" as their men were. Since the women, in the photo's, were slim, petite, even "dainty", Tami ruled, and I agreed. These photos were, recently, made, to APPEAR to be a century old. When Tami used some Brown Agency software, to remove the ladies faces, for the use of facial recognition software, neither of us was surprised to find modern day matches. As for the lands title, and deed, it was no surrprise that the property was in a MANS name. After all, in those days, women could only INHERIT land, left to the women, in writing, by fathers, or other, MALE, family, members. While Tami worked on locating LIVING family members (whose names were NOT disclosed to the modern day purchasers), I returned to the site, took various measurements, and surveyed the general area. This I did while I sensed being "watched". A "tour", of the property, yielded few results. The main exception would be the crumbling wall, which enclosed what appearred to be a private cemetary. Since the markers were so eroded, though, I was left to take pictures, before using my portable, optical, scanner, on the surface of each grave marker. This is how I learned what might have upset the spirits, of the property. As I came cose to getting a clear reading, on a head-stone, I felt movement, by my left leg. When I looked at my leg, I saw a "hand", and "arm", moving about, until it had a grip on my leg. Un-like what is shown, in the movies, and, often, in real life, where people RUN from spirits, I, however, had enough past experience, with the deceased, that I bent to the arm, took hold of the wrist, and, when the hand opened, I removed, from the hand, about what I expected to find. A modern day Halloween trick. The arm was attached to a robot motor, which was attached to a pressure mat, buried just beneath the surface, of the grave. Ofcourse, the label, on the arm, said "Made in China". No surprise, there. Almost ALL modern trinkets are made in Asia. When I put on gloves, then placed the trinket in an evidence bag, which I, then, locked, in my Jeep, the returned to the grave-site, I admit that I offered a prayer, of Forgiveness, to the departed. (It only seemed right, after the pranksters had dessecrated the grave, with the gadget.) After I reported in, to the Brown Agency, about the trinket, I took the trinket to the police station where, un-fortunately, the police matched prints, on the trinket, to those, of locals, even FASTER than I thought that they would. The problem was that the pranksters had a LONG history, of such pranks, and this was not even their latest. When the young offenders were brought into police headquarters, the pranksters kept saying "It was just a joke, man. Just a joke", until the police told the pransters to "Shut up and get inside the cell". When one, of the pranksters called out, from behind bars, asking "What about our phone call?" A police detective would call out "Shut up, or I WILL gag you". When the prankster called out "Thats police brutality", the detective stood up, walked to the prison bars, and told the boy "I have you on Trespassing, Dessecration of a grave, Resisting arrest, and Dis-orderly conduct. If you dont shut up, I WILL have the judge throw the book at you" Behind the "mouth", the other pransters would whisper "Man, shut UP! We are in enough trouble, as it is". The detective would, then inform me "Its a good thing we got there when we did. The deputies caught these punks preparing to place all sorts of "adult sexual products", on this property". When I asked what the sentence would, most likely, be, the detective would say "For first offenders. A warning. For these kids, though, with their records, I would be surprised if the judge limited the sentence to "Community Service"." While the punks were being processed, I asked department staff who would be most likely to know who had owned the property, where the furnace had, long ago, exploded. When a records clerk said "Best place to look would be town hall", then walked away, since I, already, knew this information. I was relieved when an aged man asked "Are you the ones looking into the old Hollings place?" When I gave the man the location, of our new investigation, then asked "If that was the old Hollings place, then, yes, we are reviewing the property. More, correctly, though, we are reviewing its PAST owners". When the man said "That wont do no good", and I asked, the man said "My grandpa told me that the house weren't built by a single man. It were a GROUP, of men. Grandpa says the men bought the house from one of those mail order catalogs. One of those things from before the blasted in-ter-net. They bought it, and had it shipped here, as a place for their families to live". When I mentioned "I thought most families camped out, until huts were built", the man would chuckle as he said "You watch too much t.v." Then he would add "The men, and their wives, built the house, real quick, then moved their families in, while the husbands went out, and built individual places, for each family." When I asked "Which one was Mr. Hollings?" the aged man said "None of them first men. The home, you see, changed owners, over the years, as people moved in, then moved on. One, dimmed fool even "lost" the place, in a poker game. Left his family out in the street, so to speak" When I asked "Where did Hollings come in at, and where did the bordello story come from?" The man would say "Grandpa told us, when I was young, that the home owner had a "thing" for a "darkie". When I clarified "You mean a black woman?" The man said "Mom, and grandma, say its not polite to call "darkies" black". When I asked "What about the owner, and the "darkie"?" the man would say "Hollings come to town, heard the stories. You know how people were such "Puritans", in them days". "Well, Hollings hears about this white guy, I forget his name, but word has it his wife wont let him share the same bedroom. So, the man finds a woman who WILL share, with him. By the time Hollings finds the two, together, the home owner has two kids, a boy and girl, by the "darkie". Hollings tells the man Hollings price, for his silence. Although the home owner has no trouble with his wife being kicked out of the house, the man is not fine, with HOW he lost the house. Anyway, soon after Hollings takes possession of the property, he up and leaves the area. Never comes back, that anyone knew of" When I asked "What about the house?" The man would say "As soon as the missus loses her comfy home, she packs her things, and leaves her husband. Like he meant anything to her." When I asked "The House?" The man would say "Sat empty, almost two years, before the man moved his REAL family in. Had a third child, by then. The family lived in the house, for YEARS, after that. Atleast until the kids left home" When I asked "What of the stories, of the bordello?"" The man would laugh as he said "Been hearing that one, for years. THAT house in another part of town. Where the money-people were." When I asked "The Hollings property?" The man would say "Not really sure about that. Some say Hollings came back, one day, found the couple, living there, and tried to burn them out." When I asked "Why do you doubt that?" The man would say "When the house went up, the "darkie", she was working back-stage, at the local theater, helping the women with costumes." When I asked "And her man?" The man would say "He was working back-stage, as well. Lifting the curtains". When I suggested "So, neither of them was home, when the house burned?" The man would say "You betcha! Too many people saw the two, at the theater". When I asked the man "Do you think Hollings burned down the house, to spite the occupants?" The man would say "Grandpa always thought Hollings burned the place down, over an insurance policy". When I asked "Insurance?" The man said "Rumor has it that Hollings took out a multi-million dollar policy, on the property, shortly after he left the area. A couple of years later, when another house burned down, Hollings collected, on HIS policy, since it was rumored that it was HIS house which had burned" When I continued "So, Hollings come back to town, many years later, and finds HIS house not only still standing, but inhabited." The man would say "Hollings decides to burn the place, himself, rather than return the insurance money. Money which, by then, rumor says, he spent up, years before, anyway". When I asked "How much time PASSED, between Hollings taking possession, and burning the house down?" The man would say "Lets see. The couple had five children. Since all of them, somehow, turned out as white as their papa, two of them went to college, one became a nurse, and the other two went into the trades" When I would suggest "Roughly forty years, then?" The man would say "Sounds right." I would thank him, for the information, then return to G.S.2. Upon return to the plane, Tami would not only verify the old mans story, but she added to this. Tami would tell me "I know why Hollings was, always, on the move. Records show that he had fourteen wives, that I have accounted for, so far. He also had dozens of children. It seems that he spent his life one step ahead of Pinkertons, even while seducing any willing women that he could find, and fool." When I asked "What about his financials?" Tami would laugh as she said "His financials. The man made his money, from extorting other people out of property. Although the police, long, suspected him, of burning atleast twenty properties, just on the East Coast, the police never could PLACE him at any of the scenes. No doubt, this is because Hollings had informants INSIDE the police, and Pinkertons. This is why he was, always, able to skip town, prior to arrest." The one consistency, which Tami had found marked ALL of Hollings victims was that every man Hollings extorted from was a white man, whose wife as "cold", towards him, and the fact that every single one, of Hollings victims was involved with a black woman. When I concluded "So, whenever he needed money, Hollings listened around, found out who was having "illicit" affairs, then blackmailed the couple." Then I asked "Roughly, how much did Hollings take, from his victims?" Tami would say "In todays money, I would speculate that Hollings took in about $750 million". When I could not even conceive of even having, let alone losing, so much money, Tami would add "Hollings was DEEP, into wildcat speculation. The longer the odd's, and the greater the earnings potential, the better he liked it". When I asked "Do we know what, eventually, became of him?" Tami would say "Died in his sleep. The coroners report, what there was, of it, says the man had a total of $500.00 on his person". When I considered what I could have done, with so much money, Tami reminded me "You are a gentleman. Hollings was the opposite. His wives, and children, ended up homeless, while he died, in his own bed". When I tried to consider how a man could have more than a dozen wives, while living outside a religious community, and without anyone ever knowing, Tami would remind me "Remember, there was NO internet, in those days. Everything was hand-written, and mailed. Even shop at home catalogues required the U.S. mail". When I asked Tami "Have you traced the bordello rumor, yet?" Tami would tell me "If what I have un-convered is correct, the women, and the photo, are NOT of the Hollings property." When I said "Okay, so, who are they?" Tami would correct me, saying "They WERE prostitutes, brougth in, to work the actual bordello, which was, actually, located at the opposite end of town. If you can believe it, a banker, and a doctor, brought the prostitutes into town, and the doctor received 75% of the bordello income, since his job was to keep the women healthy". When I asked "Are there any photo's, of the REAL Holllings house?" Tami would say "None that I can find, so far. You should, also, know that the womens faces, in the photo, are NOT the original women. When I spoke to each of them, the women admitted being paid $1,000.00, each, to allow the use of their faces". When I asked "Publicity?" Tami called up the REAL faces, of the prostitutes, on the computer screen. When Tami saw the shock, on my face, she said "MEN" When I inquired, she said "All you look at is beauty, and youth. Any woman, over twenty-one, you consider a senior citizen". I would have said "Well, excuse me, but I like what I like", however, I decided against saying this. After all, Tami and I DID make a great team. A successful team, as well. As for the graves, Tami would verify that the deaths were of family members, with only one "child", a man, from the trades, preceeding his parents into death. His death was listed as "Construction Accident". The other four "children", whose graves were present, would be recorded as going to their own graves YEARS AFTER their own parents deaths. As to the reason why the graveyard was being allowed to disintegrate, it would seem that the races (black and white), had decided, in the modern day, that, although people might be friends, and co-workers, that interracial DATING remained a subject not to be spoken of. As Tami would report "The fact is that, until just five years ago, the state refused to even allow cemetary funds to be permitted, for the maintenance of such graves." It was a logical conclusion that, although the family had been "accepted", during life, by contrast, in death, the people were to be ignored. Thanks to my scanner, though, I was able to retrieve enough information, from the head-stones, to allow the computer to perform background checks, on the family members. One fact, which stood out, and MIGHT be the cause, of many reports, was that the negro mother reportedly spent most of her life teaching her children respect for, and fear of, the spirit world. This lead to the question of if the hauntings could be the family members, simply upholding momma's beliefs? Since Tami and I had learned, LONG ago, that spirits embrace full moons, for appearances, we just settled in, for the next few days, until the next full moon was due. Now, I would have suspected that, if spirits were to rise, with the full moon, that we would have seen them rising, from the ground, as vapors, then moving toward the house. What made this house "different" was that even the house, itself, did not come from a mist. Although the house just appearred, and was slightly "glowing", with an "aura", the odd thing was that neither the house, nor the family, began as vapors, then solidified. The way both just appearred was similar to a person switching on a light, in a dark room. One second, there was nothing. The next second, all were present. As for what the report of "screams of terror" were all about, I noticed that these only happened when children were hurt, while laughing, and playing. Ofcourse, to those, who fear the unknown, a childs cry, of pain, could, easily, be mistaken for an animal cry, or worse. As I sat back, on "stake-out", and watched the show, I was reminded of how much this scene resembled "Little House on the Prairie", or even "The Waltons". The only people these spirits would spook would be humans, who were afraid of dark shadows. I made certain to note that the scene played out, for as long as the full moon was visible, overhead. Once the moon moved past the horizon, the scene vanished. When the moon returned, hours later, I made a point of sketching any details, which I could see, of the homes interior. It was during this time, when I realized this was an "intelligent" haunt. This was easy to determine since the scene changed, with every "performance". I think that my mistake was when, during one scene, which looked like a family dinner, I came up, to the surprisingly solid home, and, just as I was viewing the scene, inside the window, when, one second, the mother was at the dinner table, with her children, one moment, and the next moment, the woman was beside me, asking "Are you enjoying the show?" When I apologized, to the woman, saying "I am just gathering evidence, on the spirits, which inhabit this house. No offense was intended". When the spirit woman asked "Why are you gathering "evidence", on my family? We have committed no crimes" I apologized, again, telling the woman "I have heard reports that the home is haunted". It was when the woman would say "As you can, plainly, see, my good man, the premises are NOT haunted. Only my family resides within". It was when I took a moment, to realize what the woman had said, that I thought "How can they live within a burned out foundation?" yet when I turned, to question the woman, she had vanished. Seconds after this, the "porch" gave way, beneath me, and I fell into the foundation, as the house "winked" out of existance. When I reported these events to Tami, she agreed "Actual contact, and conversation. An intelligent haunt, to say the least". When I asked "I wonder why there were no reports, while we were investigating Delcon's village?" Tami would suggest "Maybe we were just not AWARE of the reports. After all, we WERE focused on the village excavation". A short while later, Tami would prepare another, of her carefully worded reports, to the Brown Agency. Now that we KNEW there were spirits, on the property, and, more important, since they were spirits of those, who had LIVED on the property, the question was "What, if anything, was our next move?" When the reply was "Get them OFF the property so that the place can be re-developed!" When Tami responded by asking "In case the spirits dont want to leave, voluntarily? What is our next course of action?" Tami had good reason, for asking this question. Especially after the case where, after a man paid $500 million, for a castle, then threatened to "evict" the spirits, if the dead did not LEAVE the property, on their own, When the owner had gone to court, to file an eviction notice, against the ghostly residents, of the castle, the presiding judge had suggested the man take a short "rest". When the man had slipped up, saying "I dont think the ghosts have "bags", when the judge asked if they had heard, correctly, and the man verified that he wanted eviction proceedings, against as many as 100 ghosts, the judge had, humorously, suggested "This court has no jurisdiction over the deceased. Statutory law covers only the LIVING". Now, when the reply came "If necessary, file eviction proceedings", Tami shut off her computer link. No WAY was another client going to go "down", looking like a fool. When Mr. Brown video-conferenced with us, the following day, Mr. Brown no-sooner agreed, with Tami, that legal matters are for the living, when he suggested "Tami, how about another of your "specials"? A compromise, like the one you negotiated, for "black" ville". When Tami asked Mr. Brown "Are you sure the client will go along with a truce?" Mr. Brown would suggest "Why dont you ask the spirits, first. IF they agree, then we can work on the living". That evening, as the full moon rose, over the horizon, right on schedule, Tami undertook her negotiations, with the spirits. (I stayed behind both to cover my partner, and, more importantly, because my "people skills" are non-existant) By the time the moon was over, to the far horizon, and I was ready to signal my partner, Tami came out of the house, looking concerned. When we returned, to Ghost Ship Two, and Tami filed her report, with the Brown Agency, the response was about what we expected. The spirit family had asked "WHY should WE move? We were here, first" By the time the Brown Agency had contacted the purchaser, and received a preliminary response, the full moon was two days past, and it would be another three weeks before the next full moon. When the mortal purchaser decided to "get cute", bringing in demolition equipment, while telling Tami "You have only until the full moon, to tell those spooks to pack their bags, and go find some place else, to haunt", when, as the construction equipment was being un-loaded, the weather went "crazy". Right over the property, dark clouds gathered, folllowed by thunder, and lightning. After this, the wind began to howl, and Tami and I retreated, to our plane, even as a torrential down pour soaked the Hollings property. When the owner ordered the equipment to proceed, with demolishing the foundation, multiple lightning strikes electrified each machine, and the operators, wisely, ejected, before the wiring systems were fried. Although a reair truck arrived, two days later, the repair men would report that each machine needed a complete re-wire. When asked, the repairmen woulld tell the property owner "Once we have the parts, we can have the machines working, in 72 hours" When the property owner would ask "Why dont you get started, then?" The repairmen would say "The parts will take six weeks, to arrive". Two more times, before the full moon, and the first quarter, heavy equipment was delivered, to the property, yet, shortly after each delivery, the machines electronics shorted out. With a total, of six pieces, of heavy machinery, out of action, the equipment dealer refused to send any additional equipment. During the first quarter moon, the property owner warned Tami "I will give you exactly ten minutes, into the full moon, to tell those spirits to "Get LOST". Do you understand?" Tami noodded, in agreement. After Tami moved away from the man, her response was "Good luck with that", as she returned, to rest, aboard Ghost Ship Two. I can only think that the owner decided to re-think his position, after his "frontal charge", during the first full moon, was met with a harsh response. When the man turned to the Brown Agency, asking "What do I do?" Mr. Brown spoke with great confidence, as he suggested "Let my team do their job. They have plenty of practical experience, with these kinds of situations. Let them do what we were hired to do". When the man agreed "But, I need RESULTS, NOW!, not later" Mr. Brown would say "Let my people do their work". Sure, maybe Tami's tact did take LONGER to achieve results, however, her results were proven, and lasting. In this case, Tami was dealing with a family, not so much interested in "haunting", as in being together. It seems that family bonds, in life, had continued, in death. The members just wanted to remain close. When Tami had asked "What makes you think you wont be together, in Heaven?" The spirit wife would say "We love this old place. It is our foundation" Well, Tami could have lectured the family, about the passage of time, and the fact that the house was just an illlusion, however, Tami spoke to the family, about seeing loved ones, they had not seen, in so very long, and never having to feel cold, or lonely, ever again. When the woman spirit would mention "You are mortal. How would you know what Heaven is like?" Tami would no-sooner say "I have a friend, who works there. I would like for you to meet her" When the spirits asked "Who is it?" Sure enough, right on "cue", Mother Superior would appear. She would give Tami a welcoming smile, then ask the family "Who would like a "sneak peak", at Heaven?" The nun suppressed a chuckle when, upon her appearance, both mother, and children, had knelt before the nun. When Mother Superior had said "Rise, my children", the spirits would stand then, with a simple, hand, gesture, it seemed that Mother Superior showed the family what awaited them, past the gates of Heaven. Tami only knew it was wonderful, by the looks, of joy, on the families faces. When Mother Superior would say "Right this way", and the family stepped forward, and began to dissolve, the husbands own spirit suddenly appearred, as he said "Wait for me." To this, Mother Superior would smile as she said "Never" (Meaning she had no intention of leaving anyone behind). As the father vanished, along with his family, and Tami whispered, to Mother Superior "Take care of them?" The nun would smile as she said "Ofcourse, my child. Even in Heaven, we take care of our own" There was, however, one problem, which Heaven could not solve. That was the problem of when construction workers would speak, openly, to fellow workers, and at local bars, about the freak weather, at the property. That, and the electrical shorts, at the Hollings property. Just as we had feared, each time the stories were re-told, the stories were embellished, even more. Then, the point came when the story, of the electrical shorts no-longer immobilzed equipment, but, rather, set the equipment to attacking workers. Although the disabled equipment was, eventually, repaired, the only workers willing to climb aboard were those who were recovering equipment, for the dealer. When no workers would come, to the property, the owner took Tami's suggestion, and donated the property, back to the town. This, in return for a three-year tax write-off. When Tami submitted our final report, to the Brown Agency, stating that the property was, now, spirit-free, Mr. Brown would make another request of us. "We have received a report that a jail MIGHT be haunted. That, or the inmates are playing a terrible joke on the guards. Since the location is right in your flight path, home, I have been asked to have the two of you just stop by, long enough to inform locals whteher or not the jail is "haunted". What do you say?" When Tami looked at me, and said "Why not?' and I agreed, Mr. Brown would say "Excellent. I knew I could count on you two. I will have the secretary make the arrangements" Well, life, and death, goes on...