Mary Gone Missing Part Three

Sgt. Breyer asked Elise how she is doing? “I am doing much better since staying with my Auntie Lynn.” Elise shares with Sgt. Breyer that her dad never wanted them to socialize with Mrs. Hall and he did not want us going to that house for any reason. One time Mrs. Hall sent a message to my mom she wanted us to come to the mansion for tea and my father scolded my mom for even entertaining the idea and demanded that she did not go or take us. My mom gave in to his request and nothing else was said of it.

Todd is at college going about his daily routine when he gets a note left under his dorm room door, it reads “Watch over your sister Elise.” The note was on very antique looking paper written with an old fashion quill pen. He wonders, this is strange no one knows about my family here at school. I do not talk about them with anyone here. I think I should call Elise and check on her.

Janice is at the laundromat and a woman drops an envelope in her lap and hurriedly walks away. The note written with an old fashion quill pen reads, “Watch over your sister.” Janice ponders for a moment and thinks, I better call Elise when I get back to my apartment. Something is going on and it is frightening me. Since mom has disappeared Elise is a mess. I am so glad she is with auntie Lynn. At lease we know she is not alone.

Elise asked her Auntie Lynn, “How well did you know the Halls?” I knew more about them than know them. My parents thought they were so strange. Why do you ask me about them Elise? I saw a newspaper article about mom getting an award when she was young for being an aide to old lady Hall. Elise, all I know about the Halls is that they were very peculiar acting people, and your father literally was afraid of them. He did not want any of his family near them. Mary never would tell me why Roger, felt the way he did. Your mom never talked about that summer she worked for Mrs. Hall. All I know your mom was different somehow when the summer ended. Soon after school started that fall, she began to get letters from Mrs. Hall. Our mom found one of the letters from Mrs. Hall to your mom with a small amount of cash in it. When anyone would ask Mary why Mrs. Hall was writing to her, she would just clam up. My mom confronted Mary about the letter she saw. After that our parents forbid her from accepting any more letters from Mrs. Hall. She actually made her return future letters unopened via the post office. Our mom was very seldom harsh in her speech however when she told Mary not to have anything to do with the Halls, she was livid.

Well, it is time for me to go to school auntie talk to you later. Elise grabs a donut from the counter and rushes out the door. As she drives to Oak Ridge, she wonders what is going on is someone just trying to mess with me or is there something mysterious going on about my mom and the Halls. Elise thinks to herself I know I am not supposed to go to the mansion however I am going to check things out after school. I wonder if I can get Jim to go with me. Janice calls Elise she does not answer so she leaves a message. Todd also calls Elise and gets no answer he also leaves a message. Both think she is probably in class or on her way to class. They both call their Auntie Lynn to check on Elise. Auntie Lynn this is Janice Todd is listening in how are you? Auntie Lynn replies I am fine, and I am so glad to hear from the two of you. I guess you are calling about your sister, right? Yes, we are wondering how is she doing? She is doing much better. Her hair is shiny again and she is not pale like she was when she first arrived. Janice asked her aunt, “what can you tell me about the Hall family?” Dear all I know is that your father was terrified of those people and forbid your mom to see them or take the three of you around them. Why do you ask me about the Halls Janice? None of them have lived in this area for many years.

Well, auntie lately Elise is getting strange phone calls about mom being at the Hall mansion. What! Who would call and say that to her? The mansion has been boarded up for at least 30 years. When old Mrs. Hall died the remaining family members left. In fact, they are all probably dead by now. I guess their children inherited the place and all the money they were supposed to have had. Well, Auntie it has happened three times. Sgt. Breyer is on top of it and Elise has been told not to go to that house for any reason. Janice, you know Elise is not going to listen to anyone about going to that house if there is any way she thinks your mom maybe in there. Oh my God Janice!

Sgt. Breyer is still trying to piece together the puzzle of Mary Holmes and the Hall family. He calls Mr. Wells again and asked for the contact number he has for them. Sgt. Breyer stresses that Elise’s life maybe in danger due to the phone calls she is getting that are coming from that house. Mr. Wells finally gives in to his request and gives him the phone number. Sgt. Breyer calls the number and a person answers, “This is the message service for the Hall family. I am Sgt. Breyer of the Oak Ridge police department. There has been a series of mysterious phone calls coming from the mansion. Sir, this is the answering service. Sgt. Breyer continues I believe Elise Holmes life is in possible danger because of them please have one of the Halls return my call to 857-907-8123 immediately.

Todd gets another ominous note shoved under his dorm door. The message reads, “Elise should not go to the Hall mansion. He looks around the dorm and does not find the person who left the note. Scratching his head, he is trying to remember if he may have said something about his family in Oak Ridge and does not remember it or to whom. He goes about his day and sends himself a reminder text to call Elise and check in on her. Elise gets out of class and ask Jim a dear friend to go to the Hall mansion with her and he gives her a resounding NO! Elise that part of town is almost shut down and that house is boarded up. Why do you want to go there anyway? She tells him about the phone calls and she feels her mom is in the Hall mansion. Jim tells Elise to listen to Sgt. Breyer and let him handle it.

Sgt. Breyer has put a patrol car in front of the Hall mansion and will keep one there for a while just to see if someone has broken in and using the place for criminal activity. He personally goes down to city hall and pulls the blue prints for the mansion to see if there are some underground tunnels, etc. As he is going over the blue prints he receives a call from Mrs. Hines letting him know that the Hall mansion was built over an old Indian grave site that existed about 200 years ago. I thought you may want to know this Sgt. Breyer there may be some gaps between the foundation of the house and the earth underneath.

Elise goes to the Hall mansion and sees the squad car and turns around. Then her phone rings the front of her phone says Mom. She hesitates to answer and then finally does. “Why won’t you come and get me baby? You will be safe Elise. Come to the side door it is unlocked.” She sighs and then goes back to the side entrance. The patrolman sees her. The lights and siren are on then over the PA she hears “Stop, stay in the car.” Elise is so nervous she begins to sweat. When the officer comes over to the car she rolls down the window. He asks, why are you here? In a timid voice she says, “I am here to get my mom.” Suddenly the wind blows extremely hard and the patrolman is blown away. The side door opens, Elise slowly enters the dark hallway as she walks suddenly the lights come on and she hears a faint voice in the distance “Elise, is that you? The voice is that of her mom. Yes, mom it is me. Follow my voice, Elise continues to walk forward.

At the end of the long hallway stands her mom, Mary. She is a bit thin, somewhat pale however she recognizes her. Tears now stream down her face and she cries out mom and rushes to hug her. She is stopped by a force as if she has hit a solid wall. She falls back dazed. When her eye sight straightens out she is in a room with a hospital bed and her mom sitting on the end of the bed. Mary has an IV in her arm that has blood flowing through it. Elise screams what is going on here? Then the deep booming voice she heard on the phone summons her to walk to the wall. She obeys the command when she is close to the wall it disappears and she sees a group of people standing as though they are posing to take a family portrait. She only vaguely recognizes old lady Hall.

As she stands there paralyzed in fright old lady Hall speaks to her. My dear we just wanted to see you before we leave. What? Elise nervously sputters out. We are your family; your mom Mary is my granddaughter. We just wanted you to know before we go. Then as quickly as they appeared they vanish. The lights dim she turns and her mom is standing next to her. She isn’t as pale now and she looks as though in a few minutes she has gained some weight. They hug and begin to walk out of the house. The mansion begins to violently shake Elise and Mary run out. As soon as they clear the doorway the mansion collapses into itself and is gone. The car ride home was very awkward. Elise asked Mary where have you been mom? What just happened? Mary tells Elise she has been on an adventure learning about our relatives the Halls. I have so much to tell you Todd and Janice.

When they arrive at home Mary instructs Elise to call her brother and sister, she does and Mary takes the phone. She greets each child and tells them she is fine and all is going to be alright. When they come home she will explain everything to them. Sgt. Breyer arrives at their home within minutes of their arrival. Panting out of breath he asks them what happened at the Hall mansion. Mary answers it is gone and so are the Halls forever. One of my deputies was on duty watching the house he has not returned to the station. Did you see him? Elise answers yes, when I first arrived I got by him and went into the side door of the mansion. Sgt. Breyer says to Mary where have you been? Tim (Sgt. Breyer) you will not believe me. Let’s just say I have been in another world on an adventure. Elise and Mary hug, kiss and begin to giggle like girls at an overnight sleepover.

Sgt. Breyer tells Mary you will need to come to the station tomorrow so I can close your case file. Please Mary I need you to tell me something that sounds half way logical so I do not have to be bothered with the SIB (state investigative bureau) and the media. You have been gone for over six months. People will have questions, lots and lots of questions.