End of CHAPTER SEVEN:

After about thirty minutes, Paige yelled, "Cash! I found something!"

As Cash and Billy Joe rushed into the room, Paige was trying to stand.

"I got here as soon as I could." Cash helped her get adjusted on the couch. "What's so important you're risking hurting your ankle?"

Paige held her breath. "Ready for this? My ghost is Bradley Bookman."

Cash's chin hit his chest as his head dropped. "What?"

"Seriously, Alice writes that Bradley returned to help her with the delivery of their first and only child, James." She pointed to Alice's words.


TODAY'S POST:

CHAPTER EIGHT

After Cash read Alice's diary entry, his eyes met Paige's. "How do you get from this to Bradley Bookman's a ghost?"

"He made an appearance while his wife delivered their baby. That's proof."

"He fought and died at Chickamauga? There's no way he could be in Savannah for a birth. If Alice saw him, she was hallucinating."

Nala stood up from her chair. "Mr. Cash Wilkins, you've never delivered a baby in your life. Women do many things while bearing a child and hallucinating ain't one of them."

"Maybe the midwife gave her strong medicine. We don't know. There's a lot of things about it we don't know."

"My mammie helped you come into this world. Being a midwife has been passed down in my family for generations and there ain't no strong drugs used." Nala's hands were on her hips.

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't believe in ghosts. A man can't be in two places at once. It's impossible."

"I need to fix Paige some lunch." Nala left the library.

Billy Joe sat. "Why don't you tell Paige what we found about the Confederate note?"

Women! Cash took the paper bill from his jean's pocket. "Good idea." He moved a chair and sat beside Paige. "This is an allegorical figure of Ceres sitting on a bale of cotton."

"I want to know who's Ceres and what in hell's bells is a allegory?"

Paige smiled at Billy Joe. "The Roman goddess of agriculture and an allegory is a symbol representation." She glanced at the note. "Is it real? If so, how'd it get in my backyard?"

"It seems real. Mom has a friend who's an antique dealer. While we're eating tonight, I'll ask if she can set something up."

"Can you handle five perfect pan-sized catfish, bowl of hushpuppies, and remember to ask?" She giggled.

Cash ignored her and continued to answer her previous question, "I have no idea how it got in your yard, but I'm sure a Confederate ghost didn't drop it."

"Cash has a point. Why would a ghost need money?" Billy Joe cocked his head.

"Okay, you have me on that one. I have no idea why a ghost would be carrying money." Paige frowned. "Besides Confederate money isn't legal tender. I think I'll get back to the family history. My gut tells me the answers are there."

"My gut tells me it's time to eat." Billy Joe chuckled.

Cash glanced at his watch. "It's already noon and we haven't got a lick of work done. Paige, if you need us we'll be outside. I'll come inside and get you before I leave."

Paige watched the men leave the library before she continued reading the Bookman family history.

When Nala brought lunch and set it on the table, Paige smiled. "This looks really good. You're going to eat with me, aren't you? I hate eating by myself."

"I'll eat in the kitchen." Nala turned to leave.

With eyebrows raised and a frown, Paige asked, "What are you doing? You fixed a nice lunch. Why don't you share it with me? There's more than enough for both of us."

"In these parts, the hired help don't eat with the employer."

"But you ate with Mary Pat and me on Saturday. I don't understand."

"That was a mistake."

"Why was that a mistake? I invited you. Mary Pat was born in the South and she didn't have problems eating with you." Paige noticed Nala avoiding eye contact. "Nala, has something happened? Did somebody say something?"