ENDING OF PREVIOUS POST:

Clyde took his last bite of pie and a long sip of coffee. "Bradley told Isaiah what cards da other men had in their hands. So his grandson won all them treasures from Walker and the pirates. Walker lost the title to fifty-five acres of land down by the river, so Bookman had the water rights." He chuckled. "Walker knew Isaiah was cheatin' but couldn't figure out how. This went on for nearly two years. Isaiah done hid that treasure. He must of hid it good. I bet it's in one of them underground tunnels."

"Did anybody ever actually see the treasure?" asked Cash.

TODAY'S POST:

"Dat I don't rightly know." Amos removed his pipe. "I figure enough people talked about it dat it had to be true."

"Did the pirates ever try to get their jewels back?" Billy Joe scraped the last of the pie crumbs from his plate. "I can't believe they just peacefully turned it over. It ain't their nature."

"Them pirates tried to raid the Walker plantation. Them Walkers put them slaves out front to fight. They had a lot of slaves. I'm a guessin' the pirates gave up figurin' they'd just rob more tradin' ships." Clyde sipped his coffee.

"I can't believe those Yankees didn't try to get their money back." Billy Joe leaned back in his chair.

Cash glanced at his buddy and then at Amos. "Me neither."

"Rumor has it dat Sherman sent one of his highfalutin' colonels and some men to da Walkers. Dem Walkers had already hidden da treasure and when dem Yankees searched dey couldn't find it. Walker did give dem two of deir bastard children to show good faith."

"You mean they gave their own flesh and blood away to keep some money?" Cash's eyes widened.

"Well, now hold on a piece." Amos held the coffee pot up and motioned for more. "Ya see. Dey weren't real flesh and blood. Dem Walker men got with some of da slave women and they had children." He held up two fingers. "Dey sent two young males to fight with dem. Dey figured two mixed breeds couldn't do much damage." After the waitress brought a fresh pot of coffee and poured the men each a fresh cup, Amos took a sip. "Man, dat's good stuff." He looked at Cash. "Da best way to find da treasure is ask Bradley. He'll tell ya, or at least I bet he'd tell dat purdy Yankee."

Billy Joe glanced at his watch and motioned to Cash it was getting late.

Cash caught the waitress's eye. "Ma'am, could I please have the check?"

When Amos started laughing, the lady smiled. "You didn't tell them you owned the place, did you?"

"Sho didn't."

"Why am I not surprised?" Cash chuckled and laid forty dollars on the table. "I think this should cover the pie, coffee, and time." He held out his hand. "It's been a pleasure talking with you. Next time you make it to town, stop by. I know Paige would like to meet you."

"We sure will. Good luck with dat Yankee woman, ya's gonna need it. Dey mighty head strong. Ya come back, ya hear? Next week Molly's making blackberry pie. It's real good too."

"Is Molly your wife?" Billy Joe stood.

"Sho is. We be married going on seventy years."

"Ya old fool. It's fifty-nine years," called a female voice from the kitchen area.

Amos laughed. "It seems like more dan dat. She's one of dem Yankees." He rose to his feet.

Cash and Billy Joe walked to the old Chevy, as Clyde and Amos stood outside the diner. Dog waited by the car door until Cash petted him.

*****
As the two buddies crept down the unlit gravel road, there was silence. Finally Billy Joe asked, "What do ya think about the ghost and the treasure?"

"I think the whole Walkers family's evil." Cash stopped the car and waited for a deer and her fawn to cross. "I think there's some sort of a treasure, but I think it's exaggerated. Pirates and soldiers wouldn't give up that easy."

"What about Bradley the ghost?" Billy Joe used his fingers to put quotations around 'Bradley the ghost'.

"I believe something's going on." Cash stared out the windshield and continued to drive. "I just don't know what. None of this makes any sense."

"One thing I know for sure; there ain't no such thing as ghosts." Billy Joe tapped the dashboard.

The car's engine stalled.

Billy Joe's eyes widened as he whispered, "Cash, did the wind just pick up?"