Chapter 3

The next morning, as soon as breakfast was over, Cathy, Sierra and Jessica climbed into the attic. Sierra found an old trunk and began to explore. She found several old dresses and some hats dating back to the turn of the century. She tried one on and modeled it to the delight of her mother and grandmother.

"Are these your things?" she asked her grandmother.

"No, honey. Everything up here was part of the estate when we bought the place."

"Didn't you tell me there was something strange about the previous owner?" asked Cathy.

"Well sort of. The real estate agent told us about him when we bought the ranch. His name was Elias Young. He was originally from Utah, his family was one of the original Mormons. He had eleven wives, but when Utah joined the union and the church forbid polygamy, he broke with the church because he was unwilling to give up all his wives. He was excommunicated. So the story goes, he cursed the church, moved his wives here to Montana and began conjuring the black arts."

"You mean devil worship?" asked Sierra as she tried on another hat.

"The devil, demons, whatever," replied Jessica. "Anyway, over the years his wives disappeared one by one until, by the time he died, there were only sons and daughters left to inherit the place. We bought it from a granddaughter who said the place had passed through the ownership of several of his descendants. For one reason or another none seemed to keep it very long."

"Do you suppose he killed them, his wives I mean?" asked Cathy.

"No one seemed to know. He became a recluse and some said he went mad, so I guess it's possible."

"Hey, you don't think..." started Sierra.

"Oh no, young lady," interrupted her mother, "I can see what you're thinking. That was, what Mom, half a century ago?"

"At least," smiled her mother. "Elias was dead long before Maria was even born. So no, Nancy Drew, you'll have to keep looking to solve Maria's disappearance."

"How about Elias' ghost?" giggled Sierra.

"How about you help me find that mirror?" laughed Cathy.

They made their way to the far end of the attic where a large sheet covered something which stood almost to the ceiling.

"That's it," said Jessica, "it's the only thing that tall."

Cathy grabbed one end of the sheet and pulled. As the fabric fell to the floor, the three women faced an ornate, full length mirror, the frame of which was dark mahogany with intricate scroll work cut deeply into the wood.

"Wow, it's beautiful. This looks hand carved," said Cathy.

"Roger said it was. We looked it up in several books on antique mirrors, but could never find anything that even came close to resembling it."

Cathy found her eyes drifting to the mirror itself.

"The glass seems dark, almost smoky," she said, rubbing the glass with no effect.

"Yes," replied her mother, "Roger and I figured it must have been some defect in the silvering process. If you don't want it..."

"No, it's beautiful," responded Cathy.

"I'll trade you the mirror in my room for it," smiled Sierra.

"No way, young lady, now help me get this thing downstairs."

Forty-five minutes later the three stood looking at the mirror now occupying the corner in Cathy's room which Jessica had suggested. Cathy moved closer, inspecting her image, somewhat dark but distinct.

"It's almost like smoke somehow got trapped in the glass," opined Cathy as her eyes traced the swirling patterns.

"Or that one-way glass they use in police stations where they can see you, but you can't see them," said Sierra.

"And what would you know of what is, or is not, in police stations?" quipped her mother.

"Oh Mom," she laughed, "haven't we seen about a thousand TV shows where they interrogate the suspect while the other officers are watching from the next room?"

"Ah, the educational benefits of technology," smiled Jessica as Cathy inched a bit closer to her reflection.

"It's almost like you're seeing your reflection and looking through it at the same time," she mused, reaching out as if to touch the glass.

"Well, remember what you told me as we were tugging that thing down here," said Sierra. "You said you would get some sun with me for the rest of the morning."

"So I did," responded Cathy turning to face her daughter. "OK Kiddo, go get on your swimsuit and I'll meet you on the deck in ten minutes. How about it Mom, join us?"

"Oh, I don't think..."

"Oh come on. Don't be an old stick in the mud."

"Honey, I can't remember the last time I had on a swim suit. I doubt if I could even find one."

"Then here, try on one of mine. We're about the same size," said Cathy opening a drawer and tossing something orange, small and stringy at her mother.

"A bikini?" laughed Jessica, "I don't think so."

"Bet you'll look great in in."