Ghost Mine Episode 12

The kidnapper

Megan has lost track of time. She doesn’t know how long she’s been lying tied up in the dark.

She hears rats squeaking and scurrying and tries to curl up in a ball on the floor.

Then she hears footsteps. Two shadowy men walk towards her with a lantern.

One leans over, pulls her into a sitting position and speaks loudly in her ear. It’s Bud Morgan, as Laura suspected.

	“Don’t try and move, girlie. Elmore’s tied you up good and tight.”
	“Hi Elmore.”
	“Elmore’s not happy. He thought he’d hurt you when he grabbed you. He will kill you if I tell him to.”
	“If your bad breath doesn't kill me first!”
	“Don’t mess with me. Now, where does the map go to?”
	“What map?”
	“This map, miss smarty pants!”

Bud pulls the first part of Jeremiah’s torn map from his pocket and waves it under her nose.

	“You forced Tillie Jackson to steal that from Aunt Jean’s house.”
	“I’m only getting back what belongs to me and my family.”
	“Let’s trade. You tell me what you know and I’ll tell you what I know – then we’ll both know what’s going on.”
	“Why should I trade with you? Elmore could beat you and get what you know.”
	“But he might kill me before I tell you everything, and the others might get the treasure and carry it off.”
	“Your precious Jeremiah stole from my great grandpa, Gerhard. Jeremiah bought artifacts and bits from Gerhard until Jeremiah got greedy and stole the lot from him!”
	“Bits – you mean human bones?”
	“Yes sir! People collected them and there was good money to be made.”

Megs shudders. This is worse than they thought. Jeremiah bought and sold human remains! She remembers the skull Laura found in Jeremiah’s old store and her head swims. Bud laughs at her.