Dark Shadows' Journal

Silent Night
Patterson looked up from his paperwork. Under Sheriff Fred Johnson stood in the doorway. "Fred?"

"Sir, we just got a call from the caretaker at Eagle Hill Cemetery. He says he's hearing voices in the graveyard, wanted to talk to you"

"If I had his job I'd probably be hearing voices, too," Patterson smirked sympathetically. Fred caught the joke and smiled.

"Not like that," Johnson amended. "He's on line one. Oh, I almost forgot. Mr. Braithwaite called and said you can stop by his shop anytime before 10 tonight. He has an after hours appraisal to do this evening, but it won't take long. Just knock on the door and he'll let you in. Says he has something you might be interested in."

"Sure, why not." Johnson left the office as Patterson picked up the phone. "Patterson here."

The present caretaker of Eagle Hill Cemetery was a unique character in Collinsport. George wasn't sure if he was altogether living in the present or the past as his conversations seemed to diverge in different directions at times. Talking to him was always a unique experience.

"Sheriff, I've been hearing some noises coming from the Collins' Family Mausoleum. Would you mind taking a ride out here and having a look around?"

Hmmm. Noises in the graveyard? Now this sounded promising. Probably a pair of lovers trying to find a quiet place for a little tryst. Or vandals. Never could tell these days. Maybe Buzz Hackett and his friends were up to no good again.

"Can you tell exactly me what kind of noises you were hearing? Talking, loud music, construction. Any details would be helpful."

"Just a faint cry it was rather pathetic," was the reply on the other end of the phone.

"That's all?"

"I'm afraid so, Sheriff."

"We'll check it out. Thank you for calling."

As he hung up the phone Sheriff Patterson realized that this was just the break he needed to get out and clear his head.