She had turned and followed him as he walked away.
Chapter Two
Dennis Hough sped down a disserted road, miles away from civilization toward an unfamiliar destination. He was drivin a little to fast and his mind was ging at super sonic speed, with thoughts of the unknown. He had hopped a plane and made his way to this God forsaken place on a whim. His birlfriend of three years had walked out on him. He had lost his job due to tardiness and absentism. He was broke and could not even aford to buy the vodka he craved. He was not in a good place. He had decided to visit the grave of the man who had biologically fahtered him. He knew the man's name, that part was easy. He carried his father's name. Dennis Raymon Huff, Junior. He had not known the Junior part growing up. But he had seen it on his birth certificate when he was a teenager. And here he was, running from his life or running to his natural father. He did not know which. It was not like they would be reunited, for God's sake he was going to visit a grave not a person. He passed a sign that read: Pickax, 5 miles. He pressed the accelerator harder and sped on.

He did not know much about his father or his family. His mom had ranted about what a horrible person he had been, abandoning her and her baby when Dennis was just 4 months old. She told him he had died in Moose County and she had no idea when or where he was buried. For all Dennis new he had cousins or family in Moose County, his mom had said no, but he did not really believe much of what she said about the matter. He sometimes fantsized he would find a large loving family just waiting to meet him. But that was silly, he did not need a family. He had grown up an only child and he was used to being alone.
Thirty minutes after checking in he found himself walking around downtown Pickax as dusk. He was quaint buidling, most of stone. A florist, a men's shop, a luncheonette, a bookstore and a drugstore. The normal trapping os small town America, with a twist. The stone eddifices game a dignigty and solid look to everything. But the bright flowers in flowerboxes added a note of whimsy. He returend to the hotel and walked into the dining room, past a portrait of a woman seated at a pianon with a bracelet of coins around her wrist. Anne McIntosh Qwilleran, the plaque read. He wondered who she was, and obviously the hotel was named after her. he looked around the room, decorated tastelfully in arts and craft style. He always made a habit of taking in the building in his environment because he was a builder and buiding desinger himself, having majored in engineering and minoring in architecture in college and working for constructions companies, before his unfortunate termination. The hostess seated him at a table and took his drink order. He ordered water. He was going to make an effort not to drink during his time here. He was in a strange town in an unfamiliar state and the last think he needed was a DUI in this strange and far away land. He looked at the menu and selected a steak with parmesean potato souffle, baby carrots. The waitress brought out tiny buttery yeast rolls that melted in his mouth and he was enjoying them imensely while he was waiting for his meal when he got the strange feeling someone was looking at him.

In the Cat Who Talked to Ghost we learn that it is pronounced HUFF, and spelled Hough. The Huff on the birth certificate is one of my stupid brain freeze typos. Sorry Joyce. Glad you like the story. Now, tell me, when Hough meets Qwill, should he be a bad guy or a good guy Qwill befriends?

Don't apologize for brain freeze. I didn't remember how to pronounce "Hough" so you do not have a monopoly on that particular phenomenon.

I definitely think Dennis should be a good guy dealing with his demons. Qwill has had to exorcise a few demons of his own, and I would love to know how he got himself healed enough that he can keep alcohol in the house for his friends and not touch it himself. He would be the perfect mentor for Dennis. And perhaps we might even see an A. A. chapter in Pickax.

You are so kind, Beth! And a talented storyteller. And it is the best treat in the world to be asked how I want a story to proceed. I look forward to how you work out Qwill's past in this endeavor.

Qwilleran said, Dennis, I met your grandmother down below in the city years ago, when she was living with her second husband in a historic home and running it as a boarding house and antique's store. When I moved up here she came along to catalong antiques I owned and become curator of the muesum I was turning my home into. While here she met a man and had a brief marriage. After his deathe she became manager and curator of another muesum, but tragically her health failed and she passed away shortly after. Qwilleran stopped to let the young man absorb this information. Susan picked up the conversation next. She said, Your grandmother's name was Iris Cobb and we entered into a partnership to open "Exbridge and Cobb Fine Antiques". She was so knowedgeble about antiques and I am so thankful for all she taught me. I still own the store today. Dennis asked, "Did my father help her in the muesum and store?"
Qwilleran said, "No, we had not met your father up to that point. He lived in St. Louis with your mother and you. When you werer just a baby, your grandmother passed away and your father, Dennis, Senior came up here to arrange the funeral and bury his mother. You were so small your mother stayed home with you. Your father was the child of Iris' first marriage. Dennis said, I see. Thank you for this background information. I plan to visit my father's grave tomorrow. Qwilleran answered, "I am sure we have given you alot to think about tonight. After you visit the cemetary, would you allow me to take you to lunch? I have more to tell you. Yes, Dennis said. I will pick you up here at the hotel, Qwill added, say, around one? As Dennis walked away from the dining room, Qwill said to Susan, I did not want to alarm him or scare him away, but someone has been loooking for him his whole life. Someone from Pickax, and I will give some thought as to how to gently arrange a meeting for him. Susan looked at Qwill, well don't keep secrets, darrrlllling, she drug out the last word for dramatic effect. Qwill just smiled at her and said, This is not one for the Pickax grapevine Susan, at least not yet. Keep Dennis Juniors arrival under your hat just for tomorrow. Okay Qwill, since you asked nicely, she said, but it may cost you another dinner. Anytine, he answered, and escorted her out the door.

Dennis Hough found hs father's grave without much difficulty the next morning. He has asked at the hotel desk for directions to the cemetary. It was on a road called "Trevelyan". He found his father and grandmother's graves side by side, with an expensive looking headstone of both. The grave was well kept and the headstone made of granite. He learned no new information from the gravestones and did not spend much time there. He drove around the city of Pickax and noticed the shop "Exbridge and Cobb". He saw a street with victorian homes, and another street with old homes that were college buildings. It did not take long to tour this tiny town. Mr. Qwilleran had mentioned a muesum but he did not see one. He parked back at the hotel and waited for lunch by reading in the lobby. It was not long when Mr. Qwilleran arrived and asked, do you have a preference for lunch? No, Dennis answered, I really do not, Mr. Qwilleran. Call me Qwill, the man said. I will, answered Dennis. I think we will go to Onoosh's, if you like
Greek food. Yes, I do, and I must say I am surprised a town this size has a Greek restuarant. Yes, we were for some time without proper eating establishments, but we have become more civilized as of late, Qwill said.
They busied themselves with lunch, and afterwards, Qwill leaned back in his chari and said,

If it is okay with you I can drive you over there after we finish lunch. If you can spare the time Qwill, I could. Yes Dennis, I am semi retired. I write a newspaper column and that does not keep me to busy. They drove together to the offices of Bennett and Barter, attorneys at law. Qwill introduced Dennis to Bart and started to walk away. If you don't mind Qwill, I could use some support Dennis said, looking white as a ghost. Yes I can stay, I just did not want to interfere. They sat opposite Bart and he welcomed them with a cup of coffee and small talk about the weather, a popular subject in Moose county. After the preliminaries, Bart got down to business. Mr. Hough he said, you are the sole heir to your grandmothers and your fathers estates. He inherited property and money from Iris Cobb, his mother shortly before his death. The property includes, a condo at a development here called Indian Village, which as executor I have rented out for you in absentee for years, a house on Travelyn Lane, formerly owned by her third husband Mr. Hackpole, which I also rented out, profits from a buisness Mr. hackpole owned (car lot), which I sold, and all moneys from these sales and rents. This also includes

Dennis Hough's mind was racing. He looked at the attorney as if he had said the world was flat. Did he say five million dollars? Did he say a horse farm, a hotel.........a condo, a house......Dennis gulped and squeaked out, yes, I'd like some water please. I don't understand Dennis said, my mom and step father made a good living but it seems they would have wanted me to have this and have access to this raising me. I was never able to find your mother or you Dennis, Bart said. Well we lived out of the country for 17 years Dennis said. Oh, I see Bart answered, that may have been why it was so difficult to track you. Wow Dennis said, wow. I don't know what to say, I just drove up here on a lark to see my fathers grave and I have acquired a former grandmother and now this. Qwill spoke, I know it is a shock, I can sympathize with you, in more ways than one, Dennis. Let's go and Bart can prepare the paperwork to sign everything over to you. Bart said, Dennis, do you happen to have your drivers lisence on you and I don't suppose your Birth certificate. Well as a matter of fact I do, sir, I brought it because it is the only tangible thing I have with my father's name. Leave it with me if you will and I will begin the paperwork. Your money is in the bank here in Pickax and can this can esily be dealt with. Just give me a couple of days. Where are you staying.
With the business concluded, Qwill said, well Dennis, how would you like to come over to my condo and rest and then we can go out to eat for dinner later. We can also drive around and see some sights if you want. I can take you to Mooseville to see the hotel, or the muesum your grandmother used to own. Whatever you wish. Qwill, thanks, but I think I will go to the hotel and get my thoughts together. If you have time tomorrow I will take you up on that drive and dinner. With that, they parted ways. Qwill mused, "I feel an affinity for this young man, who looks so much like his father, who I regarded as a friend. I will keep my eye on him and offer him assistance, because I know his father would want that.

Dennis Hough woke up the next morning angry. He was not sure why, but he was angry. He sat up against the pillow on the hotel bed and rubbed his hands through his thick brown hair. He guessed he was angry he never got to have a relationship with is natural father. He felt cheated. He was particularly not happy that he never knew a grandparent. His mom and stepdad's parents had passed away by the time he was five and he had few memories of them. A grandmother named Iris, the thought. How he would have loved to have known her. He was also a little miffed that he had worked two part time jobs to pay his way through college and often went with little to eat to get through his studies. He would have loved to have ten dollars much less five million back then. He did not know who he was angry at, he was just in a foul mood. He got up and got in the shower and turned the water to very warm. He tried to clear his head as the water beat down on his head.

He supposed he could trust this attorney, Allen Barter. What else could he do? He was in a strange place and did not know anyone. He thought he would call Mr. Qwilleran this morning and pump his brain for information. But before he met him, he wanted to go to the library and look at microfilm of back issues of the local newspaper.

He dressed and dialed the number Qwill had given him and arranged to meet him for lunch and then a drive around the county. He picked up his hotel key and headed out the door. It was 9 am and he supposed the library would be open soon.
After a quick breakfast in the hotel dining room he headed across the Park Circle to the imposing stone library.