Free Lady Justice and the Ghostly Treasure by Robert Thornhill

Liability issues. I’m sure you understand.”
        “I know several other groups received permission to do video tours of the property.”
        “That’s correct. Ghost Hunters toured the second and third floors of the winery, the hallways of the Old Folks Home and parts of the Nursing Home. CREEPZ Ghost Commandos went into the main hallway of the old hospital, but no further. Of all the buildings, it is in the worst condition. It is unstable. I don’t like going there myself. Sorry I can’t help you. Stop by sometime and taste our fine selection of wines.”
        Well, crap! I thought, as I heard the ‘click’ on the other end of the line. Denied permission and they don’t have anything that tastes like Arbor Mist.
     

     
        When I reported the discouraging news to Kevin, he wasn’t a bit surprised. “Figured as much. So we go with Plan B.”
        “I didn’t know we had a Plan B.”
        “Sure we do. We wait till it gets dark and then go in.”
        “That’s your Plan B! Sneak in after dark! I think I read somewhere they have a night watchman to keep people like you out.”
        “They do, and knowing you’d be pissing in the wind trying to get permission, I went out and watched the watchman. He’s some old guy, probably making a few extra bucks to supplement his Social Security. He walks around the complex every hour on the hour. The rest of the time he holes up in the winery building. We watch, and when he passes, we’ll have an hour. Probably more if we need it. I’ve never seen him enter even one of those creepy old buildings.”
        “But if we get caught ---.”
        “Remember the old saying, ‘it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission.’”
        “Heaven help us.”
        We stopped by the hotel to bring Mary up to date.
        “Okay by me,” she said, enthusiastically. “When do we go?”
        “There’s no ‘we’ Mary. This is an operation for Kevin and me.”
        I should have been ready for her reply, but I wasn’t.
        “Kevin and me, my ass!” she bellowed. “If you think I’m stayin’ behind, you must be smokin’ something. My dead Momma hid that note and I’m gonna be there when we find it. Case closed!”
        I looked at Kevin. He just shrugged his shoulders.
        Our little moonlight soiree would be a threesome.
     

     
        It was dusk. Randy and Dominick had been watching the hotel for days, waiting for their chance to get revenge for the savage beating they had taken from the old woman. They saw a car pull up to the curb. Two men got out and went to the old woman’s door. A few moments later, the two men and the woman came out, all dressed in black wearing black stocking caps pulled low on their heads. The cheekbones under their eyes were smudged in black.
        “What the hell?” Dominick muttered. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think they were pulling a heist.”
        “Wonder if Marchetti knows three old geezers are movin’ in on his territory?” Randy chuckled.
        “Speakin’ of Marchetti,” Dominick said, “You think we should be messin’ with this old bitch? I sure don’t want to piss him off.”
        “Relax. Marchetti said not to hassle Walker. He didn’t say nothin’ about her.”
        They watched the three get into the car and drive away.
        “Let’s follow them,” Randy said. “If they’re doin’ something hinky, maybe this is our chance.”
        They followed them through Midtown to the I-70 on-ramp and east to Highway 291. Just south of Liberty, Missouri, they turned onto a side road. A sign pointed the way to Belvoir Winery. The car turned off its lights and pulled to a stop at the edge of the winery property.
        “Quick!” Randy said. “Cut your lights. We don’t want them to see us.”
        Dominick cut the lights and pulled to the shoulder. “What now?”
        “Now we wait.”
     

     
        I had checked