Mr. And Mrs. Packrat Were Making A Nest

 Josh had no idea where Mike's garage was, but started running down the street trying to follow the directions that Mike had given him. This was the biggest break of Allie's life! Why hadn't she answered her phone when Mike called her? Oh well, I'm going to go get the envelope and get it to her somehow. I hate being without a car. Maybe Mike can help me in that area too. This little town is lucky to have him. He rescued Haylee and Allie when they ran off the road and damaged the wheel on Allie's Jeep. He then  towed it back to his garage and fixed it. Yes, he was a life saver that's for sure. Oh I think I see it down at the end of the street. There's a guy welding something. Yeah, I think that's it. Keeping his face away from the glare of the welder, Josh yelled "Hello" to the man and finally got his attention.  "Hi, my name is Josh and Mike is expecting me. Can you tell him I'm here? Thanks."

Mike chuckled and said, "I'm right here. I got this out of the front seat of the Jeep the day I hauled it in. It looks like to me it has important papers inside. Can I trust you to give it to her? No, I'll tell you what. I'll take them out to her." Josh said, "Well, can I ride along? I'm supposed to go out there tomorrow, but she can only yell at me, right?" Mike shook his head, and said, "Alright, but if she has a fit it's on you.! I've heard that she's not afraid to use her mouth to tell folks off."  He yelled to the man that he would be back in a half hour or so and jumped in his truck. Josh followed suit. "Hey, do you ever clean this thing out? Do you care if I shove some of this stuff on the floor?" Mike gave him his well known shrug and they were on their way. While Mike was driving, Josh looked inside the envelope. It was just like Mike had said, but important papers was not what he would call them. He would call them life changing. He could hardly stand it until they got to the ranch. Ah! She was home the Jeep was in the driveway. Good. He thanked Mike and jumped out of the Jeep. Mike said, "Hold on there a minute. There's no lights on in the house. I think she's asleep. It's a little early, but I heard somebody say they saw her at the fair in Master City. She's probably pooped. I'll drop you off, but I'm not too cool with letting you in the house. You got stuff in the camper? Good. You sleep out here and give her these papers tomorrow. Deal?" Josh wasn't real happy about these conditions, but he agreed and opened up the camper. His sleeping bag was still in there, but no pillow. "Great another night without much sleep, " he sighed. I' think I saw that he had an older car for sale. I need to call him tomorrow. He crawled into the camper and tossed and turned for what seemed like forever, but finally went to sleep.

Uncle Bill's ghost had decided to use his floating ability so that he wouldn't wake up Allie. He actually enjoyed being a ghost, but sometimes wished he could talk to folks, especially Allie so that he could tell her his life story. He could hear her talking to him asking him if he was really her uncle and who all these old pictures were of. Some things she didn't need to know, but right now he needed to find his written will that he had had K.R. write for him and to hide the journal she had found and some of the pictures. He hadn't looked at the journal or had been in his Uncle's study for years. He knew that the adoption papers were either in one of three places. He had not had enough time to look for them. He had watched Allie knock down cob webs and discuss his housekeeping skills or lack thereof when in fact it was the old miner's fault. " Okay, there's the journal laying on the floor with a lot of pictures. I see she picked up the bearer bonds that flew out of the journal. I didn't even know they were in there. She will have enough money to start up the ranch again if the bank will honor them. If they are too old, a lot of banks won't.  I think I will take that old journal and some of these pictures into the room behind that old chest of drawers. They will rot over the years and no one will ever know. Okay, easy does it, Bill, let's move this dresser without making any noise. I sure don't want to scare that little girl again. I have to be more careful." As he moved the dresser he said to himself, "I don't know why I can't move through stuff like other ghosts can. I'm always stuck doing the hard stuff." About that time the leg broke off the front of the old dresser and made a loud snapping sound. "Shoot, I knew something was going to happen. He quickly moved the dresser and slid the hidden pocket door open to the ancient room that was no longer used. As he went to put the journal under the old dolls' skirts he saw the money! Hundreds of dollars on top of more bearer bonds. " Uncle Bill said, "What is going on here?" 

Allie screamed and said, "That's what I'd like to know! What's going on here?" Josh came running up the stairs and said, "What's going on here? Are you alright?" "You again, are you out to kill me? What are you doing here? You aren't supposed to be here until tomorrow!" Then together they said, "Oh my gosh, look at all that money!"

The packrats stopped chewing on the soft green and white paper they were using to make a new nest for their new babies they were expecting. It was a tedious job, but it had to be done quickly because the babies were going to arrive in just a day or two. "Quick, Henry, there's humans up there. Cover up the shiny necklace and earbobs. Let them find the pearls, I don't care, but I love looking at those sparkling stones and the shiney silver when I go to bed at night. It helps me relax. Thank you Dear. Oh don't forget to cover up that old miner's pocket watch. That's my favorite. Poor old soul has been looking for it for years, but it's better off with us."

The neighbors saw the lights go on in the attic of the big ranch house that night. They had waited long enough. Together they devised a plan. They wanted their money.  Through their telescope they had seen Josh put a large envelope in the camper before he got into bed.  As they quietly walked over to the camper to take the envelope Daisy started to bark. "Shush! Quiet!" A deep voice said, "Alright you two. You can join the crowd in my jail. There is nothing in this camper that belongs to you. I need to ask you some questions and it might as well be tonight. Come on! Off with you. Leave the dog here. She will be good company for Allie until I get back out here to pick her up."

Maxine arrived at Lill's house only to find it dark and empty. "Once again you have left me. I love you so much, why won't you accept the fact that I did what I did because I loved you more than life itself."