The following day, George set up an appointment with Hogan and left work early. He was still a bit apprehensive when Hogan said, "Sit down, Mr. Riley, and tell me what's on your mind."
George was visibly uncomfortable telling his story but Harry waited patiently until he finished.
"Do you remember what the weather was like during these sightings?" Harry asked.
"Sorry, I really didn't take notice," George said. "Does it matter?"
"I just wondered if it could be sunlight reflecting off something. Do you leave work at the same time and come straight home?"
"Yes, I do," George said. "I don't go from work to a bar on the way home, if that's what you mean."
"I meant, do you sometimes stop at a store to pick up something on your way out of the city?"
"Sorry. This thing has me so rattled that I'm even snapping at my friends lately."
Harry frowned. "How long has this been going on?"
"Since early spring, a couple weeks before the clocks went ahead."
"You didn't see it before that?" George shook his head. "Interesting," Harry said. "How often do you see this - object?"
"Once or twice a week, and that's too often," George said.
"Whatever it is obviously has you on edge, so we need to find out what it is," Harry said. "Unless Sully has returned."
"Unless who has returned?"
"Oliver Sullivan, the old lumberjack who used to live out there,” Harry said. "Haven't you heard about him?"
"Not a word," George said. "Who is he?"
"From the age of 16, he was a lumberjack for many years, until age and arthritis forced him to retire. Had a slight, but permanent, bend in his back. Then he built a small cabin out near the swamp. Nice old man but he had a few little quirks."
"Like what?"
"Depending on his mood each day, he would answer to either 'Ollie' or 'Sully.' One day you might greet him by saying 'Hello, Ollie' and he would say 'Ollie's not here today, but Sully says hello'."
"You're kidding."
Hogan chuckled and shook his head. "Those who knew him would ask what name he was using that day, or just not use his name at all."
"Gee, he was strange alright."
"I prefer to think of him as unique. He told some great fishing stories - mostly about the big ones that got away."
"Why did he live out by the swamp?"
Harry shrugged. "He said he felt at home there, but he never said why. He lived mostly off the fish he caught, vegetables that he grew himself, and bought a few other things with his pension. Lived completely off the grid, but he always seemed to be content."
"What did he do for heat?"
"He cut and dried peat in the summer, and collected fallen trees to burn as well. He had a wood shed that was larger than his cabin. He walked miles in the country to gather berries and apples. then bottled up jam and applesauce to go with his flapjacks. He got up at sunrise and went to bed at sunset. Never wasted a minute," Harry said.
