More Harry Hogan stories!
Harry was about to check his email when a knock on the door interrupted him. "Come in," he said.
The door opened slowly and a man walked in, closing the door behind him. About five-nine in height, Harry figured, and a little on the stout side. "Can I help you?" Harry asked.
"Are you the private detective?"
"That's me," Harry said. "I don't think we've met."
The man stepped closer and held out his hand. "Mike Parsons."
"Have a seat, Mr. Parsons. How can I help you?"
"Do you have any knowledge of Native masks?"
"What kind of knowledge?"
"Can you tell if one is real, where it might have come from, and if it could be valuable?"
"I'm no expert on the subject," Harry said, "but I know someone. Do you need one authenticated?"
Parsons drew a deep breath. "Three, and I'm afraid they might be real."
"What makes you think they're real?"
Parsons spoke quietly. "They're in my basement... in a locked room." He shook his head. "I don't know where they came from, how they got there, or what to do with them."
Harry sat up straight. "I'm not following you. How could you not know about something in your own basement? Did someone break in and leave them while you were away?"
The man shook his head. "Not unless it was a ghost... there's been no break-in. What worries me most is that they might be stolen property."
Harry got up, poured two cups of coffee, handed one to Parsons, and sat down again. "Okay, tell me everything, from the beginning. How could something get in your basement without your knowledge?"
"My wife Sally and I bought the place six months ago as a retirement home. Every weekend for the past two months, we lived in a small trailer parked in the driveway, while working on the interior. It's in excellent condition, despite being vacant a while, just needed some paint and minor upgrades."
"Are you talking about the Whyatt place?" Bertie asked.
Parsons nodded. "Yes, are you familiar with the former owners?"
"Mrs. Whyatt used to visit the library when I worked there, but I didn't know her husband. I think they had a couple of grown sons too."
"Were they the original owners?" Harry asked.
"I don't think so," Bertie said.
"See what you can find in the town records," Harry said, then turned his attention back to Parsons. "Did you hire any contractors during that time?"
Parsons shook his head. "Sally's brother is a contractor. His electrician and plumber took care of the upgrades. We moved in a month ago."
Harry nodded. "When did you find the masks?"
"When we started work in the basement."
"Was anyone with you at the time?" Harry asked.
"Yes, my brother-in-law, Lucas."
"Is the basement finished?"
"The laundry and family room are. The rest are storage rooms, but we didn't bother to check them out until we were ready to start work," Parsons said.
