Monague O'Hara Paranormal Detective

Hank was nothing like the old “Hank the Tank”, from the old drinking buddy grad student days. Hank had now become an adult. Hank turning into a grown-up, was something Monty thought, was not physically possible. It took the besotted Hank, most of a whole year, to get Michelle, to take him seriously. Love, it seems, can perform miracles, thought Monty.

Michelle was a little reserved regarding Monty O’Hara. The Monty she had known, those several years ago, usually meant trouble. Monty, she sensed, still had the mischievous sparkle in his eyes, but seems to have managed to grow up a bit as well. Michelle could also read in Monty’s eyes something else. The Monty, Michelle, knew from the past, was always full of self believe. The confident, intelligent, and well-educated Monty, always had his view on his world well sorted.

Michelle was from the northern part of the Scottish Highlands. Her parents owned the convenience store in the village of Durness. The Highland Scots have their own myths and legends. The Loch Ness Monster, being the most well-known myth. In the Scottish Highlands, Kelpies were said to inhabit streams and rivers, while Each-Uisge were found in lochs and the sea. They were beautiful, powerful creatures, but also very fierce and dangerous. Each-Uisge were the deadliest. These beasts could disguise themselves as horses, men or other animals.

Monty, is an expert in European mythology, this was one of the things Michelle knew about him. Another, although, one of the most knowledgeable around, on the topic of European mythology, Monty had no belief in any of it.

Over the course of the evening, bit by bit, Monty let slip, what has been on his mind, the chest in the Sullivan’s basement and the weird dreams he has been having since that first encounter with that mysterious chest. An observant Michelle noticed every time Monty mentioned a Gloria Sullivan, he would blush slightly, and his eyes would light up. Has a woman at last got a little under Monty’s thick outer skin ?. Back when the three of them had been at university together, The dashing and charming Montague O’Hara always had attracted a following among many of the impressionable young ladies at Oxford University. A rouge like Monty often took advantage of these silly infatuated young ladies. Many tried but none succeeded to melt the block of ice that was his heart.

It is the bad boys that always seem to attract the ladies. In her case, it was the other bad boy, in the group that attracted her, Hank Jackson. Once Hank had started to win her over, change his behavior, and grown up, Michelle always knew she would be ending up with him. She did get a bit of her own back by making him work for her affections.

This new grown up Monty had come with two surprises. The first one, was, it seems that Monty may actually be starting to believe some of this mythology stuff. The second, even more unexpected. Was Monty O’Hara beginning to fall in love.

Monty enjoyed the evening spent with Michelle, Hank and their small family. It had made him feel all warm inside. He may be feeling just a little jealous. A job at a good university, and the small family to come home to after work. Now he needed to get back on to the job he had come to do.

Monty was now back out at the Sullivan Mansion. He has arrived early evening. Gloria had picked him up at the hotel he was staying at. On the journey to the Sullivan home, both Gloria and Monty all said very little. They were both lost in their own thoughts. The three of them then ate a meal together, Frank, Gloria, and Monty. The ritual to place all the Sullivan worries and fears, back into the chest, was scheduled for midnight.

The time of the ritual had not been information that Lavinia had passed on in the dream. This time had been decided by Monty, this, to him, came under the requirement for a theatrical component to this ritual. Though there seemed to be no desire for the three of them to engage in any conversation to pass the time, Monty did briefly go over the details and requirements for the ritual to work, belief and something of value to place in the chest. Frank confirmed he had placed inside an envelope an item of immense value that would be the Sullivan family’s payment for all to be put right.

For the rest of the evening the three of them all sat in different parts of the Sullivan’s living room, all lost in their own world. Frank was looking online, at different possible investments. Before he opened the chest, the best of these would leap out at him. Not now, he could not see these leap out at him as they had in the past.

Gloria was seated on one of the sofas, her open briefcase beside her, attempting to get some of her work sorted. She tried hard to get her mind back into her work but could not focus her attention on this task. The only thing her mind wanted to think about, was Monty O’Hara. She did not want him to leave, when this is all over.

Monty was attempting to read an old book, he had found in an old book store, here in New York. He was also finding it hard to focus his concentration on the book. His mind was stuck on Gloria Sullivan. He wished he could stay here a bit longer. This was impossible, to get a visa to stay, he would at least need to have something he has never had in his life before. A proper job.

To Monty, this was all scary stuff. This “infatuation” with Gloria Sullivan was making him wish to make some serious changes in his life. Starting to take all this mythology rubbish seriously was shocking enough. In his mind, Monty was using the word “infatuation”. Using the real word, “love” was just a step too far, for Monty to accept.

Just on the stroke of midnight, Monty, along with Frank and Gloria, were down in the basement, in a circle, around the open chest. Monty then instructed Frank to place the envelope containing the Sullivan family’s valuables into the chest. Monty did not want to touch this envelope containing something of value as it went into the chest. With his previous view on mythology, and Roma Gypsy tradition, he could see the gypsy officiating at the ritual, as they placed the valuables in the chest, a bit of sleight of hand and the valuables ending up in the gypsy’s possession as the lid of the chest is closed.

Next Monty spoke out in a strong, commanding voice.

" I now want you both, for the next minute, or so, think carefully about your fears and worries, also your desires. You will then, Frank first, followed by Gloria speak out in a firm loud voice for the chest to take away these fears and worries, keeping them all safe and away from your life”.

After this delay Monty said. “When you are ready Frank”.

In a firm clear voice, Frank began.

“I fear that I have lost my Midas touch with my investment company and I need this to return. Also, I am worried that my beloved daughter will not have an opportunity to experience the true love that I had with her mother”.

After a short pause, Gloria began.

“My worries and fears are for my father. I want him to return to how he was just a few weeks ago”.

This was all said in a loud clear voice. The next part, though loud and clear, inside her head came out as an inaudible whisper. This bit, unheard by the others concerned her fear of Monty going back home and out of her life forever.

Monty then reached into his pocket, and pulled out an old coin. It was an old Irish penny. His mother had given this to him when he was young. She said it was from his father. Monty then flicked this into the chest and closed the lid. The three of them next left the basement.