History of the Forgotten

Chapter 16

"What are you talking about?" Jessica asked. "I've never heard of that case."

"I'm shocked you haven't since you believe in the paranormal," Annabel shook her head. "I've heard about it from other historians but I never believed it." She started pacing the kitchen, "She married Eramus Shue in October of 1896 and died January 23, 1897. Eramus said she died in childbirth but her mother Mary Jane claimed to have seen Zona's ghost and she insisted that Eramus killed her. Her mother visited the police or prosecutor or someone and kept pushing that Zona was murdered. After some time enough evidence was brought up to question the doctor who finally admitted that he did not make a complete examination of her body. This caused enough reasonable doubt to have Zona's body exhumed and it was found that her neck was broken." She opened her laptop and after a couple of minutes she said, "According to the report published on March 9, 1897 the discovery was made that the neck was broken and the windpipe was smashed. On the throat were the marks of fingers indicating that she was choked. The neck was dislocated between the first and second vertebrae and ligaments were torn and ruptured. The windpipe had been crushed at a point in front of the neck. Eramus was arrested and charged with the murder of his wife. The state of West Virginia has erected a state historical marker near the cemetery where Zona Shue is buried. It reads: Interred in a nearby cemetery is Zona Heaster Shue. Her death in 1897 was presumed natural until her spirit appeared to her mother to describe how she was killed by her husband Eramus. Autopsy in the exhumed body verified the apparition's account. Eramus was found guilty of murder and was sentenced to the state prison. It is the only known case in which testimony from a ghost helped convict a murder."

"Wow," Jessica said coming over to read the information Annabel pulled up. "How could I have not known about this? Can I look some more?"

"Of course," Annabel nodded as she got up. "I doubt it could be used nowadays in court but if they really are here, then maybe they could help in finding Owen's ring and somehow get justice for them."

"Like how she visited her mother and insisted she didn't die in childbirth?" Jessica asked and Annabel nodded. "That certainly would be helpful, but how would that work? Mom and I tried for years to talk to them and never got anything." Jessica smirked as she looked up from the laptop, "In fact, nothing happened until you moved in here."

"So what are you saying?" Annabel asked, "That I could possibly find out who from the KKK murdered your brothers with the help of your brothers' ghosts?"

"Exactly," Jessica nodded.

"You are insane," Annabel shook her head. "It's not going to work, besides I haven't had any more signs since they decided to scare that asshole and me."

"They are probably just gathering more energy," Jessica shrugged, "It wouldn't surprise me if it took a lot of energy from them to do what they did. Give them time."

"Yeah," She shrugged, "Anyway, I'm going to go work on that library some more. I found another couple of boxes of books in the attic and some boxes were donated."

"Alright," Jessica nodded as she pulled up more articles for her to read.

Annabel took a deep breath and opened the library door. She opened the windows and turned on the radio. She started wiping down the bookcases and once they were clean she wiped her forehead and started filling the shelves with the books.

"You doing them in any kind of order?" Jess asked snapping Annabel out of her trance.

"Not right now," She shook her head, "but I am documenting all of them and where they are then once I have all of them out of boxes I will start putting them in the correct order."

"What about the guys' journals?" Jess asked curiously as she walked around.

"Those will go in the main office," Annabel shrugged. "It just seems like that is where they belong."

"I'll look and see if I have any more at my place," Jess nodded. "We still have to go through the stuff in the basement and attic too. I know there is more stuff."

Just then there was a knock on the door. They looked at each other confused. Annabel cleared her throat, "I'll go see who it is, it might be another donation. I did reach out to multiple libraries to see if they had any books from the 60s and 70s that they wanted to donate."

"Don't," Jessica shook her head and grabbed Annabel's arm. "If they are just donating they will leave it on the porch. You can get it later."

"I'm sure it's nothing," Annabel shook her head. "Besides it's supposed to rain soon, I don't want books to get ruined in the rain." She headed to the front door and Jess stood on top of the stairs nervously. Annabel opened the door and took a step back. "Shit," She whispered as she looked into the deranged eyes of Nelson.