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turn Brookside into a casino.”
    “Ouch. Obviously, he didn’t want that.”
    “No. In fact, I think that was what gave him his first heart attack about a year after they were married. The business went downhill with his health, a slow decline. I think he wore himself down trying to keep her happy and make sure he kept Brookside viable for us. She was and is so adamant that this town needs a casino. That’s where we are right now. Most of the town wants the campground, others think a casino would be a great idea.”
    “How long was the campground closed?” Marshal asked.
    “About five years. Gramps wanted Daisy and I to take over after his third heart attack, but Violet convinced him we needed to live our own lives before being stuck here. She admitted that when she contested the will. She was right, but Daisy and I would have come had we known how bad things had gotten around here.”
    “Were there ever any reports of paranormal activity that you can remember?” His pen poised over the notebook.
    “You mean freaky shit?”
    “Yeah. Freaky shit.”
    “Well, Daisy and I used to think we saw stuff all the time, but the older we got the less we thought that. I don’t remember much with the guests. Wait. A couple rented one of these cabins the last summer I was here. It was late afternoon and the lady was alone. She said there was a man in the room and when she screamed, he vanished. Gramps thought she might have had too much to drink. He said she smelled of liquor. I guess that’s not what you mean.” Sydney didn’t want to tell him anymore than that. Her current experience had to be enough. Dredging up the past wasn’t something she wanted to do.
    “It’s exactly what I’m talking about. You don’t happen to remember which cabin?” Marshal’s hope nearly unglued her careful composure.
    “I don’t, but I can find out. I have all of Gramps’ business files and the guest logs he insisted on.”
    “Wonderful. Do you know any of the area history?”
    “Only that the woods were supposedly occupied during the Civil War. We’re far enough from Gettysburg that I rarely see mention of the area. I’m not sure any battles were fought here. There’s also talk that this area was part of the Trail of Tears. I haven’t verified that.”
    “I assume Vile Violet is your step-grandmother?” He wrote the name, including Vile in his notebook. Maybe she shouldn’t call her that anymore.
    “Yes. She’s wicked to us, but to be fair, she treats her family well. I don’t know why she hates Daisy and I so much.”
    “I know it’s none of my business, but what kind of rules did she put on you and Daisy re-opening the campground?” Marshal asked.
    “Well, she took us to court after the reading of the will. And after tying our inheritance up for over a year, the judge approved her new conditions, as if she hadn’t made Gramps agree to enough before he died. We have to pass a weekly progress inspection, have to live onsite, and Daisy and I both have to be here at least until we open. I think she did that because everyone knows Daisy has no interest in being here. Gramps left us enough money to be successful, but she managed to find a way to keep us from accessing most of the funds until after we reopen. We’re working on a shoestring budget. And then there are the terms of sale, including the money we lose if we have to sell to her . . .” She pressed her fingers to her temples. Her head hurt just thinking about it, but she gave him the rest of the lowdown anyway.
    “That’s kind of brutal. So every week after Memorial Day, you lose ten grand if you decide to sell? And you have to sell to Violet if you quit before the five-year mark?”
    “Gramps agreed to most of the terms before he died. I think that was his way of challenging us and making sure we gave running Brookside a fair chance. Violet has first rights. That’s what doesn’t make sense. If we sell before May, the price is fair. Why would they try to