Otis heard the car door slam and scurried into the attic. From the window, he looked down at the pretty real estate agent and a young couple coming to look over the house, perhaps to buy it.

The story around town was that this home was haunted by a wealthy father and his son who had been lost at sea when their sailboat had capsized. The house had been put up for sale soon after their deaths.

Otis was a transient and passing through this town when he heard the tale. Not believing in ghosts, and needing a place to stay, he just quietly moved in.

"Okay, down to business,"' he said to himself as he quietly opened the attic door, listening for the guests.

A long fishing line he'd attached to the huge glass chandelier in the foyer was his first trick. Hearing the visitors talking in the kitchen, opening and closing the cupboards was perfect timing.

Sowly, he tugged at the line, making a strange noise as the crystals rocked and clinked against each other.

On hearing startled voices, he scooted back into the attic.

"Now for phase two." He clicked a switch on a tape player and from all the corners of the house, a haunting, layered sound filled the air. He was proud of this tape that he had mixed using chains, a harmonica and an old Pink Floyd album he had found in the son's room.

''And three, two, one..." The front door slammed and he watched the three scared people running back to the estate agent's car and spin out of the driveway, sending gravel in an arc.

After they had left, Otis went downstairs. He could still smell the agents perfume, always the same, a sweet floral. Once he had written in the dust, "stay" and he knew she had seen it, because she had swiped her finger through the word.

He treked into town a couple times a month to get food and catch the latest gossip of the haunted house circulating in town. He slowly passed by her office and saw the house listed on their front window. Since he had arrived in town, the price had been reduced by 20%. He would laugh, knowing it was the ghost story bringing the price down. At this rate, he might one day be able to afford it.

He dreamed of living in the house with the pretty real estate agent. He could get back into woodworking, making his custom music boxes. Most importantly, he longed to just live life respectfully, not as a ghost.

Otis walked around the house, then suddenly noticed a strange sound when he walked over the planked floor, He walked back and forth a few times, then knelt down to look closer.

He knocked on the floor and it was a hollow sound.

Otis ran to the garage and found the crowbar. He pried the floor board up and fell back on his butt. Stacked like wood, were bundles of bills. Bundles of freedom was what went through his mind.

He spent the afternoon counting. By the time the sun was setting, he had counted $364,000 dollars! The obvious owner of this money was dead and Otis was sure no one knew of this stash.

The next day, Otis walked into town with his head held high. He entered the Real Estate office and made his way to his favorite agent.

"Yes, may I help you?" she smiled at this handsome stranger.

"I want to buy the Lennox Mansion, but first, I'd like to take you to lunch."

Thinking of a big commission and a pulled pork po' boy at Roscoe's, she grabbed her purse and led him out the door.

Over lunch, Otis told her how he had been the "ghost" and that he thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world.

She told him over lunch, that she had been looking for a drastic change in her life, and with her commission, she could finally begin her dream. A dessert catering company delivering unique sweet cakes for parties and celebrations.

He bought the house and added two special rooms. A workshop for him and a kitchen for her. A year later they were married on the front lawn and each became successful in their own projects.

The fake ghost and the pretty real estate agent finally found love and happiness together in their 'haunted' house. The next year, they welcomed a baby girl into their lives and laughed when her first word was "boo."