Fantastic Adventures #16

When King Charles I is executed by Cromwell's order in 1649, a loyalist manages to steal the monarch's crown during the chaos—but the precious artifact vanishes into history for over a century. In a present-day English country house, two cousins discover an old trunk in the attic that sets off a chain of events involving thieves, mystery collectors, and a curse that seems determined to keep the crown's secrets buried. This tale weaves together history, legend, and the supernatural to ask: some treasures, perhaps, were never meant to be found.

Mike Brant and his wife Sheila move to the remote Moore County foothills, only to clash with the local grocer Cal Cooper over his cheating scales—and Cooper responds with a curse that leaves Mike plagued by unexplained, agonizing pains. As superstition grips the community and even the doctor hints at hex-work, Mike must uncover the truth behind Cooper's sinister claim before the "curse" destroys his family and their new home.

A couple of spooks hire Emily Ghost to teach them the finer points of haunting—proper chain-rattling technique, dramatic moaning, the works—so they can finally scare people away from their mansion. When real intruders show up, the students put their lessons to the test with results that are equal parts instructive and chaotic. It's a lighthearted romp through ghost etiquette that proves even the undead need a little professional guidance.

Wilbur Smith stumbles through his first days at the factory as the laughingstock of the crew—but his new boss, Marcy Smith, soon discovers he's far more capable than he lets on. When a workplace accident puts Wilbur under police suspicion and forces him to flee, the truth about his relationship to the factory owner emerges in a way no one expected.