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had stacked four large boxes.
78 Beverly Sims
 All the old pictures are in these boxes. Unsorted and mostly unmarked.
If you want to take them home to go through them, please feel free to do so.
Just bring them back when you are done.
Caroline felt excitement.  Are you sure? Sure you trust me with them?
Honestly, Charlie. that would be so wonderful. How about I only take one
box at a time? Can I keep out the ones I want to have copied and then bring
them all back? I promise to keep them sorted by whatever box they were in.
Oh, Charlie, I can hardly wait.
He laughed.  Okay, but would you do me a favor while you are at it? I
would like, if you can, to have them sorted by anything identifying such as
dates, who they are, et cetera. So, you see, this is not an easy task you are
taking on. But if you don t want all that work, I understand, and you can
still take them with you.
 Heck, Charlie, glad to do that. Helped support myself one term in
college by doing just this kind of stuff for a newspaper in the small town
where I got my education, all two years of it. You are a doll! She hugged
the blushing old man. He carried a box to the car, seeing that she was still on
crutches.
Next stop was the stationery place for a box of large envelopes and one
of those expandable strips with the alphabet on it for sorting papers. She
could not remember its name, but the girl there knew what she was talking
about.  Can I ask you a question? the young woman wanted to know.
 Ask away, Caroline replied.
The girl produced a copy of one of Caroline s books from under the
counter.  Will you autograph this for me? Daddy said he was sure you
would. My name is Lisa Hathaway.
 Hathaway, as in Hal and Margo Hathaway?
 As in Hal, not Margo. She is my stepmom. Daddy married her after my
own mother died.
 Who was your mother, Lisa? Did I know her? Caroline asked.
 Probably. Daddy said he and she were high school sweethearts. Her
name then was Sunny McLaughlin. I was born right after they got married.
Do you remember her?
 Of course I do, Lisa. I just did not remember them being sweethearts in
high school. Especially, thought Caroline, as he and I went together for
years before I left after graduation. Her memories of Sunny were dim, but
Caroline s House 79
she did remember there were rumors that Sunny was a favorite second date
for many of the boys...the date they would pick up after they took their real
girlfriends home. She felt a bit ashamed now, recalling that many of the girls
said that they were saved from rape by horny boyfriends because the guys
knew Sunny would be more compliant than they were.
Caroline signed Lisa s book. Mr. Nugent, the pharmacist, had them pose
while he took their picture. He was a confirmed camera nut who drove folks
crazy taking endless photographs. He even helped her to her car with her
purchases and snapped several more pictures of her on the way outside. Just
what she wanted: posterity seeing her clumsy demeanor on crutches.
80 Beverly Sims
Chapter 18
The workers were still busy when she arrived home. James came out to
greet her before she was even out of her car, wearing a perplexed look on
his large face.  Miss Fleming, can I talk to you for a minute?
 You sure can, James. Is there a problem? Caroline asked, his
expression indicating it was not something good.
 Yes, Ma am. I think we have a big problem, but I waited until you got
back before doing what I know I have to do. See, the thing is, we were
digging out to form the cement for your new garage, and& well, we came
across some bones. A lot of bones. And even a skull. The law requires me to
notify the police immediately, so I guess we will have to do it. But do you
want to take a look first? That is, if it will not be too upsetting to you.
Caroline could see then why he was so upset. She linked her arm
through his, smiled up at his concerned face, and said,  Lead me on, sir.
With you as an escort, nothing can hurt me.
They went around the back of the house to the excavation area. As they
approached, several men stopped what they were doing and came forward.
James stepped down into the pit area, marked with strings and the
beginning of cement forms, and offered her his hand as she stepped beside
him. He moved forward, still holding her hand, and then pointed at a bunch
of tumbled bones with no coffin wood. At the top was a partially covered
human skull, no doubt.
She took a deep breath and knelt beside the bones, looking closely.
What she expected to find, she had no idea, but she did understand that they
would need to call the authorities right away.  James, do you want to call
the police or have me do it? Personally, I think it should come from you, as
you and the crew found the bones, but I will call if you want.
 No, Miss Fleming. I will do it. They walked back to the kitchen door,
where he went straight to the phone. Once connected, he carefully explained
Caroline s House 81
who and where he was and what had been uncovered. When he hung up, he
sank into a chair before speaking.  They will be here in a few minutes. We
are not to touch anything further until they finish investigating. Officer said
we should have stopped digging immediately when we found the first bones,
but we figured it was probably just some animal. Sounds like I could be in
some trouble. He sighed deeply, rose, and went outside without another
word.
Seconds later, Caroline heard sirens. Several police vehicles, both
county and state, raced up the drive and parked helter skelter all over the
yard. She walked outside to stand by James and the crew. A short,
overweight man who introduced himself as the Lincoln County coroner Ben
Cooper went immediately to the bones, which were clearly visible from
almost anywhere in the vicinity.
Ben Cooper turned to the men.  Didn t any of you have the brains to
know that bones found in the ground are to be untouched once located and
that you were required by law to call it in immediately? All looked down as
if seeing their work boots for the first time.
 I guess I am the one you need to arrest or whatever you plan to do,
said James quietly.  I told them to just keep digging, so it was my fault. I
figured it was just some animal bones& a deer or some family s pet, until we
found the skull. Then I called.
A tall, uniformed state patrol officer had moved forward and now spoke.
 Howdy, James, Ben, fellows. Most of the crew seemed to know him, and
he did look familiar to Caroline, but she could not place him. He looked at
her, touched his hat, and then smiled.  Hello, Caroline. I heard you were
back. I am Jeff Donaldson, class of 1960.
 Jeff Donaldson. I can t believe it, Caroline smiled and took his
offered hand.  It is so nice to see you again, after all these years. How have
you been? What& .
 Ex-cussssse me, if you don t mind. The coroner was clearly unhappy
with the turn of events as he interrupted.  If we can get by  old home week,
we have some bones here. Remember? Now, let s get to it.
The scene became a hive of activity with police photographers, lab [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]