A Timely Vision

“I guess it’s my turn. Chief Michaels spoke very highly of you, but you aren’t from Duck. You didn’t freak out when we found Miss Elizabeth. Were you a police officer in D.C.?”

“FBI. For twelve years. I think someone hit her in the head with an edged weapon, maybe a shovel. Then they buried her. It might’ve been a perfect crime except that someone asked you to find that watch.”

I took a deep breath, fighting back a sudden wave of nausea. “I’m glad this doesn’t usually happen to me. I like finding things for people, but I’d have to give it up if the things I found came attached to dead people all the time. Is that why you gave up the FBI? Too much death?”

I could tell I’d crossed an invisible line. His face became shuttered, and he sat back in his chair, engrossed in drinking his coffee. It was one of those too-early-in-the-friendship kind of things. He obviously wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.

“Anyway,” I continued when he didn’t respond, “I’d be glad to help you find the key you’re looking for. I only have a couple of rules I work with.”

“Such as?”

“What I’m looking for has to belong to the person who asks me to look for it. You wouldn’t believe how many people have asked me to look for things that don’t belong to them.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.” He smiled a little and put his coffee cup on the table again. “And the other rule?”

“It’s not illegal. In high school, a friend of mine asked me to find his lost marijuana stash. I made up that rule for him.”

“Another wise rule.” Kevin defrosted a little more. “How does it work? Is it like a séance or something?”

“Nothing like that. It’s really very simple.” I was about to explain that we could do it sitting right there in the coffee shop when Chief Michaels came in and told me he needed my help.

The chief nodded to Kevin and then spoke to me. “I’d like you to come with me when I talk to Millie. You seem to get along real well with her. I think she’d like to have you there representing the town and all.”

“Of course.”

“Maybe we can look for the key when you’re not so busy.” Kevin got up from his chair and handed me a business card. “Just give me a call. Let me know if there’s anything I can do, Chief.”

I wanted to be with Miss Mildred when Chief Michaels told her about her sister. I really did. But I almost chickened out when I went home to change out of my dirty, wet clothes. It would be so easy to stay here. I took a look at myself in the mirror, though, and knew I couldn’t back out. My pink T-shirt had the Duck emblem on it, a big yellow duck holding a sailboat. I had to go for the town and the sisters.

The chief and I drove in silence over the drenched, sand-covered road to Miss Mildred’s home. Her house was every bit as large and interesting as her sister’s home, but there were dozens of tinkling fountains here. Both women had done all right for themselves, mostly through marriage. I didn’t want to speculate on how Wild Johnny Simpson had made his money. No one did. Now, despite their wealth and standing in the community, one of them was alone.

The chief nodded to me (I think sort of asking if I was ready), then knocked on the door. Miss Mildred greeted us with a sweet smile. “I hope you’ve come to tell me the power will be back on soon. You know, Dae, this doesn’t look very good for you as mayor. That wasn’t even much of a storm and already my lights have been out for hours.”

“I’m sorry.” I couldn’t meet her eyes. “I’ll try to light a fire under the power company.”

“I think we should sit down, Millie.” Chief Michaels took her arm and helped her to a chair with a crochet-covered back.

“Why?” She stared at him as though she knew, her lower lip already trembling.

“The mayor found your sister a little while ago,” he explained.

“Oh good! May I have Mama’s watch back now?”

It was too hard. I’d known these women all my life. Tears were sliding down my cheeks. I hiccupped on a sob, and she stared at me. “You haven’t lost the watch, have you, Dae?”

I was about to blurt out the whole thing when the chief put his hand on Miss Mildred’s shoulder. “Your sister is dead, Millie. We think she might be the victim of foul play. Let’s call someone from the church to come over.”

She glanced back and forth between us, a slow frown puckering her forehead. “What are you saying, Ronnie? Did you find Mama’s watch or not?”

I tried to keep my voice from cracking, but it didn’t work. “It was where I saw it. Miss Elizabeth had it on her arm. I don’t know if the water damaged it or not.”

She nodded, smiling again. “Maybe you could have Barney over at the jewelry store take a look at it before you bring it back. I knew I could count on you, Dae. You’ve always had the gift.”