e9c12ac8d703d9a536f23183edf8b22c

“Is it possible for a body to look like that after only ten years?” she asked.

“Well, it all depends where and how the body was buried,” said Abe. “If the body wasn’t buried in a coffin to protect it from its immediate surroundings, then yes, it certainly is possible. In a coffin the body would obviously be much better preserved, which is why I wonder if this really could be Steven Carrington. I remember the kid’s funeral, and he was buried in a very ornate, very expensive wooden coffin. And in that case it would be quite impossible for a body to decay to this extent.”

“Of course we don’t know whether he really was in that coffin all this time,” said Chase. “Could be that they buried just the coffin, and that the body was buried here.”

“Only Carrington himself could have arranged that,” said Alec.

“Well, I’m off,” said Abe. “For some reason this has been my busiest week this year. Must be the weather or something. Or maybe there’s something in the water.”

And then the big man walked off with unsteady gait.

“Sciatica,” said Uncle Alec before Odelia could voice the question. He smiled at his niece, happy to satisfy her natural curiosity. Then he glanced down. “You know, I had a feeling something was missing. Where are your cats?”

“I have absolutely no idea. Usually they like to stick around for this kind of thing, only now they’ve all decided something else was a better use of their time, apparently.”

No doubt they’d be at the house, having a nap and a bite to eat, and would be back soon, to be brought up to date on the latest news from the frontline, which this time was very close to home indeed.

She shivered slightly, and Chase said,“What’s wrong?”

“No, I was just thinking—the way it now looks Carrington buried his boy out here and he’s been lying here ever since, directly behind our houses, and none of us ever knew.”

“And probably we’d never have known, if somehow the body hadn’t been dug up.”

It was a disconcerting thought for sure, and one she didn’t like to entertain. Death was part of life, but she still didn’t enjoy it when death came this close to her home and family.

“I think I better make that call now,” said Uncle Alec, and took out his phone.

“Carrington?” asked Chase, and her uncle nodded, then placed his phone to his ear.

It took a moment for the call to connect, and then he said,“Blake? Alec Lip. We need to talk.”

Just then, Chase’s phone chirped. “Dolores,” he murmured as he checked the display. “Yeah, Dolores. What’s the emergency?” He listened for a moment, then turned to Odelia with a frown. “Can you arrange for a diver? Thanks. Yeah, we’ll head out there now.” And when he disconnected the call, he said, “I think I know where your cats are, babe.”

Meanwhile Alec had finished his call, and said,“I better handle this personally. Blake is an old friend.” He dragged the back of his hand across his brow. “I hate this. Having to tell a man that he has to bury his kid a second time.” He turned to Chase. “What did Dolores want?”

“She just got a call from Marcie Trapper. She’s with Marigold Church. Her daughter Angel went missing last night and they think she might have drunkenly stumbled into a pond in Bickersfield woods. They’re asking to send a diver to dredge the pond.”

“Marigold Church, huh?” said Uncle Alec. “Did she make the call?”

“No, Marcie did. But Marigold is with her, and so is Ted, along with two dogs and five cats. Apparently she felt it was important to relay this information when she called 911.”

“Two dogs and five cats? That sounds like the setup for a joke.”

“You sounded surprised when Chase mentioned Marigold Church,” said Odelia.

“Oh, Marigold and I go back a long way,” said the Chief. “Only she hasn’t spoken to me for, what, twenty years now? She swore a solemn oath never to contact the police as long as I was in charge. So this thing with Angel must be serious.”

“But why hasn’t she spoken to you?”

“It’s a long story,” said her uncle evasively. He started to walk away. “Keep me informed, will you?”

“Will do, Chief,” said Odelia’s husband. “So let’s see what’s going on with this Angel Church,” said Chase. “And what your cats have been up to!”

11

Vesta had been playing online Scrabble again, which was one of her favorite pastimes when seated at her desk at the doctor’s office, when suddenly a very distressed-looking Francis Reilly walked in, and made a beeline for her. He quickly glanced at the waiting patients, then lowered his voice and said, “Vesta, I need to talk to you.”

“I know. That’s what you said on the phone, remember?”

“Not here,” he practically whispered, and she frowned.

“Look, if you want to confess you need to make an appointment,” she said jokingly.

“Vesta, please!” he implored. For the first time she looked up from her computer and saw that the priest looked extremely perturbed. In fact it wasn’t too much to say that he was suffering from a crisis of conscience.