One Grave Too Many

“Yes.”

Jake frowned. “This is more serious, Janice,” he said.

“Yes. I see it is. We can’t have people snatched in parking lots. Tell us what happened, and I assure you we’ll look into it,” said Warrick. She pulled up a chair beside Jake.

Diane told the story from beginning to end without interruption. As she finished, her phone rang. It was out of reach, and Andie handed it to her. It was a reporter from the Rosewood Herald asking about the skeleton and the attack on her.

“I’d prefer not to discuss the attack right now while the police are investigating,” Diane said. The two detectives nodded.

An idea occurred to her as she listened to the reporter ask about the skeleton-an idea that might take focus away from her, but she had to word it carefully. Jake would ask her about it, and she couldn’t lie to the police.

“The skeleton is in Sheriff Canfield’s jurisdiction,” she told the reporter. “Yes, I think the break-ins at the museum are related to the skeleton, but whoever it is won’t find anything. I’ve done all I can do with it. I believe it would benefit from having other experts look at it, so it’s been boxed up and is being delivered to a nationally known forensic anthropologist for a second opinion.” She listened for a few moments. “No, I can’t comment on who or where.” She ended the conversation and hung up the phone.

The terrible thought had occurred to her that whoever wanted the bones could call her up and threaten Frank, Kevin, Andie or anyone, unless she gave them the bones. The skeleton put everyone at risk. But if the perpetrator thought it was gone, the threat to her and those she cared about would be gone with it. She hoped the perps would read the papers or hear it on the news.

Gregory always said it’s only a secret if you are the only one who knows about it. That was the tricky part. Keeping it only to herself. It meant misrepresenting its whereabouts to the detectives here, to Frank, to everyone.

“I suppose that’s just the beginning,” she said, closing her eyes to avoid looking at Jake and Janice Warrick until she could internalize her lie.

“Reporters are a bitch,” said Jake.

“Just because someone is after the remains,” said Warrick, “doesn’t mean that the remains are related to the Boone murders.”

Diane opened her eyes and gave her a long look. This woman was going to hang on to her theories to the bitter end. “That’s a true statement,” Diane said. “The fact that George Boone had one of the bones in his possession before he died could be just a bizarre coincidence.”

“Star Boone and her boyfriend could have something to do with the skeleton and didn’t want it to be discovered,” Warrick said.

Jake, Andie and Diane stared at her for a moment.

“Yes,” conceded Diane. “Star and Dean could have killed the victim and dumped his body on the Abercrombie farm. If I were you, I’d find out if either of them knew how to drive at age eleven.”

“Eleven? Are you saying the bones were buried out there, what, five years ago?” Warrick looked uncomfortable. “Sheriff Canfield hasn’t shared any information with us. I didn’t know. We’ll catch whoever did this.” Warrick left, and it was a relief to Diane to see her go.

“I’m sorry, Diane,” Jake said. “We’re all pretty wound up these days. Crime was supposed to go down and suddenly it’s shot up, and I’m kind of caught between a rock and a hard place. I may have to resign my night job at the museum.”

“I understand.”

“Is there anything you can tell me that might lead to whoever nabbed you?”

Diane shook her head. “They were pretty good at making sure I didn’t see much.”

“You’re sure it was more than one?”

“Yes. I’m sure of that. I’m sorry, even the van was just a white van. I didn’t really take notice before it happened.”

Jake nodded and closed his notebook. “OK. Look, ladies, from now on, if a van or something like it is pulled in beside your parked car, don’t go near it. Get someone to walk you to your car. Get in on the passenger’s side if you have no choice. Don’t get between the van and your car.”

“I know that,” said Diane. “I just wasn’t thinking.”

“It’s not that you haven’t had things on your mind. I’m going to say good-bye to Frank, then get on this. I’ll find out what’s going on. Try not to worry.”

When Jake left, Diane sent Andie on her way too. The stark hospital room was depressing-so were her thoughts. She could win all the small verbal sparring battles with her adversaries, but winning the war seemed beyond her reach. Right now, unconsciousness was inviting. She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

The ringing telephone didn’t sound like hers, and for a moment Diane didn’t know where she was. She was reluctantly pulled awake, still groggy. She reached for the phone.

“Diane. I’m so sorry to call you at the hospital.”

“What’s wrong, Andie?”

“Mark Grayson. He’s called a board meeting for this afternoon. He says he has all the figures. Donald said they were very persuasive. I’ve called Mrs. Van Ross, and she’s going to come to the meeting. What do you want me to do?”

“When is it set for?”

“Three o’clock.”

“I’ll be there. But don’t tell anyone.”

“Are you sure you can? I mean, you didn’t look too good.”

“Will you ask Mike to come pick me up?”

“Sure.”

Diane got out of bed, put on some makeup and packed. She took the laptop into Frank’s room.

“I have something for you to try out. Kenneth Meyers gave it to me. It’s his new field computer. You can drop it from a height of four feet and it won’t break. I think it’s one he wanted you to look at and recommend for the police department.”

The three Duncan brothers looked at her, dressed, with suitcase in hand. She noticed that their expressions of astonishment made them look almost like triplets. Linc was the first to find his voice.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“I have to go to the museum.”

“Absolutely not. What did I tell you about rest? That’s not like, take an aspirin and call me in the morning. It’s like, you may have internal hemorrhaging if you don’t.”

“Diane,” said Frank, “listen to him.”

“You’re a good one to talk,” said Henry. “You’d be going with her if you could.”

“Look, Frank,” she said, “I wouldn’t, but Andie just called. Mark’s called a board meeting. I think he’s cooked the numbers, but I can defeat him.”

“Diane, you told me you have unilateral power.”

“I do, but with everything that’s been going on, if he has compelling figures-” Anyway, I want to see his face, she thought. “I have to do this. After it’s over, I’ll come back here and rest.”

Linc was looking really angry. “You are without a doubt the worst patient I’ve ever had. At least when I put athletes in the hospital, they stay there until they’re released.”

“I’m sorry. I have to do this.”

“Come back here. I’ll. .?” He threw up his hands. “Fix it with the hospital.”

“Thanks.” She kissed Frank. “You doing OK?”

“Yeah. Fine.”

“He’s had some bad dreams,” said Henry.

“Just reliving the shooting,” said Frank. “It’s nothing. Do what Linc says. He really is a pretty good doctor.”

“I know.”

“I’ll walk you downstairs,” said Linc.

Diane didn’t dare refuse, and he kept muttering his displeasure all the way down to the ground floor. She was