Part 29 (1/2)
”What are you doing?”
”Now I haveto know what's in here.”
”I'm sorry-I shouldn't have brought it up. Maybe we'd better just leave it alone.”
Cynthia moved over to where Greg was kneeling in front of the box. It was six or seven feet long and about three feet wide. Except for the top, it was mostly buried in the dirt, so there was no way to determine the depth.
Greg handed Cynthia his flashlight and pulled up on the board. It was heavy. He had opened it just a few inches when Cynthia directed the flashlight beam down into the box.
She jumped back, hitting her head on the wall.
Greg quickly lowered the lid and went to her side. ”Baby, are you okay?”
She was shaking-as though she'd seen the Angel of Death. ”Did you see inside?”
”What?”
She gulped. ”Skeletons.”
”Are you sure?”
She grabbed his wrist and shook it hard. ”Yes, I'm sure. Get me out of here, Greg.”
”Okay, but hang on a second. Will you hold the flashlight for me?”
”Do you really have to look? Can't you just take my word for it?”
”Just stay back here and hold the flashlight. Please?”
”Hurry.”
Cynthia stood up and leaned against the wall and turned the flashlight toward the box.
Greg lifted the lid a couple of feet and studied the contents. There were several skeletons in the box. He counted four skulls and lowered the lid. His skin began to crawl, and he knew it wouldn't stop until he was back above ground. ”Let's go.”
It was only a little after midnight and Horatio was already making his first trip to the bathroom. He couldn't even remember what it was like to sleep through the night. His enlarged prostate was a pain in the b.u.t.t.
When he got back to the bed, Alma said, ”Ben's talking in his sleep. Maybe you'd better go check on him.”
”Nah. He'll settle down in a minute.”
But his brother didn'tsettle down. He got louder.
”Horry?”
”Alright. I'm going.”
Horatio walked to the guest bedroom and stood in the doorway. He could see his brother clearly, thanks to the moonlight coming in through the windows.
”Ben?”
Hadley continued to mumble.
”Ben, you're talking in your sleep.”
But he talked even louder. He seemed to be angry with someone.
Horatio walked to the side of the bed. ”Ben?” He put his hand on Hadley's arm.
Hadley jerked upright while grabbing something at his right side.
Horatio flipped on the light.
Hadley woke up, still clutching an imaginary object with both hands.
”Are you okay, Ben?”
”Uh...yeah.”
”What's that you're holding?”
He looked down at his hands. ”My M1 rifle.”
”From the Korean War? So, you were about to shoot me?”
”Not you. I thought you were somebody else,” he said sheepishly, as he lowered his arms.
”I didn't know you were still having those nightmares.”
”I'm not. Hardly ever. I just get them when I'm worried about something.”
”Well, what are you worried about? You came out here to take it easy. And we had a great time fis.h.i.+ng today. You didn't seem worried then.”
”I know.”
”Just try to relax. And if you feel the need to shoot something, just wait until morning and take it out on the doves, okay?”
”Look, I don't know what's bothering me. It's as though there's a problem brewing at home.”
”Like what?”
”I don't know. It's just a feeling.”
”A feeling. You sound like a girl. Just be a manand shut up and go to sleep.”