A Longer Fall (Gunnie Rose #2)(80)
That was a good thing, because Simon worked a spell.
“If anything of Eli’s is in the house, it will come forth,” Godfrey told me, still smiling.
But because I’d been a hard worker, mostly to keep my mind off my misery, nothing “came forth.”
Simon and Godfrey looked at each other, gave a little shrug, told me good-bye, and walked down the hill. When they passed Chrissie’s cabin, they didn’t see her step out behind them with her husband’s gun in her right hand, Emily Jane in her left.
We both stood in our places, not moving, until the grigoris had descended the hill and walked back into town.
Chrissie climbed the slope until she was close to me, Emily Jane fussed, and Chrissie bounced the baby gently. “Boys are at school with your mom, thank God,” she said. “They woulda swarmed right over those two.”
“They’re lively,” I said. I felt like I’d been beaten up. I was bewildered I’d lived through their visit. And now I had nothing ahead of me.
“Saw your man yesterday, digging a hole,” Chrissie said. She waited until I looked directly at her. “Up yonder, by the oak.”
The little oak tree stood upslope and east from my place.
“Yeah?” I didn’t know what to think.
Chrissie nodded and carried Emily Jane home.
Since I had nothing better to do, I went to see. Sure enough, there was a bit of disturbed earth visible under the edge of a large rock. I shoved the rock over with my foot. Something had been buried there. I knelt and began to dig with my hands, which was not smart, but I couldn’t wait to get a trowel. The top of a jar came into view soon enough.
In the jar were our wedding rings.
I held them to me for a long moment, flooded with feelings. Then I reburied them, to be safe.
When I stood, I could see into Segundo Mexia from my vantage point. The grigoris were at the stable, and I watched them get into a car.
All of a sudden, I knew what I had to do. I had to have a talk with Dan Brick in private. I’d have to do some planning on how it would come about.
But I had plenty of time.