threatened to pull the memories to the surface.
“I don’t know much about what happened. The case is still open, and I’m leaving it to the police.”
“What the heck are you doing here in archaeology hell?”
“Francisco Lewis knows I like the Smokies. He thought it would be restful.”
Adam gave a short laugh. “Restful? Restful would be excavating in a minefield. Rumor says you’re here gathering information for the company on how we’re doing.”
“If that were true, I think Claire would treat me better,” said Lindsay.
“You don’t know her.”
“Lewis wanted me to come take a look several months ago. The president of Sound Ecology is a friend of his. But I wasn’t given instructions to spy. I think Lewis just wants to know about the site. He likes to get his fingers in everything. As if building a museum isn’t enough, now he’s decided he’s interested in farmsteads.”
“I’ve heard that about him. What’s he really like?”
Lindsay shrugged. “Probably like the rumors you’ve heard. He denies nothing. Actually, I’m thinking about cutting this vacation short. I’m not needed here, and I’m kind of tired of putting up with Claire’s abuse.”
“I don’t blame you. But when Drew’s here, things are better. She’s the only person Claire will listen to. Probably because Drew has the power to fire her butt.”
“When is Drew coming?”
“This week, I hope. She’s principal investigator on several of the Sound Ecology sites, and some of the others are more urgent because they’re due to be flooded soon.” Adam stood back and looked at the ditch bank in front of him. “What about it? Should I continue with this profile?”
Against Claire’s wishes? Lindsay thought. She wished the crew wouldn’t keep asking her advice. It only made Claire worse.
“You aren’t to the bottom of this feature.” She sat on her haunches and pointed toward the bottom layers of dirt. “This layer’s simply interrupted by soil of a similar color and texture as the pit wall. But it’s different. There’s been some kind of soil disturbance into which layers of rubble were added over the years.”
“I think so, too.” He glanced toward the tent. “I guess, I’d better take it up with Drew. If she ever shows up.”
The rumble of an engine approaching nearby brought their heads up toward the sound.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” shouted Adam, jumping up as a big red pickup truck drove across the site, its giant tires rolling over and crushing into the ground a corner of Feature 3. The front of the truck stopped at his trench.
Lindsay heard another voice screaming in the distance. Claire was flying across the site like a banshee. Lindsay stood staring, amazed, as a short, square, potbellied man with a receding hairline and black mustache climbed down from the truck with a folded piece of paper in his hand.
“You’re destroying valuable artifacts,” yelled Adam. “Are you crazy?”
“Who the hell are you, you sorry bastard? Get that truck . . .” Claire stopped. Even she was at a loss for words.
The man marched over to Lindsay and handed her the paper.
“Drew Van Horne, this is for you.”
“I’m not . . .”
“I’ve been parked over in the woods watching, girly. You’re obviously in charge, and you’re obviously the illusive Miss Drew. Consider yourself served.”
“But I’m not . . .”
He turned to go, but while he was talking to Lindsay, Claire had climbed into his truck and now began backing slowly out of the excavation in the least damaging path.
“What? Hey!” he shouted, running after the truck.
But Claire made it to the dirt road and took off, disappearing in a cloud of dust. Lindsay watched in surprised admiration. The man, whoever he was, stood in the middle of the site waving his arms.
“That bitch stole my truck! That bitch stole my truck!”
Chapter 7
An Air Of Unease
“WHO WAS THAT?” The little potbellied man looked from one to
“I don’t know much about what happened. The case is still open, and I’m leaving it to the police.”
“What the heck are you doing here in archaeology hell?”
“Francisco Lewis knows I like the Smokies. He thought it would be restful.”
Adam gave a short laugh. “Restful? Restful would be excavating in a minefield. Rumor says you’re here gathering information for the company on how we’re doing.”
“If that were true, I think Claire would treat me better,” said Lindsay.
“You don’t know her.”
“Lewis wanted me to come take a look several months ago. The president of Sound Ecology is a friend of his. But I wasn’t given instructions to spy. I think Lewis just wants to know about the site. He likes to get his fingers in everything. As if building a museum isn’t enough, now he’s decided he’s interested in farmsteads.”
“I’ve heard that about him. What’s he really like?”
Lindsay shrugged. “Probably like the rumors you’ve heard. He denies nothing. Actually, I’m thinking about cutting this vacation short. I’m not needed here, and I’m kind of tired of putting up with Claire’s abuse.”
“I don’t blame you. But when Drew’s here, things are better. She’s the only person Claire will listen to. Probably because Drew has the power to fire her butt.”
“When is Drew coming?”
“This week, I hope. She’s principal investigator on several of the Sound Ecology sites, and some of the others are more urgent because they’re due to be flooded soon.” Adam stood back and looked at the ditch bank in front of him. “What about it? Should I continue with this profile?”
Against Claire’s wishes? Lindsay thought. She wished the crew wouldn’t keep asking her advice. It only made Claire worse.
“You aren’t to the bottom of this feature.” She sat on her haunches and pointed toward the bottom layers of dirt. “This layer’s simply interrupted by soil of a similar color and texture as the pit wall. But it’s different. There’s been some kind of soil disturbance into which layers of rubble were added over the years.”
“I think so, too.” He glanced toward the tent. “I guess, I’d better take it up with Drew. If she ever shows up.”
The rumble of an engine approaching nearby brought their heads up toward the sound.
“Hey, what the hell are you doing?” shouted Adam, jumping up as a big red pickup truck drove across the site, its giant tires rolling over and crushing into the ground a corner of Feature 3. The front of the truck stopped at his trench.
Lindsay heard another voice screaming in the distance. Claire was flying across the site like a banshee. Lindsay stood staring, amazed, as a short, square, potbellied man with a receding hairline and black mustache climbed down from the truck with a folded piece of paper in his hand.
“You’re destroying valuable artifacts,” yelled Adam. “Are you crazy?”
“Who the hell are you, you sorry bastard? Get that truck . . .” Claire stopped. Even she was at a loss for words.
The man marched over to Lindsay and handed her the paper.
“Drew Van Horne, this is for you.”
“I’m not . . .”
“I’ve been parked over in the woods watching, girly. You’re obviously in charge, and you’re obviously the illusive Miss Drew. Consider yourself served.”
“But I’m not . . .”
He turned to go, but while he was talking to Lindsay, Claire had climbed into his truck and now began backing slowly out of the excavation in the least damaging path.
“What? Hey!” he shouted, running after the truck.
But Claire made it to the dirt road and took off, disappearing in a cloud of dust. Lindsay watched in surprised admiration. The man, whoever he was, stood in the middle of the site waving his arms.
“That bitch stole my truck! That bitch stole my truck!”
Chapter 7
An Air Of Unease
“WHO WAS THAT?” The little potbellied man looked from one to
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