Crown's Law by Wolf Wootan Page B

that I
need your help on, however, Samuel. Most urgent is her sister. You
need to arrange to have her body retrieved from the morgue so we
can give her a proper funeral. Rebecca needs some closure on this,”
said Helena.
    “Any other miracles you need today?” laughed
Sam.
    “You figure it out, dear. You’re the
detective. Also, later today your father and I need to discuss our
plan for Becky’s schooling. But first, why don’t you grill some of
that salmon for lunch? Becky is acquiring a taste for fish,” said
Helena with a flip of her hand. “I’ll make a nice salad.”
     

Chapter 7
     
    Tuesday, August 11, 1998
    Beach Road, Capistrano Beach, CA
     
    After lunch, Sam sat on a lounge next to
Becky’s and asked her, “Becky, didn’t you tell me you had a picture
of Rachel?”
    “Yes, sir. Why?”
    “I have to figure out a way of claiming her
body without involving you. If you got involved as next of kin,
then who knows what would happen? I think if I had her picture, I
could say I have an anonymous client looking for a missing person.
They might release her body to me for my client,” explained
Sam.
    “It would be great if you could do that! Then
we could give her a decent burial somewhere,” replied Becky. “I
have a good picture!”
    “OK, I’ll give it a try tomorrow. The problem
is, of course, that this will identify her for sure—if they haven’t
already done so. Her fingerprints or driver’s license probably took
care of that though. They will do a check for relatives.”
    Becky thought for a moment, then said, “She
was killed in Irvine. Maybe they won’t look here.”
    Sam did not explain to Becky the intricacies
of how the police searched for people. Instead he said, “There
shouldn’t be a lot of resistance. The County has to bury her if no
one claims her. What are you reading?”
    “It’s a book on quantum physics. I’m learning
to relate mathematical constructs to physical phenomena. It’s quite
interesting,” replied Becky as she squinted over her reading
glasses, which had slipped down on her nose. “Next comes particle
physics. That’s when it gets really exciting!”
    “Er, sure. It beats Harry Potter any old
day,” he laughed.
    “Oh, I read all of those books. I wanted to
know what all the fuss was about,” grinned Becky. “I suppose
reading stuff for pure pleasure and escapism is all right now and
then, but I have so much to learn so I don’t do it often.”
    Unbelievable! thought Sam. She’s simply a
treasure!
    Sam mused, “Sometimes you can learn a lot
from reading other people’s fiction. Language usage and structure.
How their thought processes work. How they view the world.”
    “I suppose that’s true. I’ll slip a few more
into my reading schedule.”
    Helena Crown came out onto the deck carrying
a pitcher of lemonade and a plate of cookies. She took them to one
of the umbrella-covered tables and put them down.
    “All right, everyone! Family meeting! Grab a
glass from the bar and come join me, please,” announced Helena in
her authoritative voice.
    Sam wondered, Family meeting? What’s this all
about?
    Sam grabbed four tall glasses from the bar
and took them to the table, then went back and prepared a bucket of
ice cubes. The four of them sat down and Sam, John, and Becky all
looked at Helena and waited.
    “First of all, I want to make it clear,
Rebecca, that the plans we’re going to discuss involve you. If you
don’t like them, you speak up! That sharp mind of yours may see a
flaw—or an alternate path to follow.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” replied Becky, wondering what
was in store for her now.
    “What we’re mainly going to discuss is how to
proceed with Rebecca’s schooling,” Helena continued. “Wasting time
sitting around in school is not appropriate for her.”
    Sam interjected, “You mean switch her to home
schooling? Something like that?”
    “A partial solution, but still too
time-consuming. Before I continue, I must ask you a