THE INNOCENCE (A Thriller) by Ruddy RICHARDSON Page B

and so forth.
     
    “Where were they found?”
     
    “Rock Caverns.”
     
    “Dead?”
     
    Kelly couldn’t summon more of a response than a wail as she sank back into the chair. One of the families, the Collers, had been her neighbors and friends for years. The news of their son’s death had hit her especially hard.
     
    “So what exactly are you doing with these archives?” Rita asked her friend, brushing her fingertips against the old albums. The sent of the leather was binding and the ancient pages were intoxicating.
     
    Kelly regained her composure and a new hint of determined purpose lit her eyes.
    “Do you remember two years ago? Right when you moved here a tourist boy had gone missing. He was 10 years old. I remember because I thought to myself that he was a little old to be wandering and go missing. They found him in the bottom of the cove. It looked like he had gotten tangled in a mooring anchor. But when they brought him to the coroners it was obvious it wasn’t an accident. I can’t remember why.”
     
    “I remember but that’s not the same situation as we have here. That was in the cove. These kids where in the caverns,” Rita countered, hoping and praying that they were indeed unrelated events only similar in their tragic outcomes.
     
    Kelly stared at her incredulously before resuming her argument. “Yes, alright I’ll admit they are different. I know I’ve heard of this before though. Before the boy a few years ago,” she slid one of the large tomes down to their desk. “I can’t remember but it was from when I was gone to college. I remember mom telling me something when I came home during the breaks. Lecturing about being careful when I went out tide pooling and walking with friends, to stay away from the caverns. Something about a lost boy Billy, or Bobby, or... I just can’t remember. But you know. What if this isn’t the first time? I mean, what if it’s happened before?”
     
    “Woah. Hold on a second.” Rita felt the anxiety rising like a tide within her throat. She knew exactly what memory her friend was struggling to find but hated to concede the possibility of any pattern that could be attacking their peaceful town. She had moved here to get away from the evils of the world, not to run into their arms again. “I remember that story. But Kelly, you have to realize what you are saying. I know it’s hard from you, David’s death, but that doesn’t make this tragedy into some sort of serial situation. Don’t you think that’s a little too “daytime drama” for Oyster Ridge?
     
    “Just tell me his name.” Kelly replied, determined now more than ever to see through what she had begun.
     
    “Okay, okay. It was Bobby. Bobby Warren. His family had come down from some town up north in the mountains. His dad was an abusive alcoholic though so when he went missing it was assumed that dad had lost him. When they found his body in the caverns his dad was the top suspect but they never had anything to convict him with besides public drunkenness. ”
     
    “What year was it? Do you remember?” Kelly’s intensity was truly ignited now with this information. “There has to be a connection. Children don’t just die in the same place on purpose. Come on Rita, I remember you were like a detective or something back in college.”
     
    “It was investigative journalism. Not detective work.” Rita countered. “But of course I’ll help I mean this is my home now too.” Here investigative journalism a little known fact of her previous life. She had loved that work but had given it up when Judy was born and had never looked back.
     
    Kelly flashed a small smile of gratitude.
     
    Rita continued, her face set in fierce look of concentration. “Right. So it was the year before I left. So it must have been 85”. It almost killed the tourism economy that year so it must have been right before summer. But I’m not sure.”
     
    Kelly chewed her bottom lip staring at her friend