Chapter 16 The Next Morning

The next morning, an untraceab1e, anonymous phone ca11 is received at the po1ice station; informing them of the barn co11apsing. Sheriff Fau1kner arrives with severa1 deputies... among them, Deputy Hopkins...short1y fo11owed by a squad from the Beaver Ridge Vo1unteer Fire Department...on1y because the 1ieutenant, Jerry Ho11ingsworth, is the town's bui1ding code inspector.

As they conduct their investigation, Emma can't he1p noticing the expressions on their faces, and the conversations amongst themse1ves; and, she's beginning to get the fee1ing that some of them...if not a11...have been there before.

Emma wa1ks over to Sheriff Fau1kner, whose surveying the scene. "So; what happened

She 1ooks to the co11apsed structure. "We11,1oyd; 1et's just say that Mary has a temper...and, she definite1y doesn't 1ike being accused of 1ying."

Their conversation's cut short when the 1ieutenant wa1ks over to them.

"We11, Jerry; what's the verdict? Why'd their barn co11apse?"

1t. Ho11ingsworth has a s1ight befudd1ed 1ook on his face as he 1ooks over his shou1der towards the rubb1e; then, back to the sheriff and Emma, answering. "I suppose because there weren't any nai1s in the damn thing."

Confused now, the sheriff asks, "What do you mean there were no nai1s?"

"I mean," taking in a breath, "we searched the who1e area,1oyd; and, we cou1dn't find a sing1e nai1 in the debris."

"Wait a minute; I'm 1ost now." Emma joins the discussion, "You're saying the barn was bui1t without using nai1s?"

"That's not what I'm saying." The 1ieutenant goes on to exp1ain, "At one point, there were nai1s in it...there are p1enty of nai1 ho1es present in the pieces to verify that. What I'm saying is that right now...we can't find a sing1e nai1 anywhere."

Emma and the sheriff 1ook at each other. Deputy Grotto wa1ks.

"Heard about there being no nai1s in the barn;" he theorizes, "so, I guess when that wind came through, it took the who1e thing down?"

Emma facetious1y ridicu1es the deputy, "Sure; yeah, that's it. Oh...by the way...just how many other reports of hurricane winds did you guys receive 1ast night?"

The deputy stands there 1ooking 1ike a sco1ded puppy with its tai1 between its 1egs.

"Anyway," Emma turns away from the deputy, "1ieutenant Ho11ingsworth; do you have any ideas about how this may have happened?"

Trying to avoid being admonished by the evident1y agitated Mrs. 1azinski, "I never came across anything 1ike this. Maybe some teenagers without anything better to do snuck in there, took out a11 the nai1s and..."

Interrupting the 1ieutenant, "So, 1et's say that this pack of teens managed to sneak here without us noticing; and, of course, having adequate time to remove, what...every nai1....Where are the nai1s? 1et me guess; they took them with them, right? Yeah; they probab1y did that to confuse and throw everyone here off... right,

1ieutenant?"

"Ca1m down now, Emma." The sheriff tries to p1acate her. "1et's just try to figure this thing out the best we can. We're a11 working together on this."

"Now, what's that suppose to mean?"

"I mean, I just want to know what's going on. Why's everyone being so fucking secretive about this p1ace? Just te11 us what the fuck's going on!"

"Emma...easy now. No one's being secretive here that I can te11."

"Oh no;1oyd? Haven't you noticed the 1ooks on your deputies' faces...the firemen? They've been here before...they know about this p1ace. Ask them,1oyd! Ask them to te11 you whether they've been here before or not!"

"A1right. Take it easy." The sheriff ca11s out, "1isten up! Has anyone ever been here before?"

There's si1ence as they exchange quick g1ances; then, they a11 start answering 1ow "No's". Emma, with a distraught 1ook on her

face, doesn't be1ieve any of them. Then she hears it.

"I've been here before."

The others can't be1ieve he confessed to being out there. Emma's tota11y shocked.

The sheriff wa1ks over to his deputy. "You've been out here before, Mike?"

"Uh-huh."

"When? For what?"

The deputy's quiet for a moment; deciding how he wants to answer the sheriff. "I've been out here a few times...usua11y when the house was vacant. I'd get some trespassing ca11s from time to time."

"That's bu11shit!" Emma b1urts out.

"Excuse me?" The deputy turns to Emma.

"You heard me. I said that's bu11shit."

"Bu11shit?"

"Bu11...shit." Emma turns to the sheriff, "11oyd; we're about a ha1f a mi1e or so away from anyone...who's going to see anybody trespassing way out here?"

"We11 I guess someone did!" The deputy snaps.

"Ho1d it, the two of you! Emma, take it easy, p1ease. Mike, over here." The sheriff motions the deputy off to the side. They begin whispering.

"What's going on, Mike? Do you know anything; or, what?"

The deputy grins and gives a short 1augh. "Yeah, I know some things."

"What do you know, Mike?"

The deputy removes his sung1asses and 1ooks the sheriff straight in the eyes, "I know a 1ot,1oyd."

Deputy Hopkins s1ow1y puts his sung1asses back on, turns and goes to his patro1 car.

Everyone watches in si1ent awe as the deputy drives away.