The Stolen Dozen Ch. 02

"Will you take me back to the ranger station, please, I have to make a few phone calls."

"Let's go."

"Idiot Face', you are not in charge."

"Sir, I would never assume a position of authority, except over your daughter, and then not often."

"You see, Sheriff, he's not totally ignorant."

"Maybe there is some hope for him, Joseph. My daughter does take after my wife, God rest her soul."

"I'm sorry to hear that, sir."

"I'm not."

"Oh yes you are. I can tell."

"Let's not take the road back to the ranger station. Let's see if it's smoother going through the forest."

"Do you have a compass with you?"

"I never leave home without one."

"If we get stuck, you are walking out, because you are wearing boots. I'm staying with the Jeep, because I am wearing street shoes."

"Let's stick to the road."

"I think that's a better choice."

Back at the cabin, the digging was proceeding at a furious pace. The sheriff's deputies, and the state police officer, had already determined that liquid oil had been used as a fire starter for whatever had been thrown into the conflagration, and a lot of it. Everything they were taking out was sticky. The earth, the grass, the roots, the detritus, everything was sticky. Someone was taking no chances, that anything could survive inside the heat, which would be produced.

They were almost right, until Nicky's shovel hit something metallic, and everyone stopped.

Deputy Singer said, "Don't move that shovel. I'm going into the pit and moving around it with my bare hands. I want to know what you hit."

John said, "Don, go into the utility room, and bring out some towels, just in case he cuts his hands."

Don was off like a shot.

Mel said, "Why did I leave my bag on the bus?"

"We never thought we'd need a doctor today, only a coroner."

"What I wouldn't give for a good pair of walkie-talkies right now."

"The military doesn't hand those out to civilians."

"I was just asking, no dreaming."

Don was back with the towels as the young deputy was digging around the head of the shovel carefully. Layer by layer, he moved the earth away from the head of the shovel looking for anything metallic to show up. It appeared nothing was in front of the blade so he moved behind it. He began removing the dirt from there. As he reached the tip of the blade he exclaimed, "OH FUCK! I'VE GOT THE CAR KEYS."

THE END

CHAPTER 2

THE STOLEN DOZEN

by

"Prolonged_Debut10