Chapter Nine

Kate grabbed Tori’s hand and dragged her from the porch and along the path to the gate, determined to get to their bikes and ride as hard as they could to her house. Colt straddled his bike and waved for them to hurry. They got to the gate, and Kate opened it and rushed through, not closing it behind her. She skidded to a stop by her bike and grabbed it from the ground, righting it and throwing her leg over the bar.

“Come on, Tori.” Kate glanced over her shoulder. Where was she?

Colt let out an exasperated grunt. “Tori! What are you doing?”

Kate caught a glimpse of her friend slipping around the corner of the house toward the backyard. “No way! She can’t go back there! That lady might really be crazy and hurt her.” She dumped her bike on the ground at the same time Colt jumped off his, and they bolted in the direction Tori had taken.

Kate’s long legs kept her within a stride of Colt as he rounded the corner. They practically ran into Tori, who crouched a couple of yards ahead. She was hunkered down behind a bush, her gaze on something they couldn’t see.

Kate scooted to a stop next to her friend, then dropped to her knees. “Are you nuts?” She whispered the words through gritted teeth. “Why’d you come here after you heard that awful cry?”

Tori simply pointed but didn’t say a word.

Kate and Colt looked, and Kate’s mouth dropped open.

The old woman stood over a freshly dug grave, her body quivering and her arms full of something the size of a child, wrapped in an old blanket. She slowly knelt and placed the bundle in the hole. Then another unearthly wail rent the air.

Colt gripped Kate’s shoulder with one hand and Tori’s with the other and hissed in their ears, “Let’s get out of here. Do you see that grave marker? It has a name on it!”

Kate’s body froze as she looked where he pointed. A white cross was driven into the ground at the far end of the hole, and she could clearly see one word: Sam.

As the three of them edged backward, the old woman stood with the help of a shovel that was sunk in the ground beside her. Then she grasped the handle, pulled the shovel out, and tossed a shovelful of dirt into the hole. She lifted her fist to the air and shook it at the heavens, then let loose another long cry.

Even Tori’s body started to quiver as she retreated from her position behind the bush and made her way around the corner of the house. “Wow.”

“No kidding.” Colt dusted off the knees of his jeans. “That was creepy. I kept thinking of what Melissa said about somebody disappearing years ago, and the ol’ lady burying them here.”

Kate picked up her bike and straddled it. “The bundle she put in the grave was about the size of my little brother.” She shivered and rubbed her hands together. “Totally creepy, if you ask me. We’d better get out of here.”

“Right.” Colt pushed his bike a few yards up the driveway, then swung aboard, with Tori following.

“Hey!” A quavering voice rang out from behind them.

All three of them stopped. Kate was afraid to look back, but she did. The old lady stood there, shaking her fist in the air. “I told you kids not to come here again, and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll leave me in peace. I can’t take any more, do you hear me?”

Tori gasped and stood on her pedals, then shot ahead of Kate and Colt. Kate didn’t hesitate. She followed as close as she could, happy to hear the crunch of Colt’s tires on the gravel behind her but unable to shut out the ongoing rant of the old lady, who stood next to the fenced-in flowerbed that now seemed like something out of a science-fiction movie.

Kate skidded to a stop beside Tori, where they’d met Colt less than an hour earlier, and worked to calm her breathing. “I’m never going back there again, Tori, no matter how much you beg me to.”

Tori’s lips quivered. “Me either. That was scary.”

Colt nodded. “Although I’d sure like to sneak in there sometime and dig up that grave and see what she buried—or who.” His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he held up his hand in mock surrender when the girls moaned. “Just kidding. I don’t think she buried a person, but I don’t get why she was crying and screaming. Or why she came after us. It’s not like we had anything to do with whatever died.”

Tori scuffed her toe against the gravel. “So what now? Go home and forget all about it? Do we tell Melissa?”

“I don’t think we should,” Kate said. “Even though she said she didn’t want to come back, she might get mad that we didn’t invite her. I’m not crazy about being enemies again.”

Tori glanced at Kate. “How about our parents? What do we tell them?”

Colt’s eyes widened. “Your parents don’t know you came? I mean, I didn’t tell mine, since you called and it was a big rush to get here, but I left my mom a note telling her I was going for a bike ride and would be home soon.”

“We told our mothers that we were coming here to bring cookies, but we haven’t told them about the rifle or her chasing us off. We figured they’d be upset about it, and they might not have let us come today.”

Colt grunted. “You think?”

Tori stiffened. “Did you tell your parents about her waving a rifle in the air?”

“Well, not exactly. I told them we found out where she lived and accidentally upset her when we came in the wrong way, and she told us to leave.” His face reddened. “Sorry for the sarcasm.”

Tori relaxed. “And I’m sorry for getting mad. I guess I’m upset at everything that’s happened.”

“But it’s mostly our fault,” Kate said. “She never asked us to come on her property and bug her. We’ve done it twice now, even after she made it clear the first time that she didn’t want us there. So we can’t be mad at her.”

“But I wanted to be nice! That’s why I suggested we bring cookies and apologize. It’s not like we knew we’d upset her. Besides, she’s the one who scared us, not the other way around.”

Colt rocked his bike back and forth. “Maybe, but we don’t know that for sure. What if she isn’t crazy, and we did scare her?”

Kate remembered the old lady gently placing the bundle in the grave and shivered. “But she buried something that died. How do we know it wasn’t a person? You know, a little kid or something?”

“I doubt it,” Colt said. “I’ll admit she was kinda scary when she ran around the house screaming, but we don’t know what was actually going on.”

Tori gripped her handlebars tighter. “Let’s go home. Whatever her deal is, I don’t want to go there again, no matter how sorry I feel for her or how much I love her horse.”

Kate woke to the sound of the doorbell the next morning. Why didn’t Mom answer it? She glanced at the clock and groaned. Only eight o’clock—she’d stayed up so late last night worrying that she didn’t feel like she’d slept at all. Mom was probably out throwing hay to the horses they were boarding, and Dad had already left for work.

She swung her feet over the edge of the bed. No way could she get dressed before whoever it was gave up and left. Most people knew to check the barn, though, so they’d probably find Mom.

She took a quick shower, then tugged on her jeans, shirt, and socks. A glance in the mirror was all it took to scrape her curly hair into a ponytail before she headed down the stairs. Swinging open the front door, she peered toward the barn, even though she didn’t expect to see anyone after all this time. Kate stepped back and glanced down. An envelope with a small rock on top lay on the mat. She picked it up and examined it, but there was nothing written on either side.

Should she open it or go find her mom? As much as she wanted to tear into it and see what it contained, it probably wasn’t for her. She stuffed it in her jeans pocket and headed for the barn. Time to help with the feeding and stalls anyway.

She walked through the open door of the alleyway that fronted the indoor arena, flanked on each side by a long row of stalls. Capri, her chestnut mare, nickered at her but barely raised her head from the rack of hay.

Kate laughed, then slid open the door and stepped inside. “Ignoring me, huh? I’ll come back when you’re done to turn you out and clean your stall. Maybe I can get a ride in today. Would you like that?” Capri shifted from one hoof to the other, and her head seemed to bob. Of course, she may have simply been plunging her nose deeper into the sweet-smelling hay.

Kate left the stall and walked down the long aisle. “Hey, Mom? Where are you? Sorry I didn’t get out sooner to help.”

Her mother poked her head out of the office and smiled. “That’s okay, sweetie. I’m almost done. I kind of enjoy coming out by myself when Pete’s sleeping so I can have a few quiet moments with the horses. It reminds me of all the hours I spent on the farm helping your grandpa. You ready to get to work?”

“Sure, but I wanted to give you something first. The doorbell woke me, but I couldn’t get dressed and downstairs fast enough. Whoever it was had already left, but I found this on the doormat.” She stepped into the office and plucked the envelope out of her pocket, then handed it to her mom. “I figured it must be for you or Dad, so I didn’t open it.”

Her mom gave her an approving smile. “Good girl.” She turned to toss it on the desk.

“Hey!” Kate stepped closer. “I’m curious who left it. I mean, it’s always possible it might be for me.”

“Right.” Her mom chuckled and tweaked Kate’s ponytail. “Well then, I guess we’ll take a look.” She slid her finger under the flap that appeared to barely be glued and pulled out a single sheet of paper. She flipped it over and read the signature, then frowned. “I have no idea who Martha Maynard is, do you?”

Kate shook her head. “Nope. But if you read it, you might find out.” She bounced on her toes, itching to take the paper and find out for herself. “Come on, Mom. Please?”

“Oh. Right.” Mom bent her head and read silently, then looked up. “This isn’t to me; it’s to you. I think. Or maybe to you and Tori and Colt, at the very least. What’s going on?” She planted one hand on her hip and frowned.

Kate groaned. “I have no idea. May I read it?” She held out her hand and waited. “I mean, if it’s for me, I’d like to see it.”

Her mother reluctantly handed it over, her forehead still creased. “Read it, and then I expect a full explanation.”

Kate bent her head over the letter, noting the beautiful, flowing script. She didn’t know anyone wrote like that anymore. She’d seen letters that her grandmother had written as a young woman to her grandpa, and they were similar. Pushing those thoughts aside, she concentrated on the contents.

My dear young people,

My name is Martha Maynard, and I believe I owe you all an apology. After you left yesterday, I found your cookies and kind letter of apology for trespassing and startling me. I must tell you that I thought you four children were the hoodlums who have been throwing eggs at my mailbox and more recently at my house. I decided I’d had enough, and the first time you came through my back pasture and approached my home, I assumed you had come to cause more trouble. That’s why I pulled out my rifle and waved it in the air. Please be assured it was not loaded, and I regretted my actions as soon as I lifted it in the air and yelled at you.

Then, an hour before you arrived yesterday, those same teenagers returned, driving a pickup down my driveway and shouting things about the crazy woman who lives here. My dog, Sam, ran out to chase them off, and when the kids backed up to leave, they hit him. He was an old, arthritic dog who wasn’t long for this world, but I loved him dearly, and he didn’t deserve to die like that. I chased them off and brought him in the house, but he was already gone.

When you came, I was saying my final good-bye and burying him in the yard that he loved and guarded for so many years. He was my best friend, and I wanted to give him a proper burial. I’m sorry you heard me wailing and carrying on. I was dealing with both anger and grief, and for a few minutes, I couldn’t contain myself.

As I stepped around the corner and saw you three there on your bikes, I immediately assumed you were my tormentors come back to cause more havoc. As soon as I shouted at you and you started to ride away, I realized you were far too young to drive a vehicle, and you must have been the same children who came the day before. I especially remember the compassion on the face of the girl with the dark brown hair, and her kind words about my horse. I liked the looks of that girl as soon as I saw her, but I already had my rifle raised in my hand.

I hope you’ll forgive an old woman and allow me to make it up to you. If you’d care to return, I’d like to make you some tea and cookies and show you my Sam’s grave. I’ll understand if you don’t care to come, or if you’d like to bring your parents. I know the children in this area think I’m crazy or a murderer, but believe me, that is far from the truth.

With humble apologies and a hope that you might give me another chance,

Martha Maynard

Kate lifted damp eyes and met her mother’s gaze. “Wow.”

“You can say that again. Now you get on the phone and ask your friends to come over here. I want to know exactly what’s going on. We’re going to get to the bottom of this.”

Kate froze. “Melissa too? Or just Tori and Colt?”

“Was Melissa with you when you went to this woman’s home?” Mom’s stare didn’t waver.

“Uh … the first time. But she didn’t go with us yesterday.”

Mom gave a firm nod. “Then she comes too. I’ve finished feeding the horses, and the rest of the stalls can wait. I want answers.”