48. The Discovery

The weird thing about this cabin—this room specifically—is that I get the feeling that Uncle Robert is going to be coming back any minute.

I keep discovering things that don’t make sense.

Things that don’t seem like a man going a trip would leave.

It’s not just all his belongings. It’s also where they are.

If he was living in this cabin by himself, why are most of his things up in this room?

There are clothes: T-shirts and jeans and shirts and jackets. Several pairs of shoes and boots. Boxers and socks. Everything.

And they’re all up in my little room. Along with other things.

Some of the things I’ve found look brand new. It’s not stuff that’s old and outdated—it’s stuff that hasyet to be used.

I don’t get it.

Was someone else living here with him?

I’m thinking about this on Sunday night as I continue going through his stuff.

Call it boredom or fascination or both.

I keep feeling like the door is going to open and Uncle Robert will be standing there, breathless and delirious and angry.

I have no idea why I’m thinking this. Uncle Robert is someone I’ve seen over the years in bits and pieces. No idea why I get the feeling he would care if I was going through his stuff.

And yeah, Chris, what’s with the delirious and breathless thing?

I get this feeling that he’s in trouble. I know Mom thinks so too.

I’ve sorted the albums in a comprehensible fashion, putting the milk crates along the far wall that stands next to the walk-in closet. That gives me a little more room to try to go through the closet. There are lots of random things in here—an old photo album from Robert’s high school days. Some shoe boxes with letters in them. A digital camera.

I still don’t feel right looking through the letters or getting on the digital camera.

Why would Uncle Robert leave these things behind?

I stumble across a small black duffel bag and open it.

And then I know.

Something happened to him.

Inside is a toiletry bag full of the regular stuff—toothbrush, razor, cologne, deodorant. A couple changes of clothes. Some casual shoes.

Between a sweatshirt and a pair of pants, I find a gun.

It’s heavy and black, a .45 of some kind, the kind that has a clip on it.

I can feel my hands shaking as I hold it. I look over my shoulder as if my mom is standing behind me. Then I put the gun back where I found it.

There are a few other notable things: a map of North Carolina, some binoculars, a knife.

Was he planning on going hunting or something?

Then in an outside zipper pouch, I find a couple of other things.

One is an iPod, the latest model, a lot thinner than mine. It needs charging. Then I find a pen-sized flash drive.

Mom calls me just then, and I stick the flash drive back where I found it and put the bag underneath a few other empty bags.

I close the closet door, wondering what happened to Uncle Robert.

Wondering if I should tell Mom.

For now, I decide to stay quiet.