gone.”
Chapter Seventeen
The dogs were barking and Mikey let them out of the house while I put the groceries away. After checking the dogs’ water, I sat down next to my son on the porch.
“Mom, you don’t think people would dig holes in the yard while we’re out here, do you?” Mikey was concerned about trespassers, thanks to his uncle’s comment.
“No, son, I don’t. Your Uncle Bill probably scared half the town off when we were at the diner and he issued his warning. He can be kind of intimidating. I’d be surprised if anyone came back looking for gold.” Glancing at Sherlock and Watson, I knew we had two big dogs to protect us, too.
I watched a truck crawl slowly by the end of the driveway while I spoke. Whoever it was seemed to be studying the property – and us. I stood and stepped to the right because Mikey’s attention was on me and I didn’t want him to see the truck. His eyes followed me. The truck moved on.
“But just to be on the safe side, I’ll keep the cell phone in my pocket. Better to be safe than sorry,” I said, smiling encouragingly at my son and patting my pocket.
“I’m gonna get the shovel and start filling in the holes everyone dug last night. Okay, Mom?”
“Why don’t you let your dad and Bill do that? On second thought, go ahead.” I could keep an eye on him and it would keep him busy. He was too small to fill in many holes, but it was something to do. “I’ll help you.”
We found the shovel in the shed that Mikey had been using when he dug up old Henry. There were two, and I grabbed the other one, a spade.
“Let’s start over there,” I said, pointing to the hole closest to the house. I wanted to stay as near to the house as possible. I still couldn’t believe we hadn’t heard anyone when they were digging. They must not have spoken a single word to each other.
Mikey was having similar thoughts. “You know, Mom, digging wouldn’t make much noise.”
I nodded and began shoving dirt in the hole with my spade, wondering why the dogs hadn’t alerted us to everyone’s presence. I’d probably never know.
“How could they see any gold in the dark anyway?” he asked.
“I guess they couldn’t unless they used flashlights. Maybe they figured if they hit the gold they’d hear a clunking noise.”
“I wonder if they’ll start calling Charlie old Charlie now, like they do old Henry.”
“Maybe.”
My son’s thoughts seemed to be flitting from event to event as though he had a movie playing inside his head.
We’d filled in three holes, and Mikey was working on a fourth, when he stopped and gaped into the hole. “Mother! You’re not gonna believe this. I sure wish Danny was here so he could share in the fun.”
“What about Danny?” I asked. I’d only been half listening while we worked. Filling the holes wasn’t as easy as you might think.
“I said I wish Danny was here so he could see what I see, and we could have some fun.” Danny was Mikey’s best friend.
“And what do you see?” I watched Mikey staring at the hole and realized we were in for a little more excitement.
“Someone didn’t bring their flashlight last night.” He dropped to his knees and reached into the hole. I could see his shoulders moving while he dug with his hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Umm, it looks like old Henry really did bury something else here. There’s another bag like the ones that were buried with him.”
“ What? ” I dropped my shovel and ran to Mikey’s side.
“I can’t lift it, Mom.” He grunted and pulled on something.
“It can’t be,” I said, dropping to my knees.
The bag was stuck in the dirt and even with both of us pulling, we couldn’t dislodge it. I wasn’t willing to wait for Chris to come home. Picking up my shovel, I began digging the dirt away from around the leather pouch.
Hearing a noise, I turned toward the road in front of the farmhouse. Th e same truck I’d seen earlier
Chapter Seventeen
The dogs were barking and Mikey let them out of the house while I put the groceries away. After checking the dogs’ water, I sat down next to my son on the porch.
“Mom, you don’t think people would dig holes in the yard while we’re out here, do you?” Mikey was concerned about trespassers, thanks to his uncle’s comment.
“No, son, I don’t. Your Uncle Bill probably scared half the town off when we were at the diner and he issued his warning. He can be kind of intimidating. I’d be surprised if anyone came back looking for gold.” Glancing at Sherlock and Watson, I knew we had two big dogs to protect us, too.
I watched a truck crawl slowly by the end of the driveway while I spoke. Whoever it was seemed to be studying the property – and us. I stood and stepped to the right because Mikey’s attention was on me and I didn’t want him to see the truck. His eyes followed me. The truck moved on.
“But just to be on the safe side, I’ll keep the cell phone in my pocket. Better to be safe than sorry,” I said, smiling encouragingly at my son and patting my pocket.
“I’m gonna get the shovel and start filling in the holes everyone dug last night. Okay, Mom?”
“Why don’t you let your dad and Bill do that? On second thought, go ahead.” I could keep an eye on him and it would keep him busy. He was too small to fill in many holes, but it was something to do. “I’ll help you.”
We found the shovel in the shed that Mikey had been using when he dug up old Henry. There were two, and I grabbed the other one, a spade.
“Let’s start over there,” I said, pointing to the hole closest to the house. I wanted to stay as near to the house as possible. I still couldn’t believe we hadn’t heard anyone when they were digging. They must not have spoken a single word to each other.
Mikey was having similar thoughts. “You know, Mom, digging wouldn’t make much noise.”
I nodded and began shoving dirt in the hole with my spade, wondering why the dogs hadn’t alerted us to everyone’s presence. I’d probably never know.
“How could they see any gold in the dark anyway?” he asked.
“I guess they couldn’t unless they used flashlights. Maybe they figured if they hit the gold they’d hear a clunking noise.”
“I wonder if they’ll start calling Charlie old Charlie now, like they do old Henry.”
“Maybe.”
My son’s thoughts seemed to be flitting from event to event as though he had a movie playing inside his head.
We’d filled in three holes, and Mikey was working on a fourth, when he stopped and gaped into the hole. “Mother! You’re not gonna believe this. I sure wish Danny was here so he could share in the fun.”
“What about Danny?” I asked. I’d only been half listening while we worked. Filling the holes wasn’t as easy as you might think.
“I said I wish Danny was here so he could see what I see, and we could have some fun.” Danny was Mikey’s best friend.
“And what do you see?” I watched Mikey staring at the hole and realized we were in for a little more excitement.
“Someone didn’t bring their flashlight last night.” He dropped to his knees and reached into the hole. I could see his shoulders moving while he dug with his hands.
“What are you doing?”
“Umm, it looks like old Henry really did bury something else here. There’s another bag like the ones that were buried with him.”
“ What? ” I dropped my shovel and ran to Mikey’s side.
“I can’t lift it, Mom.” He grunted and pulled on something.
“It can’t be,” I said, dropping to my knees.
The bag was stuck in the dirt and even with both of us pulling, we couldn’t dislodge it. I wasn’t willing to wait for Chris to come home. Picking up my shovel, I began digging the dirt away from around the leather pouch.
Hearing a noise, I turned toward the road in front of the farmhouse. Th e same truck I’d seen earlier
Similar Books
