Birthright

every time there was a new find. If he wasn’t talking about the work, he was talking about Callie.” She stopped, winced, shot Callie a glance. “Sorry.”
    “It’s okay.”
    “In many cultures, many societies,” Jake continued, “you show respect for the dead by honoring their work. We’ll dig.”
    “I don’t mean to stir up trouble,” Dory began. “I just wondered what would happen if Bill’s family sues. The landowner, and the team leaders, something like that. People do that sort of thing over a broken toe, so it seems they might do it over Bill. How would that kind of legal trouble affect the grant? Could it be pulled?”
    “People suck.” After the statement, Matt shrugged, then reached for more bacon. “I just mean Dory’s got a point. In a litigious, materialistic, self-absorbed society, it’s a natural progression to go from emotion to calculation. Who’s going to pay for this, and how much can I get?”
    “Let me worry about that,” Lana told him. “My advice at the moment is to continue as if you mean to go on. Cooperate with the police, and with the media, but before giving statements to either, you should consult with me or other counsel.”
    “We’re also going to employ a strict buddy system.” Leo pushed his plate aside, reached for his coffee. “Nobody wanders into the woods at any time alone. Those team members who remain throughout the week will share night-shift duties on-site. No less than two members per shift. We’re not losing anyone else.”
    “I’ll work out a schedule,” Callie agreed.
    “Good. I need to be back in Baltimore tonight, but I’ll be back here midweek. I think it’s best if we take today off. Anyone who’s remaining should be ready to work tomorrow.”
    “I’ve got some personal business in Virginia today.” Callie glanced at Jake. “Dory and the West Virginia turtledoves can relieve Rosie and Digger this afternoon. We’ll put Bob and Matt and Digger on the night shift. I’ll have a daily schedule worked out by tomorrow.”
    “I’ll take KP here, before I leave.” Sonya got to her feet. “I know what you’re saying’s right,” she said to Jake. “In my head. But I can’t get past it. I don’t know if I’ll beback. I’m sorry to let everyone down, but I don’t know if I can do it.”
    “Take a few days,” Callie suggested. “I need to get some things together. And I need complete reports, and all film from yesterday from everyone by end of day.”
    She went into Jake’s office to print out the article on Simpson, to make a file folder for the lists, the chart.
    “What’s in Virginia?” Doug asked from the doorway.
    “Who. Someone I need to talk to.”
    “Is this about . . . Does it have to do with Jessica?”
    “Yeah.” She stuffed the file in a shoulder bag. “I’ll let you know what I find out.”
    “I’ll go with you.”
    “Jake’s tagging along. I’ve got it handled.”
    “I’m going with you,” he said again, then shifted aside as Lana nudged through.
    “What’s this about?”
    “I’ve got some information I need to check out.”
    “Are you going?” Lana asked Doug.
    “Yeah, I’m going.”
    She frowned at her watch. “Let me call Roger, see if he can handle Ty until we get back.”
    “What is this ‘we’?” Callie demanded.
    “I think it’s what you refer to as a team. I’m the legal portion of that team. Let me just make that call, then you can fill me in on the drive.”
    “I might end up doing something illegal,” Callie muttered as Lana dug out her cell phone.
    Lana tucked her hair behind her ear. “Then you definitely need me along.”
    S he couldn’t even manage to take the wheel, and had to settle for sitting shotgun in Jake’s SUV instead of her own. To give herself time to sulk in silence, she handed the file back to Doug so he and Lana could read it over in the backseat.
    But silence was short as both of them began to pepper her with questions.
    “Look, what I know is in there. What I’m going to find out is in Virginia.”
    “She’s always grumpy when she hasn’t had a good night’s sleep,” Jake commented. “Right, babe?”
    “Just shut up and drive.”
    “See?”
    “How long was Simpson your mother’s doctor?” Lana unearthed a legal pad from her bag and began taking notes.
    “I don’t know. At least since 1966.”
    “And he wasn’t married to Barbara Halloway at that time?”
    “No, I think that was closer to 1980. He’s got a good twenty