Dust to Dust

Diane.
    “The crazy lady? No, but I imagine Granny does. I’ll ask her,” he said.
    Diane reached in her pocket and handed him one of her cards.
    After the paramedics took Hector and Scott to the hospital, one of the firemen, a tall, sturdy guy who looked as if he could have just reached down and hauled Hector up with one hand, began lecturing Diane about doing the rescue herself.
    “One of you could have ended up in the well with him,” he said. “Or made the whole thing fall in.”
    “I take your point,” said Diane. “But Mike Seger and I are certified in cave rescue and we’ve had a lot of experience. We were aware of the dangers in this situation, and we took steps to make it as safe as we could. Our biggest concern was to get Hector out before the walls caved in on him. After he fell through the top, the sides were unstable and began to fall in before we started pulling him up.”
    The fireman paused a moment and looked into the well before he spoke. “Okay, then,” he said. “I’m glad you’ve some experience and that everything worked out. Some people attempt a rescue and have no idea of the things that can go wrong.”
    “Thank you for coming,” said Diane. “All of us appreciate it.”
    The fireman looked at all the string he had to step on and over to get there. “What you people doing here?” he said.
    “This is a crime scene,” said Diane. “We’re searching for buried human remains.”
    “Crime scene? Don’t you guys use yellow tape?” he asked.
    “Sometimes. This is . . . was . . . a search grid,” she said, indicating the layout of strings and stakes.
    He squinted at Diane. “You’re the crime lab lady,” he said.
    “Yes.” But Diane wasn’t sure about the lady part.
    The fireman left and Diane went to the front porch to sit down and rest. David, Neva, and Mike went with her. David turned on the porch light and they pulled up chairs. Neva sat on the glider with Mike, who put his arms around her to warm her.
    “What are you guys doing here?” Diane asked the two of them. “Shouldn’t you be out to dinner or something?”
    “Andie said you and David were here,” said Neva. “I need to tell you some odd stuff about the crime scene I was just on.”
    “And the other thing,” said Mike.
    “Yes. I’m not sure, but I think I’m being followed,” Neva said.

Chapter 35
    “Followed?” said Diane.“Neva, someone is following you?” Diane gripped the arms of her chair and leaned forward.
    “I think so,” said Neva. “I may be wrong.” Neva frowned in a way that put a crease between her eyes at the bridge of her nose, a small expression of insecurity that she made when she was undecided or afraid to commit to her own analysis.
    “But you may be right,” said Mike, urging her to talk.
    “I noticed it yesterday. I feel really silly. It’s just that I kept noticing the same vehicle, a black SUV with tinted windows. I know, that sounds so clichéd. I’ve tried to get behind it and check out the license plate, but I haven’t been able to. It looks so easy in the movies.” Neva brushed a strand of brown hair out of her eyes and smiled weakly.
    “When were you first aware of it?” asked Diane.
    “I think it was after I visited the historical society yesterday morning. That’s down the street from the courthouse. After I looked up some records in the courthouse, I walked down to talk to them,” said Neva. “Nice place. It’s run by volunteers. I’d never been in it in all the years I’ve lived in Rosewood.”
    The two policemen David had enlisted for security had been standing by their car, smoking cigarettes. They threw the butts down and approached the porch.
    “Hi,” one said. “We were just wondering if you still need us tonight—since things kind of went in another direction.” He laughed nervously.
    “Now that we’ve found human bones in the well,” said Diane, “we need someone to keep the area secure. Can you stay?”
    The men looked relieved. Diane guessed they were counting on the extra income.
    “Oh yeah, that’s fine,” said the other policeman. “We’re just going to check the back road.” He moved his hand in a circle, indicating the route. “The whole trip won’t take five minutes. We want to make sure nobody’s parked back there like before.” They went back to the patrol car and drove off down the driveway.
    Diane looked at Neva. “Did you discover anything at the historical society?”
    “Not really, but this is