One Grave Too Many

the God’s honest truth. This can be played out easy or hard. You’re one tough woman, I’ll give you that. You don’t need to be tough now. All your proof is in the bones, and I want them. Now get up and let’s go up to the vault where you keep them.”
    “They’re gone. I sent them . . .”
    “No, you didn’t. The sheriff told me. That was a good little ruse, I’ll hand it to you. Now get up and let’s go. When I’m gone, you can do all the talking you want, but I have to tell you, nobody in this county’s going to believe you or even listen to you, and it will be your word against mine. The mayor and the whole police department will back me up.”
    Diane rose. As she walked past Jake he grabbed her upper arm. “Don’t do anything fancy,” he said. “Let’s just go to the elevator and go upstairs. We’ll cross the mammoth room and use the center elevators. That way we can avoid getting into a conversation with Chanell.”
    They crossed through the exhibit rooms to the center elevators and went up to the second floor.
    “There will probably be someone in the lab,” said Diane.
    “There’s not. I checked before I came down to your office. Let’s go.”
    Diane led him to the lab and into the vault.
    “Jake, don’t do this.”
    “I just want to save my kid. You understand that.”
    Diane got the box and set it on the table. “I understand wanting to save your kid, but, my God, Jake, look at what he’s done. You knew George and his family. Frank is one of your best friends.”
    A wave of pain spread across his face. “Open it up,” he said. She began tearing the tape from the box. “Dylan panicked and let things get out of control. I know he did some terrible things, but I’m setting them back to zero. He can start with a clean slate. Without these bones, there’s nothing to connect him to any of the deaths. You’re the only one who will know.”
    “If you kill me, my death will be investigated.”
    “I’m not going to kill you. I said a clean slate. We can handle accusations. That’s the great thing about this country and its legal system. You need some kind of proof, and you have nothing but these bones. You don’t even know who they belong to and you are not likely to find out. There’ll be just this tale you tell people, and right now you’re lacking in credibility. I have to tell you, the mayor hates your guts, so does the chief of detectives, and the sheriff thinks you’re nuts. Janice Warrick’s ready to arrest you for messing in her case. Your best bet is to move on.”
    “There’s Frank.”
    “Frank only knows what you’ve told him.”
    He reached in the box and unwrapped a couple of bones from the soft cotton material. Diane glanced at the door.
    “Don’t try anything. You’re home free if you just play it safe.”
    He took out a sack and looked in it. “Those are the bones of the hand,” said Diane. “They’re packed separately, left and right.”
    “All nice and organized.”
    “This person has family somewhere who want to know where he is.”
    “I’m sure he does, and that weighs on me, like all of this. But they will just have to go on wondering. Taking Dylan down’s not going to bring this boy back.”
    “Why did he kill this young man?”
    “He didn’t mean to—he panicked. You don’t need to know. The less you know, the better. Dylan’s got a bright future ahead of him. I’m giving him a chance to start over clean. Now you’re going to see me out the door.”
    “It sounds like Dylan panics a lot. Look, Jake. I examined the crime scene. Will you let me tell you what I found?”
    “I don’t see any use in that.”
    “He was in a frenzy when he killed them.”
    “Just don’t say anything else.”
    “I think he has a mean streak that’s going to get worse, especially since he’s hooked up with someone with her own mean streak.”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “His girlfriend.”
    “Alix? She’s a nice girl.”
    “Is she? I have it on more than one authority she has a mean temper, just like Dylan.”
    “Dylan doesn’t have a temper. Not like you’re talking about. He gets scared sometimes. If George hadn’t found the bone, none of this would have happened. I’m not blaming George. It was just bad luck. Dylan was protecting himself.”
    “Have you really talked yourself into believing this? Are you listening to what you’re saying?”
    “Let’s get going.”
    “Just listen to me, Jake. Dylan is going to continue