One Grave Too Many

herself comfortable on the sofa. She looked up Jonas’ home phone number and dialed. After several rings, the answering machine picked up. She hung up without leaving a message. Next she dialed his cell phone.
    “Briggs, here.”
    “Jonas, this is Diane. I’m going to be late getting to the site today, so you’re in charge.”
    “That’s fine. We’re getting started now. You sound a little weak. Are you feeling all right?”
    Diane went into the explanation of what happened to her last evening, trying her best to downplay the event.
    “Are you sure you need to come out at all? Shouldn’t you just stay home and rest?”
    “I’m OK, really. A few bruises here and there.”
    “If they kept you all night at the hospital, you got more than a few bruises.”
    “The bruises were on a kidney. But it’s fine.”
    “Oh, is that all? A major organ. I think that calls for bed rest. We can manage. We have your excavation plan and we’re all experienced.”
    “I know you are. How did things go last night at the Abercrombies’? No one came after you with a knife in your sleep, I hope.”
    “What? No. Were they supposed to?” Diane laughed and it hurt. “They were great. Hospitable folk. Mrs. Abercrombie makes a great pot roast and pecan pie. Luther’s pretty indignant that someone’s dumped a body on his land, but his wife enjoys the excitement.”
    “I’ll be by my phone if you need anything,” she said.
    “Does that mean you’re going to stay home and rest?”
    “For the morning, anyway. Then I’ll see.”
    After talking to Jonas, Diane called Andie at the museum and had to tell the whole story over again.
    “You’re kidding? Why didn’t you call me? I’d have come down to the hospital. I’ll bet you didn’t have any pajamas and had to wear that awful gown with the back out.”
    “That’s true, I could have used a nightgown, but I slept all night and was released this morning, so I didn’t need much in the way of clothes.”
    “Everything’s running smoothly here. The herpetologist is installing his friends today.”
    “I hope I didn’t make a mistake by telling him he could exhibit a few live snakes and lizards.”
    “He did say they would all be small, and nothing poisonous.” Andie seemed to be asking as well as repeating what the herpetologist said.
    “He gave me a list and I approved it,” said Diane. “We’ll have to make sure he didn’t include anything we can’t live with.”
    “I can handle anything that comes up, so you stay home and rest today.”
    Diane was beginning to think her presence wasn’t needed anywhere. “I may drop in later on today. I’ll see how I feel.”
    “If anything comes up, I can call or E-mail you. Stay home. You’ll thank me tomorrow. Oh, you did get a letter from Dr. Ranjan Patel—same guy that sent the fax. It’s another copy of the same document—much more readable.”
    “Thanks. Put it on my desk. Anything else?”
    “Yeah, Jonas called with a message. ‘Bishop to queen three.’ He made me write it down and read it back to him. Is that some kind of code?”
    “No. We’re playing a game of chess.”
    “Oh. I wondered.”
    “That’s it, then?”
    “Just the usual stuff. Nothing earthshaking. We’re getting a lot of people calling about the museum opening. A reporter called wanting to know if we’re going to move the museum after we just renovated it.”
    “What did you tell him?”
    “No.”
    “Good girl. Keep in touch.”
    When Diane hung up the phone she stretched out on the couch and pulled a throw over her. As she drifted off to sleep, she remembered she hadn’t told Frank about food allergies—another long shot, but sometimes they pay off.
    She was awakened out of a dream she didn’t want to end by a knocking on the door. She was running through the jungle, Ariel in her arms.
    Frank, she thought, stumbling to the door. She released the chain and opened it.

Chapter 29
    Melissa stood in the doorway, the scowl on her face made darker by the shadows cast from the dim hallway lights.
    “You’ve ruined my life. Who are you to interfere in my life? No one asked you. I hardly know you.”
    “Melissa? What . . . ?” Diane thought of the visit from Lacy and Emily. “Come in.”
    Melissa marched in, sweeping past Diane so abruptly she almost knocked her over.
    “Where do you get off telling people that Alix is beating me up?”
    “I didn’t tell people that.”
    “You did. Laura’s a busybody, but she’s not a