Scattered Graves

in,’’ said Mrs. McConnel.
The husband let out an exasperated breath. Diane was glad she wasn’t riding home in their car tonight.
‘‘Say what you want, but the burglary rate is way down under the new get-tough policy,’’ he retorted.
‘‘Now, how would you know? Are any of your bud dies on the police force?’’ she said.
Ethan put his hands over his ears. Diane guessed he did that a lot.
The husband nodded his head up and down. ‘‘Barrel knows a cop or two,’’ he said.
The wife turned to Diane. ‘‘Would you trust anyone whose mother named him Barrel?’’
The father stood up. ‘‘Let’s go, Barb. I’m sure these folks don’t want to listen to us bicker.’’ He turned to Diane. ‘‘I expect you to do something about that guy. He can’t go around threatening little kids with guns. Come on, little buddy,’’ he said to Ethan. ‘‘Let’s go get some ice cream.’’
‘‘I’ll take care of it tonight,’’ Diane assured him. She turned to the security guard. ‘‘Take the McConnels by the museum shop on the way out. I believe it’s open late tonight. They got in some new kaleidoscopes. Ask the clerk to give Ethan one.’’
Ethan’s face brightened at the mention of both ice cream and a gift, though Diane suspected he didn’t know what a kaleidoscope was. What was important was that his parents smiled too.
When the McConnels were out of the office, Diane stood up. ‘‘Emily, let’s go see the guard.’’
‘‘Sure thing.’’ Emily stood, looking ready for a fight.
Diane’s museum office was on the first floor in the east wing. The crime lab was on the third floor in the west wing. They walked to the elevators located in the lobby and rode up to the third floor.
‘‘The gemology class seems popular,’’ said Diane, making conversation.
‘‘Any class that Mike teaches is popular,’’ Emily said.
Mike Seeger was curator of the geology collection. Diane could imagine he was popular with the women, with his winning, slightly crooked smile and lean good looks.
‘‘Lots of women sign up, then,’’ commented Diane.
‘‘Men too,’’ said Emily. ‘‘They love to hear about his adventures.’’
Diane smiled. ‘‘I’ll bet they do.’’
Mike was also employed by a pharmaceutical re search company to look for extremophiles—organisms that can live in the most severe environmental condi tions. The company paid Mike a good salary to go to some of the more dangerous places in the world to find them. It was like a paid adventure to him.
‘‘I don’t see how Neva stands it,’’ said Emily. ‘‘If my boyfriend had such a dangerous job, I’m not sure I could. I don’t even like to think about it. He just got back from exploring an ice cave. Isn’t that danger ous enough?’’
‘‘Very,’’ said Diane. She didn’t like to think about Mike’s other job either.
They got out at the Pleistocene Room overlook and walked through Exhibit Preparations, where several people were working, then down the hall, past the break room, and onto the dinosaur overlook. The guard was coming out of the break room and spot ted them.
‘‘That’s off-limits,’’ he said, coming after them with a soda in one hand. ‘‘Nobody is allowed beyond this point.’’ He pointed to the entrance to the overlook.
Diane didn’t stop until she was standing with her back to the security camera so that the guard had to face it.
‘‘Do you know who I am?’’ she said calmly.
‘‘It doesn’t matter. Nobody goes beyond the break room,’’ he said.
Diane noticed he was caressing his holstered gun. She honestly couldn’t tell if it was a nervous habit or a threat.
‘‘You’re wrong. The only thing that should matter to you is who I am,’’ she said. ‘‘I’m the director of this museum, and this overlook is museum property. For that matter, the crime lab is on museum property.’’
He grinned. ‘‘But you aren’t in charge of the crime lab anymore.’’
‘‘I am in charge of the museum, and I’m telling you, you cannot keep any of my staff or museum visitors out of this area. Are we clear about that?’’
‘‘I have my orders,’’ he said, putting his hands on his hips in such a way that it looked like he could grab his gun at a moment’s notice.
First Curtis, and now this one , thought Diane. Where does Bryce get them: Thugs Are Us?
‘‘I don’t care what Bryce has told you,’’ said Diane. ‘‘You are not to be here threatening my staff or