She walked to the log, where Austin was halfway through with his chicken.
He mumbled around a full bite, “She’s got a point.” He rolled his eyes and took a swig of lemonade from the mason jar. “This is incredibly good. You sure your family didn’t know Colonel Sanders?”
“Thanks.” She sat down beside Austin and placed her picnic box on her lap. She didn’t move.
“What’s wrong? Aren’t you hungry? That was a challenging hike.”
“Sorry.” She opened her lunch. “I’m still worried about something. I need to shake off a bad feeling.” She reinforced that thought with a real shake of her head.
“Can I help?”
Miranda smiled at him. “Not yet.”
In a few minutes, everyone finished and seemed happy with the meal. Miranda noted that the group were well versed in woodland manners. They each repacked the remains of their lunches back in the baskets. Miranda scanned the clearing. Not a single scrap of litter was to be found. She smiled and stood near the group.
Ranger Morgan raised his hand. “There’s another artifact up here that you might like to see. It’s been off-limits to the public for the last few years, but I have a key to the gate. Is anyone interested?”
A unanimous yes followed.
He walked over to the far edge of the clearing and skirted around a tree and several large boulders. An iron fence had been installed with a narrow gate a few yards in front of the opening to a shallow cave. The heavy padlock opened with a loud click, and Ranger Morgan pushed the gate open.
He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and shone it on the walls. “This was most likely used as a weather shelter or maybe for ceremonial purposes. The local place name is the Council Chamber. Around these parts, no one can remember it being called anything else. There are some drawings here that depict figures in large groups, but it looks like they are celebrating successful hunts. The drawings are well-preserved and haven’t been studied by any scientific or scholarly groups, so there has been no consensus. I keep waiting for someone to figure it out.”
The group entered and several more flashlights appeared from various pockets and backpacks to light the little cavern. The walls were covered with faint images.
“These are amazing,” said Kevin. “I’ve been up here several times, but I didn’t know this.”
“I definitely want to sketch these,” said Jennifer in a reverent whisper.
Miranda followed up, “That’s a great idea. If Ranger Morgan agrees, we could start our drawing in here and then move out to the overlook.”
“Not this time.” Ranger Morgan locked the gate and shook it to check its security. “I personally think that shelter was the primary purpose for this place. You could hole up here for quite some time and be just fine.”
Miranda waved at everyone to hustle. “We need to get back on schedule. After our old-timey picnic we’re running a bit behind. The last weather update I got before we left the Gladie Learning Center predicted wind and rain later today, but we’ll be all right if we keep to the plan.”
“Yeah, I saw that report, too,” said Ben. “This is not where I want to be in a storm.”
Ranger Morgan cleared his throat. “Well, I’m—”
Miranda interrupted, “Why don’t you stay for a quick sketching lesson? You might enjoy it.”
Austin smiled back at her. “I have to admit, I am curious about how you teach art up in the wilderness. I’ll just watch from over here.” He found a bit of wall and leaned against it with his arms folded across his chest.
Miranda turned back to her group. “The first thing and, in truth, I believe, the most important step is to get in the right place. Make sure you’re comfortable, and we’ll go through a few charcoal-sketching basics.”
After a bit of bustle, everyone found a nice spot with a great view of Battleship Rock. They were chatting and lively mostly due to the relaxing effects of Miranda’s lemonade cocktail.
Jennifer was the last one searching for a spot to take the drawing lesson.
“Come on, Jen,” teased Alfred, “you’re always the last one for everything.”
“Keep your britches on. I want to get the best view of the petroglyphs and that beautiful red maple as well.”
Kevin piped up, “Charcoal is black-and-white. You don’t need to look for color.”
“It inspires me,” she shot back. Jennifer finally chose a large tree to lean against near the fence. It had a great view of a patch of petroglyphs.
“Let’s make sure everyone has their materials. You should have a drawing pad, three charcoal pencils, a stick of white chalk, a blending stump, and a gray kneading eraser. Everyone good?”
“I don’t think I have a blending stump, whatever that is,” said Ben.
Miranda started to move toward her backpack for her backup supplies. She had at least two extras of each item she provided to her clients.
“Oh, wait. This must be it. Never mind.” Ben held the three-inch stick of tightly rolled-up felted paper with two pointed ends up high and laughed it off. “My vision isn’t great in the dark innards of my backpack.”
“No problem. Anyone else missing anything? . . . No? Good. Let’s begin.”
The group caught on quickly after Miranda’s demonstration of the basics of using the hard, medium, and soft charcoal pencils to outline, fill-in, and smudge shapes. Using special charcoal paper helped the beginners get a jump start with their sketches.
“Wow, these are fantastic. You guys catch on really quick.” Miranda walked among the group giving pointers and praise. “Don’t overwork an image. Tear off the sheet and begin another when you feel it’s not quite done. You want to make sure your time out here is focused on the view and your emotional reaction to the setting.”
Austin stood away from the cavern wall. “I need to get on back. Thanks for letting me watch. Y’all have a great time and be safe on your trek back down. Make sure you check back in with the nice folks at the Gladie Learning Center. This isn’t a trail for beginners, and they keep track of everyone.”
He waved farewell and headed toward the trail.
“Just a few more seconds, please. Miranda, is this right?” Jennifer called out to Miranda. “I’m not sure about this. My drawing is getting too dark and I don’t know how to fix it.”
Miranda looked at Jennifer’s sketch of the distinctive petroglyphs. “You’re right. It looks like you’ve just gotten a little enthusiastic with the soft pencil. Use the piece of white chalk to make some touches of contrast.” Miranda tilted her head sideways. “I love the bleak tone. If that’s what you’re going for, you nailed it.”
Jennifer grinned. “Thanks. Bleak is just the right word for how I feel about this place.”
“Why is that?”
“Nothing, I’m getting a bit stiff sitting here. Leaning against this tree isn’t as comfortable as I thought it would be.” Jennifer struggled to get up and Miranda offered her a hand.
As soon as she grabbed on, Miranda pulled, but Jennifer’s heel skidded on some leaves and they both fell onto the base of the tree.
“Ouch!” Jennifer yelped, loud enough for everyone to turn in their direction. “That hurt!” She scrambled up and looked at her hand. Blood was oozing from a dull scrape across her palm. “I’m bleeding!”
“Let me see.” Miranda looked at the wound. “Hold on to your wrist as tight as you can. I’ve got a first aid kit to patch that up for you.” She looked down, wondering how Jennifer could have gotten injured.
Poking up from the leaf litter was a sharp, brown stick-like object.
A shudder ran down Miranda’s spine. That was not a stick. She picked up a nearby branch and poked at the leaves until more of the foreign forms were exposed. She felt a sick tingle in her teeth. The forms were not wooden sticks. One last scrape revealed a jawbone and a skull. They were human bones.
Chapter 3
Sunday Morning, Battleship Rock
Jennifer screamed so loud and so long, M
iranda thought her ears might start to bleed. It was only the one scream, but the terrain spread the sound. An eerie echo played along the cliffs like shrill notes on a violin.
Everyone rushed over.
“What’s wrong?” Alfred looked down at the bit of skull with an exposed fragment of jaw. “Is that an animal?” He turned to the rest of the group for what sounded like reassurance. “It’s got to be a bear, right?”
Kevin peered at the exposed fragment. “Not with a jaw like that.”
“That looks human.” Kurt grabbed the long stick from Miranda and flicked even more of the debris away, exposing the full jaw and more of the skull. “It’s human. I’m sure of that, but these bones have been here a long time.”
“How long?” asked Kevin.
“Long enough to be discolored by the soil.” Kurt shrugged. “I don’t remember my forensics-class particulars, but definitely more than a few months—maybe years.”
Jennifer began to shake. “Years?”
Miranda put her arm around Jennifer, who responded by going still and silent. “So, it’s possible that this could be ancient?”
Kurt shrugged again.
“We need to call the authorities.” Ranger Morgan appeared on Miranda’s other side.
“Oh, I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered.
His face was pale, but his expression firm. “I’ll see if I can reach Sheriff Larson.”
“Thanks.” Still holding on to Jennifer, Miranda said, “Everyone, if you could return to the sketching site, that would be helpful. We need to stay out of the way.” She looked at Kurt. “Take Jennifer with you. She needs some water; or perhaps some lemonade out of my pack. Oh, and maybe a blanket.”
“I know that. Remember, I’m a qualified surgeon.”
“Right, sorry.”
Kurt took Jennifer by the arm. She quietly let herself be led away.
Miranda turned back to Austin, who was putting his cell phone away. “Any luck?”
“Yep. Oddly, cell signal is great up here—one of those freakish signal bounces. We must be within the line of sight with one of the newer towers. Sheriff Larson says he and the coroner are on the way.”
“Good.” Miranda half smiled. “We can drop this in his lap and not think about it.”
After everyone had reassembled at the overlook, Miranda stayed behind. “Austin, this feels surreal.” She looked at her watch. “It will be at least another thirty minutes before the sheriff and coroner get up here. I’m going to continue the lesson. I mean, since the remains are old, it’s better to keep everyone focused on something other than this scary pile of bones.”
“I think that’s a good idea, especially if you can keep everyone calm. I’ll stay here by the tree to discourage any more disturbance. Although over the years, that has already occurred.”
Miranda lifted her eyebrows. “Do you know who it might be?”
“I’ve got a hunch, but I’m not saying.”
“I’m not saying either.” She sighed. Although it was a struggle, she led the group through several more sketches of the view. It was better than staring at death.
Chapter 4
Sunday Morning, Battleship Rock
Wolfe County sheriff Richard Larson appeared at the top of the Indian Staircase red of face and huffing like a blacksmith’s bellows. Dr. Felicia Larson, the Wolfe County coroner and also his wife, followed him, not even breathing fast in spite of the large backpack she carried.
“You need to start working out, Richard. This is embarrassing.”
He stood at the top, bent over, with one hand grabbing his side. It was a couple of seconds before he could reply. “I rarely find the need”—he gasped—“to climb a mountain in the”—he coughed—“regular course of my job.”
“Since when have we ever had a normal day with our jobs?”
“Point taken.” His panting eventually eased and his blotchy skin cleared back to his normal tanned features. “There’s Austin.”
“It looks like he’s standing guard for me,” said Felicia. “Aww. Good man.”
They walked over to the tree. Sheriff Larson and Coroner Larson shook hands with Ranger Morgan.
The sheriff coughed again. “That’s quite a climb. These folks have done this for one of Miranda’s art classes? Really?”
Ranger Morgan nodded. “Yes, sir. Crazy, isn’t it?”
The sheriff splayed his hands out.
Felicia sat her backpack down on a bare bit of sandstone. “You need to catch up with the times, Richard. This new style of touring is making a big difference in our part of the Appalachians. I think it’s a wonderful idea as an adventure tour. Did she bring some of her grandmother’s fabulous country-fried chicken?”
Ranger Morgan sighed. “Oh, yes. It’s as good as I remember when I was a little kid.” His family’s farmhouse was right down the road from Miranda’s. Their families had known each other for generations. “She’s got the recipe down perfect.”
Miranda waved at her clients to signal them to stay put, then she joined the officials. “You got here quick.” She looked over at Felicia. “They’re human, aren’t they?”
“Yes, they’re definitely human. The jawbone gives it away. You were right to keep everyone over on the other side of the clearing. Give me a few minutes to document the site as I found it, and then I’ll see if I can identify this poor soul.” Felicia pulled out her digital camera. “The discoloration can happen quickly in this kind of soil. These remains might not be that old.” She took pictures of the entire site from the exposed skull down to where the leg bones should be.
Miranda, Sheriff Larson, and Ranger Morgan stood in a small circle unconsciously blocking the view of the bones from the adventure group. They looked at one another, then Miranda coughed and spoke in a kind voice. “A visual barrier is a bit late, don’t you think? Everyone up here has seen the bones.”
Sheriff Larson and Ranger Morgan both lifted their eyebrows.
“Habits,” said Sheriff Larson. “They’re like muscle memory and step in when you’re not thinking.”
Felicia put the camera down, then pulled on a pair of black latex gloves. Gently, she removed the forest debris around the middle section of the skeleton. “That’s odd. There should be a billfold, or backpack, or at least a day pack right around here. No one with any sense would come up here without supplies of some sort.” She craned her head back to look at her husband.
“Don’t look at me like that. I like to travel light. We’re only going to be up here for a short time. Besides, you’ve got enough gear in that pack to supply a marching army.”
“That’s not the point. For any hiker on this trail, I would expect a day pack of some sort. His day pack would have emergency supplies. He would most likely be prepared to spend the night in the mountains.” She returned to the overgrowth and teased out a few more clumps of matted grass. After a few minutes, she sat back on her heels. “I don’t get it. There are remnants of the jeans, underwear, socks, boots, and a flannel shirt, but no backpack or wallet. That’s not right.”
“Do you know if it’s a man or woman?” Miranda’s voice sounded a little louder than she intended.
“From the shape of the pelvis, I’m reasonably confident these are the remains of a male. These have been here anywhere from five to ten years. It’s difficult to tell since this is a high-mountain microclimate up here on this overlook. It means that the aging profile will be slower than typical.” She rose from the bone site and looked at her husband. “I’m going to need some high-powered expertise to nail this down. Actually, this is the perfect job for my friend Barbara.”
“Your friend Barbara, as in the let’s-stay-out-late-drinking-wine Barbara?”
Felicia smiled and nodded yes.
“Who’s that?” asked Miranda. “How can she help?”
Felicia crossed her arms across her chest. “My friend is Dr. Barbara DuPont, forensic anthropologist and tenured professor at the University of Kentucky, in Lexington.” Feli
cia reached into her backpack and pulled out her cell. “I’m calling her up here to help me with this identification. Not only is she an internationally renowned expert, but she would kill me if I didn’t bring her in on this.”
Sheriff Larson groaned. “Do you really need to do that? You know the state of our department’s budget. She’s expensive.”
“Richard, you need to get serious about this. I know it’s late in the fiscal year, but here we are with a complicated situation. Do you want to identify these remains? The fact that we haven’t got a billfold, backpack, or gear with the bones tells me this isn’t an ordinary situation. I don’t have enough experience with bones that have been exposed to the elements. She does. I’m calling her.” Felicia looked at her phone. “Wow, I’ve got a signal. You were right. This is an unusual spot.” She stepped away a few yards to make the call.
Miranda turned to Sheriff Larson. “Lexington is about an hour away, and then there’s the thirty-minute hike up here. Basically, you’re talking about at least two hours before Dr. DuPont can begin her examination. Do you need to keep my clients up here?”
“I don’t think they have to stay, but I will need their local contact information just in case there are any clarifications.”
“I’ve got all that from their application forms. I’ll email them to your office.” Miranda returned to the group and they began packing up. She handed the van keys to Kevin and watched while they took the easier trail back to the Gladie Learning Center. She returned to stand next to Ranger Morgan.
He frowned. “You’re not going back with them?”
“No, I’m going to hang around for a little bit, if you don’t mind.” Miranda sounded as if she was trying to convince herself as well as Sheriff Larson. “I’m the one that found the bones. Dr. DuPont might have some questions about how that happened.”
Sheriff Larson quirked an eyebrow. “Don’t let your curiosity get out of hand. You two don’t have to stay up here.”
Ranger Morgan stood a bit taller. “This discovery is officially in my jurisdiction. I’m required to oversee everything and submit reports to headquarters. If you feel strongly that I shouldn’t perform my duties, I’ll give you my supervisor’s number. Besides, if we need to remove these remains, you’re going to need all the help you can get.”
Draw and Order Page 3
