“Before I agree to that, let’s see what the group is doing when we get to the station. Alvin is beckoning to us, so maybe there’s been a change of plans.”
When we reached Alvin, I noticed he held a clipboard and pen. Businesslike, he listed Jessica’s name as a volunteer and then turned to me.
“Since Della is no longer with us, I’d like you to handle the station and volunteers. I have a radio for you to stay in touch should there be a problem. I’m short one person for Tucker Trail, so if you don’t mind being a trail monitor, Jessica, I’ll give you a radio, too.”
He reached out to the table next to him and plucked two handheld radios from their chargers. After he’d checked the channel, he handed them to us and went over a few instructions for the trail monitors and gave their names. When he outlined my duties, I began to think this would be a very long day.
We walked toward the scoop and stash station. I mumbled that I didn’t know why I was chosen to be in charge.
“You know you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Jess piped up with, “Because you’re good at it, that’s why. Enjoy the challenge of keeping track of humans instead of rabbits.”
“Nice of you to say, but I find rabbits much easier to deal with, and they’re nicer than humans.”
“No question there. You have a way about you that draws people in. They start talking and tell you much more than they had planned on. Consider it a gift, Jules.”
“She sure knows us well. Between us, we have what it takes to handle all sorts of situations. People do take you into their confidence because they sense you’re trustworthy.”
“We can only wait to see how the day goes and what the other volunteers think of Alvin’s decision. From here, I can see all but one worker has shown up. They appear restless to get on with their duties, too.”
We arrived at the table with smiles on our faces, except for Bun, of course. I introduced Jessica and let each person introduce themselves, while I mentally associated each face to their name, even though they wore name tags. It was a trick I had learned in college.
The redhead, Felicia Brandt, stepped forward and said, “I’ll handle the group from here on out.”
I glanced at several volunteers to see their looks of surprise and something else. I couldn’t tell what the something else was, so I spoke up.
“Alvin has decided that he would like me to handle the station. If you want to be in charge of the trail monitors, Felicia, that will make the job easier.”
Belligerent, Felicia didn’t like the idea at all. “Why would I want to go into those bug-infested woods once again, when I can do this job instead?”
I figured she wanted the entire job or none at all. Trepidation, mixed with a healthy dose of stubbornness, nearly consumed me as I considered whether to take a stand or give in. Taking a stand won out.
“Because that’s not what Alvin has requested.” I glanced at my watch and handed lists of alphabetical names to the workers who would remain at the station. Felicia wasn’t one of them.
Her face flushed and her eyes snapped with anger when I reached her. I said, “You need to make a decision. You can shoulder the responsibility of being in charge of the monitors, or you can work at one of the tables under another leader.”
“Fine, I’ll monitor the monitors.” She flounced off, beckoning those who were assigned that task to join her. Jessica leaned in and whispered, “Gee, thanks. I’m now being bossed around by Attila the Hun.”
I snickered and turned to Denton, Mary Lou Trout, and Charlie Cardiff, and pointed. “You three take the last table over there. The people with last names that start with the corresponding letters posted on the sign will come to you for a pass to pin onto their shirts.” I moved to the next three volunteers and repeated the instructions for the second table. I finally followed my team to the first table. As I’d thought before, this day had started as one to remember. God, help me.
Families rushed forward and were sent to designated tables to get their pass. Each child received a basket before scooting off to Tucker Trail. Impressed with the volunteers, I gave them a thumbs up. Stragglers, with kids in tow, arrived as a bunch of egg hunters entered the trail. Eagerly, they grabbed their baskets and ran to catch up before all the eggs were found.
I’d just taken a seat when Stacey Farnsworth showed up with two other volunteers. They hauled wagons of coolers filled with drinks and food. Happy to know we’d be well taken care of, I thanked her. She waved as she left us to it. Denton and Joey Connell handed out cold beverages. I slugged down a bottle of lemonade, while others did the same. The day had warmed and the sun beat down on us.
Rather than sit in the heat, which was unusual for this time of year in New Hampshire, I suggested we move to the shade of the tent.
Wiping beads of sweat from his brow, Denton said, “Great idea. We can watch for the little eggsters to return from there.”
Everyone pitched in and carried chairs and then brought tables to the edge of the tent. Relaxed in the shade, I put food and water out for Bun. He’d been suspiciously silent all morning, causing me to wonder if he was feeling well, or if he merely absorbed all he heard. While he had his snack, I listened to the others chat.
With his feet propped on a table, Frank Poland asked, “Who was questioned by Sheriff Carver?” He glanced at each volunteer, his grayish-blue eyes sharp and attentive.
The others mumbled that Carver had briefly spoken to them. All except for Rob Brayton, an arrogant, seemingly entitled, and resentful student from the local college. He’d refrained from entering any conversations, but did what he’d been assigned.
Curious, I asked, “How about you, Rob? Did the sheriff speak to you?”
Frank perked up and stared at Rob, an intense expression on his face.
His brows arched, Rob asked, “Why do you ask?”
“Just wondering. I was the one who found Della. It was quite an unpleasant and nerve-racking experience.”
“I’m sure it was,” he remarked with a smirk.
“Do you find her death funny?”
“Of course not, but she’s no great loss, either.”
Bun bumped my ankle with his nose. “Tread carefully.”
“You knew her, then?”
Rob studied the entrance of Tucker trail for a moment or two before he looked at me, his green eyes void of emotion. “I’d run across her once or twice. We weren’t friends.”
Before I could ask any other questions, he dipped his wavy brown-haired head toward the trail. “Ah, the return of eggsters.”
Parents carried youngsters or held their hands, and balanced overflowing buckets of colorful eggs as they strode toward our tables. Each volunteer returned to their assigned stations to count and note the amount of eggs collected. The children, though tired, remained excited and often clapped their hands or squealed with joy when they received the count of how many eggs they had found. Parents took a signed slip before they left. The announced winner would hand in the slip and receive their prize at the end of the event.
Our conversations continued between the onslaught of returning eggsters. A man stepped up to the table, a little girl’s hand clasped in his. I looked at her and then up at the man, who just happened to be a cop I knew. Wondering if he was undercover, since Carver had mentioned some of his men would be, I didn’t let on I knew him, but counted the eggs and handed him a slip. How I hadn’t noticed him when he’d signed in earlier in the day was beyond me. I wished him and the child good luck and watched as they walked away.
“Do you know that guy?” Denton asked.
“No, do you?”
“He seems familiar, but I can’t recall from where.”
I smiled. “Some people have those kinds of faces.”
“You’re probably right.”
“That was a close one. You did well, Jules.”
Excusing myself from the table, I left Denton and Erin Britman to handle the next few eggsters. I poured more water into
Bun’s bowl and whispered, “Stay alert.”
“I will.”
I heard the shuffle of feet behind me. I stood up and saw Frank Poland not three feet away.
“I’ve heard that talking to your rabbits is good for them. Is that why you talk to yours?”
“Of course. They’re sociable critters and grow comfortable with you, and react when spoken to.”
His grin grew wide. “Do you think they understand?”
“It doesn’t matter. Like other animals, they respond to the tone of voice, rather than what’s said.”
“I guess you’d know more about that than I would. As a kid, all I ever had was a goldfish.”
I chuckled and returned to the table as a swarm of eggsters arrived. Surprised when Molly walked up and offered to help, I gladly accepted. She nodded at Denton, greeted Erin, and then waved to the other volunteers at their tables. It was then that I realized the value Molly could add to the investigation of Della’s death. The young woman was familiar with the others and could give me backgrounds on them all. Elated by the thought, I heard Denton’s laughter.
“What?” I asked.
“I heard that sigh. It’s evident you had no idea how many participants there would be for this event alone.”
“You’re right. I didn’t have a clue.” I stared past the new arrivals to see Felicia Brandt exiting the trail in the company of someone dressed in a rabbit costume. Her hands waving, I could tell Felicia wasn’t happy and wondered if that was her constant state of being. When she and the human rabbit parted ways, I noticed Jessica lagging a few feet behind. When Jess saw me, she hurried forward and ignored Felicia as she passed by her.
On alert for fear of what might have happened on the trail, I took in the entire group of volunteers who’d been monitoring the hunters as they approached. They appeared to be in good humor. I asked Denton to hand out food and beverages to them. He gave me a nod and went toward the coolers.
Jessica heard me and mentioned refreshments were available inside the tent when the others arrived. The monitors walked into the shade the tent provided and hurried over to Denton. I had watched and then turned to Jess.
“You should get some food before it disappears.”
“I will, but give me some time at the end of the day, will you? I have lots to share.” With that, Jess sauntered forward, declaring her need of a cold drink and a sandwich. Some of the others chuckled, while others made room for her to sit with them. Jessica was popular with all the volunteers—uh, well, maybe not all. Felicia glared at her, a frown on her face that caused her beauty to disappear completely. Another unhappy soul. The thought had popped into my mind and reminded me that I’d wondered the same about Della.
“She’s got some serious issues, doesn’t she?”
I picked Bun off the ground and petted him to let him know I agreed.
“Dear Felicia will need some watching, or should I say monitoring?”
I turned to the table volunteers and asked, “Have all the egg hunters returned?”
Chapter 7
Each group had checked off the hunters’ names as they returned to have their eggs counted. With all but one name accounted for, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“If you want to go on your way, I’ll look for the straggler. I appreciate your hard work today. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”
Molly and Jessica approached me as I packed up Bun’s things and donned his sling. When I leaned down, Bun snuggled inside, got comfortable, and then poked his head out. Ready to get onto the trail, I set our supplies aside. About to begin the search, I found several volunteers standing around.
“What are you waiting for?”
Rob was the first to speak up. “In light of Della’s recent demise, we think you shouldn’t do this alone. We’ll split up into twos and help you find this person. What’s his name, anyway?” His stance was relaxed, his body lean, yet his muscles flexed when his arms moved as he pointed to Erin Britman, who anxiously teamed up with him.
I ran a finger down the list of names and paused at the only one without a check mark next to it. “Gerard Coldren—he had one child with him.” I looked up, the searchers were ready, and I handed Denton my radio.
“Get in touch with Sheriff Carver. Make sure he knows we’re searching for a straggler. Tell him we don’t think there’s any need to worry. Jessica still has her radio, so you can let us know what Carver says.”
“I’ll do that right now.” Denton walked to the far end of the tent, talking a mile a minute, as the rest of us took off for the trail.
Jessica and Molly remained with me, the others partnered up, and we all agreed to meet back at the trail’s entrance in an hour. My nerves were frantic like Mexican jumping beans. They didn’t seem to realize there was nothing to be concerned about, or did they know more than my brain was willing to accept?
“There’s no sense in letting anxiety rule you, Jules. This man and his daughter probably returned but didn’t bother to check in with us. Try to relax.”
Reasoning was one of Bun’s attributes. When I became the least bit frazzled, Bun would calm my tattered nerves. I did the same for him.
“Maybe this man and his child just didn’t check in,” I said hopefully.
Molly took to the idea. “I thought of that, too.”
Jessica rained on our hopes when she added her two cents’ worth. “I watched the hunters and kids like a hawk. They passed me as they left this trail, and I don’t remember seeing a name badge with that name on it. Sorry.”
“Let’s spread out and call to Mr. Coldren. Maybe he’s had an accident or something. There are a few treacherous points in this park once you’re off the path. He could have left the designated route, right?” My hands clenched in fists at my sides, I prayed that was the case and that the man and child were okay.
Jessica’s radio crackled as Jack Carver’s voice came through. “Officers are heading your way, Juliette. Call me if you can.”
The three of us glanced at one another. I pulled my phone from my pocket and touched Jack’s name with my finger. His phone rang once before I heard his voice.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Carver growled.
“Making sure no one strayed from the path and lost their way, that’s what.”
“You don’t think there’s a body waiting to be found, then?”
“Why would you even consider that?”
“Because you’re involved.”
In no mood for a lecture that I hadn’t earned, I said, “Oh. I think I hear your officers coming. Adam is calling my name. Gotta go, Jack. I’m sure Adam will keep you posted.”
Six policemen came around the path’s curve and slowed when they saw us.
“I just spoke to Jack. What does he want you to do?” I asked.
Adam shrugged and said, “He’d like you three escorted to the tent where you’ll wait for us to find this missing person.”
For the second time today, I stood my ground. “Well, that’s not going to happen. We don’t even know if this guy and his daughter are here. He never checked in at the end of the hunt. Our search is merely a precaution. Besides, we’re wasting time and the other searchers will return to the start of the trail very soon. If you plan to help, then for goodness’ sake, do it. Leave the path and search the valleys. There are two of them.” I pointed up the hillside and then turned away.
“Whoa, you sure gave him an earful. You must be pretty upset.”
“Jess, check in with Denton. Maybe this guy has wandered back to the tent.”
While Jess contacted him, Molly and I looked over both sides of the path where it dipped. Molly climbed the knolls as we came upon them. Nothing found, no matter how hard we searched. A heavier dose of anxiety set in.
We’d made it halfway through the trail and wended our way along a winding portion of the path when one of the searchers ran toward us. His expression was filled with fear as he halted in front of us, his chest heaving. The man was out of
breath and his words halting.
Edmund Fortin finally hauled in a deep breath and said, “We found him. His daughter is with him. They’re both alive. Gerald has a broken leg and can’t walk. His daughter was afraid to leave him.”
I heaved a sigh of relief and called Sheriff Carver. Once he heard the specifics, I knew he would notify the medical personnel and contact Adam. We went with Edmund and joined the rest of the team at Gerald Coldren’s location.
We slid down the steep embankment where Gerald lay. Jessica gave him a quick once-over and then concentrated on his broken leg. His yelp of pain was followed by epithets no child should hear. I covered her ears with my hands as Jessica kneeled back.
“It appears there’s more than one fracture, but I can’t tell for sure. This man needs to go to the hospital. Did Jack say when the rescue team will arrive?”
“No, he didn’t.”
Jess turned her gaze to Gerald and asked, “How did you come to be here?”
“I was protecting my daughter from a couple of bully boys who tried to take her eggs. As they grabbed her basket, I turned to see a tall guy in a rabbit suit, who then shoved me. I lost my balance, fell off the edge of the trail, and ended up here after I bounced off that boulder. I heard my leg snap. Emily slid down the hillside to be with me, and the rabbit took off without a backward glance.”
I looked down at Emily.
“So the kids took your eggs and basket? Did you recognize them?”
She couldn’t have been more than four or five years old—at least that was my best guess. Emily stared at the ground and whispered, “They took every one of them. They were pretty eggs. I don’t know the boys, but they were mean to me.” When she looked up, two enormous tears had rolled down her cheeks.
I knelt in front of her and promised she would get more pretty eggs and a new basket.
“Thank you.” She reached out and touched Bun’s soft nose and smoothed the fur on his face as he stared at her from the sling opening. “Is this your rabbit?”
Hop 'Til You Drop Page 6
