I mentally retraced our steps from the road and tried to remember which way we had turned that night as we followed Rafe’s body out of the woods.
“It should be right up here past those two big trees,” I said and led the way forward. Baxter sensed my direction and ran ahead like a canine bodyguard securing the area.
He gave a short bark and I heard him crunching among the leaves. We finally came upon the clearing. The area where the bonfire had been was still obvious. Diana had been careful to clear a space for the fire and she’d surrounded it with rocks. Charred logs remained in the center. It had been almost a week since that night. The last leaves had fallen from the twisting branches overhead and the rain from a couple days ago had soaked everything. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for and didn’t even know if the police had already been out to the area.
According to Tom, Lucan had cleaned up that night. He’d willingly turned over the trash bags to the police, but in view of our new suspicions, I wondered how useful any of that evidence would be.
Seth found a sodden napkin and a plastic fork underneath a tree. I found a lump of black wax with a burned wick. We put them in a plastic bag. Otherwise, Lucan had done a pretty good job of erasing all traces of everything that happened out here. I walked the perimeter of the clearing trying to remember where everyone had been standing.
Baxter rushed out of the trees with something in his mouth.
“Seth, what does he have?” I hoped it wasn’t a dead bird.
“Come here, boy, let’s see it,” Seth said.
Baxter trotted over to Seth and dropped the thing at his feet. I was always amazed at the way Seth could get the dogs to do whatever he wanted. That was another thing to follow up on and worry about. Seth bent to pick up Baxter’s find. It was bright orange and not quite round.
“It’s an old rotten orange,” Seth said, holding it up for me to see. He got ready to toss it back into the trees.
“Wait, don’t throw it,” I said. “He’ll just chase it again. Put it in here.” I held out the bag and he added it to the ball of wax, the fork, and the napkin.
I gave Baxter a treat for bringing us a nasty old orange and one to Tuffy for moral support. Another ten minutes in the clearing yielded only more trash. I turned to tell Seth we should finish up.
He was kneeling on the ground in the area that I remembered the robes had been piled. He stood and turned to me, cupping something in his hand. I walked to him to see what he had found.
“Look at this.” He held his hand out to me.
In it was a small silver disk. It looked like flower petals around a green stone. A silver six-pointed star was embossed into the stone. A cold shiver ran up my spine. I had a charm just like this. It was on my chakra bracelet that Diana had given me and I never wore. I had seen a bracelet just like it on Morgan Lavelle’s wrist.
I tried to recall the scene in my mind. She’d worn scary skull earrings and multiple necklaces. She’d crossed her arms and I saw the charm bracelet. Was a charm missing?
“What is it?” Seth asked.
“It might be Dylan’s ticket out of jail,” I said. “Great job, Seth. We better head back before Papa gets to the house.” Seth nodded and we walked back out of the woods with the dogs, a bag of trash, and a new plan to help Dylan and Diana.
*
Dad arrived just as we pulled into the driveway. He climbed out of his ancient Buick with his tool kit and a thermos. He’d promised to come over and inspect the alarm system, to be sure it was still working after the kitchen fire and the multiple attempts to shut off the alarm with a broom handle. The thermos accompanied him on all repair jobs, even if he was in his own house. I often wondered what he kept in there.
Once inside, Dad succumbed to the exuberant greeting of the dogs, who had forgotten that they’d just seen him last night. Baxter inspected Dad’s pockets for treats while Tuffy leaped straight in the air in his greeting ritual. Seth raised one hand and let it drop and shuffled toward the kitchen. The dogs trailed behind expectantly.
“How’s it going at the house?” I asked.
Dad raised his shoulders and shook his head. “You know how it is. Tarot cards, pendulums, dire predictions. Vi’s making a list of any animals that might know Lucan. The usual.”
“You want to hang out here for a while?”
“They’re talking about following Lucan around town to see if he does anything suspicious,” Dad said. “It might take me quite a while to fix your alarm.” He winked.
“Have at it. Take as long as you need,” I said.
Dad grinned. I smiled back but was worried. The last time Vi followed anyone we almost got arrested.