“Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery and all that. Plus, kids come out here to camp. A lot of this land is public access and public park. It’s possible that some students recently decided to scare their friends—and left their artwork behind.”
Dustin had entered the office. “And it’s possible someone bought, borrowed or stole it. As you mentioned yourself back at the office,” he said to Jane. “While you and Sloan are keeping watch here, can you get on the computer and look up the different universities in the area and the art departments? It’s a long shot, but you might find something.”
“Will do,” Jane promised.
“We ready?” he asked Olivia. “We’ve got a tent packed, matches, lanterns, all the fixings. Did you find any food?”
“We’ll be having hot dogs, canned grits and soup,” she told him. “Oh, and some muffins for breakfast. They don’t taste too bad when heated over a fire. And we have lots of coffee and water.”
He grinned. “Then we’re good to go.”
“I just wanted to check in with Mariah and Mason before we leave. Is that an okay thing to do?”
“It’s a very good thing to do,” he said.
*
When she reached Mason, she wondered if it had been a mistake. He went on a rampage for what seemed like several minutes, horrified about Aaron, worried about their lives—and then worried about her. She managed to calm him down and ask him, “Mason, where are you now?”
“Still at the Hermitage,” he told her.
“Oh?”
“Well, I’d planned to come, and when I heard about Aaron, I almost changed my mind, but I couldn’t stay home. So I’m here. And I’m glad I came. Andrew Jackson was really an interesting guy. Yeah, he was a bastard as far as the Native Americans went, but he could be kind, too. And he loved Rachel—and Rachel was so reviled! But he didn’t give a damn. He loved her. She didn’t live long enough to go to the White House with him, but—”
“He was definitely an interesting man, Mason,” Olivia broke in. “And I’m glad you’re out and enjoying the day.” Dustin made a motion indicating that he wanted her phone for a minute. She handed it to him.
“Mason, you should keep on doing what you’re doing,” he said. “Seeing Nashville. Can you stay in the city tonight?”
Olivia couldn’t hear Mason’s response, but he must have agreed because Dustin continued with, “Good. Just to be on the safe side. Do something else that includes a lot of people tomorrow. Visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, for instance.” He said goodbye and gave the phone back to Olivia. “Mariah?”
She punched in Mariah’s number. Mariah answered almost immediately. She was upset, as well; she was whispering, but she sounded calmer than Mason. “I’m fine. One of the deputies came in with me to see Sandra. She’s sleeping now, so I’ll hang here for a while. Maybe I’ll just stay, since he’s still here.”
Olivia lowered her cell and told Dustin what Mariah had said.
He took the phone from her again. “Keep in touch, Mariah. And when you leave, see if they can send another deputy with you. Just call Frank Vine. He’ll make sure it happens. Callahan’s with you now, right?”
Mariah had obviously said yes, because Dustin nodded and handed the phone back to Olivia.
“Take care,” she started to say. But Mariah had already rung off.
“We should get moving,” Malachi said. “We’ll keep Sammy at the Horse Farm.”
It was nearing dusk; one of those beautiful evenings when the moon, although not quite full, rained down a glorious opaque and ivory light.
Dustin and Olivia led the way as the group set out on horseback. When she neared the ravine where Marcus had died, Olivia glanced over at Dustin and asked, “Do we stop?”
“Probably a good idea,” he said. “Let Malachi and Abby take a look around—see who or what appears. If anyone does, of course.”
Olivia dismounted and walked the few feet back to Malachi and Abby.
She didn’t have to say anything. “This is where Marcus died?” he asked.
She nodded.
Dustin, down from Chapparal, joined Malachi at the ravine’s edge.
“It’s obvious, even at night—and Marcus died during the day—that this ravine is here, that there’s a drop. And,” Malachi said, hunkering down at the edge, “if you did fall in, you’d roll and brace yourself and—”
“But Marcus had been knocked out and then shot up with heroin,” Olivia reminded her cousin. “He wouldn’t have been able to stop his fall.”
Malachi nodded. “Someone could have died under those circumstances, even if he was trying to save himself, but...”
“The general came. He looked down at me when Marcus was in my arms and tapped me on the shoulder at the same time, and...and I passed out,” Olivia said, embarrassed.
Dustin was glad that Abby laughed. “Trust me!” she said. “That kind of surprise would get to the most hardened of us.”