Virginia was awakened by the crow of the rooster. She sat up on the side of the bed and stretched. Frank’s restless night gave her reason for concern. Tossing and turning in his sleep until well past midnight. To her surprise, he was already up, and in the kitchen trying to make coffee.
“Be careful; don’t burn the coffee like last time, you set off the smoke detector, remember?” she laughed.
“I did not; the darn thing just went off for no good reason, piece a junk.” Frank mumbled.
She gave him a big hug, “Ouch, not to tight, my chest is really sore.” He complained.
“Maybe you need to see the doc?” she suggested, knowing full well he’d never go.
“No way, I’ll be fine. Greedy doctors charge too much.”
Frank sat at the table, and now spoke just above a whisper, “I had the little Nelson boy on my mind all night. If we could have gotten there quicker, maybe we could have found him sooner, maybe…”
“You did all you could, God wouldn’t ask no more of you and Jack” she said cutting him off. Virginia started massaging his tense neck muscles. “I think you boys should take a few weeks off, and just goof around the place. You’ve had your nose to the grind stone for way too long. It’s time to relax.”
Frank stretched out on the couch for his afternoon nap, and was soon sound asleep. Jack sat under the grape arbor, and scratched his ear with his hind leg. He too laid down for a rest. Virginia used her free time finishing her needlepoint. Wasn’t long before the phone jangled, it sounded twice as loud as normal.
She recognized the voice on the line, “Hello Sheriff…no, I’m sorry, but Frank is asleep. What…you say two boy scouts are missing? Camping out in the forest? Well, Frank’s still not over the death of the Nelson boy…what…okay, I’ll tell him.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder, and gently patted him, “Wake up honey. The sheriff just called.”
“What did he want? Did you tell him I’m nappin’?” he grumbled, his eyes still closed.
“I certainly did.” She said returning to her needlepoint.
Frank pulled himself to a sitting position, and moaned as he felt the soreness in his chest. “Well, you gonna tell me what he said?”
“The sheriff mentioned something about two boy scouts, but I don’t think it’s that important,” she baited him.
“I know what you’re up to, you’re tryin’ to get my curiosity up, so go ahead, tell me what the man said already.”
“Oh, you wouldn’t be interested. You’re still tired, and your chest hurts. Plus you’re upset about the child and all.” She rattled on.
Frank’s agitation had reached its peak. “If you’re not gonna tell me, I’ll call and ask him myself.”
Clearing her throat, Virginia finally gave in. “He said something about two boy scout’s that were lost. Isn’t that the funniest thing you ever heard? Boy scouts getting lost, I thought scouts were trained to not get lost. Listen to this; the sheriff’s dogs keep losing the scent. It’s like the scout’s vanished into thin air. You never hear of girl scouts getting lost…”
“Whoa woman, this sounds serious, I can’t take time off if someone is lost. How you think Jack would feel if we didn’t help find those poor boys? Call the sheriff and get the particulars while I dress.”
She called as directed, “They said the sheriff is down by the Tennyson Farm, you’ll find him there.”
Retired Ranger Jackson explained to his grandson and Rose that the old Tennyson Farm had been vacant for years. It was grown over with weeds and saplings, right near the forest.
Rose chimed in, “My old man said that farm was haunted.” She leaned over the porch railing, and spit on the lawn.
Donny exchanged glances with his grandfather, who smiled, and said, “Please let me continue with my story, and stop interrupting.” Rose gave him a ruff look as he cleared his throat and continued.
Frank motored over the back road slowly, still a little unnerved from hitting the deer. Jack stared out the side window as they moved along. Finally pulling into the grass covered drive, Frank made his way up to the old barn, where the patrol cars were parked. The adventure was about to begin.