Virginia was on the phone with Ann, when Frank came in the back door. “He just came in, I’ll call you back later,” she said hanging up. She wondered where he went, as she finally located him in the bedroom. “Are you going to give Jack his bath?”
“Maybe later, I want to be alone for now, okay?” he said in a low voice.
She quietly stepped from the bedroom, and closed the door behind her. Sitting in her recliner, she examined the sweater she had started to knit. Unsatisfied with it, she pulled the yarn to unravel it, and wound it into a ball. Tossing the ball of yarn into her sewing basket, she closed her eyes and tried to relax.
Later, Frank regained his composure, and related in detail to his faithful wife the horror they had found, and how proud he was of Jack.
“I’ll give Jack his bath now.” He said.
“I’ve bathed the beast already,” she said. “Now it’s your turn…you want lavender or lilac bubble bath?”
“Maybe a little of each,” he said as he made his way to the bathroom.
Three days after the webelos were discovered the sheriff paid the Turner’s a visit. As he arrived at the house Jack streaked across the yard to greet him. Jumping from the car he clapped his hands together, “Hi ya Jack, you look rested. Where’s that ugly old man who thinks he’s the boss around here?” The sheriff continued to rub and pat the excited animal.
Frank had been gathering eggs when he heard the commotion. He stuck his head out of the chicken coop, “Over here, you over-the-hill peace officer!” he shouted.
Sitting down the basket of eggs the two old timers shook hands.
“It’s a real shame about the other day. I’m not used to seeing things like that. It was a real shocker. I’ve seen bad things on TV, but it doesn’t compare with real life,” Frank said. He motioned for the sheriff to come sit with him on the porch.
The sheriff noticed some of the streamers of toilet paper hanging from some of the upper tree branches. “You ever find out who tepeed your place?”
“No, not yet, but sooner or later I will.”
Crossing his legs the sheriff said, “The investigators have finished at the crime scene. They didn’t find much evidence, but what they did get was important. You and Jack don’t mind, I’d like for you two to go nose around once more. See if anything else turns up.”
“Sure, what you doin’ right now?” Frank asked.
“Well, not much of nothing. Let’s go.”
The sheriff parked on the dirt lane as Frank and Jack pulled up behind him.
“When are you going to get the damage on the front of your truck repaired? My nephew in town has a repair shop. I’ll talk to him; he can repair it like new.”
“I don’t want it repaired. That damage gives the truck character. There isn’t another truck in the state like this one,” Frank boasted.
“Not on the road there isn’t, but the junkyard is full of’em,” he said, grinning.
Frank held a tight grip on Jack’s leash as they started through the woods. Jack suddenly jumped as a wild rabbit scurried from its hiding place, and disappeared into the dense brush.
“Easy old boy, I know you’re keyed up. I’ll turn you loose soon,” Frank said, calming him down.
As they neared the site, Frank let Jack sniff around then unsnapped the leash. Jack with his nose to the ground started to track. Covering the crime scene, the dirt lane and back again, Jack circled around and sat next to Frank.
“Well, it appears that’s the end of that track,” Frank patted Jack’s head and rubbed his belly.
Jack suddenly stood and veered off into the dense forest.
“Where’s he going? Is it that rabbit again?” The sheriff asked.
“What’d you think he’s doing, he’s on a hot track!” Frank yelled as he stood and ran after Jack.
Jack pushed his way through the dense growth for several hundred yards. Then stopped and sat down.
The Sheriff and Frank struggled through the woods, and finally reached the spot where Jack was sitting. They stopped and stared at the ground in front of them. It was easy to see a horror had taken place. The brush had been flattened, and mashed to the ground. Dried blood splatters were everywhere.
“I guess you know what this means. One of the boy’s made a run for it. He was caught here, and killed here I’d say. Then the murderer carried him back to where they were both found. You’ve got two crime scenes,” Frank offered.
The men stood in silence, and closely studied the area. The Sheriff then had an idea as he asked Frank what he thought.
“Tell me, if only the killer and the boy were here, could Jack ignore the scent of the little boy, and track the scent of whoever else was here?”
“Why, I never thought of that. I’ll give him some command signals and see if he can track the other scent.” Frank set Jack to track, then stopped him saying ‘No’ several times. Jack immediately started to circle a wider area. With his tail low to the ground and swinging from side to side as he pursued the new scent. He backtracked to the original site, then turned into a heavy growth of honeysuckle, and stopped. With a low growl he sat.
“He’s found something,” Frank yelled.
The two men forced their way through to where Jack sat. Next to him they discovered a bloody tack hammer. The Sheriff bagged the evidence. As they reached their vehicles, the Sheriff dispatched his crime scene investigators to come and go over the new area the murder weapon was found. Frank was filled with excitement as he related the details to Virginia. She sat on the back steps, and listened, while he filled her in.
Later, after the Turner’s settle into bed, Frank raised up on his elbow, “I read about a wonder chair in my magazine. It swivels, reclines, stands you up, and sits you down. It has one of those built-in vibrator’s, and it only costs…”
“Stop right there. You are not getting some over-priced fancy chair, which you’ll break within a week. And if you think I’m gonna sit around here listening to you harp about what a piece of junk it is, you’re sadly mistaken.” She said sternly.
“But…”
“Forget it!” She raised her voice to make her point. “Oh, and by the way, I forgot to tell you. Some man came by to see you when you were out with the sheriff. He wants to check the house for termites. Said something about the basement foundation. He’ll be here in the morning.” Virginia added.
Frank rolled over on his side. “Baloney, I wanted to sleep late in the morning,” he mumbled.