“Before we go ahead, I need to go to the bathroom,” Vivian said. “I’m going to use the one downstairs since the toilet in the bathroom down the hall has cracks in it.”
In the interim, Christine went to the closet and felt around the slanted shelf for her gun. The shelf came loose and fell with a clatter. Christine cringed for a moment. She expected Vivian to show up at the doorway with her arms crossed, wearing a frown. Christine crouched and felt around the floor.
“Damn it!” she said. “I should’ve known the gun wouldn’t be there.”
Vivian returned moments later with a paper clip.
“I remember having read some information online about padlocks a few months back,” Vivian said, “and came across an instructional video which showed how to open a padlock in five seconds with a simple paper clip.”
Vivian got on her knees and picked one padlock, then the other.
“I’m thinking maybe we shouldn’t intrude on another person’s property,” Vivian said.
“Oh, hell, Viv, whatever for?” Christine said. “Why not, huh? Don’t be such a pansy-assed alarmist.”
“Well, you gotta admit the contents in the trunk are private, you know.”
“After what she did to us, who gives a damn? Hey, ain’t nothing the old hag can do now, can she? She ain’t looking down at us from Heaven. Of that, I’m pretty sure. All that remains—pun intended—is a dead, decomposed, coagulated hell cat, who has long been gone . . . but not long enough for the likes of me.”
“True,” Vivian said. She opened the lid. “Oh, my gosh!” She looked as if she’d been hypnotized. Unbelievable, she thought.
“Wow,” Christine said. “Incredible.”
Christine was deliriously ecstatic. Her eyes sparkled in sync with what she saw before her.
Vivian can keep the damn gun after all, Christine thought, which is absolutely nothing compared to this.
Iridescent gems of various colors, sizes, and forms glistened inside the trunk. Diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires; rubies, pearls, and onyx; gold rings, necklaces, and bracelets. Jewelry included earrings studded with gems. Bars of gold and bundles of dollar bills bound by strips of paper. Many photo albums lay open. Legal documents, negotiable bearer bonds, photocopies of certificates of deposits, and several leather-bound books were strewn about.
Christine picked up one of the books and turned it over in her hand. She noticed a leather strap with one end stitched to the back cover and the other end attached to a brass latch on the front cover.
“Looks like a diary,” Christine said.
“Let me see,” Vivian said.
Christine handed the diary to Vivian, who turned it over and felt the rich leather texture with the palm of her hand.
Christine kneeled before the trunk, dug her hands deep into the mound of gems, and inspected them. She lifted a handful of shiny rocks to eye level, some of which spilled from her cupped hands as she brought them to her face. She rubbed them against her cheek and cooed with pleasure. She picked up a bundle of dollar bills and fanned one end with her thumb.
“Wow,” Christine said. “There’s gotta be millions. Far out.”
“I don’t understand all this,” Vivian said. “What was she saving all this for? I guess I can see why she hid it the way she did, although that’s going over the top.”
“Simply greed, Viv. It’s as simple and as ugly as that.”
Vivian nodded in agreement.
“It could also have been her means of financial security,” Christine said. “Would this be why she had us all thrown out?”
“Maybe,” Vivian said. “It’s apparent she didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Well, guess what?” Christine said. “It’s ours now. Actually, it’s mine now.”
Vivian raised one eyebrow but said nothing.
Since Vivian and Christine had been caught up in the day’s events, they hadn’t had a chance to hear updates with regards to this morning’s temblor. Vivian turned on the stereo in the living room and listened to live reports.
“The aftershocks keep rocking and rolling,” said one field reporter. “We are cautioned to expect some strong ones throughout the day and later this evening, as well. Once again, as a reminder since some of you may not be aware of this fact, aftershocks can do more damage than the main shock because of buildings weakened by the first quake.”
“The rubble behind me,” said another field reporter, “is indicative of the extensive and widespread damage caused by this morning’s strong quake.”
“This morning’s rude wake-up call is yet another reminder in earthquake preparedness,” said a third field reporter. “Survivors have described what it was like to protect themselves during the shaking, each recounting their experiences and telling of how they saw buildings sway and pavements roll like waves.”
“Dr. Eileen Schell is a noted psychologist,” said the host of a talk radio show. “She’s here in the studio at KFST 103 FM to give parents some advice on how their children can deal with the trauma of such a frightening episode in their lives.”
“With each passing hour,” said a seismologist at Cal-Tech, “chances of a second quake lessen by five to ten percent. Right now, I’d say chances for the next one would be forty-five percent. I might describe that as possible, but not probable.”
“Seismologists have determined the unknown fault to be a new one,” said a news anchorman. “They will continue to conduct studies until further information is available. The statistics are as follows: sixty-two people are reported dead, four from heart attacks; the number of injuries stands at forty-one hundred; and nineteen people are reported missing. At this point, cost of damages and loss of property are estimated at fifteen billion dollars. Both the death toll and total cost of damages are expected to rise in the days to follow. We will have continuing coverage throughout the day.”