Chapter 24 Leaving
Leaving
Lydia Brown
Kate and I make the rounds to her cabin, to Birdie’s burial site and the mystic meadow, then back to the clearing. Gus and the boy have loaded Birdie’s precious cargo and divided the boxes between my car and Kate’s.
“We were real careful moving them,” she says. “And guess what? Eddie’s going to Mountain Heritage next year and is gonna be in the same grade as me.”
They sit on the front steps with empty soda bottles between them and the glow of youth lying easy on their skin. It’s good they can’t see but so far down the road to life. It’s littered with deceitful promises.
The prayer group at the church has dispersed and the settlement is quiet, and Kate whispers, “Here comes Eli.” He carries a weariness that says the news isn’t good. Introductions are made and he says, “Nobody’s seen hide nor hair of her.”
Kate says, “It’s been eight days. Do you think we need outside help? Could Sheriff Sykes ask for more officers to broaden the search?”
The stoop of the little man’s shoulders and set of his jaw are pitiful. “Nobody knows these hills better than us, Kate. If we expand the search, that means we think an outsider took her, and that’s terrifying.”
Kate doesn’t argue but says, “There’s something I haven’t told you. Birdie’s last words and Loretty’s—they were confusing, but they might be a clue.”
“What did they say?” He perks up.
“Birdie wrote on her last page about sin and misery and a grave. Loretty talked about a kinship sin, but I can’t remember what she said exactly.”
Eli says, “The child collected more sin than most could tolerate, and kinship sins are common up here, but it doesn’t sound like clues.”
“So, you don’t think they were warning us about a special sin? Something different?” Kate wonders. “That’s what I keep worrying about. That I’m forgetting something important I’m supposed to tell you.”
Gus and I watch this struggle to manufacture hope.
“There’s something else you need to know,” Kate says.
“What now?”
“We’ve loaded Birdie’s books in our cars. We’re taking them to a safe place where we can study them, Lydia and me.”
Eli looks over at the schoolhouse, which is now empty. “Where’s that?”
Kate looks to me to explain.
“An hour from here, in Little Switzerland. I have a workshop above the bookstore. Birdie’s things will be safe while Kate and I review them.”
“You taking the chest, too?”
“We can’t leave it behind,” Kate says. “We need to understand why it’s here. That answer might be in Birdie’s books.”
I say, “I know experts who will help us understand what you have. There are people in the academic world who specifically study Appalachia.” I’m quick to add, “You’ll be kept informed every step of the way and can read a final transcript when we’re through, but it’s going to take forever to sort through so much stuff. ”
“She didn’t leave the books to me, Kate, and I’m relieved they’ll be safe. And we got enough to worry about with Loretty missing.”
Kate hugs him awkwardly then steps back. “Lydia, can you give Eli a phone number where he can reach me?”
I write the guesthouse phone number on the back of my business card, the same card I left with Kate only two and a half weeks ago, hoping to meet Birdie Rocas at a more cordial time. “That number on the back is where Kate will be staying. You can call her there or reach us at the office.”
Kate says, “So that’s it. We were waiting for you and hoping for good news, but that’s not coming today, and I don’t know what more I can do.”
Gus shocks us when she steps forward and takes Eddie’s and Eli’s hands in hers and speaks words we never expected.
“Tell Loretty’s mama and daddy that the girl left of her own free will. She’s doing good work. She’ll come home when it’s time.”