Chapter Thirteen #2
“And the interpretations were always made in hindsight, the oracles were always right,” Mel finished. “Mom likes to say that it all depended on where you put the comma.”
“Exactly. Your mother sounds like a fascinating lady.” Like her daughter.
“She’s the best.” Mel narrowed her eyes at him. “But she’s not that kind of oracle. She does see things through the cards. But she would never see, say, a train wreck or an RV fire. At most, she might sense some kind of serious danger ahead.”
“And what if someone asked her a specific question? For example, if she should get on a plane the next day.”
“But—”
Daniel held up his hand. “Suppose your mom just answered no. And suppose that plane crashed, and some reporter showed up the next day and asked your mom, ‘Did you predict that plane crash?’” He paused for emphasis. “What would your mother say?”
“I’m not ‘some reporter,’” Mel said.
“What would she say, though?”
Mel chewed her lip. “To a reporter?”
He nodded.
She studied the crumbs on her plate. “She would say that anyone can predict any event with the accuracy of a coin toss and that she was glad her client was lucky.”
“Why not claim the talent?”
Mel still wouldn’t meet his eyes. “‘Because they still burn witches somewhere in the world,’” she recited.
“Exactly,” Daniel said in a quiet voice. “And in other parts of the world, she might worry about being locked away in some testing facility, or being hounded by paparazzi, or being pursued by producers with a terrible reality show idea. Same witches, different torches.”
Her mouth twitched. For a moment, the only sound in the sunroom was a bird call coming through the open windows.
“But let’s say it wasn’t a reporter asking that question,” Daniel said after a while. “But if a friend asked, your mother might say, ‘Yes, isn’t it amazing that somehow, for a fraction of a second, the rules bent just enough to touch one life? And doesn’t it make you wonder about that life?’”
Daniel watched her go a bit pale, possibly overthinking the significance of what he had said.
“Hey, Dr. Daniel!” came a familiar voice. “You—”
Jamie had run up to the doorway but stopped short when she spotted Mel.
“Oh. Sorry.”
She was dressed up again, at least from his perspective, this time in a purple tunic with ruffles around the bottom and brightly striped leggings worn with boots.
Her hair was held out of her face with a headband, and she had a colorful pack over one shoulder.
But what struck Daniel most was the odd way she looked at Mel.
Daniel rose to his feet. “Hey, Jamie. This is Mel Noblett, a friend of mine. Mel, this is Jamie Lynn Campbell, who I’ve told you about. Mel’s a well-known environmental writer, Jamie.”
Mel was already up out of her chair, walking to Jamie with her hand extended. “I’m so thrilled to meet you, Miss Campbell. Dr. Woodruff talks about you all the time. From what he tells me, he couldn’t do without you.”
Dr. Woodruff? Miss Campbell? Daniel tried to keep his expression blank. What was Mel up to now?
When Jamie’s hand remained stiff at her side, Mel reached to grasp it in both of hers and shake it. “He spoke about you in Bologna, how invaluable you are to his work.”
Instead of coaxing a smile out of her, Jamie’s expression darkened further. She gave Daniel a questioning look, and he smiled.
“Sorry, kiddo, you’re an international beekeeping celebrity now.”
More frowning.
Mel went on with a hopeful expression. “I came here to get some material to finish an article, and, if it wouldn’t be too much of an imposition, I would love to ask you some questions once you’ve finished work in the apiary.
I’m looking forward to watching that…from a safe distance, of course.
” She threw up her hands in mock defense.
Mel was in full public relations mode, but Jamie’s eyes were still wary as she looked at him and then at Mel.
“The girls won’t hurt ya none, but if’n they don’t like your smell, likely it’ll make ’em jumpy,” Jamie said in a flat tone.
“And way too hard to work with,” Daniel agreed. He went over to Jamie and put his hand on her shoulder. “I think we can find some time for you to answer Ms. Noblett’s questions, right, Jamie?”
Jamie craned her neck to look up at him. Her expression had changed to something like…guilt? “Sure, Dr. Daniel.”
He put his hand on her shoulder and could feel the tension in her slender body. She was coiled up like a spring. What was going on in that head of hers?
“So, you ready to head down to the apiary, or do you need a snack first?”
“I’m not hungry,” Jamie said. “I’d rather show you the swarm cells first.”
Daniel frowned. Mel was probably wondering if the child was always so moody.
“All right then. Apiary it is.”
Jamie nodded.
They went to the kitchen to drop off their dishes and her pack, and Daniel remembered a surefire thing that would get Jamie to talk. “How’s that project of yours coming along?”
There was a quick glance at Mel, as if Jamie didn’t want to discuss her project in front of a stranger. “Pretty good. Dr. Grace straightened out that whole interlibrary loan thing in Patton Springs. I can use their global library search engine from home.”
“What’s your project about?” Mel asked.
Jamie looked suspicious.
“Don’t worry. Ms. Noblett won’t tip your classmates off. She’s from Florida,” Daniel said as they headed out through the mudroom and off the porch.
“It’s about the most famous unsolved ciphers in the world. The ones from afore—before computers come—came along.” Jamie warmed to her topic in spite of her mood. “Like the Dorabella and the Sweet Sixteen and the Ricky McCormick and the Zodiac, of course, and the rest of ’em.”
Mel fell in beside her. “Zodiac, as in the Zodiac Killer?”
Jamie nodded. “My favorite is the Sweet Sixteen, though.”
“Have you solved it yet?” Daniel asked.
“No, but I’m gonna.”
“What’s the Sweet Sixteen?” Mel asked.
Daniel could tell Jamie was assessing the threat that Mel posed to her plans to solve one of the most well-known ciphers in the world.
“It’s these coded letters this man named Edward Leedskalnin wrote about how he built this huge castle all by himself, with his bare hands,” Jamie said. “There are some people who think the secret to antigravity is in those letters.”
“Wait, I think I’ve heard of it. Near Miami? Coral Castle?” Mel frowned. “But why do they call it the Sweet Sixteen?”
Jamie sighed. “Because he built it for his girlfriend, who he called his Sweet Sixteen. He wrote the letters to her, but he never sent them.”
“Oooh. Sounds like a love story.”
Jamie scrunched up her face. “Yuck. No!”
Daniel laughed.
As it turned out, Jamie was right about the hives getting ready to swarm. Daniel wasn’t surprised at all. After inspecting the comb with the swarm cells, he returned it to the hive.
He asked Jamie to explain to Mel what they were going to do while he prepared the smoker and got the hive tool and Jamie’s veil. Mel pulled out her digital recorder and asked Jamie more questions. Jamie did a great job explaining it all, but still wasn’t her usual effervescent self.
“Good job, Jamie. You’re right about the timing too, if the weather’s good.” Daniel looked over to where Mel sat in the grass, far enough away that the bees wouldn’t catch her scent, but close enough to see what they were doing.
Jamie carefully replaced the hive roof. As they went to pick up the smoker, which they hadn’t needed, she handed him the hive tool and turned all the way around so he could inspect her beekeeper veil before she pulled it off.
Like him, she really didn’t need it, but until she was a lot older, he had insisted she wear one.
“If you want to, I can look into getting you tested as a certified beekeeper,” Daniel went on.
“I think you qualify as a journeyman, at least, but the public service credits might be a problem. We would have to see what you could do to earn the credits.” Daniel thought about it.
“Maybe you could teach some classes to young beginners? Do some presentations in Marshall or Asheville, if you’re interested.
We could even set you up with your own apiary. Enter you in some contests.”
“I’ll think about it, if that’s okay.”
Daniel was surprised. He had thought she would be thrilled by the idea. “Sure. Whatever you want.”
They went back to Mel, who got to her feet with a broad smile. But as they got closer, Mel’s smile began to fade. They must look like a grim pair as they stalked up the hill.
Mel fell in beside Jamie as they walked past her. They walked in tense silence until Mel stumbled and pulled up short.
“Ouch!” She winced and stopped, leaning on Jamie’s shoulder for support. “Definitely blisters.”
Jamie looked a bit peeved as Mel balanced on one foot, trying to adjust her sock.
“I’m sorry. Do you mind if I lean on you a bit?” Mel asked. “Ouch! I hate new shoes.”
Daniel watched Jamie’s expression go from a tight, shuttered frown to a relieved smile for no obvious reason. That was odd.
“Oh, that’s all right,” Jamie said. “I had trouble with all my new shoes too. Mom threw out all my old stinky ones.” The sparkle had returned to her voice.
“Is something wrong with the bees? You two looked a bit unhappy,” Mel asked, still jerking on her sock.
“Nope, they’re perfect!” Jamie said. “Dr. Daniel’s bees is always perfect. He’s about the best beekeeper in the world. And I…” Her voice broke. “It’s only… I love keeping the bees with you and helping you out, but…I’m not thinking… I ain’t… I mean…”
Daniel leaned in, trying to sort out whatever Jamie was saying, whenever she managed to spit it out.