Chapter16 The Next Morning

The next morning, an untraceable, anonymous phone call is received at the police station; informing them of the barn collapsing. Sheriff Faulkner arrives with several deputies…among them, Deputy Hopkins…shortly followed by a squad from the Beaver Ridge Volunteer Fire Department…only because the lieutenant, Jerry Hollingsworth, is the town's building code inspector. As they conduct their investigation, Beth can't help noticing the expressions on their faces, and the conversations amongst themselves; and, she's beginning to get the feeling that some of them…if not all…have been there before. Beth walks over to Sheriff Faulkner, whose surveying the scene. "So; what happened last night, Beth?" She looks to the collapsed structure. "Well, Lloyd; let's just say that Mary has a temper…and, she definitely doesn't like being accused of lying." Their conversation's cut short when the lieutenant walks over to them. "Well, Jerry; what's the verdict? Why'd their barn collapse?" Lt. Hollingsworth has a slight befuddled look on his face as he looks over his shoulder towards the rubble; then, back to the sheriff and Beth, answering. "I suppose because there weren't any nails in the damn thing." Confused now, the sheriff asks, "What do you mean there were no nails?" "I mean," taking in a breath, "we searched the whole area, Lloyd; and, we couldn't find a single nail in the debris." "Wait a minute; I'm lost now." Beth joins the discussion, "You're saying the barn was built without using nails?" "That's not what I'm saying." The lieutenant goes on to explain, "At one point, there were nails in it…there are plenty of nail holes present in the pieces to verify that. What I'm saying is that right now…we can't find a single nail anywhere." Beth and the sheriff look at each other. Deputy Grotto walks. "Heard about there being no nails in the barn;" he theorizes, "so, I guess when that wind came through, it took the whole thing down?" Beth facetiously ridicules the deputy, "Sure; yeah, that's it. Oh…by the way…just how many other reports of hurricane winds did you guys receive last night?" The deputy stands there looking like a scolded puppy with its tail between its legs. "Anyway," Beth turns away from the deputy, "Lieutenant Hollingsworth; do you have any ideas about how this may have happened?" Trying to avoid being admonished by the evidently agitated Mrs. Lazinski, "I never came across anything like this. Maybe some teenagers without anything better to do snuck in there, took out all the nails and…" Interrupting the lieutenant, "So, let's say that this pack of teens managed to sneak here without us noticing; and, of course, having adequate time to remove, what…every nail….Where are the nails? Let me guess; they took them with them, right? Yeah; they probably did that to confuse and throw everyone here off…right, Lieutenant?" "Calm down now, Beth." The sheriff tries to placate her. "Let's just try to figure this thing out the best we can. We're all working together on this." "Are we, Lloyd?" Beth asks. "Now, what's that suppose to mean?" "I mean, I just want to know what's going on. Why's everyone being so fucking secretive about this place? Just tell us what the fuck's going on!" "Beth…easy now. No one's being secretive here that I can tell." "Oh no; Lloyd? Haven't you noticed the looks on your deputies' faces…the firemen? They've been here before…they know about this place. Ask them, Lloyd! Ask them to tell you whether they've been here before or not!" "Alright. Take it easy." The sheriff calls out, "Listen up! Has anyone ever been here before?" There's silence as they exchange quick glances; then, they all start answering low "No's". Beth, with a distraught look on her face, doesn't believe any of them. Then she hears it. "I've been here before." The others can't believe he confessed to being out there. Beth's totally shocked. The sheriff walks over to his deputy. "You've been out here before, Mike?" "Uh-huh." "When? For what?" The deputy's quiet for a moment; deciding how he wants to answer the sheriff. "I've been out here a few times…usually when the house was vacant. I'd get some trespassing calls from time to time." "That's bullshit!" Beth blurts out. "Excuse me?" The deputy turns to Beth. "You heard me. I said that's bullshit." "Bullshit?" "Bull…shit." Beth turns to the sheriff, "Lloyd; we're about a half a mile or so away from anyone…who's going to see anybody trespassing way out here?" "Well I guess someone did!" The deputy snaps. "Hold it, the two of you! Beth, take it easy, please. Mike, over here." The sheriff motions the deputy off to the side. They begin whispering. "What's going on, Mike? Do you know anything; or, what?" The deputy grins and gives a short laugh. "Yeah, I know some things." "What do you know, Mike?" The deputy removes his sunglasses and looks the sheriff straight in the eyes, "I know a lot, Lloyd." Deputy Hopkins slowly puts his sunglasses back on, turns and goes to his patrol car. Everyone watches in silent awe as the deputy drives away.