Page 60 of All You Want
“Oh, nothing of the sort. It’s someone I thought was dead long ago, and I got quite a shock. I was out back getting firewood, and I saw her. She was picking up horse chestnuts.”
“Does she know they’re poisonous?”
“I was about to say something, but the wind blew my kitchen door shut, and I dropped the wood. When I looked again, she wasn’t there. It was the freakiest thing, because I thought I knew her.”
“Are you sure she was picking up horse chestnuts and not looking to break and enter?”
“She left,” Miss Laverne says. “I got a flashlight and went to look for footprints. The pile of horse chestnuts I was saving to make Christmas ornaments was gone, if you count that as stealing.”
“It is at least trespassing. If she wanted what you collected, she should have asked. What do you think she wanted them for?”
“She might be from the city, and maybe she doesn’t know they’re poisonous. Thought she’d roast them on an open fire or something. Oh my, do you think we should warn her?”
“We don’t even know if she’s a ghost. You sure you’re not pulling my leg?”
“Oh, I’m serious Tiberius,” she says. “I heard her talking to someone about making chestnut tea. Maybe you should put out a public service announcement not to eat horse chestnuts or buckeyes.”
“I’ll do that, Miss Laverne. Let me know if you need anything else.”
“I know you’re busy, Sheriff, but I could use some help opening my flue. It’s rusty and gets stuck, but it’s no hurry.”
“Actually, it might snow either tonight or tomorrow night. I’ll come by now.”
“You don’t have to, not if you’re busy,” Miss Laverne insists.
I’m always busy, but Shane can wait. The temperature could drop overnight, and I want to make sure Miss Laverne is safe.
“Never too busy for you. I’ll be by.” I hang up and make the turn toward her place. It’s near a gulch formed by the effects of hydraulic mining where rocks were crushed, forming beds of gravel between the denuded hillsides. After a heavy rainfall, bits and pieces of gold are washed from the gravel beds and outcrops jutting from the hillside. The chance of finding easy gold on the surface attracts trespassers to her place.
Miss Laverne’s waiting for me on the porch, bundled up in a down coat and holding an oil lantern. I help her carry in a load of firewood, then bend over to check the damper lever inside her fireplace.
It’s stuck in a closed position.
I stick a flashlight up to see what the obstruction is. There’s a ledge where the damper door sits, and the lever forms an “F” shape where the top piece pushes the damper open and the middle piece is attached to the bottom of the flue.
A metal box is wedged between the rungs of the “F.”
“Did you hide something up the chimney?” I ask Miss Laverne.
“No, why would I put anything in there?” She cranes her neck to look. “What is that?”
“It looks like an old box.” I wiggle the box from the two prongs of the damper lever and hand it to her. “While I’m here, let me oil it so you won’t have any further problems.”
I go to my pickup truck and grab a can of WD-40. After soaking the damper hinges good, I flick the lever back and forth to make sure it’s smooth.
“That ought to do it.” I leave the flue open. “Shall I put wood in and start the fire?”
“I can do that. Thanks so much, Sheriff,” Miss Laverne says. “Can you help me open this box? It’s also stuck.”
I spray WD-40 on the hinges and wiggle the latch. “You have any idea where this box came from?”
“It wasn’t there last winter,” she says. “I wonder if one of my book club friends left it here, but why hide it?”
I flip the box open, and it’s full of old letters and papers. “Looks like you got yourself a proper mystery.”
“I’m sure Viola would love to get a look at these.” She holds up what looks like an official document. “Maybe I shouldn’t touch these without gloves.”
“Have fun looking through them.” I wipe the soot and oil off my hands with a paper towel. “Let me know if you find anything interesting.”
