Free Earthcrack: A Lin Hanna Mystery by Sharon Canipe Page A

talk about it all the time.    What if she tries to get the
authorities to take a closer look?   I wouldn’t put it past her, not with the way she pushed the subject with
me at lunch.”
    Sessions turned and paused in what he was
doing, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, if it ever comes up. I don’t
think the authorities will pay any attention to the questions of a volunteer
who really does not know much of anything.   Anyway, I’m not worried and you shouldn’t be either.   Now go home and take a break.   Get yourself calmed down so your own
behavior does not raise questions.   Besides, that Lin Hanna person is a rather attractive lady and she looks
like she might be interested in you.   Why don’t you get to know her better?” He urged Smith out the door and
closed it behind him, returning to his desk and his paperwork.
    The young assistant had not looked up
from his work in the back room at any time during this conversation, but he
couldn’t help but overhear a part of what was said.   He wondered what the two were discussing—sounded
mysterious to him.   Probably nothing
important and he would certainly not say anything or ask anyone about the
conversation.   He needed this job
and didn’t want his boss to think he was questioning anything.   He carefully placed the boxes he had
packed on the shelf for pick up when the UPS truck came tomorrow and went back
to reviewing the next stack of internet orders to be filled.

Chapter
4
    The next few days at the park were busy
ones.   There were several school
groups of various ages scheduled and Lin was asked to give talks and tours to
some of them.   She enjoyed the kids
and the opportunity to get back into her previous role as an educator for a
short while.   She was kept busy
reading up on information about the park and preparing for these
occasions.   She was learning as much
as the students about this fascinating place and its interesting history.    In addition to the groups, there
seemed to be an increasingly steady stream of the usual visitors, including a
couple of tour groups of mostly retirees.    It was late on Saturday afternoon
just before closing time for the visitor center before things seemed to slow a
bit.
    “We’ve had a busy week,” Lin said to
Danielle, as the two of them began to tidy up the shelves in the visitor center’s
small shop area in preparation for closing and being ready for the next
day.   It seems a long time since
Monday when the remains were discovered,” she had not forgotten and was still
curious as to how this incident would be resolved.
    “It has been busy,” Danielle
responded.   “The school field trips
are almost over but soon the tourists—both groups and individuals—will
be coming in.   It’ll be pretty
steady through Labor Day.   I’ll be
glad when we get some extra help in a few weeks.”
    Lin saw an opportunity, “I realize now
how hard it is to keep everything covered with such a limited staff.   I was looking at the schedule next week
and wondered if you would like for me to plan to meet with Dr. Smith and his
graduate students when they come in.   I saw that on the schedule.   I’m already down to work that day but only for four hours.   I wouldn’t mind coming in earlier to
handle that and I feel comfortable doing so.   I’m feeling that I know the rules well
now and I think Dr. Smith would feel comfortable with me.   After all, I was with his class earlier
this week out at Lomaki and I ‘ve even had lunch with him when I was in
Flagstaff the other day.”
    Danielle raised an inquiring brow, “
Really, I didn’t realize you were on such familiar terms with him.   Certainly, you could handle this meeting
and thanks for offering.   I have
several things on my calendar that day.”
    Lin felt a bit embarrassed, perhaps she
had sounded too eager? “I didn’t mean to imply that I knew him well,” she
explained, “it was really just a chance encounter,”