Dancing in the Oaks

Rhett

The next morning I woke up and brushed my teeth. The roosters crowed and the ravens cawed. It seemed peaceful knowing they got the bodies out of the basement. Nick had taken me to the doctor this morning and the diagnosis was not what we had expected. They said I had some inflammation in my stomach that caused the pain. On top of that I have a double ear and sinus infection. They put me on medications to see if that would work first. However, it still scared me to death not knowing a possible outcome. Nick took me back home. He was supposed to go back to his house to work the cattle out of the west field. However, I wanted some more information out of him. It may be another couple days before I get to see him againI just have so many questions that I need answers to. I have a feeling that I ain't gonna get my answers that I need. People just keep shutting back answers, which I understand.

I had fallen asleep before the cops left, so I couldn't get the low down on what happened. Nick just left and went home after they were done. He left me a kind note saying that he took care of everything for me and how it was safe now. It was so cute. "What was everything that happened?" I asked Nick. I tried so hard to stay awake, but that was just not gonna happen.

He gave a shy glance. "They found 6. They had also found some journals. If I remember correctly they were brown journals. It's quite strange. They are analyzing it now. The cops talked to me right before I left here. I made sure everything was all locked up. The cops were the last ones here. In fact, Dixon was patrolling your house all night last night. I actually left two hours before they left. They didn't wanna leave anything here. The biohazard team is coming to double check tonight. You have gotta lock everything up just to make sure. They pre estimated that one body had only been dead for about three weeks. Someone has been getting to our house somehow. I'm thinking that I might have you move into the cabin that is on the furthest acre of my father's property. He made it for Nancy before she died, but that is only if it gets bad." He said in a statement.

I would feel a little better staying on his property instead of being here. At least I could have help that was only 50 acres away instead of 150 acres away. "6 huh? Hmm. I'm so sorry I fell asleep. That's so gross. So, who do they think did that? Who has the key to my stupid house? What the heck is happening?" I expressed my frustration. I had every right to be mad. The unknown is what scares the crap outta me. As a farm girl, I am pretty darn tough, but when it comes to things like this I ain't so tough.

"All those are great questions, Norah. None of which I know the answer to." He said.

I paced around the kitchen for a minute. "Yeah. That's the problem." The cold water felt good when I swallowed it. It almost felt as if the water was a little too cold. "12 bodies in the basement of my house. How have they been doing that? Who would have..."

"... a key?" He interrupted.

Somethin' dawned on me that did not before. See, my parents had ins and outs to things. It seemed as if they would build up so much trust with someone and then make it come crashing down. "Yep. The only person I could think of is the Schmidt guy. My father knew him. Now that I think about it, they had a severe friendship. I think he was the one who helped out when my brother got into some trouble. I just never knew his name. My father gave a key so he could come and gather eggs while we were gone once. I do not think that he gave the key back." My mind went crazy. I sat back down on the couch because my body hurt.

Nick sat down right next to where I sat. "I didn't miss interpreting that did I? Your father gave a key to Schmidt. Schmidt is dead. He's been dead since... Berry... you know at this point anything is possible. Berry came back, so why can't he? One of the Schmidt sons is around our age. I think his name is Rhett. Berry was also friends with him, who got her in trouble for vandalism on Chuck and Merry's barn. That wasn't cool at all. Do you think they both might have done this?"