Hounded To Death

CHAPTER 26

Later that day, when Ben and his crew scoured the caves, they found a tiny little tombstone with painted letters, faded but protected from the elements so the words were legible:

MICHAEL ALDRIDGE

FEBRUARY 12, 1973

Last winter, two women had died at Wheeler’s Mill, Cabel Harper and her fanatically dutiful friend, Ilona Merriman. Aldridge had been Ilona’s maiden name. She would have been in college in 1973.

Funny how mysteries are finally solved but the profound emotions they generate have a way of living on for generations. The foxhunters at Wheeler’s Mill would never forget the dramatic events that had transpired there, just as those who hunted Skidby would not forget what had happened today.

Ben added Jake Ingram to Barry’s list of victims and put out a call for Fonz, back in Arkansas, to be brought in for questioning.

Sister, home with Gray, was deeply shaken by Barry’s disintegration. Now that it was out in the open, it made sense. She knew the murders had had something to do with the abuse of animals, but she certainly didn’t think her old friend capable of such violence. While he had considered an animal’s life to be as valuable as that of a human—she believed it herself—she hadn’t thought these feelings would lead him to murder.

Betty, on being called by Sister, turned around. She’d just finished the barn chores and was driving home in the Volvo. She walked into the kitchen to find Sister and Gray sitting at the table. Shaker came up, too.

No sooner had they begun talking than the phone rang.

Sister answered. “Hello?”

“Sister”—Felicity’s voice was loud—“the baby’s coming!”

The two women jumped into Sister’s Forester, arriving at the old Demetrios place just as the ambulance came. Sister had had the presence of mind to call for it—and to call Howie. Then, at the hospital, with Sister and Betty by her side, Felicity delivered a healthy seven-pound-two-ounce baby boy in record time, as his daddy was driving as fast as he could from Orange County.

Betty, euphoric as many people are in these circumstances, laughed. “Felicity, you’re fast. I was so long delivering my second child I thought I’d be the only woman to give birth and go into menopause at the same time!”

Holding her little guy in her arms, Felicity, plain worn out, couldn’t stop smiling and crying.

Sister sat by the bed. “What a glorious day!”

“We’ll stay until Howard gets here. Gives us more time to admire the best-looking little boy in the world.” Betty loved babies. “What are you going to name him?”

Felicity reached for Sister’s hand and put it under those tiny red fingers. “We’re naming him Raymond, in honor of Sister.”

It wasn’t until she left the hospital with Betty that Sister let the tears roll. Betty held her.

“Looks like you’re a grandmother.” Betty held her tightly and patted her shoulder.

“What a miracle life is.” Sister hugged Betty back.

Betty agreed, then added, “If the ambulance hadn’t come in time, we’d have had to deliver that miracle.”

“Piece of cake.” Sister snapped her fingers. “Just a bigger puppy, that’s all.”

The two dear friends laughed.

Not only is life a miracle, it can be sweet.