A Rumor of Bones: A Lindsay Chamberlain Mystery Read Online Free Page A

the
main boundaries of the site. He looked down at his
work, cursed, and went to another spot, where he
started digging again.

    "What is Thomas doing?" she asked.
    Derrick grinned. "Thomas wanted to dig something
really significant, so Frank and I gave him a piece of
ground just outside the palisade to work on his own.
We thought we could watch him and make sure he
didn't screw up too much. He uncovered some parallel
rows of stains, and he thinks they were the posts of a
long house"
    "A long house? Here? You're kidding."
    "No, I'm not kidding. He's cross-sectioning the
holes. I think he's finding that they were rows of trees
and not post-holes. He curses every time the crosssection shows up the tree roots."
    Lindsay smiled for the first time since she got back,
then sobered. "I need to talk to Frank. Point me in his
direction, and maybe I can rescue him from Ned"
    "They're down at the flotation dock"
    Lindsay walked to the large covered dock extending into the river that bordered one edge of the site.
As she got closer, she heard Frank's raised voice.
    "Dammit, Ned, what is wrong with you? Do you
know how much we would miss if we take your
approach?"
    "Why don't you listen to me?" Ned yelled back.
"I'm not saying we just sample artifact clusters. I'm
saying we combine sampling techniques. The way
you are going about it, they will flood the place before
you finish, and how much will we miss then?"
    "According to the schedule ..."
    "Damn the schedule! I'm telling you, Frank, if you
would listen, they are going to advance the schedule."
    "They have not told me ..."
    "I'm telling you, dammit. I'm telling you ... why do I bother, you are so pig headed. You think you
know every damn thing!"

    Frank spotted Lindsay and turned away from Ned.
"How did it go?" he asked with that earnest expression in his hazel eyes that often made Lindsay's heart
beat faster.
    "Marsha didn't come by?" she asked.
    'No"
    "The remains didn't belong to the Pruitt child."
    "Could you tell anything about the death from the
bones?"
    She shook her head, telling him nothing about her
finds. Instead, she took a deep breath and told him
about the suggestion she made to the sheriff about
using Derrick's crew to excavate the crime scene.
    "You did what!" Ned's voice was so loud Lindsay
was sure it carried over the site. "I don't believe this. I
don't believe this. We are never going to get this site
dug. If you two can't focus your attention on this site,
you should just turn it over to me."
    "Ned," said Lindsay, "These people need our help.
The crime scene is small. It won't take that long."
    "Then why don't you do it?" Ned retorted.
    "That's enough, Ned," said Frank.
    "No, it's not enough. We have a tight schedule."
    Frank's voice was very calm, but Lindsay could
see him clinching his jaw.
    "The schedule is under control. I don't want to discuss this anymore"
    "This is an important site," said Ned, unwilling to
let go.
    "We all agree," said Frank.
    "I believe it is a very important site," Ned repeated.

    "I know your theories about this site, and I believe
they have merit. We will get the site excavated. Now
let's drop this."
    Ned hesitated a moment, torn between continuing
the argument or accepting the bone of professional
recognition that Frank had thrown him. Finally, he
left the flotation dock with a nod.
    "You are a good diplomat," she said to Frank.
    "I have my moments. However, about loaning the
crew, you should have talked to me first"
    "It was kind of in the emotion of the moment. Are
you going to fire me?" she teased.
    "Oh, come on. I suppose I deserve this, after volunteering you"
    "That's true," Lindsay said.
    "I'll talk to Derrick about excavating the crime
scene, and we'll come up with a plan."
    "Good. Well, since I'm not being fired, I'll make
plans for opening up the new burials."
    Frank frowned. He seemed to hesitate before
speaking. "I had a strange call from the Archaeology
Department head about