Family Vault Read Online Free Page A

you a drink.”
    Though a bore and a bully, Dolph was no mingy host. Fortified with two cocktails and a great deal of excellent food, Sarah decided she didn’t particularly mind going back with him to the cemetery.
    Spectators were still clustered around the fence, but there wasn’t much to see. The door of the vault was closed and one of Ralph’s helpers was carrying away the last of the bricks in a wheelbarrow. The policeman on guard told Sarah and her cousin they couldn’t go in.
    “But I’m Adolphus Kelling, blast it! That’s my vault.”
    “Sorry, Mr. Kelling.”
    “Come on, Dolph,” Sarah coaxed. “We have to see the minister anyway, and he’ll probably let us go out through the church. Anyway, it looks as though they’re doing what they said they would.”
    “I’ll believe that when I see it,” Dolph snorted. However, he had sense enough not to pick a fight with the law. There were still the minister and the organist to hector.
    While her cousin spent upward of an hour discussing a service that was going to take perhaps twelve minutes from start to finish, Sarah rested in the family pew, trying to draw strength from the lovely old sanctuary and wondering how she was going to cope with the multitudes tomorrow afternoon. She ought to be shopping or cleaning or at least letting her own family know about the bizarre discovery in the vault. Nevertheless, she stayed until Dolph had got things squared away to his and presumably Uncle Fred’s satisfaction. By the time they went out it was almost dark.
    “Dolph,” she said, I’ll have to leave you now. Alexander must have got home ages ago. He’ll be wondering where I am.”
    “Alex? Forgot about him. Managed pretty well by myself after all, didn’t I? Maybe we’d better just take one last look at that vault. Don’t want any more chorus girls slipping in unbeknownst, eh? Come on back, we’ll get the Rev to open the side door for us.”
    Reluctantly, Sarah obeyed. The minister, kind as ever though no doubt wishing by now that he were burying the whole Kelling tribe, led them through the vestry and out to the ancient burying ground.
    “I’m sure you’ll find everything in order,” he said hopefully.
    They did, except for one brick that had somehow got left behind. Dolph picked it up and began to fume.
    “Oh, stop fussing and give it to me,” Sarah told him. “I’ll drop it in a trash basket on my way home.”
    It was rather a nice little brick, actually, small enough to fit inside her leather shoulder bag. She dropped it in, thanked the minister, took grateful leave of Cousin Dolph, and started across the hill toward Tulip Street.

3
    A LEXANDER HAD THE FRONT door open before she was halfway up the steps. “Sarah, I’ve been watching out the window for you. Where have you been?”
    “With Cousin Dolph. He called right after you left for the hospital.”
    “In a flap about Uncle Fred’s funeral, I suppose. Too bad he wasted your whole day. Harry’s home, and they want us for dinner.”
    “Oh, dear!” If there was anything Sarah didn’t need at this point, it was one of the Lackridges’ spur-of-the-moment dinner parties. “Alexander, the most utterly incredible thing happened!”
    “Tell me later. You’ve about five minutes to change.”
    Furious, she rushed up the stairs to the third floor, the brick she’d forgotten to take out of her handbag thumping against her hip at every step. Trust Alexander to put Harry Lackridge before anyone else. He was wearing his dinner jacket, not because the occasion was going to be all that elegant, but because he’d been forced to buy one ages ago for some function or other and felt duty bound to get his money’s worth out of the investment. It would hardly do for his wife to appear at his side in a ratty plaid skirt and stretched-out oatmeal-colored pullover.
    At least she’d be going fed this time, which was a blessing. She was going warm too. Knowing Leila Lackridge’s disdain for creature