10:15 AM Saturday, April 23
“Hello, Jan. Long time no see! What brings you out here?” Kate hadn’t been expecting anyone when the doorbell rang. It was a surprise to see her old college friend Janice Mattison, without a call in advance.
“Hello, Kate, can I come in for a minute?”
“Of course, please. Would you like a cup of coffee? I was just pouring myself a fresh cup.”
“That would be great, thanks.”
Kate ushered Jan in, seating her at the dining table. “How about a fresh cinnamon roll to go with the coffee?”
Kate took down a real cup and saucer and matching dessert plate from the cupboard and pulled out a linen napkin. Janice Mattison and Kate had attended several college art classes together, in the days when each had more spare time. They had become friends over a common love of art, although not in close touch recently. A little above average height, Janice was slender, fair-skinned with fine, light brown hair cut in a easy-care feathery cap that accented high cheekbones and deep blue eyes. She took care of herself, exercising several times a week and preparing healthy meals for herself and Stuart, to the envy of friends who battled the middle age spread. Kate wondered what had prompted this visit. She’d invited Janice to her home in the past, but she had seldom accepted; the two had fallen into a habit of catching up on news over a quick lunch downtown every couple of months.
“Kate, there’s something I need to ask you about, and I hope you won’t think I’m prying into something that’s none of my business…”
“What could that be, Jan? You sound pretty serious for such a gorgeous day.” Kate reached for the coffee pot to refill their cups.
“You know about Elliott Pointe, I’m sure, don’t you?”
“Well, I saw the sign out on the property. Is there some sort of problem?” Kate was measuring her words carefully, the gravesite sketch flashing through her mind.
“It’s not exactly a problem, at least, I’m not sure it is… You remember my son-in-law Mark Johnson, don’t you? A lot of people around town have gone in with him to finance the development and Mark’s doing the contracting himself. Of course.” Kate remembered Donna from the days she and Janice had studied together at the Mattison house. She’d only seen Mark occasionally.
“How are Donna and Mark? And the twins? They must be growing up…” Kate knew Janice and Stuart doted on the twins.
“Well, Donna has her heart set on a new mini-estate at Elliott Pointe, although what she needs with another house is beyond my comprehension. Anyway, here’s why I came over, Kate. I need you to help me understand something about the property. Mark and Stuart had some sort of discussion in Stuart’s office. Whatever was said seemed to disturb Stuart. All I know for sure is, it has something to do with the property itself.”
“But, Jan, why can’t you just ask him what it was about? Mark is your son-in-law too, after all. Do you think it was a disagreement between them, or what?”
“Not a disagreement, something else. Something pretty serious, from the little I know. I have asked Stuart about it. He just said it wasn’t anything for me to worry about. Actually, I’m worried for Stuart, and more for Donna. She thinks I don’t know about her forays into Stuart’s pocketbook — it’s always for the twins, she claims. He’s given her way too much money this year. We can afford it, I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Kate had never known Janice to be this frank about her family before. Kate liked Janice, they were comfortable friends, but they hadn’t grown up together and they moved in different social circles. She wasn’t sure how to respond to this level of openness.
“I’m not sure why you’re telling me all this, Jan. Is there something you wanted to ask me about the land, or something else?”
“Kate, I know I’m presuming on your friendship even to bring this up. But is there anything about that property that might prevent the development from going through? Something with the land itself, or the creek, anything that you know of? I’m grasping at straws, but if I knew what was bothering Stuart and Mark, maybe I could help.”
Janice had been a paralegal when Stuart was a young attorney, and while he was getting his practice established, she had helped out in his office. After Donna was born, Janice stayed at home creating a caring, nurturing place for the baby and hopefully others to come. Unfortunately there had never been any others. Donna had been the sole focus of Janice’s attention. Janice had done her best, but to her dismay, Donna became exactly the kind of spoiled brat Janice despised. Nevertheless, Janice kept trying to be a moderating influence with her only child, and would do all she could to see the twins raised as level-headed young women. Not an easy task. And Donna had been distant lately, more than usual. Something was going on in Donna’s pretty head and Janice was more concerned about her than normal.
Kate debated within herself for a few moments, playing with the last few crumbs on her plate.
“I may know something about the land, but it probably doesn’t have anything to do with what Mark and Stuart discussed. I think I’d better show you something. I’ll be right back.”
Kate walked down the hall to her bedroom and returned with a cardboard box. Inside were the old Elliott Bible, hymnal and “receipt” book. Carefully taking the Bible out of its wrappings, she lifted the sketch from between the pages and unfolded it on the countertop.
“What am I looking at, Kate?” Janice knew that this document was old by its appearance, and if this was somehow an answer to her question, it had to do with the Elliott land.
“It’s the gravesite of a Revolutionary War soldier, Jan. It’s on the Elliott property somewhere.”
“But –” Janice’s mind was turning, trying to remember local history. “I’ve never heard of such a place around here. Is this a family cemetery?”
“Apparently it used to be. We found this when I was packing to move, going through some of Jim’s old books. They probably belonged to his grandfather. See the numbers along the edges? Those are the dimensions of the parcel. Mattie and I took this sketch to the Historical Society, Jan. This is the old Elliott property, and that gravesite is on that land. Somewhere.”
“Are you sure? I thought those old cemeteries had to be maintained, or moved or something. Do you know for certain it’s still out there?” There was an edge to Janice’s voice.
“No, but Mr. Riggins has lived in Dalton all of his life, and he’s pretty sure it’s still there. Mattie and Jamie and I wanted to try to find it one day, but of course it’s not Elliott land any more. We haven’t known exactly who to approach about it. So, in a way, I’m glad you came today.”
Staring down at the browning parchment, Janice slowly spoke. “Surely you know what this could mean to Mark’s plans, Kate. You can’t just build a new subdivision on top of a cemetery. This must be a mistake, he wouldn’t have gone to so much trouble, all those surveys, all those permits… All that money…”
Kate looked at the troubled expression on her friend’s face. “Jan, I’m afraid that’s not all. Let’s sit back down a minute.’ Kate pulled out a bar stool for Janice and another for herself. She thought about how to word what she needed to say next.
“Do you remember when Mark’s dad bought the land from Mattie? It was a real godsend for her, you know. And then Wilbur died not long after that, leaving it to Mark.”
“Well, yes, of course Mark wasn’t able to do anything with it at the time, it pretty much just grew up in weeds out there until the idea for this project came up. Stuart prepared the deed as a favor to Mark.”
“Jan, there was a restriction on the original deed that’s not on the deed Mark has now. The use of the land where the grave site is was supposed to remain unchanged, always be used for a cemetery. You probably know about that kind of thing.”
Kate knew that there were county laws, state laws, and federal laws about grave sites. And this one, if it was indeed the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier, would entail even more stringent rules and regulations.
Jan stood up and prepared to leave. “Kate, I appreciate your showing me the sketch, and telling me about the deed. I’d like to think through what to do about this, if there is anything I can do, I mean. Can I call you in a few days?”
“Sure, Jan, but the more Mattie, Jamie and I talk about this, the more convinced we are that we need to find that grave. If it’s still out there, and Mr. Riggins feels sure it is, we have to locate it. It needs to be preserved, Jan. This is just too important to forget about.”
“I can see your viewpoint, Kate. That is one of the problems I’m going to have to deal with.”
***
Janice was looking into the living room as she slowly walked to the front door, but she was seeing Donna’s face in her mind. She was hearing Donna describe her new house, the excitement that bordered on obsession in her voice, and remembering the light in Mark’s eyes as he described Elliott Pointe, Dalton’s first planned subdivision.
