Better To Rest Part 23

"Yeah, I know. But we used to have a two-dollar bill, dont forget. The early nineteen hundreds, man, they were making some cool-looking money. The buffalo nickel, the Mercury dime, you know the guy with wings, and the dime was still silver back then. The quarter with Lady Liberty on it. He pulled a handful of change from his pocket and slammed it down on the desk in disgust. "Look at this c.r.a.p. That could be Albert Lincoln who owns the Ford dealership, and Greg Washington who plays forward for the New York Knicks, and I cant even tell who the guy on the dime is. Plus, aint none of them made of enough of any precious metal to actually be worth what the face value on the coin is. Always a.s.suming you can read it without a microscope.

Moses was very indignant. Bill concealed her amus.e.m.e.nt. "But our coin was minted in 1921, didnt we figure? Thats not even a hundred years old.

"Well, I havent quite figured out how valuable it is, he admitted. "There a lot of stuff I dont understand, like grading and l.u.s.ter and I dont know what else. He thought for a moment, and added, "I got tangled up on an auction site and accidentally bid five hundred dollars for one, though.

"You did what!

He looked a little sheepish. "Its okay; somebody outbid me. It went for five forty-nine.

She whistled, and he nodded. "So I been thinking, Bill.

She matched his tone. "What you been thinking, Moses?

"I been thinking there might have been more of those coins on that plane.

She sobered. "I dont like the sound of that.

"Me, either, he said grimly. "Imagine the treasure hunt a rumor like that would start.

"Its already started. She told him about the Gray gang. He swore. She looked at the monitor screen. "Its too bad Lydia isnt still alive.

"Why?

"She knew about coins.

Moses stared at her.

"Its true. She had a collection of old American coins, old quarters and nickels and dimes and pennies, just pocket change really, that shed been saving up since she was a kid. She subscribed to a magazine, Quarters R Us Quarters R Us or something like that. I used to see it lying around the house when we were at her place for book club. She brightened. "In fact, Id forgotten all about it, but I think she had some other, more valuable coins, too. Yeah, I remember she pulled out an alb.u.m one time, it was really cool, had all these little pockets inside it for each individual coin. She smiled. "She was annoyed with me, because I was more interested in the alb.u.m construction than I was in the coins. Her smile faded. "You know, now that I think of it, she might have... Her voice trailed away. or something like that. I used to see it lying around the house when we were at her place for book club. She brightened. "In fact, Id forgotten all about it, but I think she had some other, more valuable coins, too. Yeah, I remember she pulled out an alb.u.m one time, it was really cool, had all these little pockets inside it for each individual coin. She smiled. "She was annoyed with me, because I was more interested in the alb.u.m construction than I was in the coins. Her smile faded. "You know, now that I think of it, she might have... Her voice trailed away.

Moses face had gone very hard. "Might have what?

"Its silly, it couldnt possibly... She met his eyes. "Ive got to be wrong about this, Moses.

He was inexorable. "Wrong about what?

"Now that I think back, she might have had one of those coins in that alb.u.m. Just like the one that was in the hand.

Wy had a pickup in Ekwok she couldnt get out of, so Jo accompanied Liam to the post. They arrived at the same time as Diana, who looked as drug-out as Liam felt. He brought her up-to-date. She listened, nodding, and when he finished said, "Makes sense to me. I just rousted Brewster Gibbons out of bed and hauled his b.u.t.t down to the bank. Karen bought her town house for cash.

"How much?

"A hundred and twenty thousand.

"Jesus. Whatd she do, write a check?

"She did, and this is the interesting part. She didnt have much left over.

"Her bank balance looks pretty good.

"Yeah, but thats the least amount its ever been. Gibbons says shes been steadily depleting her trust fund.

"What else?

"While I was at it, I checked on Lydias finances. Her house is paid off, too, although thats not quite so surprising. I checked on the other kids. All of them have very healthy cash balances, and none of them have any outstanding debts, at least not with Brewsters bank. Jerrys balance is just as healthy, its just that every check has to be cosigned by his mother.

Liam frowned at the figures shed scribbled. "Healthy. Id call that filthy rich, myself. He picked up the phone and dialed a number in Anchorage.

It rang five times before Jim picked it up. "Yeah.

"Jim, its Liam.

"Like I didnt know. There was a protesting female murmur in the background. "Sorry, honey. Ill take this in the other room; I have a feeling Im going to have to get on the computer.

"Thanks, Jim.

"f.u.c.k you, Campbell. What do you want?

"I need everything you can dig up on the Tompkins family in Newenham. He gave Jim the names. "Im particularly interested in their financial affairs. If they owe any money, if there is any money coming in. Like that.

"Gee, Jim said without enthusiasm. "Is that all?

"And I need it in thirty minutes. Liam hung up on the resulting explosion and looked at Diana. "Go down to the school. See if theyve still got records for who was enrolled in high school in 1941. Make it for four years either way. Since the students are in their seventies, there probably wont be any surviving teachers, but ask anyway.

"Gone. She went.

Liam looked at Jo. "I meant to ask you. Wheres Gary?

She smiled. "I sent him home first thing this morning.

He leaned back and gave her a long, considering look, which she met with equanimity. "Did you, now.

"I did. That was a mean, rotten thing to do to you, Liam, and Im sorry.

He c.o.c.ked his head. "Once more, with feeling.

She laughed. "Look, Wys the best friend I ever had. For a few months, she was even my sister-in-law. Friends watch out for their own.

He couldnt resist. "Like the air force.

"Even better than. The thing is, I got this idea you might be bad for her. You were, the first time around.

"No, I wasnt.

"No?

"No. For Wy, the first time around I was a f.u.c.king disaster.

"Thank you for not making me say that, she said primly, and grinned.

"So Im not a disaster this time?

She met his eyes head-on. "No. Understand me, Liam, I can get along with the devil himself, if the devil is dating my best friend. Nothing gets in the way of the friendship, not for me. Loyalty is what I do best.

"Its my favorite thing about you.

She looked surprised, and suspicious, and maybe even a little flattered. "Wys family. Wy loves you. That makes you family, too.

"A cop and a reporter, he said. "Itll never last.

She laughed again. "Thats what they said about Chuck and Di.

The phone rang. "Okay, you p.r.i.c.k, Jim said, "get a pencil. He dictated rapidly, without checking to see if Liam was keeping up. "That do you?

"That does me just fine.

"Dunaway there?

Liam was surprised. "How did you know?

"I know everything. Put her on.

Liam handed Jo the phone. "Somebody wants to talk to you.

She took it. "Dunaway. She listened for a moment. Liam watched as her face flushed a deep, dark red. "None of your G.o.dd.a.m.n business, she said, and slammed the phone down. Liam got his fingers out of the way just in time.

"What was all that about?

"None of your G.o.dd.a.m.n business either, she snarled. "Just so you know, Campbell, that family business doesnt extend to your friends.

"Okay, he said, and refrained from any comments about younger men because it seemed safer. He made a mental note to call Jim back at his earliest opportunity.

"What do we do now? she said, seeming to master her rage.

"I dont know about we, we, he said. "Im going out to the base. he said. "Im going out to the base.

"Can I come?

"No.

The base officer quarters was of a piece with the rest of Chinook Air Force Base, freshly painted and tidy, the sidewalks neatly shoveled and the storm windows fastened down. He found Charles in the same room he had stayed in that summer. The colonel was surprised to see him and, Liam thought, somewhat wary. "Come on in, he said.

Liam closed the door behind him. "Whats with the crash site, Dad? What do you expect to find?

"I expect to find the bodies of three men who died serving their country in time of war, Charles said.

"One of whom fathered the man currently nominated for the air force spot on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Charles looked startled and then rallied. "Who he happens to be related to doesnt lessen his sacrifice.

"No, Liam admitted. "But theres something else. He was suddenly sick of the dance they always did. "Ah, h.e.l.l, Dad. Wild Bill Hickok died in 1876.

Charles was taken aback. "I What?

"The coin we found with the arm was minted in 1921.

"Oh, Charles said blankly. A sudden and unexpected grin spread across his face. "I never was a very good liar.

Liam sat down without invitation in the rooms only chair. "Unless youre doing something illegal by recovering that plane and the bodies of the crew, and I cant see how you are, I dont care why. I just dont like being bulls.h.i.tted. I can keep my mouth shut. After last summer, Charles had to know that was the absolute truth. "Tell me enough so that Ill want to and Ill go away. Or Ill buy you a beer, or take you caribou hunting, or whatever you want.

They stared at each other in silence. It was hard to tell which of them had been more surprised by Liams words.

Finally Charles said, "Youd really take me caribou hunting?

"Sure. Liam shrugged. "Ive never been, but theres a h.e.l.l of a herd northwest of here, the Mulchatna herd. Hundreds of thousands of them, the Fish and Games practically begging people to go shoot some so they wont eat themselves out of house and home and wind up starving to death.

The years of armed truce werent easy to shake. "I dont know, Liam, you might shoot me and bury the body, once you got me out there.

Liam got to his feet, disgusted.

Charles rose, too. "Dont go, Liam. It was a joke. A bad joke, I admit, but it was a joke. Sit down. He hesitated. "Please.

Liam couldnt remember his father ever having used that word with him before. He sat down again, partly because he wasnt sure his legs would carry him to the door.

Charles reached for a plain buff file marked Restricted Access Restricted Access in big red letters and held it up. "The official investigation into the crash. in big red letters and held it up. "The official investigation into the crash.

"What happened?

"It was too clear.

"What?

Charles smiled. "I know, doesnt make a lot of sense, does it? But it was. Unlimited ceiling, fifty-mile visibility. It was too d.a.m.n clear, and too cold, and the aurora was out in full force, hanging right down to the ground, if you can believe the eyewitnesses. All the colors they come in and all over the sky. There was no distress call from the crew, no indication that anything was wrong.

"What were they doing so low? And werent they a little off course?

Charles laugh was short and unamused. "A little. Their flight plan was for Krasnoyarsk. Instead, they were on a heading for Dutch Harbor. Either their instrumentation was off or they were, or they were just blinded by the lights. A couple on the ground saw the fireball when they impacted, and then a plume high up on the mountain. They called a pilot who was living in Newenham at the time, some Scots name... He thumbed through the file.

"DeCreft? Liam said. "Bob DeCreft?

Charles looked up. "Thats right. How did you know?

"One of the original Bush pilots. Hed lived here a long time. Go on.

"DeCreft was in the air within the hour. Said in his interview that he followed a creek up so he wouldnt get fuddledhis wordby the lights. Said he saw the impact site at the eleven-thousand-foot level, and then where the remains of the plane had fallen three thousand feet onto a glacier and into a creva.s.se.

Liam was silent for a moment. "I dont understand, Dad. Why are you so hot to pull this particular wreck out? Everything Wy said was true; itll be difficult and d.a.m.n dangerous. Not to mention which the weather around these parts is not at its most reliable at this time of year. Your people could be getting themselves into some serious trouble.

"I know that, Liam. Im not doing this because I want to; Im doing this because Ive been ordered to.