Here, the terrain was uneven and covered with tall weeds. She grimaced at her new cream-colored canvas sandals. There went thirty-eight dollars.

Calling, “Here Bingo, here kitty, kitty,” Skye trekked through the prairie grass, feeling it cut her bare ankles and calves.

Finally, she heard a yowl and spotted the cat just a few yards ahead of her. He was sitting by a round concrete slab with a cast-iron ring embedded in the middle. The cover, which was supposed to be flush to the ground, was slightly ajar.

As Skye approached, an odor stopped her. It was sickeningly sweet and smelled a little like the time her refrigerator broke down when she was gone for the weekend. She forced herself closer and grabbed Bingo, who protested the abrupt treatment by squirming and yowling.

Turning, she ran toward the orchard. “Wally, Wally! Come quick.”

Skye stopped at the Buick and retrieved the cat carrier from the trunk. She shoved Bingo inside and secured the door then continued toward the trees, calling for the chief.

He burst out of the grove with his hand on his gun. “Skye, are you all right?”

She stopped to catch her breath. “I’m fine.” Panting, she explained about the stench.

They retraced her path until they were a few feet from the concrete slab.

“Do you know what this is?” Chief Boyd asked.

“It may be the old well. We were never allowed to play back here because Grandma was always afraid we’d fall into it. I think they covered it when the great-grandchildren were born.”

Nodding, he tried to move the cover with his foot. It wouldn’t budge. “It would probably be easy to move using the metal handle, but until it’s been dusted for fingerprints I don’t want to touch it. Let me see what I’ve got in the squad car that I can lift it with.”

Skye trailed him back to his car, and while the chief got some tools and a big flashlight from the trunk, she fed Bingo. They returned to the well.

The chief inserted a jack handle into the opening. Skye watched the veins pop in his arms as he strained to move the lid. The muscles of his chest rippled under the khaki uniform shirt and his broad shoulders strained against the fabric. Without warning the concrete moved with a loud screech.

Immediately, the odor intensified and Skye backed away. Chief Boyd covered his mouth with a handkerchief and aimed the flashlight beam down the well. “It looks like a body is stuck about nine or ten feet down.” He turned to Skye. “Can you stand to look? Maybe you know who it is.”

She screwed up her face and shook her head, but finally moved closer. Putting her hand over her mouth and nose, she leaned forward and followed the stream of light with her eyes.

Stumbling back, Skye said, “I think it’s Mrs. Jankowski, the missing housekeeper.”

Chief Boyd had told Skye she could leave, but cautioned her not to tell anyone about their discovery. One part of her wanted to stay and see what the evidence people turned up, but mostly she was thankful she wouldn’t have to view the body as it was dragged from the well.

She stopped at her cottage to drop off Bingo and set up his equipment. When she opened his case in the foyer, he poked out a delicate pink nose and sniffed. Satisfied, he stepped all the way into the room and proceeded to investigate his new surroundings.

Meanwhile, Skye filled his food and water bowls, leaving them for him to discover when he reached the kitchen. She tucked his litter box under the sink in the small bathroom off the foyer, and immediately showed him its location.

Bingo instantly used the facilities.

“That’s what I forgot, Bingo, a litter scoop. I better make a list and get to the grocery store sometime today.” Skye walked to the kitchen and took a small pad of paper.

Glancing at her watch, she knew she’d never make it to school by ten and decided to take the rest of the day off since they would dock her for a full day anyway. This time when she called she asked to speak to the principal directly.

“Mrs. Greer, this is Skye Denison. Did you hear my grandmother died on Monday?”

“Yes, dear, I was very sorry. Antonia was a wonderful woman. I used to love sitting in her kitchen and watching her bake. We’d talk about gardening. She always had the best tips and grew the biggest peonies.”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you knew my grandmother.” Skye let her tone rise at the end of the sentence, hoping for an explanation.

“Well, it was over forty years ago, but I dated your Uncle Dante for a time when we were in high school together. He was so handsome and had such a wonderful sense of humor. All the girls were crazy about him.”

Skye didn’t know what to say to that. This was a side of her uncle she hadn’t pictured. What had happened to change him? It had been years since she’d thought of Dante as fun. As the silence lengthened, she knew she needed to say something. “Wow. Small world. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Anyway, I was planning on coming in today, but some things have come up so I was wondering if it would be all right to take a personal day?”

Mrs. Greer didn’t answer right away. “I’m sorry, Skye, but I booked an appointment with the parents of Perry Underwood for us this afternoon. Is there any way you can make it? These aren’t easy people to deal with, and they would take it as a personal insult if we canceled.”

Careful to keep the sigh out of her voice, Skye said, “What time are they coming in?”

“One-thirty.”

“Okay, I’ll be in around one.”

“Great, I’ll brief you then.” Mrs. Greer sounded relieved.

After hanging up the phone, Skye went out on her deck and sat on a lounge chair. She watched the river go by with Bingo curled up on her lap, purring as she stroked him. Two more days of school and she’d be free.

Her big plans for this summer included lots of reading and lying on the beach.

She couldn’t afford to go anywhere on vacation, but one of the local abandoned strip mining areas had been turned into a recreational club with swimming and boating. It cost five hundred dollars to join and a hundred a year in dues, but her godfather, Charlie Patukas, had given her a membership for her birthday.

Normally, she wouldn’t have accepted such an expensive gift from anyone, but Charlie rarely took no for an answer-especially since he’d inherited a large sum of money last year. He had bought Vince an electric golf cart, May new carpeting, and Jed a satellite dish. He got such a kick out of surprising his “family” with gifts and playing the big shot that he made them feel like ingrates when they tried to turn down his presents.

Skye smiled fondly. Charlie was one of a kind. The soothing motion of the river lulled her and she wasn’t aware of time passing until she was roused by the ringing phone.

Dumping Bingo unceremoniously inside the door, she ran for the kitchen. “Hello?”

“What in the hell is going on at Ma’s now?” It was Uncle Dante.

Skye counted to ten before answering. “Hello, Uncle Dante. Thanks for asking, I’m doing fine.”

“I said you could pick up the damn cat, not tear up the backyard.”

“Uncle Dante, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m talking to you so I can’t be the one tearing up the yard.” She knew logic was a waste of time with him but she always tried it anyway.

“Then I repeat: What is going on?” Dante’s voice was now so loud that Bingo was cowering in the space between the washer and dryer.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been asked not to discuss that with anyone. You need to talk to Chief Boyd.” Her eyes fell on the microwave clock and she was startled to see it was already twelve-forty-five.

“You tell me right now, Missy. I’m trustee of the estate and have a legal right to know what’s going on.” His voice cracked. “What are you doing to my mother now?”

She heard the pain in his voice, but didn’t have an answer. “I truly am sorry. This is not hurting Grandma, honest. She’d want us to find out the truth.”