The Grave Soul Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Where’s my mom?”
    â€œNo idea.”
    Kira sailed into the kitchen and gave the woman an extra-long hug. “This is my Aunt Hannah,” she said, beaming at Guthrie as she tried to pry a pecan off the top of the pie.
    â€œStop that,” said Hannah, lightly slapping her niece’s hand. Removing her sunglasses, Hannah said, “You can call me Dr. Adler.”
    Kira burst out laughing. “Right.”
    Assessing Guthrie from head to toe, Hannah added, “Just kidding. You can drop the last name and just call me doctor.”
    â€œIgnore her,” said Kira.
    Hannah shrugged.
    â€œDad sent me in here to get some matches. He’s building us a fire.”
    â€œMy brother, the arsonist,” muttered Hannah.
    As they dug through the kitchen drawers, Guthrie edged toward the back door. Once outside, he sucked in a deep breath, thankful to have found a moment alone. The family seemed friendly enough. Still, it was going to be hard being the outsider all weekend.
    Stepping down off the back step onto a graveled path, Guthrie walked around the back of the house, where he came upon a broad brick patio nestled up against a rock retaining wall. The outdoor furniture and large gas grill were covered by heavy tarps. Scanning the rear of the property, he was surprised to find Evangeline inside a small fenced-off area about twenty yards to the right of the barn. Rectangular stones stuck out of the ground at odd angles. It appeared to be an old cemetery.
    Evangeline stood with her head bowed, arms crossed in front of her, holding a single pink rose. It seemed like such a private moment that he didn’t want to intrude, but before he could creep silently away, she looked up and noticed him, motioning for him to come join her.
    â€œYou might as well meet the rest of the family,” she said, watching him with her intense blue-eyed gaze.
    He opened the weathered wood gate and stepped up to her. Crouching down, he read the names on the two oldest gravestones. “Adolf Adler, 1892-1951” and “Emma Adler, 1896-1968.” Under Adolf’s name was an inscription:
    R EMEMBER ME AS YOU PASS BY,
    A S YOU ARE NOW, SO ONCE WAS I ,
    A S I AM NOW, SO YOU WILL BE,
    P REPARE FOR DEATH AND FOLLOW ME.
    How utterly grim, thought Guthrie, though he didn’t say it out loud.
    â€œThey were my husband’s parents,” said Evangeline. “They bought the land and built the house. Adolf began the local newspaper, a job my husband, Henry, eventually inherited.”
    Guthrie examined several more stones, then came to Henry’s, the tallest, made of gray-and-black granite. Henry’s inscription was a quote:
    â€œ W HERE THERE IS SORROW THERE
    IS HOLY GROUND.” O SCAR W ILDE
    Better, thought Guthrie. Some hope in that one.
    â€œHenry and I were married for forty-seven years,” said Evangeline, a sad smile tugging at the corners her mouth. “He wanted to be buried here, with his parents, but the county wouldn’t allow it anymore. The recent stones mark the sites of cremation urns.”
    â€œYou have three children?”
    â€œDouglas is the oldest. Then Hannah. Kevin was my last. That’s Kira’s father.”
    â€œAnd they all still live around here?”
    â€œHannah lives in Eau Claire, but she maintains a small home here. And then, of course, Kira moved to the Twin Cities.”
    â€œDo you have other grandchildren?”
    â€œI’m afraid not. It was a great sadness for all of us when Douglas and Laurie weren’t able to conceive. I know it was Laurie’s dream to have a large family.” Transferring her gaze to a crow sitting at the edge of the barn roof, she said, “Hard to live a life without a dream. You have one, Guthrie?”
    Pushing out of his crouch, he rose up next to her. “I do. Actually, it’s tea.”
    â€œTea?”
    â€œI’m in business with my brother. We’re importers and own a