Linda looked down at the piece in her hand one more time and knew these patterns.
"Ray," Linda called to him.
"Yes," Ray answered.
"I need you to stop all work on this site right now," Linda told him. "Not just in this section. The whole pool area. Nobody touches anything, moves any soil, or takes out any more concrete."
"Understood," Ray said without hesitation.
"I need you to extend your perimeter fencing," Linda continued. "Push it back another ten feet on all sides from where it is now. Nothing comes in or out of that perimeter. No equipment, no personnel except your foreman and me."
"I can have that done in twenty minutes," Ray told her.
"Thank you," Linda requested. "And Ray."
"Yes," Ray answered.
"Not a word of this to anyone outside your crew," Linda said. "Not tonight, not tomorrow. Tell your crew the same. I'll explain everything when I can, but right now I need your discretion."
"You've got it," Ray said.
Linda looked at him.
"Thank you," Linda said.
She turned and walked back toward the earth ramp.
Michael, Maggie, Martin, Rosa, Toby, and Jake were still standing at the edge of the pool staring at her expectantly.
“Gran, is that a broken vase in your hand?” Jake asked, seeing the item cradled in her palm. “Is that what you were digging up?”
“Honey, I’m not sure what it is right now,” Linda answered. “I have to get it verified first.”
“Ah,” Toby said. “Just in case it’s Uncle George’s wreckage hiding place.”
“What is that?” Maggie asked him as Linda barely registered what he’d said, as her mind reeled.
“Mmm,” was all that escaped her lips.
“You know, when you break something you know you’re going to get into trouble for, and then you have a wreckage hiding spot,” Jake answered.
“Or it’s something old and left here by people who were here before Uncle George,” Toby suggested.
“I doubt Uncle George would hide anything beneath a swimming pool,” Michael answered with a soft laugh.
“It could’ve been a valuable Ming vase he broke,” Jake suggested. “Gran, is it a Ming Vase?”
“You two, shush,” Maggie hissed, obviously realizing Linda had barely looked up as her eyes were locked on the shard in her hand.
“If it is, it would explain why if Uncle George broke it he would bury it beneath a swimming pool,” Toby reasoned.
“Yeah, I think if we broke something like that, we’d be buried beneath the swimming pool,” Jake said. “Those are really valuable.”
“Where do you two come up with this stuff?” Maggie hissed in exasperation.
“Linda, what is that in your hand?” Martin asked, stepping around the boys.
“As I said, if it’s what I think it is,” Linda looked up at him and smiled, “possibly our salvation.”
