Kiersten leaned forward. “I’d love to hear it.”
“There’s a cemetery in Old Town. One of the oldest in the state. Dates back to 1795. The kids and I have been talking about the fact that soldiers from the Revolutionary War once lived on the land where our houses sit today. Some of them are buried in this cemetery, and the kids would like to see their graves. It’s open to the public tomorrow morning from nine to noon. And I think it would be a fun outing.”
Kiersten paused. This was not in their lesson plan for tomorrow ... but then again, isn’t this why they were homeschooling? To take advantage of opportunities like this?
“I’ll need to double-check with Rosamund and Piper, but I love the idea. I think we should do it.”
Lillian grinned. “I have a handicap placard for my car. We can park right at the front gate. I can be ready to go by nine.”
“Thank you, Lillian, for helping with this project.”
Lillian smiled. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. Things are different, here on Beaverbrook, since you started that experiment of yours. It’s nice having the kids around all day. And it’s nice getting to know your family and the other neighbors. I was seriously considering Trey’s offer to sell the house and move into one of those retirement places, until you guys came along. Now I plan to stay put awhile longer.”
Kiersten rose to leave. “I’m glad to hear that. And if you find other strange things in your yard, will you let me know?”
Lillian nodded. “I promise. Now you go home and make dinner for your family. It’s time for me to watchWheel of Fortunewhile I eat the rest of these cookies you made.”
Kiersten smiled. “I wish I could eat chocolate chip cookies for dinner.”
Lillian winked. “It’s one of the many perks of being eighty-seven years old. You don’t give a hoot what you look like. And you don’t give a hoot what anyone else thinks of what you look like either.”
Kiersten rose to leave. “Can I ask you one more favor?”
“Sure,” her neighbor said.
“Rosamund, Piper, and I have been invited to a little get-together at Aspen’s tomorrow afternoon, after we get back from our field trip. We’ll just be down the street, and we’ll only be gone for an hour, so we’re going to leave the big kids in charge of the little ones. Would you mind just keeping an eye out? If you see blood or broken limbs, will you call me?”
“Write your number down, and I’ll keep a discreet watch on things from my porch.”
“Thank you.” Kiersten wrote her phone number on a pad next to a phone that was actually hooked to the wall. She ran her fingers over the long curling cord. “I haven’t seen one of these inyears.”
“Your Johnny and little Bella think I have a time machine in my kitchen.”
“You do.”
“I have one of those cell phones, too, like everyone else.” Lillian made a disparaging gesture with a chocolate chip cookie. “But I’m always losing it. And I forget to charge it. But you can’t lose a phone that’s attached to the wall.”
“See you tomorrow morning. And thank you, Lillian. For everything.”
Lillian smiled. “That’s what neighbors are for.”
Chapter Eighty-Two
Piper
They parked at the end of a quiet street in Old Town, near the entrance to the cemetery, and gently pushed against the wrought iron gates. Piper squinted up at the cloudless blue sky as the gates opened silently on ancient but well-oiled hinges. A perfect fall day, unseasonably warm for November.
She redirected her attention to the kids, roving through the cemetery with notebooks and pencils, searching for the tombstone of Cavan Boa, a Revolutionary War veteran who found his place in history as George Washington’s tailor, and Pierre La Croix, a drummer boy from the French and Indian War who eventually joined the American Revolution.
Next door to the cemetery, on the other side of an ancient brick wall, children laughed and shrieked during recess at St. Margaret’s, the local Catholic school. Piper smiled. It seemed appropriate somehow, for life and death to coexist side by side.
Lillian sat in a lawn chair, absorbing the autumn sunshine. The kids ran back and forth to show her their historical discoveries.
Piper shaded her eyes with her hand and gazed across the cemetery, past the beautiful stone angel at the entrance and toward Kiersten, who stood in front of a headstone.
Suddenly Kiersten slumped to her knees.
Piper sucked air into her lungs as the darkest part of her mind manufactured a thousand terrifying scenarios. Sniper. Bomb. Heart attack. Seizure. Sinkhole. Snake bite. Mad dog. Murder hornet.
