Harry parked in his driveway and they got out of the truck. Henry went directly to his bike and Harry called after him. “Be more careful where you drop it next time. Someone could run over it.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for picking it up.” He stood still for a moment, and then added, “I did see a skull.”
“We believe you, Henry,” Bertie said. “I guess some other person – or animal – must have seen it too.”
“Let us know if you see it again,” Harry said as the boy started down the driveway.
“I will,” Henry called back.
“You do believe him, don’t you?” Bertie asked as they watched Henry pedalling away.
Harry leaned against the truck and said thoughtfully, “I believe he saw something. And he was bright enough to mark the spot.”
“Henry is very level-headed,” Bertie said. “There’s just him and his mother and they rely on each other a lot. If Henry says he saw a skull, then he saw a skull.”
“Then, let’s hope he sees it again the next time he’s out looking for your fiddleheads. That’s a ridiculous name anyway. Why not just call them young ferns?”
Bertie burst out laughing. “Hard to believe a kid knows something you don’t know, isn’t it?” She opened the door of her battered jeep. “Never mind, I’ll make sure you get the chance to sample them this year. Then you’ll know what they are.”
“It’s still a ridiculous name,” he said as he waved and walked towards his house.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Several days went by with Henry coming to report seeing the skull but when Harry and Bertie went to check it out, there was nothing.
Henry was getting frustrated. After a week of this, he came to a decision and stopped by Bertie’s house. “I won’t be in to bother you and Mr. Hogan about this skull anymore,” he said.
“You’re not bothering us, Henry. Are you giving up?” she asked.
“Maybe.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe I’ll just stay away from the trail for a while. It’s still a bit early for fiddleheads anyway.”
“Perhaps,” she agreed. “But are you sure you’re ready to give up on the skull?”
He shrugged again. “There are lots of other places to look for skulls. I just think it’s time to more on.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, but it’s up to you.”
“Will you tell Mr. Hogan I said thanks for trying?”
“I will, and don’t forget, if you change your mind, you can always come to us. Okay?”
He nodded. “See you, Miss Bertie.”
“See you, Henry.” She watched him ride away on his bike and, when he was out of sight, she picked up her phone and called Harry. She told him what Henry had said. “He looked so sad. I can’t help feeling there’s more to this.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing.” He told her what he had in mind. “Tomorrow is Saturday, no school. Will you call him at home and ask him to meet us here at the office… say around ten?”
“I’ll do that right away.”
* * * * * * * * * * * *
