Harry grinned. “That’s why you and I are going over there this morning to look for the site. All we have to tell Benny is that we’re going to take a look around to see if we can find where the dog is getting the bones. When we find it – IF we do – we’ll just tell him we’ll be back after lunch.”
“Isn’t that a bit deceitful?”
“No. Just delaying telling him the whole story, that’s all. Are you ready to go?”
Bertie grabbed her jacket and walked past him out the door.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That afternoon, when Benny answered the knock on his door, he looked quite surprised. “Goodness,” he said. “What’s going on?”
“We have some news for you, Benny,” said Harry. “May we come in?”
“Of course.” Benny stepped aside to let them enter.
Bertie was the last in line. “Don’t look so scared, Mr. Stack,” she said quietly. “It’s all good.”
The men were seated when Benny followed Bertie into the living room. “I suppose this is about the bones Marvel has been bringing home.”
“That’s right,” Harry said. “The other man with us is Professor Jones from the University Archaeology Department. Those bones are actually causing a bit of excitement, Benny. Did you know that the land where your farm is used to be a ‘Gated Community’ at one time?”
“A what?” Benny echoed.
“More like what you might have called a ‘Commune’ in the beginning, I guess. Bertie found deeds going back to the early 1900s. Quite interesting, really,” Harry said. He nodded at Bertie, who picked up the story from there.
“The people who lived here went to the city only for work. The rest of the time, they lived very simple lives in this little community. They lived in small log cabins and grew their own vegetables in communal gardens. There was a school that taught up to grade seven, after which the children attended public schools in the city. They had a church, complete with a pastor and, from all accounts, were religious people. Their social lives included weekly church services, Bible study, frequent church socials and other community events.”
“Are you saying they all died here? Don’t tell me it was one of them cults where they all committed suicide because if Mildred hears that, she won’t want to live here any longer,” Benny said.
“A bit misguided, maybe, but nothing like that,” Harry said.
“The one thing they did not believe in was going to a doctor unless absolutely necessary,” Bertie continued. “They had their own home remedies and, they didn’t seem to have much sickness. Not until 1918, when the Spanish Flu was brought into the community. By the time they realized they needed help and sought a doctor, nearly half the community was affected and subsequently died. The pastor did quick burials in a small graveyard behind the church. By the time things settled down, the survivors packed up and left, not wanting to live with the sad memories.”
