Unsettled Graves: A Crossroads of Kings Mill Novel (The Crossroads of Kings Mill Book 3)

by Loni Lynne

  “But I thought he was from Kershaw County?”

  “That is where he signed up with Kershaw’s troops. Again…we are right back to where we started.” He leaned back in his chair. “What about your paper? Anything new on the Susquahanna tribes?”

  “Other than they became extinct or melded into the Iroquis tribes that they fought? Nada. The Paxton Boys annihilated the last of them in a mob death near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. But other than the mass killing somewhere in Columbia, Maryland area by the Maryland Militia, nothing.”

  “Columbia’s not far from here.”

  “Yeah, we are technically in the path of most of their original land. They ruled from the shores of Eastern Virginia all the way up to New York State and farther west. So there is a wide area but most of their conflicts were within Northern Virginia, Maryland and South-central Pennsylvania.”

  “So what are you trying to prove? What is the purpose of your paper?”

  “I was working on researching the lost tribe. Supposedly, the one that were in the Columbia area. I want to know more about them. Exactly where they were laid to rest.”

  “Columbia?”

  “Yeah, but there is no definitive location. You have to remember that even the Mason Dixon boarder hadn’t been defined at that point. What we might consider near Columbia could be anywhere in the region. They were a fierce group but were known for their hunting and trading. The English settlers feared them so there were a lot of killings at the time. At one point they were killed because the English settlers were told they were evil and to shoot on contact. Other deaths were outbreaks of smallpox epidemics and battles with the Iroquoian Nation.” Tonya stared off into space. “It’s just sad that such a revered people were destroyed in such a little amount of time.”

  “Are you trying to find a way to honor them?”

  Camden’s question kindled a spark in her brain. These people were misunderstood by many, only wanting to do what they could to survive…as any other people would do. Yes they might have been vicious but in whose eyes? Those of the settlers who assumed they were heathens because they didn’t conform to the ideals of Puritanism? The ones who wanted their lands?

  History says they were considered giants. That their human stature was taller than the average man. European men at the time were possibly as tall as five foot seven. So even if they were six foot, they would appear to have been ‘monstrous in size’.

  None of that mattered. They were people with the same dreams and desires of survival, life, and liberty for themselves, wiped from the face of the planet by the greed and foulness of a people they didn’t understand and those who didn’t understand them.

  Yes, she wanted to honor them but how? What could she do to honor those who were no longer in existence? Who would even care or benefit?

  April came in with a load of record books which seemed fairly old but well maintained. She sat them gently down on the table top between the two of them. The painful look on her face made Tonya forget about April’s gift of touch. Handling the antique books like she was must be taking a toll on her mental capacity. April’s psychometry was stronger than most people with the gift, so much so that she was able to bring a ghost to life by touching his grave.

  Letting out a measured breath, April gushed. “I managed to get in touch with the head of the historical foundation in Gettysburg. These books are on loan to us for a limited amount of time. They contain all the recordings of every soldier, both Confederate and Union who fought at Gettysburg.” Taking out a smaller ledger from the bottom of the pile, she continued, “This is the first records of children who were brought to the orphanage. You might find some clues in these books to help you with your subject’s cases.”

  Tonya looked at Camden. It was as if a treasure trove of possibilities were laid before them. Both were eager to get inside the fragile parchment filled books.

  “I can’t help you. Danielle has a check-up and I’ll be taking the rest of the day off. She doesn’t do well with the shots.”

  “Poor thing.” Tonya knew about baby Danielle’s tendency for fevers after inoculations. “I hope she sleeps this one off.”

  “Me, too. Not only that, it worries her father half to death. He hates seeing her sick. Then I have two children to deal with.” April rolled her eyes. “Oh, these books don’t leave the office. I can’t afford to have anything happen to them. Lock them up in my office before you take off for the day.”

  They both promised her they would take care of them. Eager to have something tangible to reference, her and Camden donned their cotton gloves for handling the delicate material they were about to view. Any oils from their fingers could deteriorate the natural fibers and all would be lost in very little time.

  “Why didn’t they just send the microfiche or email the scanned files?” Camden asked when April had left the room.

  “I don’t know. Something tells me that these records are more than what was professionally archived over the years.” Tonya knew in her heart that April wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of securing the tomes, otherwise. The mystery was now to find out just why April had done so.

  With her paper on the back burner, Tonya worked diligently with Camden on slowly, methodically turning page after page of over a hundred year old material. The dark scrawled handwriting inside the ledgers were names of those who lived and died to tell a part of American History. It was an honor. Every name a beating heart, one that made her heart beat thinking about them. They had lovers and sweethearts, wives and mothers waiting for their return. Only, some of them never did.

  “Look at this,” Camden called out after an hour or more of silence between them.

  Tonya stood up, stretched the kink out of her back, and walked to his side of the table so he didn’t have to move the ledger he was going through.

  “Is that the orphanage book?”

  “Yeah. Take a look.”

  There in black ink were the words:

  Evansworth…boy…age: 8 months

  “Do you think?” Camden asked, speculating on the possibility. “What are the odds of the name Evansworth?”

  “It might have been a common name. We could look through every man in these books that might share the name. But even then, it wasn’t just the soldiers whose kids were dropped off there. They could be children of unwanted pregnancies or parents who’d both died in some unfortunate accident? We don’t know for sure.”

  “Besides, was Jared even married?” Camden scoffed.

  “Have we even asked him?”

  Neither one could answer. It wasn’t something they’d even considered. Why? Surely he might have been one of the many to have a sweetheart back home…or wife. If there had been the possibility of offspring then they might have something to go on.

  The thought was never far from the top of Tonya’s head the rest of the day. She’d been through two of the large Confederate rosters and had yet to come across the whereabouts of one Jared Evansworth. Granted these were tallies of the aftermath. So many had gone missing, been captured by the enemy, or possibly deserters. Still, there was no way Tonya could wrap her head around Jared being a traitor to his unit, the Confederacy or his homeland.

  “Well, I’m done. My brain is mush which is not going to help my session with Vickie this afternoon,” Tonya groused. “You coming or staying late again?”

  “I just want to stay a bit longer. Here,” he said, reaching into the front pocket of his khaki slacks and withdrew his apartment key. “Since you will be going straight to Vickie’s, can you pick up the guys and take them to my place? There’s hot dogs and macaroni and cheese if you want to fix them something to eat.”

  “What, am I your wife now?” Tonya laughed. “Honey, pick up the kids and have dinner on the stove when I get home.”

  Camden raised his brows at her. “Yeah if that’s the case…I’m getting the raw deal. There are no marital perks for me.”

  “In your dreams, Camden. You wouldn’t know what to do if I were to
bless you with my perks.”

  He looked blatantly at her chest, crossing his arms. “Is that what they are calling them lately? Peaks, yeah, but I’ve never heard perks.”

  “You’re an ass…but that’s okay. Most guys I know are.”

  “Well, that’s too bad. You deserve better than asses.”

  Tonya wasn’t sure what to say. Was he teasing her, complimenting her, or just making general talk? It had been awhile since they’d had a fight or disagreement. Not since before the whole Jared issue…when he didn’t believe.

  Camden had returned to the books and she didn’t think it was enough of a subject to really toss about. It wasn’t like she was asking him to show her any interest. They were working together now, that was all that mattered.

  #

  Focusing on his main objective was a bit harder. The brief banter he’d shared with Tonya was disturbing. He was one of the guys in high school that would’ve put down a geek like her, not given a shit how he’d made them feel. But more importantly, he actually meant what he said. She deserved better than asses.

  He knew she’d had a boyfriend. She’d mentioned him once or twice. What had happened to them? Or was it just one of those things where they drifted apart on mutual understanding like most high school/college relationships? He felt bad because he really didn’t know. Not like it really mattered, they weren’t hot and heavy for each other.

  Scoffing at his own folly, Camden returned to the books. He’d moved on from the orphanage ledger, still keeping it open as if the line item he’d found stared at him, egging him on to a single topic. Tonya could be right. How many other Evansworths were there to consider?

  With that thought, he took up to looking through some of the other books. The latest one intrigued him. Inside were documents of battle notes from various soldiers, generals, and commanding officers who played important parts in the infamous battle. These were the actual articles kept that were documented in various history books on the war itself.

  Pouring over a few there was one from General Buford, the Union Calvary general who was there on the first day, north of Gettysburg. He was the first one to spot the enemy troops coming down from Cashtown.

  Rough maps and drawings of various battle tactics whispered among the pages, spooking him. It was as if touching the artifacts gave him direct link into the past. Was this what Tonya felt but on a grander scale? He couldn’t fathom. In his hands, he held a piece of history. Amazing how something so mundane could mean so much. A hundred and fifty years and a specific time and place made an item an artifact. Something triggered a thought in the back of his mind. Jared had been scouting up near the Peach Orchard… Could these items hold any details about that incident? Could one of these notes be a command from General Kershaw to send Corporeal Evansworth to scout out the enemy?

  Excitement of the unknown forced his hand. With as much grace as he could in his eagerness to locate some clue, Camden searched each document thoroughly. He wasn’t sure how long it had been. Minutes and hours blended. All that mattered was finding something…anything to give witness to Jared’s whereabouts.

  …and then it happened and his life would never be the same.

  #

  “We’ve got to send Jared back in time!” they both said at the same time.

  Camden hadn’t had time to chain his bike up under the stairwell of his apartment complex. Tonya had been standing at the top of the first floor landing when he’d rode up on his bike.

  Anxiety shook them both, but Camden knew his reason, what was Tonya’s?

  “What? Wait?” Shaking his head, he grabbed her shoulders as she frantically looked about. “Why?”

  “Vickie thinks there is a time rip that I’ve disrupted by bringing him to this time and place. He’s been here too long, but I don’t know how to get him back.”

  “I do,” Camden said. Well, he wasn’t sure about the whole sending him back in time. Physics was not his strong point. He wasn’t a brainiac who belonged with Stephen Hawkings and his team of scientists. “Where are the boys?”

  “Upstairs. I made them dinner and they’re playing checkers. Vickie said they were starting to get restless. She’s not sure how much more they’ll be able to contain themselves with something to do that’s not going to have them learn the truth about our history.”

  “I figured. Jared has shown Joshua how to whittle every woodland creature into wood. I’m waiting for the wooden headboards on the beds to be carved into totem poles.”

  “So what was your conclusion?” Tonya asked.

  “Oh yeah.” He took a breath not sure if she would comprehend. “I found a note written by General Kershaw in one of the books. He sent Corporal Jared Evansworth and Corporal Henry Wright to scout out the Union troops at the exact time we were there.”

  “Okay…so? I think we’ve come to a similar conclusion already.”

  “Yes, but what if you were the cause of him not being there?”

  “What?” The confused look on her face appeared ridiculous, her nose all scrunched up, her lips pursed like a ducks. Camden wanted to laugh if the situation wasn’t so dire. “I wasn’t there during the battle—“

  Recognition hit and he swore she was about to pass out.

  “Oh my God…Oh my God…I was there! Oh shit…shit…shit!” She shook her head, not wanting to believe it. “No! Impossible. I wasn’t there.”

  “I found another note…this one from Corporal Henry Wright.” He took out his phone and brought up the picture gallery on his phone. “Don’t worry, I didn’t use flash…” He used his thumb and finger to enlarge the picture so it was legible.

  “…we arrived at the peach grove over across the field. Evansworth was a few feet ahead of me when the girl appeared. Barely clothed with hair the color of golden wheat all down about her shoulders and a halo of light…she held out her hand, her voice soft…she must’ve been an angel from God Almighty. As soon as Evansworth touched her hand, they disappeared…I never believed in the Almighty until that moment, knowing HE sent an angel. No one will ever believe me…I am dying now…looking for God to send me the angel now that I lie here waiting for my eternal rest. Knowing the agony of my pain will be gone as I take her hand…”

  Tonya covered her mouth as a sob broke forth. “Oh dear God…what have I done?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Okay. Okay. Tonya, you are getting all worked up. Now stop.” Vickie took a deep cleansing sigh. “We need to approach this situation cautiously. If, and I do mean if you were actually there, no one else knows about it except for this Corporal Wright who, of course, died on that battlefield. Anyone who might’ve read the note could have just thought it was the fragmented mind of a dying man. So all is good.” The older woman paced. “But yes, we do need to focus on how to get Mr. Evansworth back to his proper place in time. So we know he didn’t desert, that’s good, for his moral at least. But knowing you took him before the battle he was in actually took place…anything could happen. We don’t know his outcome. He could survive and we’ll just have to figure out the consequences when that happens.”

  “Could it alter the history we know?” Camden asked.

  “Hard to say, but there is the possibility.”

  “But the records still show him as being listed a deserter,” Tonya rallied. “I don’t want to be the cause of that.”

  “Of course not, dear heart.” Dorothy patted her hand comfortingly. “Victoria, you are not helping Tonya with your indecisiveness.”

  “Dottie, I’m not going to put her in rose-colored glasses. I understand the girl didn’t mean to do this on purpose, but she has to account for the actions she’s made. And we all must learn from them in fortitude and mentoring others.”

  “My concern is how to help her take Jared back to the proper time and place.” Virginia said, trying to bring calm to the whole situation.

  Tonya was still beside herself. Every day they delayed in getting Jared back to the past worried her that it was another day spe
nt altering History. But Vickie was right. She didn’t need to be coddled. She needed to move forth with purpose and energy to decide how to fix her own mess. But how did you get a man from the past, back to the past? It wasn’t like the past repeated itself? Or did it?

  “Wait! The Battle of Gettysburg!”

  “Yes. An important battle during the Civil War…we know that,” Camden said sarcastically.

  She waved him away. “No…yes…I mean not the real battle…the reenactment!”

  “Oh yes!” Dorothy clapped her hands together in excitement. “I love the reenactment! Doesn’t Andrew and John participate every year?” she asked her daughter.

  Virginia paused in thought. “Yes. And I believe they are both part of Longfellow’s Brigade, if memory serves me. When we used to watch them perform the march across the wheatfield. It was very close to the Peach Orchard.”

  “Wait. What are you proposing?” Camden asked in all the excitement.

  Tonya stood up. She needed to take charge of her mistake, but she still needed the guidance of the Wilton Women to help her perform her gift. “If we could get Jared to enter the reenactment as basically himself…he could scout out the area and continue on as if I wasn’t there.”

  “But would that be enough?” Vickie asked. “Simply acting the part won’t do anything.”

  “Perhaps. But I disrupted his time, took him out of what he knew, and brought him into the unknown. Maybe if we put him back into a familiar situation with familiar surroundings…it may trigger the portal for him to cross back over.”

  “I don’t know. We are talking exact coordinates, times, people who he would know. These reenactors are not the real men he called brothers in arms.”

  “But they are the closet thing we have to work with. Dottie, can you talk with your friends and see if they might be able to help us out?” Tonya found the prospect of the idea her best bet.