Chapter Four
Lost And Found
Next morning they ate breakfast and prepared to leave the house in search of the cemetery or Uncle Cliff. Before they could get started, however, a van pulled up out front. Sheriff Lampton and five members of the Ohio County Rescue Service alighted and came around to the back door.
“Good morning." The sheriff introduced the others with him and Ed indicated his family and their names. They looked up when they heard whistling and saw Johnny coming across the cow pasture.
When Johnny got there, Chrissy introduced Johnny to her family and JoJo introduced herself to the twins. She wiggled her head under their hands demanding to be petted. Chrissy turned to introduce Johnny to the sheriff but soon realized that wasn’t necessary as he spoke to Johnny in a familiar way.
“Hi, Johnny. Are you continuing your friendship with Clifton’s family?”
Johnny assured him that he was.
“We were about to set out on a search for Clifton. Would you want to go along?”
“Is there any way I might be able to help?”
“You just might, Johnny, if you know the location of the little cemetery where Aunt Lorraine is buried.”
“Oh, yes, and sure I do. Shall I point or lead the way?" Johnny winked at Chrissy and she was thrilled with his Irish brogue.
“If you have the time, we would appreciate a guide. We’re trying to see if we can find a sign of where Uncle Cliff might be. Sheriff Lampton has made inquiries in town as to his possible whereabouts and no one seems to know."
“When did you last see him, Johnny?"
“It was the middle of June, Sheriff. I didn’t think he looked well; but he assured me he was fine."
“Uncle Cliff’s journal mentioned Johnny’s visit. It said he wasn’t feeling well but he tried not to worry Johnny about it.”
“Well, let’s go see what we can find, people. We men will go look and the rest of you should wait here if you don’t mind." Johnny had already taken off in the direction he figured Mr. Coy would have taken to go to the cemetery.
In less than an hour, they were all back. Ed looked at Penny. “We found him, Honey, and as we feared, he’s gone. Since he died alone, there will have to be an investigation by the coroner and a coroner’s inquest, I suppose. But it seems pretty cut and dried. He was at the gravesite, lightning hit the old oak tree, and it toppled over on top of him. Until the tree is removed, there won’t be any way to tell if he died before the tree fell or because of the falling tree. But, at any rate, he’s out of his misery and we can be glad of that even though we’re sorry to have lost both of them.”
“I’m sorry Mrs. Wroe; but it does look as if he died instantly either of a heart attack or when the tree fell, so I don’t think he suffered. We’ll go on back to town, get the coroner, and bring him back out here. We’ll get this finished up as soon as possible. My condolences, Mrs. Wroe.”
“Thank you, Sheriff; all of you, thanks." Penny didn’t have to pretend to be upset. With the reading of his journal, they had all come to think of him as one of their own even before they knew he actually was. Therefore, the tears were genuine and the sorrow a true emotion.
Later that afternoon, the coroner confirmed the cause of death as a heart attack. Tests showed that he had been dead, possibly for several hours, before the tree struck him as it fell. It did pin the body down and prevent predators from attacking the body. Insects alone had had access and, therefore, the deterioration of the flesh had been slower and undisturbed by wild birds and animals. Even after almost a month, the remains could still substantiate that the cause of death was a heart attack. It was determined no inquest would be necessary and the body could be released for burial immediately.
“I know Uncle Cliff would certainly want to be buried next to Aunt Lorraine." Penny was as sure of this as she would have been if she had heard him say it. “I’m afraid we know almost nothing about his friends and acquaintances here. Are there other people whom we should notify of the burial? I don’t think we need a formal funeral unless he had more friends than we’re thinking he probably did. The body, of course, would not be viewable so if no one objects, I think we’ll have only a graveside service.”
“I’m in agreement. I would suggest you talk to Bro. Mosser at the Baptist Church about the service. I believe that’s where they went to church when they were able to go. I’d be glad to suggest he come see you if you’d like me to.”
“Thank you Sheriff. That would be much appreciated. I guess we’ll need to talk to the undertaker, too, and arrange for a coffin with all the accessories, flowers, and everything. He’ll also need a good monument. The makeshift one that was there was broken to bits by the falling tree, they said. It will need to be a triple headstone—one for Aunt Lorraine, for Uncle Cliff and for Baby Cliffie, or actually one headstone with all three names. I’ll have to do some research somewhere to get exact dates of births and deaths. I have a general idea but nothing definite.”
“I’m sure you would be able to get those dates at the library or the health department, Mrs. Wroe.”
“Thanks, again, Sheriff.”
Penny began a more thorough search of the old roll top desk. She somehow felt freer to look than she had before she knew for sure Uncle Cliff was dead. She had no trouble thinking of the old man as her uncle. Even though she had never really known him, it seemed as though she had. She did feel quite close to him after looking through the family picture album and reading his journal. And there was apparently no one else to care. She had been searching for no more than half and hour when she discovered their birth certificates and some other papers in the back of a drawer. They were fastened together with a rubber band that snapped in two as soon as she barely touched it. As she went through the little bundle, she also found dates for Baby Cliffie’s short life. He had lived just three days. Also, in the little handful of documents were Aunt Lorraine’s death certificate and another official-looking paper. As she unfolded it, she saw that it was Clifton Coy’s last will and testament.
As she read it, tears formed in her eyes. She read:
The Ghostly Hideaway Page 9