Mighty Old Bones by Mary Saums Read Free Book Online Page A

splatted on my windshield as I drove from the town square to Phoebe’s house. A broken branch fell across the glass as I steered into her driveway, the leaves completely obscuring my view for a few moments. Thank goodness I was off the street and could brake quickly without causing an accident. A strong gust of wind rocked the car back and forth. With an even stronger surge, the wind whistled and picked the branch up and hurled it across Phoebe’s front yard.
    Leaves and debris weren’t the only things flying through the air. As I looked forward through the windshield, I saw one of Phoebe’s windows at the side of her house being raised up in spite of the storm. A bare white arm emerged. It cocked and threw a square object with great force into the wet grass, then retreated inside to close the window once more.
    I felt under the passenger seat for the folding umbrella I kept there. “Oh, drat.” I muttered at my foolishness. The week before, I’d put it in the trunk along with a few other stray items when I vacuumed the seats and floorboards. I had forgotten to return it to its usual place. No matter. In this storm, it would probably only fold inside-out the instant I stepped out of the car. Instead, I emptied the contents of a plastic shopping bag, took my keys from the ignition, covered my head as best I could with the bag, and ran for it.
    I spared a glance in the direction of the object Phoebe had tossed out the window. It was a paperback book. To my surprise, I noticed it had joined two others in what now constituted a small pile. The latest addition had landed on top in comparatively pristine condition to the others that were waterlogged and dirty, as if they had been in their present position some time. I think perhaps one of them had also been torn. It looked as if it had been ripped in two. I assumed Phoebe did not share the bookstore owner’s enthusiasm for her recent purchases.
    Phoebe had already opened her door when I reached her screened-in porch. “Thank you, dear.”
    “What are you still doing out in this mess?”
    “I shopped a bit more than I intended.” My clothes dripped on the green Astroturf mat. I held the plastic bag close to me so it wouldn’t drip on the floor.
    “You don’t have to stand there like that, Jane. This porch is used to rain. Come on in here before we get blown away.” I did as she asked, though I didn’t intend to stay. I slipped off my shoes and set them by the door just inside her living room.
    “Phoebe, I only stopped to see if you wanted to come home with me to wait out the storm. I heard tornado warnings had been issued.”
    “Yeah, we get a lot of those this time of year. We don’t usually get actual tornados, though. They like to skip over Tullulah. But I sure wouldn’t want to be in the valley in a trailer right now.” She spoke as she walked away from me and into the hallway that led to her kitchen. “Let’s go get you a towel.”
    “Really, I shouldn’t stay. Why not come along with me? My basement is quite comfortable. We’d be safe there.”
    “Aw, relax. Nothing’s going to touch down. Why don’t you just stay here with me until it passes?” She paused at the bathroom door and turned to me. “No sense in getting back out in that mess, Jane. You don’t know what might come flying through the air or down the road at you.”
    “You’re right, but I need to get to the house. I’m worried about Homer. He has been out all afternoon and I want to get him inside.”
    “You want another one to take with you?”
    “Another what?”
    In answer, she merely pointed downward toward the interior of the bathroom. “Another mutt to keep Homer company.”
    I stepped closer and peered inside. There on the white tile floor sat a small dog. “Oh, my. Hello, dear.” It returned my gaze and gave a single yap. “Phoebe, I had the impression you didn’t particularly care for dogs.”
    “I don’t.”
    “And that you said you’d never allow one in your