Read Online The Stolen Bones by Carolyn Keene - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Carolyn Keene
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about a third of all fossil sites in Western grasslands showed signs of poaching.”
After one day on a dig, stealing fossils seemed like a lot of work. “And people can really make enough money to make it worthwhile?”
Grayson broke in. “A few years back, thieves dug up a site in Badlands National Park. They got eighteen skulls worth five thousand dollars each. Some kind of rhinoceros, right?”
Kyle nodded. “They were titanothere skulls. A mammal sort of like a rhinoceros. Thirty million years old.”
“A museum at the University of Michigan also lost some rhino fossils,” Grayson added. “The thieves actually took apart the exhibit, took a skull and a leg bone, and then put the case back together.”
Abby shook her head and made a tsking sound. “Such foolish human vanity. The pure of spirit know that fortune is merely a distraction in the search for truth.”
Russell snorted. “Is that why you’re here? You think you’ll find some kind of truth?”
“What does truth look like, Abby?” Grayson asked. “Will you point it out to me when you find it? Maybe I can take some home. I can always use a little more truth.”
I could tell they were teasing her, but she took it seriously. “One must put aside the self, and open oneself to the divine guidance of spiritual beings. We have lessons to learn in this life.”
Russell rolled his eyes. “What lessons do you get from a dinosaur dig?”
“Positive creative activity is part of our work to heal ourselves, each other, and mother earth.”
George leaned over to me and whispered, “So long as the activity doesn’t involve any heavy lifting.”
Felix served brownies for dessert, then we helped clean. I was tying up a garbage bag when George waved Bess and me away from the others. “Someone is hiding behind that truck,” George said. “I saw movement, but he ducked back. It’s not someone from camp. I counted everyone.”
“Great work,” I said. “Let’s spread out and see if we can get another look. He was behind that blue SUV?”
“Right,” George said. “That’s Russell’s, but he’s building up the campfire.”
We split up and walked casually around the clearing. I didn’t look at the SUV directly but kept it in the edge of my vision.
A head bobbed up. I kept walking slowly, not directly toward him. He lifted a hand for a second, then ducked back down.
I changed direction and joined George. “It’s Jimmy. His mother comes here openly, but he sneaks around. Interesting. I don’t think he knows I saw him.”
“So now what?” George said as Bess came over. “Wait—there he goes. Do we follow?”
“Of course!”
We wanted to give him a head start, so he wouldn’t know we were following. That’s when we saw someone else start down the road.
“What’s Steffi doing?” I murmured.
“It looks like she’s following Jimmy,” George said.
“It could be a coincidence,” Bess said. “Her tent’s over there.”
Steffi paused and looked toward camp. We could see her through the SUV windows, but I doubt she could tell we were watching. She gave the campsite a long look, then hurried after Jimmy.
George, Bess, and I exchanged curious glances, then followed. Jimmy was already out of sight. If Steffi just went to her tent, we could hurry ahead and try to pick up his trail.
We darted between low trees and bushes. Steffi hurried straight for her tent, without glancing back.
“See?” Bess whispered. “She’s probably just getting her jacket or something.”
“Wait!” I hissed. “Not such a coincidence after all.”
Jimmy stood up from behind the tent. Steffi greeted him without surprise. She unzipped her tent and the two ducked inside.
“Let’s go closer,” I said. “I want to know what they’re saying.” I pointed to the top of the rock outcropping next to the tent and we crept up the side.
We stretched out on top and looked down at Steffi’stent. We were only about ten feet away, but if they came out,
After one day on a dig, stealing fossils seemed like a lot of work. “And people can really make enough money to make it worthwhile?”
Grayson broke in. “A few years back, thieves dug up a site in Badlands National Park. They got eighteen skulls worth five thousand dollars each. Some kind of rhinoceros, right?”
Kyle nodded. “They were titanothere skulls. A mammal sort of like a rhinoceros. Thirty million years old.”
“A museum at the University of Michigan also lost some rhino fossils,” Grayson added. “The thieves actually took apart the exhibit, took a skull and a leg bone, and then put the case back together.”
Abby shook her head and made a tsking sound. “Such foolish human vanity. The pure of spirit know that fortune is merely a distraction in the search for truth.”
Russell snorted. “Is that why you’re here? You think you’ll find some kind of truth?”
“What does truth look like, Abby?” Grayson asked. “Will you point it out to me when you find it? Maybe I can take some home. I can always use a little more truth.”
I could tell they were teasing her, but she took it seriously. “One must put aside the self, and open oneself to the divine guidance of spiritual beings. We have lessons to learn in this life.”
Russell rolled his eyes. “What lessons do you get from a dinosaur dig?”
“Positive creative activity is part of our work to heal ourselves, each other, and mother earth.”
George leaned over to me and whispered, “So long as the activity doesn’t involve any heavy lifting.”
Felix served brownies for dessert, then we helped clean. I was tying up a garbage bag when George waved Bess and me away from the others. “Someone is hiding behind that truck,” George said. “I saw movement, but he ducked back. It’s not someone from camp. I counted everyone.”
“Great work,” I said. “Let’s spread out and see if we can get another look. He was behind that blue SUV?”
“Right,” George said. “That’s Russell’s, but he’s building up the campfire.”
We split up and walked casually around the clearing. I didn’t look at the SUV directly but kept it in the edge of my vision.
A head bobbed up. I kept walking slowly, not directly toward him. He lifted a hand for a second, then ducked back down.
I changed direction and joined George. “It’s Jimmy. His mother comes here openly, but he sneaks around. Interesting. I don’t think he knows I saw him.”
“So now what?” George said as Bess came over. “Wait—there he goes. Do we follow?”
“Of course!”
We wanted to give him a head start, so he wouldn’t know we were following. That’s when we saw someone else start down the road.
“What’s Steffi doing?” I murmured.
“It looks like she’s following Jimmy,” George said.
“It could be a coincidence,” Bess said. “Her tent’s over there.”
Steffi paused and looked toward camp. We could see her through the SUV windows, but I doubt she could tell we were watching. She gave the campsite a long look, then hurried after Jimmy.
George, Bess, and I exchanged curious glances, then followed. Jimmy was already out of sight. If Steffi just went to her tent, we could hurry ahead and try to pick up his trail.
We darted between low trees and bushes. Steffi hurried straight for her tent, without glancing back.
“See?” Bess whispered. “She’s probably just getting her jacket or something.”
“Wait!” I hissed. “Not such a coincidence after all.”
Jimmy stood up from behind the tent. Steffi greeted him without surprise. She unzipped her tent and the two ducked inside.
“Let’s go closer,” I said. “I want to know what they’re saying.” I pointed to the top of the rock outcropping next to the tent and we crept up the side.
We stretched out on top and looked down at Steffi’stent. We were only about ten feet away, but if they came out,
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