A Deep Breath and Twelve Foot Pruners

Chapter Five It was the time after the meal where choices are made. Some choose to clean up the meal carnage, some choose to nap, and some choose to do anything except the first choice. I went into the kitchen to help with the cleanup but unbeknownst to me at the time, David went to his dad’s garage to look for a long pole or something that could reach the suitcase from the side of the road. After all, we didn’t know what was in it so we didn’t want to tamper too much with the evidence or mess up any fingerprints and DNA. Clean up was done and I went outside to see where David and DJ were. You know, so we could form another huddle to talk because the suitcase was beckoning louder. It didn’t take me long to find David because he actually found me to ask me if I wanted to take a walk. I didn’t have to ask him where we were walking; I knew we were going straight for the bridge. DJ was already waiting in the front yard. David and I met up with him and as the three of us walked towards the road David turned and hollered back to those on the deck that we would be back, we were taking a walk. Then he knelt down to pick up, yes you guessed it, a very long pole. It was a twelve foot tree pruner to be exact. Complete with the hook and pull mechanism. It was easy to hide the pole as we vacated the yard due to all of the parked cars. So we started our journey towards the bridge with a twelve foot pole in hand. The suitcase was shouting at this point. We trekked eastbound single file with the pole on our right side so we could conceal it from passing cars. After all, why are these three people walking down the road with a tree pruner? Did their truck break down and were afraid someone might steal the pruner as they went for assistance? In the rural areas people are apt to stop and ask if you need help. That is a part of America that is sadly missing in today’s culture, but on this day we were not looking to reinstate it. So we walked and talked keeping the pole as hidden as possible. We decided that we would inspect it from the road and top of the creek bank. We had watched enough crime shows that our crime scene investigation skills were now kicking in. We knew we needed to check for any insects on or around the suitcase. This could indicate a body or something unpleasant that might be secured in the suitcase. We needed to check the area around it as well for other items or things that seemed out of place for the creek bed. We needed to cautiously sniff for any odd smells. I am not exactly sure what we were supposed to smell for but I guess we would know if we smelled it.