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quiet. They’d only discovered it a few hours ago. Was someone close leaking information?

Chapter Four

    W hile they discussed Adrian McDermott’s sudden appearance , Ole Pederson and the others returned from town. Daniel rushed over to them even before Mr. Pederson could park his old Studebaker truck.
    “Did you talk to anyone in town about the theft?” Daniel asked.
    “And hello to you too,” Ole Pederson said with a brief smile, as he exited the truck.
    “Sorry,” Daniel said. “But we just had Adrian McDermott here asking us questions.”
    “Did he actually ask about the theft?” Dr. Roost asked, coming around the front of the truck with Craig right behind her.
    “No, but he sure knew something was going on out here.”
    “Well, we certainly didn’t say anything,” said Old Pederson. “He’s probably just fishing to see what he can get out of us.”
    “You didn’t tell him, did you?” asked Mildred Roost.
    Daniel shook his head. “I’d like to know how he got wind of it.” He turned to look at Craig.
    “Don’t look at me. I haven’t talked to anyone,” Craig said.
    “If it will make you feel any better,” said Dr. Roost, “we only went to the T. rex Discovery Centre and spoke to the general manager there, and then we talked to Tim Tokaryk and Wes Long in the lab. In Climax, we talked to the staff at the museum and the same at the one in Shaunavon, but we asked them all to keep everything confidential and I know they will.”
    “We did stop in to see how Corporal Fraser was doing, but we were only there briefly and no one else was about,” added Ole Pederson.
    Dr. Roost said, “Most likely one of the neighbours saw the rcmp car in the yard.”
    Pederson looked around. “I suppose Ed, Doug and Todd are still down working at the campsite? “
    “Todd went home,” Daniel said.
    “He left?” interrupted Ole Pederson.
    “He told Mom he needed to take care of something,” Daniel said.
    The focus turned to Craig. “Don’t look at me. I don’t have a clue why he left!”
    “I’m sure he must have had a good reason.” Mr. Pederson tried to brush the absence off, but Daniel noted the concern that clouded his grey eyes.
    “So did Corporal Fraser have any news?” Daniel asked, pushing aside his own anxiety about Todd.
    Pederson‘s body seemed to droop. “Nothing...and I’m not holding out any great hope...” A tickle seemed to catch in his throat as he talked, causing him to cough and his eyes to water.
    “There’s something else,” said Daniel. He told them about the oil spill.
    “Landsakes!” Dr. Roost protested. “What more can happen?”
    Mr. Pederson looked even gloomier. “I think I’ll just go home now,” he said, reaching for a handkerchief from his pocket and wiping his eyes. “I’ll talk to you all tomorrow. Keep me posted if there’s any news about the fossils.”
    “We will,” Daniel and Dr. Roost said together, as they watched Pederson shuffle back to his truck, looking like a much older man than he’d looked first thing that morning.
    “If we don’t get that Stygimoloch back, I worry what it will do to him,” muttered Mildred Roost.
    “Me too,” Daniel whispered.
    “He’s more upset than I’ve ever seen him. Discovering the Stygimoloch specimen meant everything to him.”
    “We just have to get the fossils back!”
    Dr. Roost seemed lost in her own world. “Wish I knew how we could do that. I’d give anything to see him inspired again.” She wandered off, leaning on her cane as if she too had suddenly aged.
    Daniel stood in the middle of the yard for some time, thinking of the look on Pederson’s face. When he heard Mom and Cheryl returning from the henhouse, he headed off to begin evening chores. Craig was already in the barn, heaving bales.
    By the time Daniel had finished milking, Todd had still not returned, so he and Craig completed the barn chores together. When they were almost done, Daniel asked him about his brother.
    “I don’t