Read Earthcrack: A Lin Hanna Mystery for Free Online Page B

proceeded
to the closet to pick up her jacket and then left the visitor center.   It was a close-knit community here in
the park residences.   There were two
houses—one, the original, historic park ranger’s home, was occupied by
Danielle as the head law enforcement ranger.   The other was currently assigned to one
of the park archeologists, Steve Barton, who was overseeing some work at some
of the more remote ruins.   Lin had
met him but he was not around much.   He worked late in the field, usually, and rarely joined others when they
gathered.    Lin did recall that
he had said that his wife and son would be joining him for the summer after
school was out.   He had a home in
Flagstaff and had some affiliation with the university—part-time teaching
she thought—but this spring he was full-time with the park service doing
this work so he was staying in the park during the week.   Since his wife and son were coming soon
and the larger home was available, Danielle had assigned it to him.   The other park workers—seasonal
rangers and volunteers—lived in the small apartments that were attached
in a row between the two larger homes.  
    Currently only Lin and Toby were
there.   In a few weeks two Student
Conservation Association (SCA) interns would join them for the summer.   That would fill the remaining apartments.   Lin looked forward to meeting the
students when they came.
    Wupatki, like many of the parks, was
usually understaffed.    Danielle was the only full time ranger.   Toby was seasonal and would only work
through the fall, and the archeologist was not directly involved in running the
park.   That left Lin and the soon to
arrive SCA students as the only other regular park service personnel.    There was a maintenance guy named
Jacob who cleaned and maintained the visitor center facilities but right now he
was shared with Sunset Crater that was on the same loop road.   He had housing there and was on call for
emergencies but they generally only saw him for a few hours a day.   They often had to do small jobs
themselves.
    It is nice to have neighbors though, Lin
thought.   I enjoy Toby and I’m sure
that the students will be good additions to our little community.    She unlocked her apartment door
and went in, flipping the switch for the swamp cooler as she entered.   It was noisy but it did help to cool the
small space that could be quite warm after being closed up through the hottest
part of the day.   Later, when the
sun was waning, it would be cooler and she could turn it off and enjoy the
evening air through the open windows.   Spring weather could be tricky.   It was quite chilly in the early morning and at night but it could
really heat up during the day and, thus far, this had been an unusually warm
spring for northern Arizona.
    Lin decided to take another shower.   She felt hot and dusty from being out in
the box canyon so long and she was still a bit shaken by what had
transpired.   It was disturbing to
think that someone had fallen into that earth crack and been injured with no
one around to hear them or come to their aid.  
    She let the cool water run over her back—it
felt so good.   Her thoughts returned
to the events of the day.   She
recalled that nothing was brought up out of the earth crack except the remains
and the rock which might have had traces of blood—no water bottle,
backpack—nothing that a hiker would be expected to have!   She hadn’t thought about this until
now.   Of course, not everyone who
decided to take a hike prepared himself or herself properly but folks around
here generally respected the arid environment and carried water if nothing
else.   It made her wonder.   Whoever that person was certainly had
not expected to be in the area very long; they should have had a vehicle parked
somewhere nearby.   No one had
mentioned anything about an abandoned vehicle having been found somewhere
nearby in the past; this was another mystery! Lin