Down the Hatch 6 Book Box Set by Barker Constance

Author:Barker, Constance
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Constance Barker
Published: 2022-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

Andromeda was the cat that had bonded with me. We had become partners, so close that Andromeda’s thoughts appeared in my brain. And I could see through his eyes, which came in handy when I had to search a place I couldn’t get into. As a cat, Andromeda could get into places I couldn’t reach. We made a good team.

Jacob opened the door and let in the cat. I smiled. Andromeda was a helpful companion.

Murder?

Definitely.

Looking for?

Clues.

Interesting.

He was a cat of few words...very chill. When he turned and got that swag of his going I knew he was ready for action. We turned and headed for the murder scene. I could feel Andromeda looking around, searching, using his senses to breathe in everything. I hoped he would find the clue we needed to find the murderer. Andromeda was good at finding the telltale clue, what solved the mystery. He roamed. I stayed with Jacob.

“This was Whitman’s work space,” Jacob said.

I looked around the room, the empty cases. Except for the bloody bronze hammer, everything looked innocent. Dr. Whitman had spread out the artifacts across a desk and a table. Some of the items were in wooden boxes, which made me wonder. Was there any significance in the boxes? In the items he had separated? I couldn’t tell. The items looked pretty ordinary to me. Then, again, I wasn’t any kind of archeologist. I wandered to the table and stared at a box that held the mummified remains of what could only be members of the Chitimacha tribe.

I was drawn to the mummies, which I guessed were children. I wondered why the tribe had gone to the trouble of mummifying children. Many cultures mummified humans, but most cultures saved the process for their most important members. Chiefs and priests were mummified. The ordinary, the children didn’t merit such treatment. So, what was special about these mummies? And why had Whitman picked them out? I was stumped. I didn’t touch them because they were evidence. I searched my brain for some reason why the tribe would want to protect them. What was their significance?

Chitimacha

You know them?

Native.

Yes. Why did they mummify their children?

Custom.

I turned away from the mummies. The other boxes held some pots and beads and stone tools. I didn’t feel much energy in the items. In fact, everything looked as innocent as a new snow—not that we got much snow in New Orleans.

“Here you go.”

I turned, and Jacob handed me a pair of rubber gloves.

“What are these for?” I asked.

“You can’t handle the hammer with your bare hands.”

“I shouldn’t handle the hammer at all.”

“You have to. We’ve gone through a number of investigations, Helga, and those murders would be unsolved if it wasn’t for you. So, while we might mess up a clue or two, I’ll risk it to get a quick solution.”

“You’ll probably get nothing.”

“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”

“Nothing lost either.”

“Just do it. Before we get chased out of here.”

I made a face at him, just to show that I wasn’t his slave.

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