Part 2:
We arrived in the town of Abilond, Kansas.
Population: 10,500.
Small, yes. But they did have a library.
One that did NOT allow animal companions.
“Can you wait over there? In that park?" I asked. “I'll check on you in an hour."
“Yeah, sure. Looks nice."
I left Dale and went to the Abilond Free Library.
Thanks to a helpful librarian, I got access to the local history archive.
They had a book that listed every public servant from the 1800's.
Mayor.
Medical Examiner.
Marshal.
The interesting thing about Will Eckerson? He only served as Marshal for three years.
From 1888 to 1891.
Then he moved back East, to Town Worth, to wed and retire.
The name after his in the book's listing?
The Marshal who served for 16 years after?
Rance Canaday.
Which interested me because:
Will's sister was named TempeRANCE.
Coincidence?
I looked up everything I could on this Marshal.
Rance Canaday.
Never married.
No children.
Just a fuzzy photo.
Population: 10,500.
Small, yes. But they did have a library.
One that did NOT allow animal companions.
“Can you wait over there? In that park?" I asked. “I'll check on you in an hour."
“Yeah, sure. Looks nice."
I left Dale and went to the Abilond Free Library.
Thanks to a helpful librarian, I got access to the local history archive.
They had a book that listed every public servant from the 1800's.
Mayor.
Medical Examiner.
Marshal.
The interesting thing about Will Eckerson? He only served as Marshal for three years.
From 1888 to 1891.
Then he moved back East, to Town Worth, to wed and retire.
The name after his in the book's listing?
The Marshal who served for 16 years after?
Rance Canaday.
Which interested me because:
Will's sister was named TempeRANCE.
Coincidence?
I looked up everything I could on this Marshal.
Rance Canaday.
Never married.
No children.
Just a fuzzy photo.
Property records showed Rance Canaday owned a house at 1412 County Route 36.
I found Dale in the park under a shady tree.
“Saddle up," I said. “But eat first." I held out a pulled pork sandwich.
“Thanks! Where to next?"
“County Route 36."
“Sounds kinda boring, to be honest."
“We can visit the Steam Engine Train Museum, if that's more your speed?"
“I like trains."
“Come on," I said. “Time to go. County Route 36."
“Awww."
I found Dale in the park under a shady tree.
“Saddle up," I said. “But eat first." I held out a pulled pork sandwich.
“Thanks! Where to next?"
“County Route 36."
“Sounds kinda boring, to be honest."
“We can visit the Steam Engine Train Museum, if that's more your speed?"
“I like trains."
“Come on," I said. “Time to go. County Route 36."
“Awww."
We arrived at the residence listed as her address.
Although residence was perhaps too strong a word.
It was just a dilapidated patch of land.
Made sense, I guess. She'd been dead for over a century.
The GPS on my phone said that this was the place.
Still, sad to see.
There was barely anything at all.
We walked past debris and scrub brush until coming to a hole in the ground.
Literally.
A hole lined with tarps and caution tape. Looking quite awful.
And definitely not safe.
“Dale, you should stay here. But come help if it caves in on me."
“You're going in there?"
“I'm gonna look."
“There could be animals in there."
“We didn't come all this way for nothing."
“I guess. Call me if you need me. I'll be ready."
Although residence was perhaps too strong a word.
It was just a dilapidated patch of land.
Made sense, I guess. She'd been dead for over a century.
The GPS on my phone said that this was the place.
Still, sad to see.
There was barely anything at all.
We walked past debris and scrub brush until coming to a hole in the ground.
Literally.
A hole lined with tarps and caution tape. Looking quite awful.
And definitely not safe.
“Dale, you should stay here. But come help if it caves in on me."
“You're going in there?"
“I'm gonna look."
“There could be animals in there."
“We didn't come all this way for nothing."
“I guess. Call me if you need me. I'll be ready."
I dug down beneath the the tarps into darkness.
My phone lighted the way through the debris.
A broken, wobbly staircase led me to a basement.
I made my way through a prior century.
The area below was a jumble of garbage and history.
Rusted tools.
Old shoes and boots.
Just a mess.
This was stupid.
Why was I here?
For a report?
But then.
I saw something in a corner.
Half-covered by a green tarp.
It was a safe! With a combinati9n lock!
And maybe.
Maybe it held something.
I wanted to try and open it right then.
I imagined Temperance watching from above, excited, wanting me to quickly learn its secrets.
But part of me knew it was better to have Dale blink it home first.
And so I ignored the voice of Temperance and followed a course of self-restraint.
My phone lighted the way through the debris.
A broken, wobbly staircase led me to a basement.
I made my way through a prior century.
The area below was a jumble of garbage and history.
Rusted tools.
Old shoes and boots.
Just a mess.
This was stupid.
Why was I here?
For a report?
But then.
I saw something in a corner.
Half-covered by a green tarp.
It was a safe! With a combinati9n lock!
And maybe.
Maybe it held something.
I wanted to try and open it right then.
I imagined Temperance watching from above, excited, wanting me to quickly learn its secrets.
But part of me knew it was better to have Dale blink it home first.
And so I ignored the voice of Temperance and followed a course of self-restraint.