"Tacky float," was Fred's comment. "We got him beat hands down."
An old truck followed, with Pumpkin Green, Billy Langstrom, and other water fight participants aboard, all outfitted in heavy fire-fighting gear for their early afternoon combat. The competition included both men and women, and all were having a great time dousing the watchers-and even the paraders passing in the opposite direction-with water guns. Dean spotted Cynthia waving from the corner, just as Pumpkin shocked her with a stream of liquid.
The parade, with its smiles, applause, and balloons, was over in a half hour. After bestowing well-deserved thanks, Dean left his makeshift campaign committee and once more tried to locate Billy Langstrom, again unsuccessfully. After a score of handshakes from well-wishers, he located his wife and joined her for a jam-packed barbeque lunch, sponsored by the Elks at their century old restored building-another traditional happening of the annual holiday festivities. It was here Dean was finally able to tell his wife about meeting Paul Senior's widow and his offer to show her the high country property in litigation. Cynthia was delighted. Even though it would be a short trip, it was an opportunity to photograph the floral spectacle, with the added opportunity to meet another participant in the Dawkins family chronicle.
Bird Song was empty when the Deans returned after retrieving the Jeep and making their way to the inn by back streets. Even Maria had gone uptown for the parade and festivities, surely a thrill compared to the rural poverty of her homeland.
Dean took advantage of the time before the water fight to detail to Cynthia his conversation with the Dawkinses' stepmother. While Dean was no closer to finding the identity of the bones or the person or persons trying to stop him from doing so, the introduction of Jennifer Radisson into the equation was, to him, a welcome addition. If he, Cynthia, and Fred were tasked with simply finding the identity of the old bones, the chore would be difficult at best and limited to Fred and his cronies researching old records. But the fact that some present-day person was trying to stop them from finding any answers somehow made the mystery more intriguing.
"I liked the woman," he told Cynthia. "I think her story had enough of a ring of truth that I believed her."
"Do you think this Josh character-the miner Fred found out about-might be her father?"
"The time frame and dates seemed to fit, but that's a mighty long stretch. What are the odds of her meeting this guy and being the daughter of his mine manager from twenty years earlier and a thousand miles away? Even the fact that she was born in a town where he owned land is coincidence enough."