“We don’t have a choice. We will not risk those around the cabin for this. Every person will need to be cleared out for the day. Tell them we’re spraying for some parasite or something awful. But they have to get out of there. Be sure that people are protecting their crops, their gardens and even their greenhouses.”
“Grandpa, that’s a helluva lot of people,” said Luke.
“I know,” he nodded. “Believe me, I know. Have Carl and Ben go around to the people we know. That will definitely help. Then see if we can get AJ, Hiro, and Tanner to help us protect the phone lines, power lines, and any other electronic doo-dad things.”
“Doo-dad things?” smirked Cam.
“Cameron Dougall, don’t test me right now,” smirked Matthew.
“Yes, sir. Sorry.”
Cam knew Matthew was only joking with him but he also didn’t want to test that theory too far. He was a powerful man with abilities that none of them knew the length of yet.
They knew in order to get done what needed to be done, they had to leave the cemetery and get back home. Beryl walked toward the iron gates, staring at her daughter and granddaughter.
“We’re leaving now,” she said quietly. “Whatever you did, we will stop it from poisoning the earth any further. What you can’t fix is how you’ve poisoned us; how you’ve poisoned our relationship.”
“Seems a bit dramatic for you, isn’t it mother. Or should I say grandmother,” said Cressida.
“Cressida, I did one thing wrong. I thought I was protecting you from knowing that your mother deserted you. I have apologized for that. I wish I could change it now but I can’t. I need for you to understand that I never meant any harm.
“The person who truly deserves my apology is Hezekiah. He did nothing wrong except to refuse you as a potential wife. I shouldn’t have pushed that. He clearly saw something I did not.”
“He wouldn’t have survived me,” smirked Cressida. Matthew stared at the young woman, her mother beside her grinning.
“I believe you’ve just sealed your fate,” said Matthew.
In a whoosh of windswept heat and fire the two women were gone. Beryl gasped seeing the spectacle and stared at Matthew.
“You knew that murder could not be overlooked,” he said calmly. She nodded. “By both. Your daughter had done the same, Beryl.”
“I created two murderesses. How did I do that?”
“It wasn’t you, honey,” said Ruby. “Children just don’t listen sometimes and when they do they’re always listenin’ wrong. Misinterpretin’ things and then blamin’ it on us. I’ve never met anyone with perfect children, ‘cept maybe Irene and Matthew.”
“Oh, no,” said Irene laughing. “I love my fifteen children but there ain’t one that’s perfect. Not even close.”
“I’ll have to tell dad that,” smirked Luke.
“You never mind now,” said Irene. “Let’s get back to Belle Fleur. We got work to do.”
Carl, Ben, and Adam, the three brothers of Luke, panned out and went door-to-door, letting folks know that something was coming that might damage flowers, gardens, crops, or anything else living. They assured them it would be safe for humans but with a blast of cold expected, they should remain indoors.
The good fortune for them was that most southerners were not happy about cold spells. Kids perhaps, if it gave them a snow day, but the adults hated the freeze or snow.
“How long will it be cold?” asked Jalen.
“At least twenty-four hours,” said Matthew. “We need to protect our own gardens.”
“We’ve got it, Matthew,” said Jalen.
Jalen, Carter, Sam, Torro, Benji, Mo, and Irish took the ATVs loaded with freeze covers for the plants and began making their rounds on the southern part of the property.
Further to the west, Bodhi, Magnus, CC, Robbie, and Garrett did the same only this time protecting the historic outer buildings often used for historical research by Adele’s university students.
In the northeast corner where most of the herb, fruit, and vegetable gardens and groves were located, a large group was hurriedly covering everything that was alive.
Dom, Fitch, Bron, Dalton, Wes, Marc, and Kiel worked on the trees, while Nathan, Duncan, Callan, Keith, Hunter, and Joseph covered any crops that were above ground.
