Meadowview Acres by Donna Cain Page B

Jackson family home. It’s going to be rough for them for a while. For the whole town, I’d imagine. Claymont was a popular guy.”
    “Yep, this one’s tough alright,” Deputy Clay responded. “Listen, I’m not feeling too good. I think we’ve got all the information the Doc’s going to give us tonight. You mind if I go on home?”
    “No, go on. You look like hell, Mike. You okay?” Alarm bells were sounding in Sheriff Buchanon’s head. He’d had enough for one night.
    “I’ll be alright, just got a wicked headache. I thought I was going to faint while I’s drivin’ those kids home. Even had a nose bleed and started seein’ spots and such. I was a lot better driving over here, though. Soon’s they got outta my cruiser, I started feelin’ better. I’m just goin’ home and get some sleep. I’ll see ya tomorrow at the station.”
    “That’s fine, Michael. You feel better now,” he said as he watched his deputy shuffle down the florescent hallway. He looked small in the light.
    Sheriff Buchanon felt unsettled about something but couldn’t quite place what. Something Deputy Clay had said sounded familiar. It had been a long night. He knew tomorrow would be longer still, so he decided to go home. All of the sudden he needed to see Margy, Jeff and Jennifer.
    The nagging feeling stayed with him all the way home. Pulling into his driveway, a thought occurred to him. He had experienced terrible head pain at the construction site. He remembered seeing flashing lights and feeling like his head was going to split open. Deputy Clay had said that he, too, had a headache at the site. He mentioned seeing spots. Claymont Jackson was at the site and died of what surely was a brain hemorrhage. Or was it? Was there more to this than a medical condition? Then he remembered how sick the kids had been. Hunter couldn’t stop dry heaving, and Bug was all sweaty and weak. Eli had said he had a headache, too. Was there a connection?
    Walking into his house that night, Sheriff Buchanon couldn’t help but worry. What had happened to Claymont Jackson? Was the same thing going to happen to Deputy Clay – to Eli – to him?

CHAPTER 13
    Eli & Hunter
    T he ride back to Meadowview Acres took less than a few minutes, but it was hell inside of Deputy Clay’s squad car. Bug sat up front with the deputy while Eli and Hunter occupied the back seat with the shiny silver box wedged between them.
    Deputy Clay was having a tough time driving while managing a nose bleed. He was worried about Bug beside him; she was white and clammy and Michael was pretty sure that she had fainted once during the drive. In the back seat, Hunter’s stomach was heaving the entire drive. Eli seemed the least affected, but still had a very bad headache.
    Deputy Clay parked on the street in front of Bug’s house and helped Bug up to the door. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton met them there with looks of concern and puzzlement. Mrs. Andrews was there as well. The deputy spoke with them about the matter while still containing his nose bleed. Eventually, Mrs. Hamilton disappeared from the doorway with Bug, and Mr. Hamilton and Mrs. Andrews continued speaking with Deputy Clay.
    Like two shell shocked victims, Hunter and Eli emerged from the car. Their bodies were exhausted and in pain. Their minds were blown with the events that had unfolded, and they were anxious about what was to come next. Eli was wearing the backpack while Hunter carried the box.
    “Well, what do we do now?” Hunter managed to ask between acidic burps.
    “Man, I just want to go home. This night has been hell, this whole day, really,” Eli responded while rubbing his temples.
    “No, Eli. What are we going to do now with this?” He gestured to the box dangling from its handle.
    “Oh. Sorry. Let’s just store it somewhere for a couple of days until things calm down. I think it’s going to be a little hectic for a while with Mr. Jackson and all.”
    “That’s fine with me,” Hunter replied. “I