I wonder if it’s too late to call Williams. Probably not.
He picked up his holophone, and almost immediately a
hologram of Williams filled the room.
“Hello, Mr. Lovinggood. Did your grandfather tell you I called?”
“Yes, he did. That’s what I’m calling about. I’ve decided to place my parents at Crystal Rivers Cemetery.”
Williams nodded. “I’m familiar with Crystal Rivers. It’s a good choice.”
“My grandfather said they’ll be disinterred on November twenty-third.”
Williams nodded again. “Yes, sir. We’ll do it at nine a.m. on November twenty-third. I assume you’ll want to have someone present.”
“I intend to be present myself.”
“Hello, Mr. Lovinggood. Did your grandfather tell you I called?”
“Yes, he did. That’s what I’m calling about. I’ve decided to place my parents at Crystal Rivers Cemetery.”
Williams nodded. “I’m familiar with Crystal Rivers. It’s a good choice.”
“My grandfather said they’ll be disinterred on November twenty-third.”
Williams nodded again. “Yes, sir. We’ll do it at nine a.m. on November twenty-third. I assume you’ll want to have someone present.”
“I intend to be present myself.”
“Oh, well, that’s fine. We’ll have a military guard to
escort the president’s remains to his new resting place, but
we weren’t sure if you’d want any further ceremony or not.”
Hank didn’t hesitate. The media would inevitably make a huge deal out of this thing anyway. If they had any kind of ceremony, it would be that much worse. I have no desire to hear the newscasters talk about Mother. “I may have a private service for family members, but that’s all.”
“The state is responsible for the cost of opening and closing the graves, so I’ll arrange it with Crystal Rivers.”
“Good,” Hank said. “Tell them to prepare for burial on the twenty-fourth. I’ll let them know what time.”
“The twenty-fourth?” He saw surprise on Williams’ face.
“That’s right. The bodies are to be taken from Knollwood directly to The Sinclair Mortuary.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll arrange for them to be escorted on the twenty-fourth from the mortuary to Crystal Rivers.”
After they finished their call, Hank had to wipe his hands on his pants because his palms were slick with sweat. He had been so young when his parents died that he barely remembered them. He craved to see their faces as much as any addict on the street craved his next fix. Now, thanks to the Flash Train, he would get his chance.
His plan would horrify his grandmother, who could never understand his need. Both of her parents had lived to a ripe old age; she had enjoyed their company for almost all of her life.
Of course, time might have ruined his one opportunity to look upon their faces. He had taken that into account when he made his plans. The director of the Sinclair Mortuary had agreed to open the coffins and look first. If Mr. Sinclair thought best, he would close the lids, and that would be the end of it.
Hank didn’t hesitate. The media would inevitably make a huge deal out of this thing anyway. If they had any kind of ceremony, it would be that much worse. I have no desire to hear the newscasters talk about Mother. “I may have a private service for family members, but that’s all.”
“The state is responsible for the cost of opening and closing the graves, so I’ll arrange it with Crystal Rivers.”
“Good,” Hank said. “Tell them to prepare for burial on the twenty-fourth. I’ll let them know what time.”
“The twenty-fourth?” He saw surprise on Williams’ face.
“That’s right. The bodies are to be taken from Knollwood directly to The Sinclair Mortuary.”
“Yes, sir. We’ll arrange for them to be escorted on the twenty-fourth from the mortuary to Crystal Rivers.”
After they finished their call, Hank had to wipe his hands on his pants because his palms were slick with sweat. He had been so young when his parents died that he barely remembered them. He craved to see their faces as much as any addict on the street craved his next fix. Now, thanks to the Flash Train, he would get his chance.
His plan would horrify his grandmother, who could never understand his need. Both of her parents had lived to a ripe old age; she had enjoyed their company for almost all of her life.
Of course, time might have ruined his one opportunity to look upon their faces. He had taken that into account when he made his plans. The director of the Sinclair Mortuary had agreed to open the coffins and look first. If Mr. Sinclair thought best, he would close the lids, and that would be the end of it.
Hank wiped his hands again. Have I totally lost my
mind? Won’t seeing them make their loss even harder to
bear?
It didn’t matter. No power on earth could keep him from opening those coffins. God willing, the devouring curiosity that had tormented him for thirty long years would finally be satisfied.
It didn’t matter. No power on earth could keep him from opening those coffins. God willing, the devouring curiosity that had tormented him for thirty long years would finally be satisfied.
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