Bag of Bones Page #2

Names like who?

Patterson. Grisham.

There's even talk of a newly

discovered Bachman book.

All those authors,

they don't publish in the spring.

I mean, they...

Those are summer, fall guys.

What can I tell ya?

Maybe they got some extra ideas

this year.

Some might've stockpiled novels

like squirrels.

Hey, what did you used to call

those books you used to write

when you were young and hungry,

and were writing books faster

than they could print them?

Trunk novels.

That's right.

Trunk novels.

Maybe those guys

dug up a few trunk novels

and dusted them off.

Figured, "what the hell," right?

What are you asking me, Marty?

Scribner wants to publish

a novel late winter.

What does that mean?

Pages with your name on them

by the end of the summer.

You're asking me to write

a novel in three months, Marty?

No, no, no.

You wouldn't have

to turn in the manuscript

until end of September

or early October.

'Course that means they'd really

have to crash their production,

but they can do it.

The question is whether

or not you can do it.

So what do you say?

Can you write your next novel

on this ridiculous schedule?

I can do it, Marty.

Attaboy, Mike.

Well, you get clickety cranking

on your next Noonan blockbuster,

and I'm going to get

to gouging these guys

for every penny they have,

for breaking your balls

and making you rush

your next novel like this.

Okay, Marty, that sounds good.

All right.

Oh, and do me a favor, will ya?

Yeah?

Take it easy on the drinking, will ya?

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Phone beeps]

[Sighs]

[Breathes deeply]

You're not disappointed in me?

Hmm?

Once for "yes,"

twice for "no."

Hmm?

Last night I dreamt I went

to Dark Score Lake again.

[Heart beating]

[Shrill screaming]

[Distant child crying]

[Distant screaming]

[Phone ringing]

Oh?

[Sighs]

Yeah?

Mr. Noonan.

Yeah?

My name is Bill Dean,

from down on Dark Score Lake.

I was helping your wife

renovate the property

you inherited a couple years back?

Okay.

The local kids are getting

Wilder and Wilder every year.

A bunch of them snuck

into your house the other night.

At least the only thing

I can think of happening.

Why?

Why is that?

Well, it's the windows.

They're all broken

from the inside out.

Now I just wanted to make sure

you'll approve the expenses

of getting them fixed.

This goes a little beyond

the normal caretaking

your wife hired me for.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure.

Well, do whatever it takes.

Of course.

Um, listen, Mr. Dean,

how is the lake house?

I mean, apart from the windows,

of course.

She's fine.

How come?

Oh, I was just thinking

of maybe getting away

for a while, that's all.

You... you want me to get

it ready for an extended stay?

Yes.

Yes, let's... let's...

Let's do that, Bill.

That would be great.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

She'll be ready for you,

Mr. Noonan.

I think it's a good idea,

don't you, Jo?

Once for "yes,"

twice for "no."

All right, let's go.

[Groans]

Oh.

[Sighs]

[Telephone rings once]

"Now arriving at Dark Score Lake."

[Turns radio off]

[Sighs]

Wake up, Jo.

[Foreboding music]

[crickets chirping]

Last night I dreamt I went

to Dark Score Lake again.

[Door slams]

Hello?

Mr. Noonan.

Bill Dean.

Oh, good evening, Bill.

Yeah, please call me Mike.

I didn't mean to scare you.

I just thought you'd like

someone here to greet you

when you arrived.

Oh, thanks very much.

I appreciate it.

You look just like your

granddad, Harold.

I do?

Yup.

Can I help you with your luggage?

Yeah, sure, sure.

I don't have much, but thank you.

[Eerie music]

yeah, just put that over there, Bill.

Thanks.

Oh, Jo really did a lot of work

to the place, didn't she?

Yeah, she sure did.

[Chuckles]

Bunter.

Jo named him.

It's the first thing we bought

when we inherited the place.

Got it in a little antique store

outside of town.

[Laughs]

When we got frisky here,

she said we were ringing

Bunter's bell.

[Laughing]

Uh, look, I better be off.

Okay.

Oh, I left my number on the fridge,

along with the number

of the local cleaning lady

your wife hired...

Brenda Meserve.

- Mm-hmm.

Told her she ought

to come by tomorrow,

if that's okay with you.

Great, great.

Good night, now.

You bet.

Mr. Noonan.

Hmm?

I was awful sorry

to hear of Jo's passing.

Right.

We all were.

People around here, they...

Really liked her, didn't they?

They did.

Well, good night,

Mr. Noonan.

Good night Bill.

Good night, now.

[Keys clank]

[Sighs]

Hmm.

[Playing guitar]

[Melancholy music]

Come to me.

I have so much to show you, Mike.

[Keys jingle]

[Sighs]

[Jazz music]

let's fire it up.

[Cracks knuckles]

Mm-hmm.

[Sighs]

Come on now, something,

something, anything.

Something!

Come on!

Just give it to me!

Something!

Okay, Jo.

Tell me how to write, hmm?

Just tell me how to write.

[Bell rings]

Bunter?

[Foreboding music]

[bell softly rings]

[Continues ringing]

[Clears throat]

[Scoffs]

Okay.

Okay, Bunter.

That's enough of that.

[Bell rings]

[Soft rock music]

there are clouds on the horizon

so take a breath

you're in the calm

before the storm

if only for a moment

close your eyes

and feel the thunder

we can't hide

or run for cover anymore

it's time to take a stand together

oh, oh

hold on

'cause the tide is strong

it can't erase

the fire in her eyes

[sighs]

Greetings, my dear lady.

Greetings, my green lady.

Huh.

[Sighs]

[Scraping]

Oh!

[Grunts]

Jo?

Is that you?

Once for "yes."

Twice for "no."

[Bell rings once]

[Laughs]

Oh!

[Sighs]

You're here, aren't you, Jo?

[Bell rings once]

[Laughs]

[Woman singing shrill note]

[Groans]

[Woman screams]

[Bell ringing]

[Screams]

[Panting]

We're not alone, are we, Jo?

Huh?

[Door creaks open]

Jo, are you there?

Hi.

Who are you?

I'm sorry,

Mr. Noonan.

Name's Brenda Meserve.

Your housekeeper?

I... I used the key

to let myself in.

Yes.

[Chuckles]

Oh, yes.

Of course.

Oh, good.

Nice to meet you, Brenda.

How are you?

Uh, Bill said he told you

I'd be coming by today

to clean the place up for you.

I can come back at a better time

if you'd like.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

It's all fine.

Uh, I was just going to head into town

and get something to eat.

You're sure?

Oh, absolutely.

Any, uh...

Any suggestions?

Buddy Jellison's cafe,

right there on main street.

Can't go wrong ordering

the villageburger.

Ah, good.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for coming.

Hey! Hey!

Get out of the road!

[Horn honks]

Hey, get out of here!

Come on, come on!

What are you doing?

Ky!

Ky?

Is that your name?

Like Kya?

- [Panting]

- That's my mommy.

Sweetheart, what were you thinking?

- I wanted to go swimming!

- [Sighs]

Her name's Kya?

Kyra, but sometimes I call her Ky.

Oh.

- I'm... I'm Mattie Devore.

- Hi, Mattie.

- I'm not a bad mother. I swear to God.

- No, I didn't say you were.

Please don't mention this to anybody.

We're... we're going through

a little bit of a hard time.

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