48. A Trip

Summary

• On October 28, 1969, Kya Clark leaves Barkley Cove, first informing her friend Jumpin’ of her departure, and travels by bus to Greenville, carrying a suitcase and knapsack packed with books and a small amount of her royalty money.
• She arrives back in Barkley Cove two days later. The townspeople all stop to stare and gossip as she retrieves her suitcase and heads back to her boat.
• Jumpin’ is unavailable when Kya returns so she decides to visit him the following day to inform him that she is back.
• On October 31, Kya visits Jumpin’ and finds him visibly distressed. He tells her that Chase Andrews is dead.
• Jumpin’ relays the town gossip that Andrews was found at the bottom of the old fire tower, his neck broken and skull smashed. The speculation is that he either fell or was pushed from the top.
• While many townsfolk believe Andrews' death was an accident due to an open grate, others, including Andrews' own mother, suspect foul play.
• The two boys who found Andrews' body reportedly heard the sheriff mention the lack of footprints at the scene, suggesting that evidence may have been deliberately erased.
• Jumpin’ mentions that Andrews was not wearing the shell necklace he always wore, even though his wife confirmed he had it on the night of his death.
• Kya, clearly affected by the news, returns home and reflects on a verse by Amanda Hamilton, seeming to relate it to her own experiences.
• Jumpin’ is thankful that Kya was in Greenville at the time of Chase's death, automatically excluding her from suspicion in the townspeople's eyes.