Point No Point Read Free

was found floating in the lake. Right around the Point No Point buoy, but it turned out he was ours—I mean Pepin County’s. No one we know. At least I don’t think so. It’s hard to tell because he was pretty bloated. No matter where he was killed, he was found in our jurisdiction.”
    “So he was killed?” Rich asked.
    “Shot in the belly.”
    “Gross, Mom. Can’t you wait until we’re done eating?” Meg
    said the words like they were pieces of bone she was biting down hard on.
    Claire was so hungry she wanted to fall into her waiting chair and stuff the bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich into her mouth, but even more she wanted to change clothes. The dead man’s smell was still clinging to her uniform.
    “I’ll just be a minute.”
    “Want a beer?” Rich asked.
    “Desperately.”
    “Me, too. And Curt.” Meg added.
    As Claire walked up the stairs, she heard Rich say, “You can split a beer. Since it’s your birthday. Then cake.”
    Good, she hadn’t missed everything.
    Claire pulled off her clothes and let them fall in a puddle to the floor. Later, she promised herself. She grabbed a clean white blouse and a pair of cut-off jeans and slipped her feet into flipflops. Much better. She went into the bathroom and washed her face and hands, then washed them again, feeling like she would never get the man’s decay off her skin.
    Leaning into the mirror, she undid her ponytail. She was sick of her long hair. The dark hank lay on the back of her neck like an old ratty fur. Maybe it was time for a change. She was getting close to fifty, and her daughter was almost grown up.
    “Mom,” Meg yelled up the stairs. “We’re waiting to open presents.”
    “Hold your horses.”
    “Did you get me a horse, finally?” Meg asked, with a slightly lighter tone in her voice.
    Claire descended the stairs and sank into her chair—one hand grabbing the cold beer while the other clamped onto half a sandwich. The beer made it to her mouth first.
    “I can open my presents now, can’t I? I don’t have to wait until you’re done eating.”
    “Please, open away.”
    First came Rich’s present. Meg ripped the wrapping off the rectangular shape with one yank and held up a mushroom identification book, the latest edition. After showing it around, Meg paged through it enthusiastically—it was a hobby the two of them shared, much to Claire’s pleasure. The bounty they brought back from the woods was delicious: morels in the spring, chanterelles, boletes, and hen of the woods in the fall.
    “Cool,” Curt said as she handed him the book. “I’d like to learn more about mushrooms, too.”
    The next present was from Curt. Claire was nearly as anxious to see this as Meg. The present might give her some inside information on how serious their relationship was. As much as she liked Curt, she hated to see Meg so wrapped up in one boy. At her age she should be playing the field. However, down in Pepin County, there wasn’t much of a field to play.
    Curt’s present was in a small box, wrapped in newsprint with red wings stamped all over it. Claire wondered if his mother was one of those women who were into stamping.
    Meg tore the paper off, then waited a moment before taking the lid off. Claire hoped it wasn’t too similar to what she had gotten her daughter. Then Meg opened the box and lifted out a small silver pin. Claire couldn’t quite make it out. It looked like a bird.
    Meg’s face was filled with joy. “Curt, it’s perfect,” she said. “Where did you find this?”
    “Online. Thought you might like it.”
    “What is it?” asked Rich.
    Meg held it out for him to see. “It’s a peregrine falcon. Our bird. You know the ones that fly off of Maiden Rock. They’re special to us.”
    Claire held out her hand and Meg passed the pin to her. Silver bird with wings outflung. Lovely.
    Meg moved on to Claire’s present, also a small box. Its wrapping was also discarded quickly. Claire hoped what was inside wasn’t too