Lightning Split Boulder in Half — What Rangers Found Beneath, Left Them Horrified

That afternoon, a black SUV arrived at the ranger station. Calvin Rusk, North Ridge's regional director, stepped out. He was friendly enough at first. “I hear the storm turned up some interesting old documents.” Vivian kept her face blank. “What kind of documents?”

Rusk hesitated. “Surveying records, apparently.” Vivian felt Jonah glance toward her. The park had released no information about the contents of the box. Even most employees had only been told that an unidentified historical object had been recovered. “Who told you they were surveying records?” Vivian asked. Rusk smiled. “People talk.”

He quickly changed the subject. North Ridge, he said, would happily provide historians and lawyers to help examine anything connected with its property. Vivian replied, “I didn't say your property was involved.” This time Rusk's smile vanished completely. After he left, Jonah shut the office door. “He knew about the survey before we released anything.” Vivian nodded. The break-in suddenly made more sense. But it raised a bigger question. How could North Ridge know what Vale had hidden beneath the boulder when the box had been sealed since 1778?