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She started reading again

The authorities denied that the women were ever found, Nellie Brennan had written in her diary, but they were and are such liars But I know the truth Because I saw the body of Susan Madison

10

M indy Marshall was just getting out of a yoga class

Caleb had found her schedule in the case file and headed to the gy in the hallatching through the studioas the class ended, and he kneho she was right away froraph

Mindy was a pretty, slie dark eyes, and shefor her, but she seemed in no hurry to coh, as the students for the next class started arriving, with one sneaker still untied, she came out, and to her credit, she didn’t try to evade hi the second sneaker and looking up at hiht?" she asked warily

"Yes My naator, and I’d like to ask you a few questions"

"You must be here about Winona," she said miserably "That body in the water…was it her?"

"It wasn’t Winona," he said "But the thing is, Mindy, so on around here I’ woo, as well as Winona And the woman in the water…we need to find out what happened to her, too, and whether there’s a connection Can you think of anything froht help me out? "

She shook her head, sad and confused "We told the cops everything…" She hesitated, looking around "I know Nigel told you about the booze and pot--but just pot, nothing stronger It was a big party Winona was there, and then she wasn’t Where she went, if she left with somebody…I don’t kno If I did, I swear I would tell you She was one of ht next door Can I get you so? I can tell you what I know already, and you can tellsht They have herbal tea The body is a shrine, you know"

He smiled at her "Herbal tea--and beer and pot?"

"Hey, pot is an herb," she told hihed and led her next door As soon as he opened the door for her, she headed straight for the counter and placed her order for an orange-infused chaht if she got a cherry Danish, as well He told her she elco behind the counter and ordered coffee for hi down the Danish

She worshipped the tee way--he decided

"So what else can I tell you?" she asked hiulp of tea "I have the feeling you know the story already"

"You, Winona and Nigel got there first You were bringing the cooler and…other things"

She nodded "Nigel drove He has an old Xterra"

"You guys built a bonfire--and then a woman came out of the woods"

She finally s about the weird old hippie? I forgot all about her ’til Nigel rehty?"

"No, no, not that old I don’t know Thirties? Forties? She earing a long flowing skirt, a bandana and huge sunglasses She looked like she walked out of that old coh-In That’s the one"

Mindy took another bite of her Danish, then looked at hi "She was thin, too I remember that Trust me--Winona could have taken her Besides, she was just a kook She told us she was a medium and lived so"

"Cassadaga?" he asked

"Yeah, that’s it! Cassadaga You know it?" she asked him

"It’s a spiritualist town I think the people who live there are sincere, that they believe in their abilities to read palms and cards and even people"

"Whatever," Mindy said "Well, Winona loved horror host stories and stuff like that She wanted soht most everyone was a fake She wasn’t rude to the woested that she was a fake, too Then the woht into her ear…" She stopped speaking, frowning in concentration "I couldn’t hear what they said, and then Nigel asked me to watch the fire and I told him he was idiot, because the fire was fine And by then Winona and the woht afterwards Oh! I re black lace gloves"

"Gloves, huh?"

"Could that be important?"

"Maybe Little details a?"