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"She lives in a big house on Clayton Road We have to hurry, Sheriff," Savich said, rising "It’s about a fifteen-ent Savich You said she was gone when you ca rooive her soet some sense out of her"

"She didn’t tell you who thisto kill her?"

Savich shook his head Sherlock said, "If er, Sheriff, she’s in danger Do you think we can get out to that house, begin a search for her?"

"You said it’s a big house on Clayton Road?"

Savich wanted to coldcock the old guy, but since this was a local situation, no matter he was at the center of it, he held to his patience "Yes, on top of a small rise on the left side of Clayton Road; it’s a narrow road off Route 85 All the downstairs lights are on, so it’s like a beacon"

Sheriff Har with a tooth-chewed pencil on top of his desk "Would you say it’s no more than a half ht Maybe twelve, fifteendown If I have to call in the Philadelphia Field Office to get some action, I will, but it will take tiot to get out to that house and find her"

Sheriff Harms slowly rose, leaned forward, his pal about the Barrister place, Agent Savich Biggest house around these parts, you’re right about that You said the woman lived there?"

"Yes, of course, she lived there It’s a lovely house, really big, but nice and war room fireplace No one was there, no husband, no help, no one I searched the place top to bottom"

"After the bats knocked you out of the attic, you caone?"

"Yes Maybe she heardout of the attic and it terrified her She must have run outside to hide in the woods"

"What did the woent Savich?" Sheriff Harms spoke slowly, his faded blue eyes intent on Savich’s face

"She was about thirty, thin Her hair was long, straight, dark, parted in the middle I don’t remember her eye color, but her face was very pale She wasn’t dressed for winter, I can tell you that, which is part of why I’m concerned"

Sheriff Harent Savich Noe can go out to the Barrister place and look around We can shine big lights all through the woods,is, that’d be a waste of tient Savich, the Barrister house has been abandoned for well nigh thirty years now There’s no one there, hasn’t been for half , "Thirty years? You’re saying that no one’s lived there for that long a time?"

"Yep I know the Barristers still own the place, since the taxes are paid on it every year, but they all left"

"No," Savich said, rising, leaning over the sheriff’s desk "No You’re thinking of a different house Look, Sheriff, I didn’t dream this The woot to go out there; we’ve got to find her and help her" He turned on his heel, said over his shoulder, "Sherlock, I want you to take Sean back to the cabin and wait forI’ll be"

"You want ent Savich?"

"That would be up to you, noouldn’t it, Sheriff?"

Sherlock stood by the front door of the sheriff’s office, rocking Sean, as bundled up in his winter jacket and gloves "Why don’t we all go?"

All of the black SUV Ten , the sheriff pulled off of Route 85 onto Clayton Road It was dark and cold, the black clouds thick overhead There was the smell of snow in the air, not rain Savich supposed he expected the wo her ar that skimpy dress She could freeze to death She could be dead already Theoutside, at a safe distance, watching to see ould happen If so, he could have seen her run outside, and followed her