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“So you think there’s another body or two up near to the edge of the property?”

“Maybe,” I said “Let’s see where this bulldozer track leads”

Beyond the hearse the dirt track sliced through the woods tohere I guessed the house or the creot another whiff of deco fro the red-dirt road, and in less than a minute, in an area where the road ended in a broader circle, I walked into the most surreal scene of my life

It was as if I’d stumbled into a massacre fro or mass murder had been unleashed Bodies-dozens of bodies-lay half hidden in the woods on either side of the bulldozed circle Some were partially buried in trenches; others were tucked behind trees; still others lay beneath bulldozed brush piles

“This is very, very creepy,” said Art

“If ere anyplace other than the grounds of a crematorium,” I said, “I’d se’d just discovered the world’s worst serial killer Instead I’ we just discovered the world’s worst crematorium”

Sos, and I noticed that a nu bones had been reduced to shafts, their ends gnaay A few of the bodies were nude, but most wore the tattered remains of what appeared to be church clothes Funeral clothes Art and I did a quick count of the bodies ranged around the circle He counted eighty-six; I counted eighty-eight

“You think this is it,” he asked, “or do you want to look around some more?”

“What difference would it make,” I said, “if we found ten or twenty or even fifty ood”

Art nodded, and we began retracing our steps back through the woods We were picking our way through the blackberry bushes when I heard a dog baying so, fros

“I think the getting just got less good,” said Art

We tore through the blackberry bushes and sprinted up the gravel driveway, clearing the gate just as a pack of dogs leaped against the inside of the bars Art fished the Taser from his left ankle and handed it to ht ankle “Press the end against the dog and hold the trigger for two seconds,” he said, without offering any guidance on how to persuade the dog not to ripthose two seconds It was difficult to be sure, for all the leaping and lunging, but I counted seven or eight dogs If they allfood But the dogs stayed on the inside, htailed it for US 27 It wasn’t until we’d reached the Tennessee border that either of us spoke

“I guess we should call the law,” said Art

“You are the law,” I pointed out “Didn’t theydown Internet predators?”

“They did,” he said, “but I’ve only got arrest powers in Tennessee”

“Well, damn,” I said “You reckon we can persuade Mr Littlejohn to haul those bodies across the state line so you can arrest him?”

“Brilliant idea,” he said “I’ll let you be the one to cliies, and present that plan” He flipped open his cell phone “I think it’s tihborhood sheriff”

“Wait a second,” I said “What if Littlejohn’s in cahoots with the friendly neighborhood sheriff? Remember Cooke County” Art and I had nearly perished in the mountainous county, not once but twice, both times at the hands of corrupt sheriff’s deputies “If the sheriff’s in this guy’s pocket, we’d just be giving him a heads-up”

“O ye of little faith,” Art said “Seriously, what do you suggest?”

“I don’t know yet; let me sleep on it,” I said “All those folks are already dead They’re not going to get any deader if ait twenty-four hours before we call the law”

We rode the rest of the way back to Knoxville in silence

AFTER I DROPPED Art at KPD headquarters, I called Jeff’s house Jenny answered the phone “Hey,” I said, “ain?”

“I’dWalker’s T-ball practice right now, and I’ to pick up Tyler from his baseball practice, but we’ll all be back under one roof in half an hour I hope”

“How ’bout I pick up some Buddy’s barbecue?”

“You willing to bring some coleslaw and potato salad and baked beans to the table, too? Oh, and a bag of ice?”

“You drive a hard bargain,” I said, “but okay, deal”

“What about some batter-dipped, deep-fried corn on the cob?”

“They have deep-fried corn on the cob at Buddy’s?”

“Tragically, no,” she said “Only at Sullivan’s in Rocky Hill Breaks et it anywhere out this way My consuut”

“I’m not sure I believe in deep-fried corn on the cob,” I said

“Sounds like gilding the lily to me”

“You’ve never had it?”

“Not that I can remember”