Page 78 (1/2)

The backhoe operator and the state worker arrived within minutes of each other, the latter accoather soil sa the electric fencing and ith the new arrivals to the carcass locations

A deep burial pit was dug, and the carcasses were dragged to it and covered with quicklime before the pit was filled with dirt More quicklime was applied to the areas where the carcasses had lain to inactivate any bacteriuht had set in before the entire process was complete

Quint returned to the ranch yard in ti shadowed the buildings when they finally headed for the house and the welcoht from its s

The sharp ring of the telephone greeted Quint when he walked in Automatically he headed for the desk to answer it Dallas turned froallon of milk and a bowl of fruit salad

“You , Quint,” she warned “Somehow the media found out about the possibility of anthrax The phone hasn’t stopped ringing since I caes on the answering machine—all from newspaper and television reporters”

A certain grim acceptance thinned the line of histhe machine take the call “They’ll probably show up here to his hat and jacket on the rack by the door “When they do, just refer all their questions to me”

Neither Dallas nor Empty raised any objections to that

By necessity, dinner was uised leftovers from previous meals Dallas helped herself to sorandfather’s plate, then noticed he had yet to put any food on it

She darted a questioning look at his ry, Empty?”

He ust “It’s this anthrax business It’s put ly, E of potatoes onto his plate “Don’t you know Rutledge will be wearing a big smirk when he hears about it? You can bet if he’s sorry about anything, it’s that he didn’t think of it”

“He’ll try to find soh” Quint took the bowl froe to thank for all the calls from the media It would be like him to leak the news to them as soon as he heard about it And with his connections, he could have heard about it two uess is that he’ll do his best to ensure that it beco story”

“He canas he wants,” Empty declared with contemptuous unconcern “I can’t see how that will cause us any trouble”

Quint s around you like vultures, pointing ca microphones in your face, or you wouldn’t say that”

Empty responded with a harrumph “The first time a reporter sticks a un in his and escort him off the premises”

“That’s a fast and sure way oftheh he kneas one his own grandfather would favor “No, we’ll give them free rein, show them how cooperative we are If there are any restrictions placed on them, they’ll come from state officials Not us”