No one laughed.
“Thanks for that image, Paulie,” Chip said.
Ethan checked the man’s pockets. No ID.
Ranger Junie Morgan said, “We’ll have to check the camps, see if he was out hiking, whatever. So far we haven’t had a report of anyone missing. Listen, Sheriff, if you don’t need all of us, I’d sure like to get started tracking that bear.”
“He had to be dead, didn’t he?” Chip asked all of them and no one. “I mean, no one would haul a guy up and tie him to a branch, then eviscerate him so the animals would come and finish the job…No, I can’t believe that.”
Ethan said, “There’s so much devastation, I can’t even guess the cause of death. The ME will have to tell us that.”
Ethan got the man covered, called his deputies to the crime scene, called the county ME. Then he pulled out his cell and called the Hoover Building in Washington, D.C. He was surprised when he was put right through to Special Agent Dillon Savich. He’d expected—what? To be told to leave another voice mail, since the big man was too busy?
A man’s deep voice said, “Savich.”
“Dillon Savich?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Sheriff Ethan Merriweather from Titusville, Virginia, and I’ve got myself a huge problem here.”
“Hello, Sheriff. I gather you’ve already spoken to Autumn this morning?”
30
ETHAN STARED AT HIS cell phone, felt his flesh ripple. “Ah, no, I got called out early. I haven’t seen her yet this morning. I was out of the house before she and her mom were even awake. I, ah, gather you’ve met her?”
“Let’s just say we spoke. She told me what’s going on out there. She even told me about Big Louie, Mackie, and Lula. What’s happened, Sheriff?”
No, he couldn’t accept this, he couldn’t, but Autumn’s ability was staring him right in the face. “Well, what’s going on right this minute is that I’m looking at the mangled body of an unidentified man in his sixties, in torn hiking clothes, lying beside the Sweet Onion River in the Titus Hitch Wilderness, about fifteen minutes from my house. The body’s an ungodly mess. For whatever reason, a bear savaged it. If Autumn told you anything about Blessed, you know why I think he was responsible for this.”
Savich hummed a moment, then, “Do you have a good forensic team available to you, Sheriff? An experienced ME?”
“We’ve never had the need before for a hotshot medical examiner. I called the county ME, and he’s okay, as far as I know. I guess the best ME would be in Richmond.”
“I’ll make some calls, get some people up there. Don’t let your deputies trample on the crime scene, Sheriff, otherwise these folk from Richmond will kick your butt. They’re very serious about what they do.”
“You got it,” said Ethan.
“Is there something else you’d like to tell me?”
“Yes. Blessed is still free. Since Saturday night we’ve been scouring the area for him, and believe me, everyone understands how dangerous he is. I know he’s here, hiding in one of the hundreds of caves that pock these mountains. And I know he won’t leave without Autumn, and that’s why I’m keeping the search parties in close to the house. But to find him out here in the Titus Hitch Wilderness—the chances aren’t that good.”
“If he wants Autumn, he’ll come out. As I said, Autumn told me everything she knew about Blessed. The only thing is, she’s seven years old, so a linear presentation isn’t her forte. I’ve still got lots of questions.
“I’m hoping Autumn’s mother, Joanna Backman, has more to say. If she’s having trouble facing it, I can’t say I blame her.”
Ethan said, “Actually, I’m the one who can’t bring myself to accept it. Joanna’s been a trooper. She’s told me a great deal already I can fill you in on. And there’s Autumn, her actually calling you telepathically—well, I have lots of questions for you as well.”
“I’ll be there sometime today,” Savich said. “Sheriff, you’re completely sure that Blessed Backman did this?”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t you find it strange he’d select this particular time to commit this gruesome murder, a murder, I might add, that isn’t all that close to Autumn?”
Ethan exhaled a curse. “Damn me for an idiot. Blessed knew I’d be called right away, knew I’d be tied up with this mess. He wanted me out of the house. He had to be watching the house, waiting for me to leave. There are only two deputies there guarding her.”