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mutilated remains of Caleb Hall. He had been decapitated. |
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Just beyond him was the long sought opening, tunneling back away from the wall under anti toward the house. |
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Jake's shoulders slumped, and he sagged to his knees. My suspicions, unfortunately, had been confirmed. We were already too late. If this was Caleb's fate, there wasn't much reason to hold out hope for Bert Johnson. |
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"Looks like you found your damn access," Madden muttered. |
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I nodded and looked around the tiny group. At the moment I wasn't sure they had anything left to give. The young constable still hadn't regained his equilibrium. Even Kelto was shaken; perhaps long buried fears had finally resurfaced. B.C. had crumbled. Only Madden still maintained the look of grim determination. If I read him right, the discovery of Caleb Hall had reduced him to rage. |
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"What do we do now?" Gregory managed. |
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Madden had the presence of mind to shut off the flashlight, and the ugliness of the scene was temporarily lessened. "Yeah, Researcher, it's your move now." |
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I had my own emotions to contend with. The situation had already far outstripped my ability to both comprehend and deal with it. The cost, in terms of human life, for |
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