CHAPTER 9

The sun burned hot in the sky when the sheriff and his deputies rode up to the pastor’s house looking for the stranger who lived there. There were no visible signs that anyone was there, but the sheriff had a hunch that he would find who he was looking for inside the house. He didn’t need a warrant, it was eighteen seventy five.

The sheriff dismounted from his horse and led his three deputies to the front porch. He didn’t think knocking would be a good idea since he didn’t want the strangers trying to escape or shooting at them. He told one of the deputies to go to the back of the house and watch to make sure the stranger didn’t escape. Giving him ample time to get around to the rear, the sheriff opened the front door and led the remaining two deputies inside.

What the found was a pine wood coffin setting on the floor in the main room with the lid on.

“What the fuck?” Deputy Diller asked. “Why is there a pinewood box in the house?”

“He’s a preacher, he does funerals, maybe it has some