WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1985In the morning, I drove out to the Doughnut Land for breakfast about a quarter after seven. Then I drove east on 32 for a while trying not to think. The sky was the same color as the highway, and as the white lines passed under the car, I wondered for a second what it would be like to tap the wheel to the left when the next semi came by. After the truck rumbled past, I took a large gulp from the Styrofoam cup, then slowed and made a U-turn back towards town as soon as the road was clear.When I phoned, I told the church’s receptionist that my name was “Carl Davidson” and that I had never been religious but felt something was lacking in my life and wanted to talk to the Reverend about it. Sometimes in this line of work you have to be a little deceptive to get people to admit things. The receptionist helpfully told me that Fowler had a meeting at the construction site of their new church but that he would be back at eleven o’clock and that she would be happy

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1985When I opened my eyes, I was lying in a hospital bed. A nurse I didn’t recognize cheerfully read me a list of injuries I’d racked up, including a nice set of third-degree burns on both legs as it happens, and added in a ‘You’re lucky to be alive’ for good measure.“James?” I barked, and winced. Smoke inhalation. “What about James?”“The young man you saved?” she said. “He’s stabilized, but I’m afraid he’s in a coma.”“I need to see him!”“You need to rest,” she said. “The doctor is doing everything he can. He’s in good hands.”“Skoger,” I remembered. “I need the chief. Get me a phone! I need to—”“We were asked to phone the station as soon as you woke up,” she said. “I had one of the other nurses do that while we’ve been talking. I’m sure they’ll send someone over to check up on you, but they also told us to tell you that ‘all suspects are in custody’. Does that sound right?”“Yeah,” I said. “Yeah, it does.”The nurse left and told me to get some sle

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1985I was released after a few more days in the hospital. The sky was clear and the sun was high. The Caprice had been totaled, but Mills had dropped off a marked patrol car for me to use. My chest hurt when I got in, but I set my jaw and turned the key. Then I headed straight for the Skoger place.It was deserted. Some yellow tape across the door of the house and the barn, but otherwise it was like it had been before. I ducked the tape line and went inside. I don’t know what I expected to find in there, but I didn’t see it. In the daylight, it was just an old abandoned house.Outside, the sun shown bright and it made the yellow ironwood leaves shimmer when the breeze came through. I made my way down to the tree line and fought to keep my breathing steady. A few yards into the woods and it got easier. Nothing looked like it did that night. The shadows were watered down and the trees were just trees. I walked deeper in, trying to retrace my steps, but it w