Judge Henry Arlen Preston held a book out to an old man. The man started to walk away, but Preston folowed, insisting he take the offering. The old man turned and Preston dropped the book. Boyd snatched it up and ran down a long gravel road. When I caught up and took the object from him, it was no longer a book but a stone tablet, the name 'Tucker Adams' carved on its face, and 1943, the year they both died, one a prominent citizen, the other obscure.

Simon Midkiff sat on a chair in the P & T garage office. Next to him was a man with long gray braids and a Cherokee headband.

'Why are you here?' Midkiff asked me.

'I can't drive,' I replied. 'There was a crash. People were kiled.'

'Is Birkby dead?' asked gray braids.

'Yes.'

'Did they find Edna?'

'No.'

'They won't find me either.'

Gray braid's face morphed into that of Ruby McCready, then into the bloated features of Primrose Hobbs.

I screamed and my head jerked from the pilow. My eyes flew to the clock. Five-thirty.

Though the room was chily, my back was slick with perspiration, my hair plastered to my head. I threw back the covers and ran on tiptoes for a drink of water. Gazing into the mirror, I roled the glass across my forehead.

I returned to the bedroom and flicked on a light. The window was opaque with predawn blackness. Frost spiderwebbed the corners of the glass.

I puled on sweats and socks, took out a tablet, and settled at the table. After dividing several sheets into thirds, I began writing down images from my dream.

Henry Arlen Preston. The coyote foot. The braided old man in Cherokee headgear. Had that been Charlie Wayne Tramper? I wrote the name, folowed by a question mark. Edna Farrel. Tucker Adams. Birkby. Jonas and Wilow Mitchel. Ruby McCready. Simon Midkiff.

Next, I added what I knew about each character.

Henry Arlen Preston: Died 1943. Age eighty-nine. Attorney, judge, writer. Birds. Family man.

Coyote foot: Elderly male. Native-American ancestry. Height approximately five foot six. Dead last summer. Found near Arthur/H&F property. TransSouth passenger?

Charlie Wayne Tramper: Cherokee. Died 1959. Age seventy-four. Bear attack. Midkiff and Davenport attended the funeral.

Edna Farrel: Died 1949. Holiness folower. Drowned. Remains not recovered.

Tucker Adams: Born 1871. Disappeared then died, 1943.

Anthony Alen Birkby: Died 1959. Car crash. C. A. Birkby on list of H&F officers.

Jonas Mitchel: African-American. Married Wilow Lynette Gist. Father of Jeremiah Mitchel.

Wilow Lynette Gist: Daughter of Martha Rose Gist, Cherokee potter. Mother of Jeremiah Mitchel. Died of TB, 1930.

Though he wasn't in the dream, I made out a slip for Jeremiah Mitchel. African-American — Cherokee. Born 1929. Loner. Disappeared last February.

Ruby McCready: Alive and wel. Husband Enoch dead, 1986.