The map she'd chosen was a close-up of the piece of Swain County in which we stood. Using elevation lines, the county road, and the logging trails, I located the crash site. Then I estimated the position of the courtyard house and pointed to it.

'Here.'

Crowe studied the topography around my finger.

'You're sure there's a structure back in there?' I heard doubt in her voice.

'Yes.'

'It's less than a mile.'

'By foot?'

She nodded, a slower motion than usual.

'There's no road I know of, so we might as wel go overland.'

'Can you find it?'

'I can find it.'

===OO=OOO=OO===

We spent an hour threading our way through trees and brush, up one ridge and down another, folowing a track that was clear to Crowe but invisible to me. Then, at an ancient pine, its trunk knotted and worn, we emerged onto a path that even I could recognize.

We came to a high wal, vaguely familiar from my previous visit. Every sense sharpened as we moved along the mossy stone. A jay cawed, shril and strident, and my skin We came to a high wal, vaguely familiar from my previous visit. Every sense sharpened as we moved along the mossy stone. A jay cawed, shril and strident, and my skin seemed to tighten on my body. There was something here. I knew it.

Boyd continued to amble and snuffle, oblivious to my tension. I wrapped the leash around my palm, tightened my grasp.

Within yards, the wal made a ninety-degree turn. Crowe rounded the corner and I folowed, my grip so tight I felt my nails dig into my palm.

The trees ended three quarters of the distance up the wal. Crowe stopped at the verge of the woods and Boyd and I caught up.

Ahead and to the left I spotted another waled enclosure, the rock face rising in the distance beyond. I had my bearings. We'd approached from the rear of the property; the house lay ahead of us, its back to the escarpment. The wal we'd been skirting surrounded a larger area I hadn't noted on my first visit. The courtyard was within the larger enclosure.

'I'l be damned.' Crowe reached down and released the safety on her gun.

She caled out as I had done. Caled again.

Eyes and ears alert, we proceeded to the house and climbed the steps. The shutters were stil closed, the windows stil draped. I was gripped by the same sense of foreboding as on my first visit.

Crowe stepped to the side of the door and gestured with an arm. When Boyd and I had moved behind her, she knocked. Stil no answer.

She knocked again, identified herself. Silence.

Crowe raised her eyes and looked around.

'No phone lines. No power lines.'

'Cel phone and generator.'

'Could be. Or the place could be deserted.'