Moss bellowed and cursed as he flailed about in the smelly muck. “Beg, Moss, like your wife begged you to stop beating her. I want to hear you. I want you to feel the fear she felt. Throw in the water moccasins,” Annie said.

“Jesus God, no,” Moss said as he struggled to get away from where the moccasins hit the water. He had never experienced such panic in his life. He felt something brush against his leg. “Oh, Christ, what was that?”

“They swim fast, just so you know,” Annie called down. “Just say the word, and we can scoop you right out of there with the pool pole. Your call.”

“Throw the rattlers in,” Annie ordered.

They all watched as Moss tried to climb up the muddy side of the pool, only to flop back into the water. He was hoarse from bellowing.

“Tell us, is what you’re feeling now what Amalie felt when you came up to her with your clenched fists? Do you feel the fear?” Myra shouted.

Goddamn right he felt the fear. “Get me out of here. You win.”

Jack leaned over and shined his light down into the muddy water. “You know what, who cares? We’ll get our people to figure out the passwords. You aren’t worth standing out here catching cold. Dump the cottonmouths and the copperheads, and let’s go dry out. I know this all-night pizza place. Close up shop, people.”

Moss let out a scream that could be heard in the next county. He begged, he pleaded, he promised a full confession, and if he had had children, he would have given up his firstborn.

“The passwords. Now,” Jack ordered. Moss rattled them off. Ted recorded each and every number.

“Someone call Snowden,” Jack said. Maggie obliged.

“Get me out of here,” Moss bellowed. “You promised.”

“Yeah, well I lied,” Jack said happily. “See ya on the other side someday, Moss.”

The gang trooped off and didn’t speak until they were at their designated vehicles, and that’s when they started to laugh. “Too bad he doesn’t know all those critters we tossed in that pool are mechanical,” Annie said, laughing. “He’ll be a raving maniac by the time Avery and his people pull him out of there.”

“We did good, people,” Myra said.

“You know, I wasn’t kidding about that pizza place down the road. What say we hit it?” Jack said.

“Last one there pays,” Harry said, climbing into the car with his wife.

Annie and Myra were the last to leave the area.

“We do good work,” Annie said.

“Can’t argue with you there, my friend. When you’re right, you’re right.”

“And everyone is going to live happily ever after.”

“Not till tomorrow, when Abner starts doling out all of Moss’s money to worthy causes. That’s when everyone will be happy.”

“Like I said, when you’re right, you’re right.” Myra laughed.

Epilogue