“We have to get those guys out of there soon,” she said. “If for no other reason than for the sake of those poor horses. They’re terrified.”

“They’re horses. They’ll survive.”

“Well, I also don’t want to be around when that bastard wakes up.” She stood, dusted off her hands. “I think I know how we’re going to reintroduce those guys to the town, Logan.”

“Yeah?” He came to his feet. “I’m open to suggestions.”

She told him about the memorial gathering at the Butlers’ house, which she had learned about while on the phone with her father. “Dad said the Butlers were holding it in their backyard. Mr. Hodges has asked my dad to say a few words to everyone.”

“Everyone? Did your dad say who all would be there?”

“No, he only said that he would be there. I didn’t have a chance to get all the details, seeing as there was a gun at my back. But I assume there will be a pretty good turnout, don’t you? It will be as good a time as any to drop our big bomb.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Any idea as to how we’re going to explain what happened to those guys?”

“I’m for not divulging that they’re dead.”

“No shit, genius, but we’re still going to have to explain why they look like something out of a bad horror movie. We’re also going to have to come up with a story as to how they survived and where they’ve been for the past two days.”

“That won’t be too hard. We’ll just make some shit up.”

“They sent divers down to the bottom of that river, Cole. They saw the bus and they saw the dead boys in it. How are we going to convince them otherwise?”

“Well, what if they didn’t?”

“Didn’t what?” she asked.

“What if we told them it wasn’t the real players they saw? What if it was, like, dummies or something? That’s it! We fill the bus with mannequins, send it back down into the river!”

“Logan, that’s the lamest idea I’ve ever heard.”

“Why?”

“Well, as it happens, we don’t have forty mannequins at our disposal, but may I also remind you that my dad was on that bus, too? I think he could attest that it wasn’t mannequins he’d been riding with. Any other brilliant ideas?”