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Back The Hallows Save as PDF
Chapters (89)
  1. TITLE PAGE
  2. COPYRIGHT PAGE
  3. DEDICATION
  4. CONTENTS
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. 55
  60. 56
  61. 57
  62. 58
  63. 59
  64. 60
  65. 61
  66. 62
  67. 63
  68. 64
  69. 65
  70. 66
  71. 67
  72. 68
  73. 69
  74. 70
  75. 71
  76. 72
  77. 73
  78. 74
  79. 75
  80. 76
  81. 77
  82. 78
  83. 79
  84. 80
  85. 81
  86. 82
  87. 83
  88. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  89. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

“Yeah,” she said, pulling her hair back with a rubber band. “Wow, you haven’t changed since high school.”

“Not true, but I appreciate it.”

“So what can I do for you?”

“I spoke with Roscoe, and he said you liked to go camping up at the Hallows. That right?”

“Yeah, we go up a few times a year.”

I looked inside the home. Over the mantel was a large photo of Nikyee, a child, and a buff dude with slicked-back, greasy hair and a tight shirt. The new hubby, I guessed. I could see her entire relationship with Roscoe in a flash: she married young to get out of the house, only to realize that he bored her, and Greasy there was more exciting. And given the fingerprint-shaped bruising I saw on her arms, I guessed exciting wasn’t the only thing he was.

“Those are some bad bruises. You okay?”

She crossed her arms. “Fine. What is this about exactly? I’m in the middle of a workout.”

“When was the last time you guys went camping up there?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. Few months ago.”

Might be around the time Patty was killed. “You’re sure?”

“Yeah. My husband likes to take our dirt bikes up to the dunes. Why?”

I pulled out my phone. “This toy look familiar?”

“Oh yeah, you found it.” She smiled. “My son was a mess.”

My stomach dropped. “This is your son’s?”

“Yeah, Lyle. I bought that for him because monkeys are his favorite animal. He cried for like two days that he’d lost it.”

“What time does he get out of school?”

The smile fell, and she leaned against the doorframe. “I don’t think you can talk to my boy until you tell me exactly what this is about.”

“I’m guessing you’ve heard about what happened to Patty Winchester. I’m with the County Attorney’s Office prosecuting the case. I’m just following up on a few things. This toy was found up there in the Hallows. Near the body.”

Her eyes went wide. “You think Lyle saw something?”

“I don’t know.”

“There’s no way. He tells me everything. He certainly would’ve told me.”

“Never hurts to ask, right? I don’t want time alone with him. We can do it together, and it won’t take longer than a minute.”

“Well, he’s in extended day today. He has a short day tomorrow, so you can come by then and see him if you want.”

I nodded. “Tomorrow then.” I turned and said, “And, uh, if it gets worse than bruising, you call me at the Ute County Attorney’s Office. Ask for Tatum. I’ll take care of it.”

She rubbed her arms over the bruises and then shut the door.

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