Page 53

Once I was home, I called Calloway to give him an update, but he said he already had the names from Minnie. He asked me to meet him the next morning. I said I would.

“You know, you could have just told me about the classes,” I said. “I didn’t know a thing about them.”

“I wasn’t sure, Hazel, and … I don’t know, taking care of you and your well-being is still important to me.”

“Whatever is going on in Black Vulture is more important.”

“You are right. Thank you.”

I would never bring up his delicate treatment of me again. I’d made my point, and I appreciated his words too.

We ended the call, and then I listened to two more episodes before I fell into a deep sleep, exhausted from the full day. I even missed a call and some texts from Sonny, to whom I apologized the next morning and said I’d get in touch later. I was surprised when the next day didn’t start with a knock on the door like the few before had. I got ready quickly and headed to the sheriff’s office. I resumed listening to the podcast on the way but didn’t make it much further into the episodes.

Inside the sheriff’s trailer were Calloway and one of his deputies, Chris Marker. Calloway was standing behind a desk and looking at some things set atop it. Chris stood next to a whiteboard.

“Thanks for coming in,” Calloway said.

“Sure.”

I nodded at Chris who returned the gesture.

I wasn’t popular with much of the local law enforcement. As for Chris, offhand I couldn’t quite remember why he didn’t like me. I had hopes for the new Black Vulture police force. Maybe we could all get along.

Chris resumed writing on the board, listing the members of the class. He ignored me as I approached and inspected his handiwork. Calloway headed back to his office for a moment.

Suddenly, I recalled why Chris didn’t like me. I’d once told Calloway that Chris was a waste of a badge. I do feel like that might have been harsh, but the week before he’d dug a human skull out of a dried-out wash and then had been unable to guide us back to the spot to see if there was more to the skeleton. It had never been recovered, and he should have better marked the spot.

But I had been able to identify the skull as belonging to a young girl who’d been kidnapped from Mexico, being taken to who knows where. I’d traveled to Mexico to work with authorities there. Calloway hadn’t been happy about that decision, but, ultimately, he was glad we’d been able to give the girl’s family some answers.

I watched Chris, silently reading the names again and pondering if I knew more about them than I previously thought I did.

“The only person I could reach right off was Thalia. I wanted to confirm she was still around before going to talk to her. I’ll find out more,” Calloway said as he came back out of his office.

“I just started listening to the podcast,” I said, “What should everyone remember? Minnie calls the sculpture an abomination, right?”

“Yes, and she says it was scary but that’s about it.”

“Okay. So, what happened then?”

“Then the classes ended.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s what she says in the podcast.”

“And that’s compelling?”

“She’s good with the buildup and the remaining mystery.”

“And Wilmot disappeared shortly after it?”

“Yep.”

I looked at the names. “Something bad, worse than a bloody artifact, happened back then. I don’t know if it’s tied to the current problems, but …”

“I feel like it is.”

“Me too.”