by Mary Hiker
He just stood there with a blank look on his bright red face.
I continued on. “What is one of the first lessons of search and rescue dog work? TRUST YOUR DOG.” If you are not going to do that, then I will.”
I grabbed my radio and called the scene’s incident command team. “Dog Team 1 to Command.”
They answered back, “Command.”
I reported, “Request assistance regarding a possible D-400.”
D-400 was their code for deceased individual.
There was a long silence. I figured the deputy must have already reported in about the dead deer.
Finally, a voice came over the radio. “Affirmative. ETA ten minutes.”
Don looked like he was about to hyperventilate. He grabbed the radio away from me and said a few curse words. Then he added, “Are you out of your mind?”
Five minutes later, a bunch of law enforcement vehicles drove through the field and parked at the woods line. The deputy must have told them exactly where we were. The sheriff himself showed up, thanks to the rumor of the dead deer. The entire posse followed the sheriff into the woods to meet us.
Don’s face was now white as a ghost. I thought he might even pass out. He was leaning up against a tree to keep on his feet.
I marched straight up to the sheriff and told him, “This dog is well-trained and has done a solid alert. I highly suggest that you take it seriously. Get some shovels over here and DIG!”
Don sat down on a big rock. Maybe he needed to throw up.
The sheriff ordered two of his deputies to get some shovels and dig. He calmly responded to me, “Might as well check it out. We’re already out here.”
Don staggered out of the woods as the men pulled dead deer off the pile. I wondered if he was going to need some oxygen. His reputation with the sheriff was really on the line at this point and he had lost all confidence in his dog.
I stayed in the woods while the deputies removed all the deer from the pile. I felt the sheriff’s eyes on me as his men started to dig. My eyes remained focused on the ground where Ace had given his alert. The deputies dug about a foot deep, and a piece of blue and white cloth poked out from the earth below. A few inches deeper, and a human arm appeared.
My heart started beating rapidly. I was proud of Ace. He was right. There was a human body buried underneath all of those deer! I headed out of the woods to find Don.
As I trotted back across the field toward my truck, a voice echoed from the deputies’ radios.
“D-400 confirmed. Be advised, it is Barber Pierce.”
Chapter 10
The color quickly returned to Don’s face when he heard the news. His dog had been right with the cadaver alert.
“Thanks, Avery. I owe you one. “
“No you don’t, but you sure do owe Ace one,” I laughed.
Don asked, “How did you know a body would be under there?”
“I’ve spent enough time training with you to know what your dog is capable of. It’s also easier to trust the dog when you’re not the handler.” I laughed.
“I am just glad you believed my dog. “ Don was ecstatic.
“I believe in you, too. Let’s get to the trucks so I can check on Chevy.”
Don was so relieved that his dog had actually alerted on a human body that he had not yet focused on what it might mean to the investigation. I wanted to leave the area before he got back into his deputy investigative mindset.
At some point, he would wonder if there was a connection between my visit with Barber and his death. Maybe Don was already thinking about that. After all, I was the one that made sure that they dug where Ace had indicated.
I let Chevy out of my truck to play and stretch out. I threw the tennis ball as far as I could, and he took off after it. Chevy was out chasing after the ball when Old Man Crash arrived on the scene.
Charlie’s truck came bouncing through the field right toward us. He did not even attempt to slow down and ran directly into the back of my truck. The sound of twisting metal once again notified the world that Old Man Crash was in the area.
Great, now I have a broken window and a smashed up bumper.
Charlie slapped his truck in reverse and sped backwards, slammed on the brakes, rolled out of his seat and said, “Avery, the tail lights on your truck are not working.”
Evidently he did not realize that my truck was parked.
Don piped in, “Charlie, her tail lights are not working because you just ran into the back of her truck and broke ‘em!”
“Avery, I came to warn you.” Charlie ignored both Don’s comments and my bumper damage. “Jase Johnson was in the diner telling everyone that you might be the next one they find out in this field.”
“Why would Jase be saying stuff like that?” I wondered out loud.
Charlie went on, “He don’t like you messin’ up his deer huntin’. Miss Millie was worried when she heard they was a lookin’ for another dead body out here and she made me come out here and find you.”
Boy, the news sure travels fast around this town.
“Thanks, Charlie. Be sure to tell Miss Millie that I am fine. “
“Yeah, I just heard that it was Barber’s body that they done found.” Charlie got town gossip faster than the cable news networks.
“JOE JOE STOP TOUCHING MEEEEE! PAPAW, JOE JOE’S TOUCHING ME!” Little Abigal crawled out of Charlie’s truck with Joe Joe following behind her.
“HI, OFFICERS! BARBER GOT KILLED!”
She continued her shouting. “JOE JOE PROBABLY KILLED HIM FOR GIVING HIM SUCH A STUPID LOOKING HAIRCUT!”
Charlie picked her up and told her, “Hush, Abigal.”
It was too late. Joe Joe already got revenge by poking Abigal with a stick.
“PAPAW, JOE JOE’S POKING ME! TELL JOE JOE TO STOP POKING MEEEEEE!”
Geez, no wonder Charlie’s hearing went bad. This kid’s voice was deafening.
Charlie lifted the kids back in his truck and started the engine.
Little Abigal stuck her head out the window and yelled, “HEY, OFFICERS, WE’RE GOING TO HIGH HORSE FARM! PAPAW IS TAKING ME TO RIDE A PONY!”
Joe Joe spoke up,.“Abigal’s face looks like a pony.”
Abigal turned and put her hand over her little brother’s mouth. At that point a mini wrestling match broke out between the two kids.
Charlie hit the gas and drove back out of the field toward the road. As they went, Abigal’s voice easily drowned out the sound of the engine,
“PAPAW, JOE JOE IS TOUCHING MEEEEEE!”
Chapter 11
The next morning came with a beautiful sunrise over the mountains. I was up early, thanks to all the stressful incidents running through my mind. I decided to take a little hike with my best buddy, Chevy. We both deserved some time to relax and enjoy nature.
As we drove toward the state park, the fresh morning air flowed through the open windows. I called Jamie to invite her to hike. Her laughter has always been a great remedy for stress. Her phone rang several times but there was no answer. I made a mental note to try and call her again after we got back home this evening.
As I drove, serious thoughts would not leave me alone. Why were my initials on a dead guy’s forehead? Does this whole thing even relate to me at all? What does Deputy Donaldson believe about it all? Am I a suspect? How am I going to find a job? How long will my savings hold out?
I needed to find a new source of income. I needed to make sure I did not become a murder suspect. I needed to get my truck fixed, thanks to Rick’s buddies and Charlie. But first I planned to spend some quality time with my dog in the woods. I pulled into the trailhead parking lot, got Chevy out and put on his leash. He jumped up and down with excitement as we headed into the forest.
We had hiked along our favorite trail for about an hour when Chevy stopped to play in the creek. I sat down on a rock and relaxed as he splashed in the water. Before long, a group of little kids came walking along the trail with a park ranger.
Most of the children walked closely together in single file. One little boy broke the mold and ran up and down the path. He suddenly stopped and stomped on a pile of horse manure on the edge of the trail. Horses used this trail once in a while, and they definitely were not potty trained.
The boy was amazed by a bunch of butterflies landing on the pile of horse manure. He giggled as he ran in circles around the piles and butterflies. I didn’t know if he was more interested in the manure or the butterflies. Either way, it gave me a much needed laugh. I knew that Chevy would be very interested in the butterflies, so I kept him close to me.
The park ranger turned the boy’s curiosity into an interactive class lesson. “Did you know that those purple butterflies are called Blues? The men butterflies like to eat the horse poop to get nutrients, but the lady butterflies do not like to eat it. So, all those butterflies on the horse poop are guys!”
The little boy loved that idea. He laughed and said, “The park ranger said poop!”
All the little kids giggled and the girls pretended to be grossed out. The ranger smiled and got the group moving down the trail in single file again.
Chevy finished swimming and we strolled back down the trail to the parking area. As I loaded Chevy into the back of the truck, it hit me like a ton of bricks….
“Let’s go Chevy, I need to check something out.”
Chapter 12
I sped out to Miss Judy’s land. I was in a hurry to get to the far corner of the field, so I put the truck into four-wheel drive and hit the gas. My truck easily bounded across the mounds of grass and dirt, and we covered the ground in no time.
I parked the truck in the back corner of the field and opened the tailgate. Chevy jumped out and ran through the field while I started a search for horse poop.
I thought back to the day I found Sniper’s body in the front of this field. I remembered that Chevy played with a bunch of purple butterflies right in this area. I wondered if it was the type of Blues butterfly that the ranger had just spoken about.
I walked back and forth through the tall grass and searched the ground. Five minutes into my search, I hit the jackpot.
“Yes! Horse poop!”
There had been horses here recently. That might explain why there were no tire marks down near the road. Maybe Sniper, or his killer, got here by horseback. It appeared that the investigation focused on the road entrance to the field. This opened up a lot of new possibilities.
But how would a horse get back here?
I glanced up and could not see my dog, but could hear his joyful bark.
I called, “Chevy!”
He came sprinting out of a patch of woods, then turned and ran back the way he came. Curious about anything at this point, I ran over to see what he was doing.
Behind an old abandoned shed I saw an opening in the woods. Once I stepped into the opening, it allowed me to see a grown over trail that continued out past the boundary of Miss Judy’s property. It was several feet wide, and I saw Chevy jumping around with glee about 200 feet down that trail.
I hurried over and found him playing with more purple butterflies. There was another pile of horse manure close by.
Someone was riding horses through here for sure!
My best bet was to follow the horse trail. It might be a good lead for the authorities. Something inside me said to grab my daypack before taking off on this hike into the unknown. I jogged back to the truck and put some extra water and supplies in the small pack before slinging it on my back.
Chevy and I were headed out for a walk on the mystery trail. He was having a great time on this new adventure. I just hoped I wouldn’t get whacked by whoever owned the property.
We followed the meandering trail through the woods for about a half mile, when a familiar voice echoed from a distance.
“PAPAW, JOE JOE IS GETTING ON THE BROWN PONY! I WANT TO RIDE THE BROWN PONY!”
We continued on another hundred yards down the trail, and the sounds of little Abigal grew louder and louder.
“PAPAW!”
Boy, I never thought I would be happy to hear that kid’s voice.
Sure enough, the trail ended right on the edge of a horse farm. I could see the kids off in the distance riding ponies in a small fenced in area. They were on the other side of the stables. I must have made it to the horse farm that Abigal was talking about.
High Horse Farm was owned by none other than Barber Pierce. It was a five hundred acre farm that offered inexpensive boarding for horses. They also gave riding lessons to the local kids once a week in the front corral.
It was rumored that the real source of income for the farm was a moonshine still hidden in the back section of the property. Barber’s son, Lucky, ran the place. He was known to be one of the most skilled moonshiners in the region. Lucky was also one of Jase Johnson’s buddies.
Even though bootlegging was an accepted practice in the area, it was still against the law and could potentially land someone in jail. Therefore, he was very strict about the back section of their property.
Lucky did not want anyone trespassing on his land, and that included dogs.
Chapter 13
I had to get Chevy on his leash and go back the way we came. I did not want to give Lucky Pierce any surprises.
I called quietly, “Chevy.” He did not come.
I looked in every direction but did not see him. I stood quietly and listened, but did not hear him. The only sounds were the leaves rustling in the breeze.
Panic rose up in every part of me.
“Chevy!“
Nothing.
I saw an old barn nearby with the door wide open. I thought maybe he followed a fun smell or met a new animal friend inside. Hopefully, he was just distracted with a new buddy.
I snuck into the old barn and the door creaked shut behind me. It was not very bright inside and I could not find a light switch. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed a couple vehicles and some old farm type equipment stored in the barn. Mostly it was dirt and spider webs.
I got a flashlight out of my pack, and scanned the area as best I could. Gradually, I sensed some slight movements to my right.
“Chevy?”
I shined my light in that direction, and saw something licking the windows inside a black car.
“Chevy? “
“CHEVY!”
I ran to every door on that car and pulled with all my strength. I was relieved to find the back door unlocked. I yanked it open and Chevy bounced out, ready to play. I hugged him and gave him a kiss on the head.
Chevy licked my face, then turned around and jumped back in the car. He jumped in, then out, then in, then out. This was weird behavior that I had not seen in him before. As I watched him jump in and out, I noticed that this car was not nearly as dusty as the other stuff in the barn.
I moved the light across the length of the car and got a small reflection back. Looking closer, a design became clear on the side window. It was a sticker of a bulls-eye symbol.
This must be Sniper’s car!
I poked my head in the car door and flashed my light inside. The light landed directly on a pale face with big eyes staring right back at me! I jumped up with a start and hit my head on the door panel.
“Jamie?”
Jamie’s eyes were wide with fright. Her mouth was covered with duct tape. Her hands and feet were tied up. And she had A.M.B. written on her forehead.
I grabbed my phone and called Deputy Don’s number.
He answered the phone on the first ring, “Hey Avery, what’s up?”
“High Hor...”
CLICK
Someone ripped the phone right out of my hand.
Chapter 14
Lucky Pierce stepped out from the shadows behind me. His hair was disheveled and his clothes were filthy. He clearly was not in a good mood.
“So, if it ain’t the nature girl herself. What ‘cha doing trespassing on my property? “
I shined my light in his eyes and tried to sound
brave.
“Why were my dog and friend locked up in a dead man’s car? “
He reached over and grabbed the flashlight out of my hand. Lucky smelled as bad as he looked. I hoped he had not noticed my knees shaking.
He stalked over to the car and rummaged through the trunk, grumbling, “You nut cases are on my last nerve.”
I thought he found some rope to tie me up, but he pulled out an old gas can and some matches. I wanted to run, but there was no way I was going to leave my dog and friend behind.
My best bet was to try and distract him. “Did you kill Sniper?”
He snorted. “No, I did not, Little Miss Nosey.”
I took a deep breath and said, “I think you killed him because he was blackmailing you about your moonshining.”
He stuck his chest out with pride and said, “My daddy killed him. Self-defense. Sniper stole daddy’s woman and baby thirty years ago. Now he tried to steal his land.”
“You mean Barber had another kid?” I was confused.
“Yea, I just found out I have a brother. Never even got to grow up with him. I always wanted a brother, too. Sniper took my brother from me before I was even born.” Lucky tried to hold back tears, but a few found their way down his face anyway.
He continued on, “We threw his body on the back of my horse and I dumped him out in a field. I stood right over him and wrote on his head. A.M.B. I Avenged My Brother.”
Lucky looked exhausted. He probably had not slept nor bathed since the incident took place.
I decided to keep pressing him. “Did you avenge your brother by killing your daddy? How is hurting Jamie going to avenge your brother? What’s with all these crazy initials on everybody’s head?”
Lucky started stomping the dirt, marching back and forth, waving his arms in the air. “You’re gettin’ set up, you dingbat!” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out some type of paper. “I got your truck registration right here, and A.M.B. is your initials. You sure ain’t in the genius club!”
They did take something from my truck up at Hatcher’s Ridge after all.