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h another row of corn； flattening five or six stalks。
There seemed to be more than one set of blurred； inplete tracks。 Tad didn't want to articulate； even to himself； what this was starting to resemble。 It looked like a chase。 Jesus； it was really looking like a chase。
He continued walking； hoping it would turn out to be something else。
The trail went through another row； ran along the corn for a while； then broke through yet another。 And then Tad came suddenly upon an area where there had been some thrashing in the dirt。 A dozen stalks were broken and scattered。 The ground was all torn up。 It was a mess。 It looked like something violent； really violent； had happened here。
Tad swallowed； scanning the ground intently。 There； finally…on the far side of the disturbance…was a clear footprint in the dry earth。
It was bare。
Oh； God；thought Tad； a sick feeling rising in his stomach。Oh； God。 And his hand trembled as he raised the radio to his lips。
Twenty…One
Corrie Swanson brought the shuddering Gremlin into the dirt lot of Kraus's Kaverns； parking it amidst a swirl of dust that spiraled up and away。 She glanced at the dashboard clock： six…thirty exactly。 God； it was hot。 She snapped off the blaring music； threw open her door and got out； scooping up her new notebook as she did so。 She walked across the lot and mounted the steps to the old； decaying Victorian pile。 The oval windows in the door revealed little of the gloom beyond。 She raised the big iron knocker and let it drop； once； twice。 The soft creak of footsteps； then Pendergast appeared at the door。
〃Miss Swanson；〃 he said。 〃Punctual； very punctual。 We； on the other hand； are running late。 I must admit to a certain difficulty adjusting to the early dinner hour of this town。〃
Corrie followed him into the dining room； where the remains of what looked like an elaborate dinner could be seen beneath the glow of candles。 Winifred Kraus sat at the head of the table； wiping her mouth primly with a lace napkin。
〃Please sit down；〃 said Pendergast。 〃Coffee or tea？〃
〃No； thanks。〃
Pendergast disappeared into the kitchen； ing back with a funny…looking metal teapot。 He filled two cups with a green liquid； handing one to Winifred and keeping the other himself。 〃Now； Miss Swanson； I understand you've pleted your interview with Andy Cahill。〃
Corrie shifted unfortably in her chair； laid her notebook on the table。
Pendergast's eyebrows shot up。 〃What's this？〃
〃My notebook；〃 said Corrie with a defensiveness she didn't quite understand。 〃You wanted me to interview Andy； so I did。 I had to write it down somewhere。〃
〃Excellent。 Let's have the report。〃 The FBI agent settled into his chair； his hands clasped together。
Feeling awkward； Corrie opened the notebook。
〃What lovely handwriting you have； my dear；〃 said Winifred； leaning just a little too close。
〃Thanks。〃 Corrie edged the notebook away。 Prying old gossip。
〃I went to Andy's house yesterday evening。 He'd been out of town； a 4…H trip to the state fair。 I told him his dog had died； but I didn't say how。 I kind of let him assume it was hit by a car。 He was pretty upset。 He loved that dog； Jiff。〃
She paused。 Once again； Pendergast's eyes had drooped to mere slits。 She hoped he wouldn't go to sleep on her again。
〃He said that for the past couple of days； Jiff had been acting kind of strange。 He wouldn't go outside and went whining and cringing around the house； had to be dragged out from under the bed when it was time for his dinner。〃
She turned the page。
〃Finally； two days ago…〃
〃Exact dates； please。〃
〃August tenth。〃
〃Proceed。〃
〃On August tenth； Jiff； er； took a dump on the living room rug。〃 She looked up nervously into the silence that followed。 〃Sorry； but that's what he did。〃
〃My dear；〃 said Winifred； 〃you should say that the dogdirtied the rug。〃
〃But he didn't just get the rug dirty； he； you know；crapped on it。 Diarrhea； in fact。〃 What was this meddling old lady doing anyway； listening to the report？ She wondered how Pendergast could put up with her。
〃Please continue； Miss Swanson；〃 Pendergast said。
〃So anyway； Mrs。 Cahill； who's kind of a bitch； got pissed off and kicked Jiff out of the house and made Andy clean up the mess。 Andy had wanted to take Jiff to the vet but his mom didn't want to pay for it。 Anyway； that was the last he ever saw his dog。〃
She glanced over at Winifred and noticed her face was all pinched up。 It took her a moment to realize it was because she had used the word 〃bitch。〃
〃What time was this？〃 Pendergast asked。
〃Seven o'clock in the evening。〃
Pendergast nodded； tenting his fingers。 〃Where do the Cahills live？〃
〃It's the last house on the Deeper Road； about a mile north of town； not far from the cemetery and just before the bridge。〃
Pendergast nodded approvingly。 〃And Jiff was wearing his collar when he was ejected from the house？〃
〃Yes；〃 Corrie said； concealing a stab of pride that she'd thought to ask the question。
〃Excellent work。〃 Pendergast sat up。 〃Any news on the missing William Stott？〃
〃No；〃 said Corrie。 〃They've got a search going。 I heard they were bringing a plane down from Dodge City。〃
Pendergast nodded； then rose from the table； strolled to the window； folded his hands behind his back； and looked out over the endless corn。
〃Do you think he was murdered？〃 asked Corrie。
Pendergast continued looking out over the corn； his dark figure accented against the evening sky。 〃I've been keeping an eye on the avian fauna of Medicine Creek。〃
〃Right； sure；〃 said Corrie。
〃For example；〃 Pendergast said； 〃do you see that vulture？〃
Corrie drew up to his side。 She could see nothing。
〃There。〃
Then she saw it： a lone bird； silhouetted against the orange sky。 〃Those turkey vultures are always flying around；〃 she said。
〃Yes； but a minute ago it was riding a thermal； as it had been doing for the past hour。 Now it's flying upwind。〃
〃So？〃
〃It takes a great deal of energy for a vulture to fly upwind。 They only do it under one circumstance。〃 He waited； staring intently out the window。 〃Now； observe…it's made its turn。 It sees what it wants。〃 Pendergast turned toward her quickly。 〃e；〃 he murmured。 〃We don't have any time to lose。 We must get to the site…just in case； you understand…before the state trooper legions descend and ruin everything。〃 He turned toward Winifred and said； in a louder voice； 〃Excuse us； Miss Kraus； for the suddenness of our departure。〃
The old lady rose； her face white。 〃Not another…〃
〃It could be anything。〃
She sat down again； wringing her hands。 〃Oh dear。〃
〃We can take the powerline road；〃 Corrie said as she followed Pendergast out the door。 〃We'll have to walk the last quarter mile； though。〃
〃Understood；〃 Pendergast replied tersely； getting into the car and closing the passenger door。 〃This is one instance in which you can exceed the speed limit； Miss Swanson。〃
Five minutes later； Corrie was nosing the Gremlin down the narrow； rutted track that was known locally as the powerline road。 She was familiar with this isolated； dusty stretch； this was where she came to read； daydream； or simply get away from her mother or the morons at the