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the legends held： the Indians really had appeared out of nowhere； and then vanished back into nowhere。
Yet that was impossible。 Unless it was at last time to contemplate a possibility he had always resisted： that there were； in fact； extra…natural forces at work here； forces that he neither apprehended nor prehended。
It was a most frustrating turn of events indeed。
There was a faint droning sound to the southeast。 Raising his head； Pendergast saw the dot of a plane ing in high over the corn。 It grew in size； flying across his field of vision； resolving into a Cessna crop duster。 As it receded again toward the opposite horizon； it banked and came back…the spotter plane； still looking for Chauncy's body。
A second drone came from out of the lightening horizon； and Pendergast saw a second plane arrive to work the cornfields； flying back and forth at the other end of the landscape。
From downstairs came the rattle of a kettle being placed on the stove。 Moments later； the aroma of percolating coffee reached him。 Winifred Kraus would also be making his tea； in the exacting manner he had taught her。 It wasn't easy to make a satisfactory cup of King's Mountain Oolong； getting the temperature of both the water and the pot precisely right； knowing the correct quantity of leaves to add； the right amount of time to let them steep。 Most important was the quality of the water。 He had quoted to her at length from the fifth chapter of Lu Yu'sCh'a Ching； the holy scripture of tea； in which the poet debated the relative merits of mountain water； river water； and spring water； as well as the various stages of boiling； and Winifred had seemed to listen with interest。 And； to his surprise； the tapwater of Medicine Creek had proven fresh； cool； pure； and quite delicious； with a perfect balance of minerals and ions。 It made an almost perfect cup of tea。
Pendergast thought about this while watching the two planes move back and forth； back and forth。 And then； rather suddenly； one began to circle。
Just like the vultures had done； not so many days before。
Still thoughtful； Pendergast slipped his cell phone out of his coat pocket and dialed。 A voice answered； thick with sleep。
〃Miss Swanson？ I will expect you here in ten minutes； if you please。 It would appear we've found the body of Dr。 Chauncy。〃 He snapped the phone shut and turned from the window。
There would be just enough time for tea。
Forty…One
Corrie tried not to look； but somehow not looking seemed even more terrible than the real thing。 And yet； every time she looked； it was worse。
The site was simple： a clearing carved in the corn； with the body and paraphernalia carefully arranged。 The earth around the body had been painstakingly smoothed and patted down； and a many…spoked wheel had been drawn in the dirt around the corpse。 Gusts of wind rattled the corn and raised a mantle of dust that stung her eyes。 Angry…looking dark clouds gathered overhead。
Chauncy lay on his back at the center of the wheel； naked； arms carefully folded across his chest； legs arranged。 His eyes were wide open； filmed over； pointed at unnervingly different angles toward the sky。 His skin was the color of a rotten banana。 A ragged incision ran from his chest to the base of his gut； and his stomach bulged obscenely where it had been crudely sewn up again with heavy twine。 Something； it seemed； had been stuffed inside。
Why the huge wheel？ Corrie stared at the body； unable to take her eyes off it。 And was it her imagination； or was something actuallymoving inside the sewn…up belly； causing the skin to bulge and subside slightly？ There was something alive inside him。
Sheriff Hazen had gotten there first； and was bending over Chauncy's body with the medical examiner； who'd arrived by helicopter。 It was odd： Hazen had actually smiled at Corrie when they arrived and had greeted Pendergast with a hearty hello。 He seemed a lot surer of himself all of a sudden。 She glanced at him sidelong； chatting confidentially with the M。E。 and the SOC crew； who were bing the dirt for clues。 There were the usual bare footprints； but when they were pointed out to the sheriff he'd only chuckled knowingly。 An SOC guy was bent over one of them now； making a plastic mold from an imprint。
Pendergast； on the other hand； hardly seemed to be there at all。 He had barely spoken a word since she'd picked him up； and now he was gazing off into the distance； toward the Mounds； as if his thoughts were far away。 As she stared； he seemed at last to rouse himself。 He stepped closer。
〃e； e；〃 said the sheriff in a hearty voice。 〃Have a look； Special Agent Pendergast； if you're interested。 You too； Corrie。〃
Pendergast stepped closer； Corrie trailing behind。
〃The M。E。's about to open him up。〃
〃I would advise waiting until the laboratory。〃
〃Nonsense。〃
The photographer took some photos； the flashes blinding in the dim light of dawn； and then stepped back。
〃Go ahead；〃 Hazen said to the M。E。
The M。E。 removed a pair of scissors and carefully worked one point under the twine。Snip。 The belly bulged； and the twine began to unravel from the pressure。
〃If you're not careful；〃 Pendergast cautioned； 〃some of the evidence might； ah；abscond。 〃
〃What's inside；〃 said the sheriff cheerfully； 〃is irrelevant。〃
〃I should say it's most relevant。〃
〃You can say it all you like；〃 said the sheriff； his good humor adding insolence to the ment。 〃Cut the other end。〃
Snip。
The whole belly flopped open； and a collection of things came tumbling out； spilling across the ground。 A foul stink rose up。 Corrie gasped and backed away； holding her hand over her mouth。 It took her a moment to take in what it was that had slid steaming into the dirt： a crazy…quilt assortment of leaves； twigs； slugs； salamanders； frogs； mice； stones。 And there； among the offal； a slimy circlet that appeared to be a dog's collar。 A wounded but still living snake uncoiled from the mass and sidewinded painfully into the grass。
〃Son of abitch； 〃 said Hazen； backing up； his face slack with disgust。
〃Sheriff？〃
〃What？〃
〃There's your tail。〃
Pendergast was pointing at something protruding from the mess。
〃Tail？ What are you talking about？〃
〃The tail ripped from the dog。〃
〃Oh；that tail。 We'll be sure to bag and analyze that one。〃 Hazen had recovered quickly and Corrie caught him winking at the M。E。
〃And the dog collar。〃
〃Yup；〃 Hazen said。
〃May I point out；〃 Pendergast continued； 〃that it appears the abdomen was cut open with the same crude implement previously used for the Swegg amputations； the cutting off of the dog's tail； and the scalping of Gasparilla。〃
〃Right； right；〃 said the sheriff； not listening。
〃And if I am not mistaken；〃 Pendergast said； 〃there is the crude implement itself。 Broken and tossed aside。〃 He indicated something in the dirt to one side。
The sheriff glanced over； frowned； and nodded to the SOC man； who photographed it in situ； then picked the two pieces up with rubber tweezers and put them in evidence bags。 It was a flint Indian knife； lashed to a wooden handle。
〃From here I'd say it was a Southern Cheyenne protohistoric knife； hafted with rawhide to a willow…wood handle。 G