Merry Sister Mary and the One and Only Killer

21: Sister Mary Discovers a Body

Some people jumped on chairs or climbed on tables. Others leaned away and hollered from their seats. All pointed to the headless snake and the jawbone. Everyone but Ms. Annette. She sat there stoically gazing at the grizzly sight. Brandon reached the snake. His eyes filled with tears.

"It's Belle, my black mamba. Someone has chopped off her head."

I reached for the jawbone. It was small, child size, with adult teeth still protruding up through underneath the baby teeth. The mud oozed on my fingers. It smelled oddly sweet for your typical mud. I licked it. "Interesting," I thought.

My eyes traveled to Mrs. Annette. The woman had not moved. She melted into me with eyes of the greatest regret. I knew instantly where the bone and the snake had been found. I grabbed Baines and shoved him into the hall.

"Call the police station and get Sergeant Leblanc over here now. Tell him a human bone has been discovered"

Janet, Giles, Susan, Gloria, and Michael rushed up to me.

"What's goin' on!" cried Janet frantic. She pointed to the jawbone in my hand. "Is that what I think it is. A piece of someone's mouth?"

"Everyone come with me," I yelled sprinting down the hall.

"Sister Mary, where are you going?" asked Giles as the group followed behind. I had no time to explain, but if it was indeed right in my suspicions then God help us all.

I soon found myself in the backyard running beside the house until I arrived at the flowerbed on the east side. Sure enough, dirt had been tossed aside and beautiful flowers had been uprooted, yet no dog footprints could be seen. I started to poke and prod at the exposed dirt with my umbrella.

"It's Mrs. Annette's special flowerbed," said Janet shocked. "Nobody touches it." Baines and Michael quickly apprehended the dogs. "The dogs are never allowed out their cages alone for just such a reason. The gate was secure when everyone arrived. I checked it when I brought them a treat. It's not possible for them to have gotten loose."

My umbrella's tip hit something hard. I leaned down and brushed the dirt away. Susan clutched tightly onto Giles's arm. She screamed and nearly fainted when the object came into view. First one skull appeared and then to everyone's horror, so came another.