The Pale Man Rises

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

87

Upon his having arrived at the Reese farmhouse this same Friday morning after the discovery of the tragedy there the previous evening Sheriff John Trumbo saw two of his deputies standing on the porch looking somewhat taken aback and quite nervous. They hurriedly came out into the yard and were seemingly rushing to meet him. He nodded at them as they approached his vehicle. He disembarked and went to meet them.

"Boys what we got here?" he asked them. "You won't believe it Sheriff that's for sure!" said the youngest deputy. Trumbo looked at him in obvious confusion. "What...?" He looked at the young man's nameplate. "...in the name of Jesus are you talkin' about Naylor?" He then looked to the senior man who was now somewhat composed.

"He's talking about what's in the house Sheriff. It's a damn mess...a real damn mess!" said this man whose name was Tracy. Trumbo gave him a quizzical look. "No shit...it's really that bad?" he asked. "No shit!" Tracy said shaking his head.

They went inside the house then and had a look at the bodies. In the next instant Sheriff Trumbo was rushing out the back door and onto the porch. He had his left hand clamped over his mouth and gripped his waist with the other. He was going to throw up.

The color had left his face and he was turning as pale as cotton. The two deputies who had already seen the bodies had somehow steeled themselves against the sight. The secret really was not that difficult. All you had to do was pretend to look, at the ugly vision when in reality you were only looking at it peripherally. With this vague perception you really didn't grasp the enormity of the dreadfulness before you. Once was enough.

88

The deputies came upon their boss with a look of near embarrassment feeling awkward with having to see him like this. Trumbo at last turned his head and vomited. It really wasn't much more than spittle that came out of him for he was not one to have more than a cup of coffee for breakfast.

Once he was done he straightened his shirt and regained his dignity. He removed a handkerchief from a back pocket and wiped his mouth. He turned to his two officers with a look of astonishment. "What in the world happened to them...what in the name of Jesus happened here?" he exclaimed.

"Crazy ain't it? And it doesn't look like a robbery either. Mr. Slocum...he's the old fellow who lives up the road who found the bodies last night. He called them all day after the tornado touched down, but he couldn't get any of them over the phone. At first he figured they weren't home but finally later last night he decided he should check on them just in case. He came by and when he saw their vehicles still in the yard he decided to check in the house. Well soon as he saw that blood in front of the door he went in and found the bodies. He called the emergency people and our office. 

 The paramedics once they arrived relayed the information to Captain Springer they were dead and he in turn alerted us. The paramedics couldn't do nothing for them 'cept wait till we arrived. When we got here we sent them off and let Captain Springer to tell the Coroner they got some customers once you've had a look at the scene. We then questioned Mr. Slocum and he told us that Mr. Reese has a safe full of money in his den. We checked it out and the safe is still in there and it's locked tight. Fact is it doesn't look like its been touched at all. We did a preliminary search of the house and it looks like nothing is missing. It appears as if someone might've rummaged about, but took nothing that was valuable if anything at all ." He frowned as he remembered something. "Nothing that is other than their brains!" 

Trumbo turned away on that once more feeling nauseous. "Told you, you wouldn't believe it!" Naylor now chimed in. Trumbo gave him another piercing stare. "Son if you're planning on being with us for very long you're going to have to know when to keep your yap shut!" he sneered. Naylor shrunk backward now feeling the fool. Tracy was about to start laughing his ass off at the stupidity of the younger man yet he managed to get a serious look on his face as he directed a question to the Sheriff.