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“Are we really going with the killer is frightened by birds angle?” Sheriff Carter said, sounding unconvinced.
“We can’t rule anything out, I suppose,” Valerie said. But there was something bubbling away at the back of her mind. Something about Gina’s encounter. She would have to let the information ruminate a little before she unlocked what waswrongabout it.
“Gina,” Valerie continued, “did you know the victim?”
“I didn’t recognize her at first,” she answered in a hushed tone. “But the more I think about it, the more I think she was a farmhand over at the Gleeson place.”
“Is that near here?” Charlie asked.
“Yes,” Gina answered. “It’s basically up over the other side of the hills. I don’t really get on with the owner, Mac, very well. But the girl, I’m sure she worked over there. I think I saw her during one of our disputes.”
“What kind of a dispute?” Valerie asked.
“Some of his sheep sometimes graze where mine are supposed to,” she said. “I wouldn’t mind so much, but the second any of my animals have strayed onto his property, he’s threatened to shoot them.”
Valerie’s heart quickened. “Gina, do you think it’s possible that Mac was the person you saw at the tree? The one who chased you?”
Sheriff Carter laughed.
“What’s funny about that?” Valerie said, turning to the Sheriff.
“Mac is eighty-eight years old and can barely get around without a stick, never mind running around killing or throttling people with his bare hands.”
“The victim was cut twice on the chest with a weapon,” Will interjected. “Not strangled.”
Something whizzed through Valerie’s mind at lightning speed—an image brought quickly into focus by Will’s and the sheriff’s conversation.
She stood up. “Gina, can you excuse us, please?”
“Of course,” the woman said, looking to her friend the sheriff with confusion.
Valerie rushed out of the room and then out of the farmhouse into the icy air.
“What is it, Valerie?” Charlie asked, close behind her. The others followed loosely in tow.
Valerie climbed the hill with speed, her heart rate quickening even more as she did so. She felt the push back of the hill against her feet, but once she reached the barn, she did not stop.
“Valerie?” Charlie asked again beside her.
But Valerie didn’t answer. She was caught in a daze. She couldn’t speak as the air burned in her lungs, pushing footstep after footstep up the incline.
Finally, she reached the tractor, momentarily gazing at the bloodied interior, but she still did not stop.
She walked past it and after a few meters reached the large, crooked tree she had seen before.
Finally, she turned to face her companions. Charlie and the sheriff were not out of breath, but Will was red faced and puffing.
“What … what is going on?” the sheriff asked. “Do you usually rush off like this?”
“Only …” said Will, catching his breath. “Only if she’s onto something. It’s … it’s annoying, isn’t it?”
“Look,” Valerie said, composing herself. She pointed up at the tree.
“What are we looking at?” Carter asked, sounding bemused.
“My word, you don’t think …” Will started.
“That branch is broken,” Charlie said, rushing over.
