Chapter 49

“It was dark,” Paul said, “and we had to go around a few obstacles, but we went straight ahead as much as possible.”

“What kind of obstacles?” George said.

“That fence, for example,” Paul said.

“We may have jogged a few feet to one side in order to find a better place to get across it,” Sean said, “but then we kept on in the same direction.”

“How high you think that ridge is, Dan?” George said.

“A little over five hundred feet, I’d say,” the sheriff said.

“It’s a good thing you guys turned to the left when you got to the top,” George said. “Look what happens in the other direction.”

“Yeah,” Sean said, “it starts to go straight up for a while.”

“Much as I hate to ask it,” the sheriff said, “I’m going to need you folks to come down to my office and make some statements.”

“We understand,” I said.

“Dan,” George said, “if I give you my taped interview with the boys, can you make a copy of it?”

“Certainly, George.”