Chapter 51

“What would that be?” Dr. Brannon said.

“I visited the local funeral home a while back, and they have a file cabinet full of records from the nineteenth century. Their company had bought the only funeral home in town when its founder had died back before World War I. The man who started the firm back in the mid-nineteenth century made copious notes about each funeral he handled. Can you put your hands on that file, and give it to Dr. Brannon, Eric?”

Eric retrieved the file, and handed it to Dr. Brannon.

She opened the folder and skimmed through the file, then handed it to her husband.

“I see what you mean,” she said. “The funeral home owner writes that both Wade Raleigh and his friend Moses had been castrated sometime in the past.”

“And now we know why, and by whom,” Eric said. “It gives me the willies to even think about it.”

Carlton shot up from his chair. “Hold the phone, folks. Something just hit me.”

“What?” Eric said.