Chapter 33

“Sheriff,” said a man as he entered the office of the parish sheriff “we found another body.”

“Another body.”

“Yeah . . . it was right near that skeleton we found a few years back,” he said.

“Oh! Yes the first wife of Colonel Weston,” said the sheriff. “I’ll get doc and we’ll come right out. Just keep your men away from the area until we’re all done.”

“Doc’s already out there, he was doing some fishing, so he’s waiting for you.”

“I’ll get my horse and be right with you” he said as he put his hat on his head and started for the door.

“What do we have this time, Doc?” the Sheriff asked.

“You remember that lawyer who represented Christopher Le Monte?” asked the doctor.

“I believe I do,” he said “he disappeared about the same time as the Le Monte boy.”

“Well . . . he just reappeared again,” said the Medical Examiner. “That’s him there in the ditch.”

“Can you tell me what killed him?” asked the Sheriff.

“Sure can . . . it was a large knife which penetrated his back just between his left shoulder blade and spine. I would say it may have even penetrated his heart. Either way he didn’t live very long.”

“You think the Le Monte boy could have done it?”

“No! Who ever it was, either was very strong, or he threw the knife with such force that it cut through the rib bones. No! I would say the Le Monte boy was not strong enough, nor was he capable of throwing a knife that hard. It was a full grown man who did it.”

“The Weston brothers, perhaps?” asked the sheriff.

“Oh! No! . . . I’ll leave that up to you,” said the doctor “You’ll have my report as soon as I can get to it.”

“How about making it a priority, Doc?” asked the sheriff.

“I came out here to do some fishing and by gum that’s exactly what I’m going to do. So you and that mad house of a parish can go jump in the river . . . only don’t jump in the one I’m fishing in.”