ate, Hunter curbed his impatience. This was her party, after all.

When they had finished, she stood, cleared the plates then sat back down. She met his eyes. "As you know, last night I went to Trudy Pruitt's trailer. The woman had accused my father of being involved in

Sallie Waguespack's murder. Of helping the police to frame her sons. She said she had proof, but she was killed before she could give it to me."

"So you went looking for it. Gwen Lancaster was with you."

"How did you-?"

"Good guess."

"What you don't know is that Gwen had interviewed Trudy about The Seven just hours before Trudy's

death."

Hunter straightened. "She interviewed Trudy Pruitt?"

"Yes. The woman confirmed the existence of The Seven. She claimed the group was responsible for

Elaine St. Claire's murder."

"Avery," Hunter said, frowning, "word is, the woman was an unstable drunk. Because of her boys, she had an ax to grind with this town. I wouldn't put too much stock in what she had to say."

"You sound like Matt. Buddy, too."

"They're right. You should listen."

She looked frustrated. "What about Gwen? Her place was ransacked. All her notes stolen. Someone

lured her out to a hunting camp off Highway 421 and No Name Road. They left her a gutted cat."

"Try that again."

"A woman phoned Gwen. She told her she had information about Gwen's brother's disappearance. She

arranged a meeting at the hunting camp."

"But she didn't show."

"Right. Instead, Gwen found the cat. It was a warning. To cease and desist. That's the way The Seven

works. One warning, then they act."

Hunter listened, his sense of unease growing. "How do you know any of that's true, Avery? She could

have ransacked her own place, lied about the cat, the phone call and notes. All in an effort to convince you it was true. To gain your trust."

She shook her head. "I was at The Guesthouse when she returned. She was frightened, Hunter.

Terrified."

She slid the piece of newspaper across the table. "Last night Gwen and I found this. On Trudy Pruitt's bedroom floor."

Hunter gazed at the clipping. The woman had drawn devil horns and a goatee on the picture of Avery's

father, yet Avery seemed so matter-of-fact about the item it was as if finding such an upsetting thing in a murdered woman's bedroom was an everyday occurrence.

"Look here, in the margin," she continued. "She was tallying something, keeping score."

'"All but two,'" he murmured. "What do you think it means?"

"I believe she was counting the dead so far. My dad was number five."

"Plus two equals seven."

"I noticed that."

"Okay, you have my full attention."

She tapped the page. "The way I figure it, these were either people she believed had been involved in the cover-up of Sallie Waguespack's murder or ones who knew the truth about it."

"Presuming there was a cover-up."

"Yes." She stood and began to pace. "You're a lawyer... Who would have been involved in the

investigation?"

"I'm not a criminal attorney, but obviously you've got a murderer and a victim. Person or persons who discovered the body. First officer. Detectives, criminalists. The coroner or his deputy."

"Witnesses, if any."

"Right."

"Your dad let me read the file," she said. "Officer Pat Greene was out on patrol. He saw the Pruitt boys

leaving Sallie Waguespack's. The boys had a history of trouble with the law, so he decides he'd better

check it out. He finds the woman dead, then calls Buddy."

She stopped, expression intent, as if working to recall the exact sequence of events. "From Pat's description, Buddy figures it was the Pruitt brothers Pat saw. He and Pat go looking for them. The meeting ends in a shoot-out that left the boys dead."

"They left the murder scene untended?"

She thought a moment. "I can't remember. They may have waited for the coroner, but I don't think so.

According to the file, no other officer was called to the scene."

"Go on."

"The murder weapon was found in the ditch behind the Pruitt's trailer. Donny's prints were on it. One of

the boys had the victim's blood on his shoe. They opened fire on the police when approached and Pat Greene had already placed them at the scene. Case closed. No need for further investigation, nice and neat."

"Too nice and neat, you're thinking?"

"Maybe"

"What about the autopsy? As I understand it, an autopsy is always requested in a murder case."

"It wasn't in the file. Buddy thought it had been misplaced and promised to locate it for me. I'll give him a

call tomorrow."

Silence fell between them. Hunter sensed her doing the same as he, considering the possibilities, doing a mental tally. The numbers didn't add up. "Let's count who could have been involved," he said. "You've got two officers at the scene, Dad and Pat Greene. You've got the coroner. That's three. Throw in the victim and the Pruitts you've got six. Your dad could be number seven, though how he fit in I'm not certain."

He drummed his fingers against the tabletop. "Maybe she was counting the deaths of The Seven? Maybe she was the one bumping them off? Maybe one of the last two killed her first?"

"Maybe, but I don't think so. Unless she had an accomplice. These deaths were made to look like

accidents. There was a level of sophistication I don't believe Trudy Pruitt capable of."

"If she had an accomplice, who would that be? Someone who thought as she did. Someone with an ax to grind against Cypress Springs or a group of her citizens."

Avery thought a moment, then shook her head. "Then who killed Elaine St. Claire? Not Trudy Pruitt,

they were friends. She told Gwen that The Seven were responsible for Elaine's death."

"Maybe The Seven are the ones who killed Sallie Waguespack."

"That doesn't work because the way I understand it, the Waguespack murder was the catalyst for the

formation of The Seven."

"But you don't know that for sure."

She made a sound of frustration. "No, dammit. All I have is speculation."

"And a growing number of dead." He stood and crossed to her. "Let's back up again. Who could have

known the truth about Sal-lie Waguespack's death?"

"The Pruitt boys. Buddy. Pat Greene. My dad, because Trudy Pruitt implicated him."