I sat up in bed and turned on the lamp. I picked up my notes and reread them. Oh, my god, I thought. I think they were killed on the same day.

In the bottom of the credenza I’d kept the article from the newspaper along with my darling’s obit and the guest book from the mortuary. My darling had died two weeks ago on a tuesday, the same day the cops issued a DNR for Masada.

It was two oclock, but I was wide awake now. I retrieved a notebook from the desk drawer, and started to write what I knew about the killing and what I didn’t know.

On Marlene’s last morning, she had saddled up her aunts horse to go riding, alone. I’m a city boy, I don’t know how to ride. But I sat on the corral fence and watched her until she was out of sight. She was gone long enough for my butt to get sore. I found some rusty old horseshoes and entertained myself tossing them for awhile.

I remember it was nearly noon. I’d skipped breakfast and was getting hungry. Her screaming wiped away my hunger.