#12: Come Undone

[00:00:00] Sam Herb Walker crossed into his backyard, only letting go of Daisy's leash. Once they passed the tree line. [00:00:37] She bolted for the back door, nails scratching against the wooden steps, eager to be inside where things made sense. [00:00:47] Herb wasn't far behind, but his pace was slower, his nerves still running the show. [00:00:54] He was home. [00:00:56] He should feel relieved, but he didn't. [00:00:59] His eyes kept drifting back toward the woods. His gut was still twisted, his breath still a little too shallow. [00:01:07] Who were they? [00:01:08] What were they looking for? [00:01:11] And the worst question of them all? [00:01:13] Had they followed me? [00:01:16] He stepped inside, shut the door, and locked it. [00:01:21] Then he moved through the house, checking the front door, twisting the deadbolt, pressing his palm flat against it, like he could somehow reinforce the wood through sheer willpower. [00:01:32] Next were the windows. [00:01:34] He checked each one one by one, peering out through the curtains before sliding the locks tight. [00:01:41] Paranoia? [00:01:44] Maybe. [00:01:45] But if those men came back for him, he wanted at least one line of defense. [00:01:51] Daisy had already claimed her spot on the couch, head resting on the armrest like she owned the place. [00:01:57] Herb gave her a quick pat, mostly for his own comfort, then turned to the phone sitting on the end table. [00:02:06] He stared at it for a beat. [00:02:09] Maybe this was nothing. [00:02:11] Maybe he was overthinking. [00:02:14] Maybe those two bastards in the suits had nothing to do with him and this morning was just a bad coincidence wrapped up in a worse feeling. [00:02:24] Maybe. [00:02:25] Or maybe this was the kind of thing people ended up regretting, not reporting. [00:02:31] Herb picked up the receiver, pressed a few buttons, and held it to his ear. [00:02:36] The dial tone hummed, then a few rings. [00:02:41] Finally a voice. [00:02:43] Hickory Bend Police Department. Jennifer Hale answered, bright and chipper, like this was just another slow morning at the station. [00:02:51] Jennifer? Herb said. [00:02:53] Speaking, she replied. Who's this? [00:02:57] It's Herb Walker. [00:02:59] Oh, hiya, Herb. How can I help you? [00:03:03] She sounded pleasant, too pleasant. It was almost calming after the morning he'd had. Herb cleared his throat. [00:03:11] Could be nothing, but I came across something in the woods by the river this morning when I was taking Daisy for a walk. [00:03:18] There was a pause, not a long one, but just long enough. [00:03:23] Then Jennifer let out a small oh, like she had just put two and two together. [00:03:30] Is this about the body? [00:03:32] Herb blinked. His whole body stiffened. The body silence on the other end. Then Jennifer backtracked a little too fast. [00:03:41] It wasn't about the body. [00:03:44] Herb's grip on the receiver tightened. What body? [00:03:49] Another pause. Jennifer exhaled, but it sounded more calculated than relieved. [00:03:55] Then what did you see? [00:03:58] Herb didn't answer right away. [00:04:00] Herb, she said. [00:04:03] What did you see? [00:04:04] Herb thought about the two men by the river, the way they combed the banks like bloodhounds on a scent, one of them packing heat, the other watching, calculating. [00:04:19] That sleek black car gleaming too clean, too new for a place like Hickory Bend, where the nicest vehicle in town usually had a dented bumper and a faded Jesus fish on the back. [00:04:33] He regretted not checking the plates. [00:04:36] That might have given him something real, but at the time he'd been too caught up in not getting shot. [00:04:44] Now, with Jennifer's words still ringing in his ear, something gnawed at him. [00:04:50] There was a body? [00:04:51] Herb asked. [00:04:53] Silence. [00:04:54] Then Jennifer sighed, just a little too carefully. [00:04:58] Herb, what did you see? [00:05:01] He hesitated, not long. Just long enough to feel the weight of where this conversation was headed. [00:05:07] Like I said, he murmured, it could have been nothing. [00:05:14] What could have been nothing, Herb? [00:05:17] Her voice was heavier now, but somewhat controlled. [00:05:20] A true professional. [00:05:23] Herb sucked in a slow breath, his next words coming out in short, clipped beats, not because he was unsure but because his brain was still trying to catch up to the fact that Jennifer Hale had casually mentioned a body. [00:05:38] Two men. A black car. Too pristine. [00:05:42] One of them had a gun. They were looking for something. [00:05:45] Jennifer didn't respond right away, but Herb could hear it, the shift in her breathing. [00:05:52] Herb, jennifer said, her voice dipping lower, like she was about to tell him something she wasn't supposed to. [00:06:01] Bo Harley discovered a body this morning on the banks of Foxfire River. [00:06:07] Herb blinked. [00:06:09] Bo Harley's back in town. [00:06:12] Winter break, she said, like that was the most normal part of this whole conversation. [00:06:17] And he found a body. [00:06:20] A body, Herb. Herb rubbed his temple, letting that sink in. [00:06:25] Whose body? [00:06:27] I dunno, she admitted. Rusty's there now. But I think you should speak to him sooner rather than later. [00:06:36] Herb frowned. [00:06:38] He didn't like the sound of that. [00:06:41] Jennifer hesitated for just a second. [00:06:45] Can you stay on the line? [00:06:48] Herb exhaled, shifting his weight in his chair, eyes drifting toward the window, like maybe he expected to see that pristine black car roll past at any moment. [00:06:59] Yeah, he muttered, more to himself than to her. [00:07:04] I'm not going anywhere. [00:07:07] Jennifer came back onto the line. A moment later. [00:07:10] Rusty said, he'll come by your place today. Don't go anywhere. [00:07:14] Herb scoffed. I don't plan on it, Jennifer. [00:07:18] There was a pause, then her voice changed, less professional dispatcher, more concerned. Neighborhood Herb, she said, her breath tight. [00:07:30] Yeah. [00:07:32] What's happening? [00:07:33] The words slipped out, quiet, raw, like she was asking for herself. Not for the record. [00:07:41] Herb stared at the phone, then out the window, then back again. [00:07:45] I don't know, he admitted but times like this, I'm glad I got my guard dog and a rifle in my bedroom. [00:07:54] Jennifer didn't say anything for a second. [00:07:57] Did they seem dangerous? [00:07:59] Herb ran a hand through his shaggy, graying hair. [00:08:04] They gave me chills. [00:08:06] Jennifer didn't like that. [00:08:08] He could hear it in the small breath she took. [00:08:12] When I approached them, he continued, they said they were just looking for a bite to eat. [00:08:19] Claimed they came that far out just to take a piss. [00:08:23] Jennifer let out a small snort. [00:08:25] A piss? [00:08:27] That's what they said. Who the hell goes that deep into the forest? A piss? [00:08:31] Herb let out a dry chuckle, but it didn't quite reach his chest. [00:08:36] Nobody with good intentions. [00:08:45] It's. [00:09:10] It.