The entomologist was naked, the skin flayed from his back like wings. Blood soaked into the ground beneath him. He was pinned up, immaculate, like a specimen; if a specimen also invoked the image of the Lord. For he was on the back wall of the church.

The sheriff was staring up at him, with concentration.

The scent in the air was sharp.

" Dusty, the officers from Madison are here," Officer Carey called out to him.

" Good, good," he said, turning to them. " Help me take this poor man down. It's been hard enough as is to keep people from lookin'."

Christel seemed pale in the face still, but Allen did not give it any pause. It was gruesome, to be sure, but it had to be done. At the very least, Christel would have to handle this much; he was going to be in charge of the autopsy. Allen had other things to attend to.

With a moderate deal of labor, they removed the railway rods impaling him, and bore him down onto a woolen blanket.

The smell of death was evident, and only growing worse. There was, thankfully, no insect activity. Allen would've felt significantly more remorse leaving Christel to deal with it if there was.

" I'm going to wash up and go out to the Perlmutters' with Officer Carey," Allen said. " Officer Kersten will assist you with the autopsy precedings."

The sheriff gave him a hard look, but allowed it.

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