Two days later, a meeting was underway at the sheriff’s office. Steve and three deputies smoked and scratched their heads. Steve, as the boss, began:

  “So, what do we have? The victim—let’s call him the ‘tourist’—walked into the bar at 11:31 PM. Sat with the miner. They were chatting. Some Arab students and bikers joined the conversation. Everything looked friendly on the security footage—then the cameras ‘magically’ went out. After 2 AM, the tourist leaves. The bikers follow. The gang leader shoots him six times with his registered weapon. The tourist knocks him out and runs into the woods. The Arabs catch up and try to behead him—he takes them out too and keeps running. Then, per the miner’s story, he catches up with the tourist, fights him, knocks him out, and robs him. The tourist, wounded, holding his own head upright, chases the miner almost three miles to the hospital and collapses dead at the doors.”

  “The bikers are awake but won’t talk,” added Bill. “The students are worse off, but they’ll live. Haven’t interviewed them yet. Patrick—ginger bastard—is probably involved: his cameras went out just before the tourist exited. He blames old equipment. The only one talking is the miner. Says he attacked to steal the miracle drug. Won’t speak about the students or bikers. Says he’ll take the fall.”

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Kinda feel sorry for him,” said the second deputy, Riley. “He didn’t cause the fatal wounds. Just roughed him up. And he saved his wife.”

  “Anything on the tourist?” Steve asked.

  “No matches—prints, face, nothing. Doc sent DNA to the bureau, but no response yet. The documents are fake, but high quality.”

  Steve was silent.

  “What’s the plan, boss?”

  The phone rang.

  Steve answered, listened, then said shortly, “Okay, Doc,” and hung up.

  “Alright. First—autopsy says the tourist died from asphyxiation. Anaphylactic shock. Swollen throat blocked his airway. Second—FBI got the DNA and instead of a report, they sent agents with scary papers. They took the body and are on their way here.”