Page 26 of Longest Ride

“Feel free to brush the snow off when we’re done.”

He punched me in the shoulder. “Shut up, Harlan. Just sayin’.”

No answer at the door.

“Stay here and I’ll come in from the back.”

“Want me to do more fake knocking?”

“Suit yourself.”

I left Virge knocking on the front door while I ran around the single-wide and tried the back. Turned the knob and the door opened with a squeak. Didn’t have to pick the lock.

As soon as I stepped inside the little room at the back filled with boxes and crap, I could smell the decomp.

A quick run through to open the front door for Virge and I shook my head. “Don’t take any deep breaths.”

Virge made a face. “Jeeze, this smells worse than the morgue. Where are the bodies? Has to be more than one to stink this bad.”

Virge was right.

One bedroom was loaded with dead bodies. Three on one double bed—all naked and bloody and crawling with flies and maggots.

Almost as bad as the bear’s leftover breakfast, but not quite.

Virge gagged and ran into the bathroom next door to heave his lunch.

You never really get used to the smell.

“I’ll be out front calling Dad and Doctor Olsen,” I hollered to my brother. No way I was staying in the trailer if I didn’t have to. I called the coroner and got him on his way here, then I called Travis’s cell phone.

“Did you talk to Harry’s wife, son?”

“Yeah. Checking out Alex Perkins’ trailer, Dad, and it’s fuckin full of bodies. You’d better come up here.”

“Full…like how many is full, son?”

“Three in one bed all naked and shot, and they’re stinking real bad. This happened a couple days ago.”

“Like when Harry went hunting and didn’t come back? Like that day?”

“Yeah, just like that day, Dad.”

“Max and Sarge were right when they said Harry was never in the bush,” said Travis.

“Yep, they’re always right.”

“I’ll be up there soon as I can. Sit in the Jeep until Doc Olsen gets there. You don’t have to stay in the trailer, son.”

“Okay. Copy that.”

Virge came running out looking pretty pale.

“Dad said to sit in the Jeep and wait for him. We don’t need to stay in the trailer.”

“Good call, Dad. I’m doing it.”

I laughed at my little brother.

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