Shadows of Lives Once Lived
by Jeffrey Scott Holland - part 9

One year later, the town was getting ready for the big Halloween festival once again. A county police car pulled up to the courthouse. Danny climbed out and walked into the station.

Ray walked out of his office. His hair wasn't the dark black that it had been a year ago. It was still black, but now it was noticeably streaked with gray. After that Halloween night at the Mackey Place, they had brought in K-9 units and conducted an extensive search. By the time they had finished, five more bodies had been exhumed. They were all African American. Several were identified as missing for over thirty years.

It turned out George had killed many people while in the Ku Klux Klan, and Ray concluded he had finally gotten what he had deserved.

Ray walked over to the desk where Danny was now sitting, "Is it done?"

Danny said, "Yeah, we have the entire road closed and routed a detour through Frober's Holler."

Ray sighed. "Good. I want you to put Jimmy and Rebel at the roadblocks with a car and a shotgun. I don't want any kids sneaking out there to see the legendary haunted house."

Danny smiled. "You sure you want to put Rebel on it?"

Ray looked at him seriously, "Considering the circumstances, I think you might be right. Put Willie out there instead."

Danny nodded. "Okay, but I don't think you have to worry about any kids sneaking out there. They are all scared to death of the place, even on normal days."