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.Tuckerintroduced him as Special Agent Carr of the FBI."Tucker," said Carr."We found a fresh grave; you'll never guesswhere." Tucker raised his eyebrows."It was in the garage, underFunderburke's truck.If we'd moved it sooner we'd have found iiimmediately.God only knows why he buried him there.Two to one it'llturn out to be the boy in the latest bulletin." "How many does thatmake so far?" Tucker asked."Seven, counting the cop.And we've onlyjust begun." Billy walked out back with Holmes and Tucker."We need alot of help, here, Governor," Tucker said."Do you think you could getus some National Guard assistance?" Billy nodded."I'll call thegovernor right away." He went back into the house."Uh, Chief?"Tucker turn'd.It was Bobby Patrick."Uh, can I help you out in anyway?" Tuckerintroduced him to Ben Carr, who looked at him for a momentand said, "Sheriff, you could relieve the chief's man down at the mainroad.We could use him up here.Just keep anybody from coming up herewho doesn't have any business here." "Right, yeah," said Patrick,backing out of the house, grateful for some official function.Carrlooked at Tucker and laughed."There's ashe riff who'll probably havea number of candidates opposing him come election time, when word getsout that he and that Talbot County judge didn't want to search thisplace." Billy returned from the house."The governor is calling theNational Guard commander at La Grange, who will call you and4oCH-Soffer whatever you need." He looked around him.'vir.Holmes and Iare of no use here.I think we'd better go." "All right, Governor,I'll keep you posted." '"i'd appreciate it if you would.And ifthere's any kind of assistance I can give you, don't hesitate to callme--at any hour." '"i expect the National Guard can give us all weneed," Tucker replied."Mr.Holmes, we could use three or four morephone lines out here.Do you think you could arrange that?" "Ofcourse," Holmes replied."I'll have them out here within the hour."John Howell joined them."Billy, I've got a dear beat on this, and I'dappreciate it if you wouldn't tip any other press for anothertwenty-four hours." Billy looked around him."Sure, John.From thelooks of this operation it'll be that time before we know the extent ofthis, and I can't say I want to be the one to announce it.That's upto Tucker and Mr.Carr, I expect." He turned to Hugh Holmes."Whydon't we go home, and leave this to the professionals.TM , '"i'd likenothing better," replied the banker.Considering all that hadhappened.Holmes was strangely silent on the way home, Billy thought.Back at Foxy's, john Howell loaded a camera and began walking slowlyabout the digging area, photographing everything.He stopped to take ashot of an old black man leaning on his shovel.The man pointed atTucker across the way.'q'hat sho' is some chief of poh-leece we got,ain't it?" he said to Howell."Yep.He's quite i felloW." "Alwayswuz." "How's that?" "I'se knowed him since he wuz a boy," the mansaid."We used to git in a heap o' mischief when we wuz children.Willie an' me." Howell stopped taking pictures."You grew up inColumbus, did you' "Oh, nos suh We growed up right here in Delano.Willie's daddy done used to work for Mr.Billy's daddy, when he wuzstill farmin'." Howell looked closely at the man.He seemed perfectlysane and sober.He was one of the prisoners Bartlett had brought out?HRE: Tucker Watts 422to dig.Howell got out a notebook."What's your name?" he asked."My name's Walter Johnson," he replied, "but folks call me ieback."422 CHXEtSBILLY SPENT a quiet Saturday at home, waiting to hear from Tucker.Hetalked briefly with Holmes,and they agreed it would be better, under the circumstances, to make nomore phone calls to legislators."This thing at Foxy's is going to overtake us shortly," Holmes hadsaid, "and it.will obliterate everything else.Let's don't try toswim against the stream."Late in the afternoon Tucker Watts and John Howell arrived, bothlooking exhausted.Patricia pressed some hot soup on them, and Billymixed them a drink.Soon they were settled in Billy's study before afire.It had begun to rain outside."We're finished out there, for the most part, and it's a good thing,too," Tucker said, glancing out the window."The FBI has sent apathologist down, and he and Dr.Mudter are cataloguing the remains,with the help of an anthropologist from the University of Georgia,who's had a lot of experience on archaeological digs.""How many.w' asked Billy, dreading the answer
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