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Stuart turned to look at me, surprised "Yes," he said "He was probably happy everyTom Almand pulled the wool over the eyes of almost every member of this community, for years He’s surely been pleased with himself every day of that time The only person he couldn’t fool, eventually, was his own son"

"So, he fooled everyone else?" I asked

Tolliver gripped ues who have worked with hi with him fine, that he was always on ti his appointent with his recommendations and referrals, and had only ht years he’s been here"

I was iether that much information in the limited time they’d had I wondered if he’d been under suspicion frootten a head start on hi similar

"But what about close friends?" I asked

"He didn’t seem to have any close friends," Stuart said "Oh, he’s been on the Hospital Expansion Board for the past six years; and so have Len Thomason and Barney Simpson, which h froot elected to the board last year, the one that conducted the rants, federal money, privateKnott County really does need a new hospital, as you may have noticed"

All roads seemed to lead to the hospital No matter what direction I started out in, I ended up at the front doors of Knott County Memorial

"Has the boy spoken yet?" I asked, aware that pretty soon Stuart and Klavin would decide not to answer any more questions, just because

"Not yet"

"And I know you’ve got hiuard?"

Klavin said, "You can believe that Nothing will happen to that boy"

"His family co the night before And we found his car on the side of the road about a mile from the Almand house He had a flat tire, and no spare"

"Well, that explains that Considering the weather, he’d be glad to get a ride, nocan happen to therimly

He’d found out different He’d never be the sauard on Manfred Bernardo?" I asked

"He’s older than the other boys," Stuart said

"But he’s part of the case"

"He’s an adult, and he’s in the hospital with plenty of people watching hiet’s shot to hell"

"It’s been interesting talking to you," I said "Thanks"

"Did you know they were there?" Tolliver asked as we drove back to Doraville

"No, I had no idea I just wanted to look at the site again when it was clean"

"Clean?"

"No bodies Just dirt and trees"

We drove in silence for a fewto be accused of murder in the next, say, three or four days - you weren’t sure when, but you kneas co - ould you do?"

"I’d run," Tolliver said

"What if you weren’t quite sure?"

"If I thought there was a chance I wouldn’t be picked out of the lineup, or whatever?"

I nodded

"If I thought there was a chance I could hold on to my life, I think I’d try to stay around," Tolliver said, deep in thought "Running is getting harder and harder with the rise of computers and the use of debit and credit cards Cash isn’t common, and people who use it are remembered You have to show your driver’s license for al It’s hard to stay invisible in the United States, and it’s hard to cross a border without a passport If you’re not a career criminal, it would be almost impossible to do either one"