# Writing > Short Story Sharing >  The Wolves of Manchester

## joseph engraver

24/3/ 2019
THE WOLVES OF MANCHESTER
I am a content writer for the Manchester Union Leader. When I am on assignment I get to enjoy the New Hampshire country side, eat in every new restaurant that opens, and attend all the fairs, festivals and write general articles of interest that fill the Leaders pages
When I am not writing and I want solitude to think, I take my camera along and go fishing. This is exactly what I was doing during the hot summer month of August. This time my escape from the heat, the office, my wife Beverly and my 12 year old daughter Sylvia was on a small lake in Sullivan County named Little Sunapee.
It was there that I found myself standing on a wooden dock next to a shirtless man. He was sitting in a canvas chair wearing only swimming trunks and drinking from a pint bottle of Canadian Club whiskey. He had a long cane pole propped against the railing while he patiently watched a red and white plastic bobber floating on the clear water.
I have learned that it is often better to say excuse me, than may I. Not being shy, I put down my equipment, started assembling my fishing rod and said “How is the fishing”
Without looking or turning around he said. “I am not fishing I am thinking, and whoever you are this is private property and you are trespassing.”
I have been told many times the same thing, only to find that it was not true. I had walked quite a distance along the shore to find this spot and I was not about to go away without at least knowing If he was telling the truth. 
“I don’t see a private property; keep out, no trespassing signs .so why should I not fish here? “
He turned around to look me. His face was etched in lines of sadness and I was taken by the over whelming look of despair he presented.
He answered “I built this dock, and the house you see behind it. I never thought that some stranger would come along and arrogantly park his *** on my land. There is a no trespassing and private property sign at the entrance gate, but obviously you can’t read.”
I turned away and looked at the house he was talking about .It was a very pleasant setting , a small neat cottage and garage built with carefully fitted field stones, the roof was covered with hand split cedar shakes that now were covered with lichen moss. The yard was recently mown and red tulips bordered the paving stone walkway the led to this wooden dock.
“I am sorry for intruding; I did not see the signs as I walked along the shore. Please accept my apology.” Then I picked up my tackle and started to leave.
“Do you mind if I take a few photos of your home before I leave’ I asked?”
“Mister if that is what it takes to get you off my dock go ahead, but why do you want to?”
“I am a writer for the Manchester Union Leader, My name is William Joyce and your home is just the sort of place that few city folks have ever seen. If I have your permission I will purplish it in the Sunday’s travel and entertainment edition.”
“In that case you may not take any pictures, and I will be damned if you can write anything about me. The last thing I want is to have a bunch of nosey people poking and prying into my life again. I cannot take any more of that.”
He got up from his chair, came up to me, glared into my eyes and yelled. “Now get to hell out of here before I throw you, your camera and gear into the lake.”
It was very obvious he meant it; I apologized once more and left.
While I was walking back to my car I began thinking about this man and his words. ”The last thing I want is nosey people poking and prying in to my life again.”
My curiosity was aroused and I determined that when I returned to my office would find out what this man was hiding and why he looked so despondent and sad. 
When I got home I put away my fishing gear and went into the kitchen, gave Beverly a kiss on her neck and a pat on her butt.
“No fish today dear, I was thrown out of this man’s property before I could even wet a line. He seems to be a very odd duck, and tomorrow I am going to do a bit of detective work and find out more about him.” She smiled and said “That´s nice, I am glad you had a good day and there are no fish clean. Now change your cloths and wash up. I fixed something special for supper, stuffed onions, mushroom caps and grilled eggplant with veal chops. “
After supper I went out side with my daughter Sylvia to play her favorite game of hide and seek .I could not help thinking how fortunate I am to have her and my beautiful wife as my life’s companions. 
The next morning I used the county maps and located the lot. Then i called the County Register of Deeds to find out who owned the property on the lake Little Sunapee. I talked to the very helpful clerk and explained I worked for the Union Leader, and then gave her my phone and fax. 
She said she would fax me as soon as she found time to look up the title, when it was purchased, and who the present owner is.
I finished the Sunday article about Profile Lake and all of the attractions there, and was going home to my wife when the Fax came in. I took it out of the machine stuck in into my briefcase and left my office. .
In the morning as soon as I was in my office, I took out the fax and found it had all the information I had asked for.
“ Lot # 266 Little Sunapee Lake, Scott Thomas Pinkerton ,Registered as purchaser in 1992 paid $17,400.00 dollars ,received a building permit for a single private dwelling in December 1991, yearly property taxes $600.00 no delinquencies.” 
There was something very familiar about the name. While tried to recall where I had heard it my editor came into my office. 
Ralph Shoemaker is the person who knows everything and everyone in Sullivan, Merrimack and Rockingham Counties. He has been working at the Union Leader since the fifties and reads and edits everything that the paper puts into print .He looked over my shoulder at my computer screen. When he saw the name Pinkerton he asked me what I was doing. I told him of my meeting at Sunapee Lake and how he threw me off his property.
“Bill, you have met one of the most unfortunate men that I know of. I have often wondered what happened to him after his daughter disappeared. That was the biggest story to hit Rockingham County. It was front page news nationwide. It devastated him, destroyed his marriage and subjected him to a long and painful investigation that I think eventually caused his wife to take her own life.
Now I got to go, just stopped by to tell your next assignment is the hot air balloon show in Deerfield next week. “
That explained the melancholy man at the lake, and became the motivation I needed to find out all I could about this sad man. 
The first part as simply a matter of searching the archives of The Union Leader, The first headline I found was dated April 6th 19 96. I looked at the photograph of a smiling girl with blonde hair dressed in a neat school uniform. She was holding a tennis racket and I was struck by her resemblance to my daughter. 
Missing Twelve Year Old Girl
A young girl has disappeared from the Auburn boarding school. 
Sylvia Pinkerton was last seen walking away from the school on the morning of May 4th.She was going to a tennis match sponsored by the school. She was dressed in a wool, plaid blue and white skirt, white blouse, navy blue waist length jacket, black loafers and carrying her tennis racket. If you have seen this girl or know her whereabouts please contact your local police. I looked carefully at the photo again and was struck by the thought of how much she resembled my own daughter, and the coincidence that they had the same first name. 
I spent hours researching, and reading the stories surrounding her disappearance. The last one published 6 weeks later was on page two, and consisted of a recap of the incident and said that no trace of the girl had been found despite many searches even with the using cadaver dogs and extensive interviews with her parents, school mates and administrators. Authorities have concluded that she is to be listed as abduction, or possible runaway who disappeared under suspicious circumstances, the investigation was ongoing.
Determined to find out more, I once again looked up Pinkerton, and then i found an article dated June 20 1996.
Janet Pinkerton, mother of the missing Auburn Boarding School student Sylvia Pinkerton and wife of Scott Pinkerton died in a one car accident on route 4 at 10.00 pm. 
Autopsy report shows at the time she was under the influence of alcohol and prescription narcotics. When her husband was finally notified, he was working on an oil drilling platform operated by Brown and Root Company in the Gulf of Mexico-
Memorial service to be held at the Howard Funeral Home in Manchester New Hampshire, on June twenty third at 10, 30 A.M. 
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter two 
Smile Cookies
It was still daylight when I got home, I found Beverly working in her greenhouse. She gave me a light kiss and said.”Well, you are a surprise, I did not expect you home till six.”
“Bev, I have been researching that man I told you I met at the lake, and now I know why he looks so forlorn. In 1996 his daughter disappeared and has never been found, and two months later his wife was killed in an automobile crash.
After thinking about him, and what he said to me about people meddling in his life. I have come to the conclusion that he is going to commit suicide, and he is going to do soon, and I don’t know what to do about it.”She looked up from her flowers and said “Oh Bill this is terrible, if you are sure, we have to do something, At least we need to go and talk to him and see if you are right, or if your imagination is running wild as usual. Can we go visit him, perhaps you are wrong?”
“I don’t think he takes kindly to anyone, but maybe if we were the go as a family picnic he might not throw us off his land .Did I tell you his daughter is also named Sylvia?
I have to go to the Deerfield hot air balloon festival early Sunday morning. Why don’t we all go? I will make arrangements so we can take a short tethered ride together while I take photos for the Sunday’s paper.
Sunapee Lake is close by; we can fix a picnic lunch and take a swim there. If I introduce him to you, then Sylvia can try to convince him to let us use his dock to swim from.”
We got to the fairgrounds just as the sun was rising and I took photos of the men and women who were in the process of unpacking tons of ropes, propane, and oxygen tanks, their wonderfully colored balloons and wicker gondola baskets. By 8 AM five of them were slowly making their assent into cloudless sky. There were two commercial balloon pilots that offered short rides to the tourists. Their balloons were firmly anchored to the ground with ropes that allowed the riders to ascend into the air far enough to provide a wonderful view of the country side, and then lower them back to the point of departure
Wanting to take some aerial photos I arranged to take Sylvia and Beverly with me so they could share the experience... While we were floating high in the air I was amazed at how precise and mysterious the miles of stone walls the farmers of New Hampshire had put up during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries looked. I wondered if they had been put in place using a surveyor’s transit. I had never noticed them until today even though they are a common sight in New Hampshire. 
When we touched back down on the earth, Sylvia wanted to take a real trip, and fly over the whole country of America. I thought about the cost of such an adventure and gave her the only reply that would keep me out of the doghouse. I said, “Dearest daughter that sounds exciting. Your mom and I will discuss it later. Now we are planning to go swimming at the lake and have a nice picnic.” 
Scott Pinkerton was in his usual place, still staring at the red and white plastic bobber, when he heard a woman’s voice call out “Sylvia, do not go too far out in the water” .The shock of hearing his daughters name brought him instantly out of his chair. At first he could not believe he had heard the name Sylvia. Then he looked to his left and saw a young girl with long blonde hair .She was waving at her mother who was standing knee deep in the lake. Again the woman called “Sylvia come out now the lunch is ready.” Then a man wearing swimming trunks appeared and dove into the water, when he reached the girl he hoisted her onto his shoulders as she laughed and splashed him with water. While they were wading to shore the man turned to him and waved.
Scott instantly recognized him as the man he had thrown off of his dock earlier in the week.
He was tempted to turn his back and ignore him, but when he looked at the girl the only thought that entered his mind was, how much she looked like his own daughter.
Instead he walked off of his dock and went to talk to the intruding picnickers. As he approached he heard the girl say “Look, Daddy that man, is coming over here.”I took Sylvia off my shoulders, set her down, and told her that the man owned the house and dock next to us. 
Scott Pinkerton stood staring at the young girl, and her parents. He could not make up his mind whether to say hello, or to tell them to leave. Then the girl smiled at him and said. “Mister, can I use your dock to swim from? “
The sound of her voice caused such a turmoil in him it took him time to answer her, and when he did. He said. I think that would be ok, I built it for my daughter Sylvia, but no one has used it for a long time. 
“Mister, your daughter is name Sylvia also, that makes us Name Sisters.
At school if a girl has the same first name we become sisters. We tell each other our secrets, and become lifelong friends. No one has my same first name, so now I have one too. Is she here? Can I meet her?” 
Scott shook his head and his voice cracked when he said,” I cannot introduce you to her, she has gone away. But later after you have had your lunch and you come over to my dock I can show you pictures of her.”
I chose that moment to stick out my hand in a gesture of friendliness. 
“We haven’t introduced ourselves and I owe you an apology for my rudeness last week. I am Bill Joyce, this chatterbox is 12 year old Sylvia, and this is her mother Beverly”. He kept staring at my daughter then replied.” I am Scott Pinkerton.” When I shook his hand it was impossible not to notice how strong and calloused by hard work it was.
Beverly said hello, and then surprised me when she invited him to share lunch with us. He stood undecided and finally said,” No thank you I have just finished eating.” 
Sylvia reached into the picnic basket and then gave him a large cookie.”Mr. Scott you have to try my special cookie; it is my very own recipe. I invented it for the school bake sale, and everyone loved them. I call them the Smile cookie, because everyone who ate one gave me a big smile, and told me how delicious it was.” 
Scott reluctantly took the cookie from her hand. Saying as he did. “It has been a very long time since I have smiled. “
“Well, Mr. Scott you take a big bite, and I am sure that it will make you smile again.” A hint of smile suddenly formed in the corners of that sad face. He took a bite, smacked his hands together and with a large grin said. “Sylvia, this cookie must have a magic ingredient, I am smiling. Now you eat your picnic lunch and I will see you later.” Then still smiling he left and returned to his property.
Beverly and I looked at one another, and then she said, Bill you were right that man is suffering inside. We must help him if we can and I think our daughter has the key. 
Scott Pinkerton went up the stone walkway, past the tulip beds that his wife and daughter had planted and with a sigh of resignation opened the front door. Every time he did this in the past he was drunk. Today for the first time he was still sober. He went into the living room and took down from the field stone fireplace mantle a large photo album. He held in his work harden hands and thought how his life had been changed since the last photos had been placed in it. Then he slowly shook his head as if to clear the thoughts from his mind, as he carried the album down to his dock.
He had been sitting there for an hour when the girl and her father arrived. The girl walked up to him and asked if it was alright if she jumped in the water. 
He started to say yes, when her father Bill said, “Sylvia can´t you see that Mr. Pinkerton is fishing “, as he pointed to the red and white bobber.
Scott put down the album, reached for the fishing rod and lifted the bobber from the water.” I never put a baited hook on it. I just watch it and think of my daughter. Now you may use my dock as much as you like.” Instantly she flew of the deck and hit the water with a splash. As they watched Sylvia swimming I scratched his head in confusion.
“Scott, do you mean to tell me that you never wanted to catch a fish, only sit and watch a hook less bobber. Do even like to fish?”While he put away his fishing rod Scott answered “Fish, I do not consider the minnows in this lake fish. When I am at work I use this size fish for bait, to catch tuna, barracuda, red snapper and even marlin.
I wish I had taken my daughter out on this lake to see how she would react if she caught a fish, but I was too busy building this dock and the house and making money. I never got to do it .Now I sit here watching a bobber and think of how much I miss her.
I have to return to my job this week, I work on an offshore deep water oil platform and i will be away for at least five weeks. There is a canoe in the garage. If you want to take your daughter out on the lake so you will never have missed the chance to see her catch a fish, you have my permission to use it any time while I am gone. As a matter of fact, if you want to take her out today, I know a cove where there is several decent size bass. I can get the boat out and we could take her there. I have made up my mind that will never see my daughter again, but it would be nice to see yours catch her first fish...”
“That is very kind of you Scott, why don’t you ask her? She really likes you and so does her mother, I am not sure that she will go, as she stays close to Beverly.”...Scott stood on the dock and called out “Sylvia would you like to go fishing?” Sylvia waved her arms and called back.” No thank you Mr. Pinkerton, I am having too much fun here.”
From behind them Beverly said.” I have never wanted to kill a poor fish either. Why don’t you men go and leave us here. I will enjoy a swim with her.” Scott looked at me. Shrugged his shoulders and said.” I need to talk. Help me to get the canoe out and carry it down here.” Then he gave the album to Beverly saying as he did so. “When you finally get your daughter out of the water and dried off, she can look at this.”
At the garage he pointed to a key hidden in a crevasse in the stone wall. “I will leave it here in case you want to use the canoe while I am away.” 
The canvas covered twelve foot Grumman canoe was next to a new Toyota pickup. Scott pulled the covering off and tossed into the bed of the truck. From a rack he took two fishing rods, a box of tackle and lures, life jackets, a net and the paddle into the canoe. Then he said. “The easy part is done, now all we have to do is carry it all down to the dock. “
Once the two men were paddling away, the women found a comfortable place in the sun and opened the album. 
Scott was strong, and he silently drove the canoe with determination to a quiet cove on the north side of the lake.
Finally he spoke. “I came here this May. The same day my daughter disappeared two years earlier. I had a pistol, ready to blow my brains out. My daughter had not been found and that drove my wife to the edge of insanity. She started take medications for depression and was drinking too much. Then one night while I was on the oil rig I got a call from the local police, they told me that she had died in a car accident 
I flew home and made calls to her mother and father. There was an ugly argument with them. They accused me of not caring and also insinuated that I had been responsible for Sylvia’s disappearance, because I had given the school my permission for her to participate in a tennis match in town. I have been carrying this overwhelming guilt ever since. 
While I sat in this canoe trying to find the courage to pull the trigger, a doe walked out of the woods and stepped into the water. She saw me, but made no move to leave. Instead she came closer. When she was not more than a dozen steps away she looked straight at me. I don’t know how to explain this to you Bill, but I felt as if she was trying to tell me something. 
I could sense that she was my daughter saying. Don’t give up Daddy, you must find these killers. They are a vicious pack of wolves that prey on the innocent. Find the ones that are butchering the deer, and you will find the ones who have killed me. Then the doe slowly turned and disappeared into the woods.
I know this is unbelievable. But I am sure that there is somehow a connection. I need you to help me. You have access to do a search on deer that have been killed in the area. Will you please do that for me while I am gone?”
I was stunned by his honesty.”Scott, I also have a daughter and it is impossible for me to not help you. I promise you I will, but I don’t recall many stories about wolves in this area .I think we need to go back to the dock.”
As we headed back to the dock Scott spoke again.”I have thought about this every day for months and I think it is human wolves. If it was animals they would have found the remains of Sylvia a long time ago. And how do you explain the still unidentified woman whose remains they found devoured by animals? Why was her body found in the woods on the other side of a stone wall after the snow melted? Someone had to have put her there, had to throw her body over the wall to conceal her in a ten foot snow drift for the entire winter. I don’t think one person could do that without help.”
As we approached the dock Scott said, “Bill I am glad you came back here, and brought your family with you. It is getting dark and I know you must go now, so I will put the canoe away later. Thank you so very much for listening to me. “


When we arrived the girls were putting away the picnic blanket and packing the rest of the lunch. Sylvia was hugging the album to her breasts.
Even though we were still in the canoe she could not restrain her enthusiasm as she called out; “My Name sister is beautiful, mom told me that she disappeared and that we really do look like we are sisters. I will pray every night that you will find her Mr. Pinkerton. And I have made a package of Smile cookies for you. I hope that they help you to smile again.”
Scott took the album and the cookies, thanked Sylvia and forced his face into a smile and kissed her on the forehead.
“These are the best cookies I have ever eaten; they are so good that I think you need to sell them. I am sure they will be a great success.” Then he shook my hand and said to me. 
“Sylvia dose really look like her Name sister, watch her carefully, she is precious. You can bring her to swim any time you wish. 
Now I have to pack for my flight to Biloxi Mississippi. The winters are cold and I am alone here, so I spend the winter there. Here is my business card. 
Call me anytime you want to bring your family out here to fish or swim, and I hope you learn something about the Wolves. “Then he turned around and walked up the path and entered his home on Little Lake Sunapee. 
“What did Scott mean when he mentioned Wolves?” Beverly asked as we started home.
I said, “It is complicated. I don’t think this is the right time to talk about it Bev, it is not important. Once we are home remind me and I will tell you.” Then I drove in silence, while Sylvia and her mom excitedly talked about how she was going into the Smile cookie business as soon as we got home. 
“I know exactly where I can sell them Mom. I am sure that when I take them to Rosebuds and Misses Gustavo tastes one, she will buy bunches of them.” 
To be Continued

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## joseph engraver

Delete this chapter

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 3 
Rosebuds
I had once done a story about Rosebuds RestaurantThe name Rosebuds came from the founders Bud and Rosalie Gustavo. They started a restaurant, ice-cream and sweet shop four years after their marriage. Rosalie ran it while Bud worked for the State of New Hampshire Highways road crews. 
Rosebuds are located within walking distance from the elementary, junior high and high schools. It was a well chosen location and soon became the most popular place for school kids to hang out. As the years went by they added booths, a jukebox and a selection of burgers and hot dogs.
Bud was 24 and Rosalie17 when they first met at the Polish Club dance and were instantly attracted to one another. She was a hard working, short, stout and rather plain looking, whose family operated a livestock farm near the town of Derry. Bud considered her to be just the kind of woman he could easily control. 
As for Rosalie, Bud was the ideal man she wanted to marry. He stood only 5 ft. 4 but he was built like a bull with a powerful and muscular peasants body, and he had a good job working for the State of New Hampshire. 
After the dance was over, she willingly allowed him to have sex in the front seat of Buds truck. Three weeks later they were married, and nine months later on December seventh, Rosalie gave birth to twin identical boys that Bud named Karl and Kevin. 
By the time Bud and Rosalie opened Rosebuds the twins had developed an uncanny resemblance to their father, a fact that made Bud very proud...He would take them to work leaving Rosalie to mind the Ice cream shop.
Bud and his two sons traveled the highway of southern New Hampshire and when they were getting ready for their first day of school. He told them about his first day of school, and how his classmates had called him the dwarf, because he was the smallest one. They would push me, trip me, and laugh when they knocked me down. They even got me in the toilet, held me against the wall, and took turns pissing on me. Laughing and saying that they were fertilizing the dwarf, so I would grow. Now I am never let that happen to you. I am going to teach you how to fight to win. You and your brother are going to stick together defend each other with fists, feet, and even teeth. No one will dare to call you names or piss on you.
True to his word Bud would take his sons into the woods where no one could see or hear, and have them fight each other until one or the other, was on the ground with a bloody nose begging his brother to stop.
Then he would pull them apart and make them hug and kiss each other, proudly saying as he did so. 
No one will ever be able to hurt either of you when you stick together, because you two will be the wolves they will fear. And their father was right; it did not take long before the bullies in school to learn to avoid the Gustavo twins. 
Once the brothers discovered the power of fear they held over their classmates, they began to use it. They would follow the girls, whistling and laughing behind them and make them run for safety, they would find a bigger student alone and attack. And they did this in elementary and junior high, all of this with Buds encouragement and approval. When the twins celebrated their fifteenth birthday Bud bought each of them a single shot 22caliber rifle and took them to the Chester Rod and Gun Club where he taught them to load, aim, and fire their presents, as he told them hunting stories of his youth. 
By the time they were sixteen they had become expert marksmen.
It was in the first year of high school that their aggressive behavior caused the science teacher to notice their bulling of the other students. She made a complaint, and she requested that their parents meet with the school principal. The principal agreed and notified Bud and Rosalie with a letter. 
When Rosalie showed Bud the letter he became furious, grabbed from her hand and told he would take care of the matter. And it was none of her concern.
He called his sons to the living room and showed them the letter. We are going to have to go to the school and straighten this matter out.
Now, I know that you boys are just playing around and are only having fun. But this idiot cant seem to understand, boys will be boys. We are family and we stick together no matter what.
I will take you to see this principal and tell her that we have had a serious talk. Then you are going to say that you were only playing and you are sorry. I will tell her that you are good boys and you have promised me not to tease the other kids again. Then you two will apologize, and again say how sorry you are. 
She will probably punish you by expelling you for a day...If she does we will come home and go on a hunting trip and if she doesnt we will take the weekend off and go hunting anyway. Now I want you two to be quiet and polite with the principal. Do you understand? The twins answered in unison.
Yes we do, and thank you for sticking up for us Dad.
 Okay boys, let go get this matter settled, and remember we are family and we always stick up for each other.
Miss Lewis had been teaching elementary school for forty years, and had listened to every excuse that parents and adolescents could ever think of. Still she was impressed by the forthright candor when the twins father spoke and the sincerity of the two boys. Still she had the complaint from the science teacher to consider. She thought the matter over and said.  Mr. Gustavo, I think that you and the boys are sincere, and I do understand how exuberant boys are at this age. Even so there needs to be discipline and bullying cannot tolerate. I will have to write this meeting into the school report and the boys will be suspended for two days, and you boys must remember that your actions have consequences. 
Bud Gustavo nodded his head in agreement, and told the boys to once again apologize. 
When the three of them were sitting in his truck Bud laughed, smiled, and then said. Lets go on a hunting trip boy´s.
During his travels around the state working on the roads, Bud had found one isolated area that had large woods with many oak nut trees. He had noticed that this place also had a large population of grey and red squirrels, and knew this was the perfect place for his boys to camp out and shoot a few small game animals.
When the three of them got home Rosalie was nervously waiting.
As soon as they walked into Rosebuds, she said. Well Bud, what has happened to my boys, are they in trouble?This angered, Bud he yelled at her
Rosy! I told you that I would handle this, and I did, and the matter is settled. After the principal heard the boys side of this, and they promised not to tease the girls again, she gave them two days suspension. And that is the end of this stupid complaint. Now I am going to take my boys on a hunting trip
Boys, go get your rifles out of the gun cabinet, bring two boxes of cartridges, the hunting knife and put them in the State Highways truck. Rosy, you can fix us a something to eat and a thermos of coffee, and hurry it up; it will be dark in another hour. We are going camping at Massabesic Lake for the night. Then tomorrow I am going to teach them how to hunt squirrels. We will be home tomorrow before dark. And stay out of the ice cream, you are getting too fat. 
The lake was only a twenty minute ride from Rosebuds. As soon as they got there, Bud turned off the highway and on to the graveled forest service road. He drove slowly looking for the place he knew there were oak and walnut trees and many squirrels for his boys to hunt. He drove past the Authorized Personal Only Sign, knowing that no one would question the presence of the State Of New Hampshire Highway truck.
He drove along the old stone wall and turned off the road to park a hundred yards into the woods, shut down the engine and climbed out of the cab. 
He took a chainsaw from a tool box from the trucks bed, and began to cut down a dozen sapling trees. As the twins watched he said . Working for the state has advantages .You can ignore stupid laws and do as you damn well please. Now you boys get that tarp out from the tool box. When I trim off the branches you put them on the ground over there. Then spread the tarp over them, find some dry wood for a fire and we will have us a nice cozy camp for tonight.
By the time they were finished, the sun had set and darkness closed in around them. As they sat around the camp fire, and ate the food Rosalie had fixed for them. Bud told them a story about hunting deer with his father and, cousin Johnny. 
My Dad had always hunted deer. Every season he would go to an abandoned and overgrown apple orchard, a place he knew the white tail deer came to feed on the fruit that lay on the ground.
The orchard was small; behind it was a long thick triangular wood, with an old logging road on one side and a stone wall on the other. When I was your age I didnt have a gun and neither did my cousin but we were excited to be going on our first hunting trip.
Early in the morning while it was still dark, my old man took me, and Johnny to the start of the logging road .He told us that as soon as there was enough daylight to see where we were going, we were to follow the logging road and shout, break branches and howl like wolves and coyotes. Then he left us and drove back to the orchard and found a hiding place where he could watch for a deer.
Boys, I cannot tell you how exciting it was for me to go running and howling through those woods, and when Jonny and I saw a deer that was trying to escape us, I started to shake from the excitement.
I wanted to see my old man kill that deer. Jonny told me to keep howling, as we were soon going to see a lot of dead deer. We howled, and screamed like fiends from hell, as we drove the deer towards my old man.
Then I heard the first crack of his rifle, and then there was another. Suddenly four deer came running past us. They came so close that I am sure if I had had a gun I could have killed one...Even today after all those years, I can see them running past me in panic and I regret I did not have a gun to kill one.
When Jonny and I got to the orchard, my old man was cutting the throat of the two deer he had shot. There was a lot of blood still pumping from their bodies onto the ground.
Johnny and I were in high spirits to know we had driven them to my old man. We even put blood on our faces as we danced over the dead deer: I tell you boys it was a great adventure for me... I do not want you boys to ever miss out on that experience, and is why I bought you each a rifle and taught you how to use it. And tomorrow you will get to kill a bunch of squirrels.
That night, long after Bud had fallen asleep, Karl and Kevin lay under the tarp looking at the stars and whispering to each other about how they were going to scare the girls at school by howling like wolves as they followed behind them.

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 4
The First taste of Blood
The next morning, Bud had the twins get their rifles out of the truck as he poured the morning coffee into plastic cups. While they drank, he told them how to hunt Squirrels.
“Squirrels are much smarter than most folks think. They gather the nuts for the winter and hide them in the stone walls. They can hear you before you see them, and as soon as they do they head for the nearest tree to hide in. Then when you show up, they move to the opposite side of the tree where you can’t see them.
But you can fool them if one of you stands still, and the other slowly walks circles around the base of the tree. When you do this, the squirrel will move to the side where it is exposed and is an easy target to kill.
Now one of you gets to kill the first squirrel as your brother walks around the tree. So who gets the first shot? I think the best way to decide is a shooting match...He took the empty plastic cup, walked 50 paces, and stuck it in the crotch of an oak tree. That´s your target men, He said as he pointed to the small white circle that was the cups bottom. The one who put a bullet closest to the center gets to shoot the first squirrel.”
Both Karl and Kevin loved to compete with each other, and were already taking their rifle out of gun cases. Then they began to argue who was going to shoot first.
Bud immediate put an end to the squabble between the twins when he said. Karl you were the first out of your mother’s womb that makes you the oldest. Do you want to shoot first or second? “
Karl said.” My younger brother can decide” and he hugged him. 
Kevin laughed, then smiled and pointed at his brother. “You are the oldest, brother, you should go first.” That was the moment that the twins bonded into one person and the moment the Brothers of the Wolf truly became a pack. Each one took their shot and both hit the center of the target. Bud was amazed and started to tell them to shoot again. Then the twins spoke in unison. 
“We have decided that the one who sees the first squirrel will have the first kill.” They asked for the hunting knife, took the box of cartridges, and left their father standing there open mouth, as they turned and walked arm in arm into the woods.l It was not long before they found several squirrels and the twins had each killed one .Karl took the hunting knife and cut them open. Then Kevin put his fingers into the intestines and ripped out the bleeding hearts. Gave one to his brother as he said ,”Eat this brother wolf” then he put his into his mouth, crushed it with his teeth and swallowed it. He licked the blood from his fingers and laughed as Karl followed his example. ” Now we are Brothers of the Wolf he said.” Then they cut off the heads and tails and took their trophies back to the camp for their father to admire
Bud finished the coffee and started to fold the tarp when he heard the rifle shots , followed by eerie howls and wild maniacal laughter. He froze, trying to find a logical reason for these sounds coming from the woods. 
When the twins came running into the camp, each one held a gutted bloody squirrel’s body, and they had smeared its blood over their faces and arms. Then they showed their father the severed tails.
“Dad!! We got our first trophies,” as they held the bloody mutilated and decapitated bodies in front of their father. That was the frightening moment when Bud realized that he had taught his sons not about hunting squirrels, but to kill for the pleasure of it.
Not knowing what else to do. He yelled at the both of them.
“What in the hell have you two done? I took you here to hunt, not to butcher. You take those squirrels with you. Go to the lake, and wash off that blood then throw their bodies away. I will put the guns away. Then we are going home.”
On the way home Bud reminded them. “We will never mention this to your mother. You are her joy and she loves you with all of her heart. If she found out what you two did today it would destroy her completely. Do you understand me? We are family and we stick together no matter what!” They both spoke at the same time. “OK dad, we were only having fun. We are sorry, but we are keeping the tails.”
Once they were back on the paved road Bud said,” I am glad you two understand how much hurt you will cause to your mother. You can keep the tails and I will forget this ever happened. But, I want you to promise me to keep this a secret from her and help her in the shop. “
When they arrived at Rosebuds, Rosalie Gustavo was in the kitchen. There were dozens of cookies baking. Fresh apple pies and muffins sat on racks cooling and a pile of pots and pans in the sink. The twins took their bloody trophies and guns down to their basement room, put them in the closet and then returned to the kitchen. They kissed their mother then began to clean up the sink.
Rosalie beaming with pride looked at Bud and said. “We have raised two wonderful boys .I am so proud of them.” Then she went over to where they stood smiling in all their innocence, and smothered them in her motherly love.
All summer and into the Christmas season Karl and Kevin helped her in the restaurant. They took orders, cooked burgers, washed floors, and dishes, took out the garbage and stole her money from the cash register.
Marsha Callahan was one the school girls who frequented Rosebuds and the twins found her sexually arousing...They tried flirting with her every time she came there with her friends.
She was six feet tall and the top student in her class. She was also leader of the girls basket ball team, and the best runner on the girls track team. At school she found the twins to be repulsive and was not afraid to tell them so in front of her friends. She humiliated them to the point that the twins decided to terrorize her.
They began to follow her, and soon knew where she lived and her daily routine of jogging along the river each evening before sunset. They would wait for her to pass. Then run behind her barking, howling and whistling. Their plan failed miserably. Marsha was not intimidated in the least.
She would stop, turn around and laugh at them, stick her index finger high into the air and shout; “You two morons need to grow up.” Then she would turn and run so fast that the twins were left behind in angry muted silence. She was however, concerned that if she told her very protective father about the twins he might stop her from jogging each evening. So she said nothing to him about it. Besides she was very sure that she could easily control them. 
The next evening Marsha jogged, but there were no howls behind her. Satisfied that she had put an end to their nonsense she ran every evening. What she did not know was.
The Brothers of the Wolf had gone to hunt elsewhere. 
After New Year’s Rosebuds closed for a much needed vacation. Bud and Rosalie told them that they were going to Florida for ten days of sunshine, rest, and a visit to Disney World. 
Bud gave Karl the keys to the Buick and asked him to drive them to the Manchester airport. With Kevin sitting in front next to his brother, Rosalie and Bud held hands and admired how well their sons had grown into such nice and polite men. When the Buick stopped in front of the departure gate, Bud gave them four hundred dollars to tide them over until they returned. The twins thanked him, then opened their doors and took their luggage out of the trunk. 
Rosalie hugged each of them, and told them how much she loved them, and made them promise not to stay out too late, as Bud carried their luggage to be checked in, Rosalie blew her boys a last kiss. 
When the twins drove away she did not hear them howl like the wolves they had become.

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 5
Eliza Gomez Sanchez

Having no parental restraints the twins decided that evening to take, a fifth of vodka from the restaurant, their parents Buick Riviera and the hunting knife, and then go to Boston to watch the porno movies and see the burlesque shows in Scully Square.
Eliza Gomez Sanchez was an illegal immigrant new to Boston.
She had come all the way from Honduras´, through Mexico and up to the border city of Piedras Negras. She was going to join her brother Ernesto and her sister Modesty. They had promised her work with them at the Holliday Inn and sent her enough money to make the trip. 
Then in Piedras Negras she was robbed of all her money and identification. In desperation she started trading sex for food and rides from the truckers to come to this Sanctuary City of Boston. 
The day she arrived she found that her two siblings had been arrested by Immigration and Custom Enforcement authorities, and she had no idea how to find them .She went to the Honduran consulate for help, only to find that the office was closed over the weekend. 
Now she was out in the bitter cold, begging on the streets, trying to earn enough money to keep alive until the consulate opened Monday in the morning. And she was afraid of dying from the cold and hunger that Boston provides its Illegal’s.
That is when she saw Karl and Kevin walked out of the Burlesque and head for a sedan parked nearby. She hurried across the litter filled street and intercepted them. She held out her shivering hand and begged them for money.
As she stood in front of them, Kevin reached into his jacket and withdrew a very fat wallet; he waved it in front of her. 
“What will you do for one hundred dollars? Will you take a ride with my brother and me in the back seat of that car over there? “
The very thought of that money ,money enough to eat and sleep somewhere warm, was enough for Eliza say to yes .
Once they were seated in the Buick with Kevin and the girl in the back seat. Karl pushed a switch, locked all the doors and started the engine. Then he put the car into gear and drove onto the highway that took them back to New Hampshire. 
Eliza was not at all concerned .She had done this more times than she could remember. But when Kevin put his hand under her dress she pushed it away and demanded her money. Kevin put his hand back, as Karl said.
“Don’t worry, I promise we will pay you even more. We want to go somewhere where we will not be disturbed. And I know the perfect place. Now you two drink some Vodka and get nice and friendly. We are going to a beautiful spot where we have been before.”
She drank the vodka and felt better, then she drank even more and she felt warm.
By the time they crossed the state line the vodka had made Eliza very drunk. Kevin had thrown her clothes out onto the highway, and now he was on top of her grunting like a beast in heat. 
Karl drove through the spitting snowflakes onto the back road along the stone wall and pulled into the same spot where their father had taken them hunting. It was the exact place that they had killed to become Brother of the Wolf. He shut down the engine and took his brothers place in the back seat.
When he was done with the unconscious girl, they dragged her out of the car, gutted her from pelvic bone to sternum, and then again took turns raping her lifeless body. They cut off her long black hair for a souvenir, carried her body to the stone wall and threw her over it into the fallen leaves-
As they drove back onto the graveled road the snow storm began to cover the road, the blood on the ground, and the mutilated body of Eliza Gomez Sanchez, they threw the empty vodka bottle out the window into the snow
The storm began with powerful winds and a blizzard of snow falling.
It was as if nature had become a conspirator to The Brothers of the Wolf. They howled and talked of how little of her corpus would remain in the spring once the predators were done with it. 
At Dunkin Doughnuts they stopped and washed the blood from their hands in the bathroom, and then ordered coffee and doughnuts to go. They laughed and howled all the way back to Rosebuds. They look their new souvenir down to the basement, tied a red ribbon around it and put it in the cabinet with the Squirrels tails, the rifles and hunting knife. Then without a bit of remorse they had a good night’s sleep.
All that night and throughout the next two days the winter storm raged.
It seemed as if God wanted to entomb Eliza´s mutilated body in a casket of pure white snow 
The next day they awoke late. Showered together, changed clothes and put the night be fore’s bloody ones in the washer, and then went up to the kitchen, where Karl fixed steak and eggs for their breakfast. When they looked out the window and saw the amount of snow that had fallen, that they danced, and sang, with joy. 
They stayed inside for a week, and washed the restaurants floors, scrubbed the counter tops, organized the dishes and glassware. Even the refrigerators shelves, stove and grill were spotless when the snow abated and the sun came out again.
As they worked; they schemed daily on what they were going to do to take revenge on Marsha Callahan. Both the twins hated her and wanted to kill her. They wanted to rape her and cut her throat, take her hair and put it with their trophies. But, they also knew she was never going to be in any situation they could think of where they could.
They gave up on this impossible dream, and developed a new strategy to inflict terror and pain, pull out her hair and get away with it. They decided that they could do this the first chance that came their way. 
Then the weather cleared, and they set to work shoveling the walk and driveways. Then they took the Buick to a carwash and had it cleaned inside and out, and then waxed, while they feasted on fried clams, scallops, french-fries and onion rings. Then they filled the gas tank and drove to the airport.
Bud and Rosalie had been waiting for fifteen minutes in front of the arrivals doors, when Rosalie started to panic. She was positive something terrible had happened to her precious boys. She paced back and forth, looking at her watch and then back to the street. She was about to insist the Bud call the police when she saw them. They stopped in front of her, Karl opened the trunk lid. And then both of them got out. 
While Bud put the luggage into the trunk of the car .Rosalie immediately gathered her sons to her side, put her arms around both of them , with tears of relief on her cheeks, she pressed them to her breasts and said. “Thanks to God you are all right.”
As Bud was driving home, the twins sat in the back with their mother. She told them about the wonderful time they had had in Florida. How glad she was to have missed the terrible snow storm, and the bone chilling cold. As soon as they drove up to Rosebuds, Bud was surprised when he noticed how well his boys had cleared the snow away from the drive and walkways. And he said to Rosalie.” Look how fortunate we are to have such wonderful sons.” 
The twins suppressed their laughter as Kevin said. “Mom, just wait until you see a surprise we have for you and dad inside. You must be very tired from the flight home, leave the luggage and we will bring it in.”
While Kevin helped his mother out of the car, and Bud put the car into the garage, Karl ran to the restaurants door and waited for his parents to make their way up the walk way. When they reached the door they said. “Now mom, shut your eyes and don’t open them until we tell you.”
They took her hand and led her into the restaurant. When everyone was inside then they shouted “surprise” and told her to open them. What Rosalie saw took her breath away. There, above the counter was a large sign with the words.
“Welcome Home Mom and Dad!!We Missed You Very Much. “
The entire restaurant sparkled and looked brand new. Never in her life was Rosalie happier than that moment-

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 6 
Marsha Callahan
The day Marsha Callahan and her best friend walked into Rosebuds. They found Rosalie at the counter making coke floats for a half dozen seventh grade kids... As soon as she saw the twins clearing tables she pointed them out, then said in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Look who is over there? Why. It’s little Boo and tiny Peep. Two little sheep who want to be wolves, and chase me in the dark, but they don’t even have the courage to face me in the daylight.”
Horrified that her sons were being ridiculed, Rosalie left the counter, went over to where Marsha was standing. Stood in front of her, put her muscular arms on her hips, and proceeded to tell Marsha in no uncertain terms that she was a rude, arrogant spoiled brat. Then told her and her friend to leave Rosebuds and never return.
Karl and Kevin’s faces had turned red with murderous rage, but their mother assumed they were embarrassed. She went over to them took each one by the hand and said.” Forget her she is nothing but a tramp.”
They did not forget, not for one second. 
That night they came to decision on how they were going to punish Marsha.



There was a girl’s basketball game between Manchester and Nashua scheduled for next Saturday evening, and when Marsha returned home they would be waiting in the dark. 
It did not take them long to find exactly what they wanted on the restaurants computer...For $14.99 including free next day shipping they placed an order with Trendy Halloween Novelties for two latex masks, and paid for them with Rosebuds bank card. Next they went shopping at Wal-Mart, where they purchased two black overcoats, gloves and a roll of heavy black monofilament cord. That night they went back to the park looking for a dark narrow passage to set their trap. 
They found the perfect place twenty yards from Marsha’s front door.
In school the next day they cornered Marsha as she was going to class, and said to her. 
“We do not forget, and one day when you least expect it we will have our revenge. “
As they turned to walk away, Marsha said to them.” You two ugly gnomes will never catch me. You are too short, too fat and just plain ugly. I am smarter, and faster, and you two can to go to hell.”
They turned around as she raised her index finger, and smiled at her. 
Then she saw something in the way they stared at her, that for the first time made her afraid of them. 
The next afternoon UPS delivered their package from Trendy Halloween Novelties. They took it down to their basement bedroom opened it, and were soon dancing around the room with the grotesque masks covering their faces.
It was pitch black on the side street adjacent to the Callahan’s home. They talked as they stood in the cold waiting,
“I still think we should have brought the knife, Kevin said. I wish we could rape and kill the *****.”
Karl nodded in agreement as he thought about the pleasure of it. 
Then he shook his head as he said.” It is too risky, and we have no chance to get away with it here. But tonight we are going to scare the crap out of her and get away with it. She will not be able to identify us with these masks on and it will be her word against ours, but one day, we will find a way to kill her. “
Even though it was spitting snow when Marsha stepped off the school bus, she did not seem to care. Her mind was still replaying the basket ball game, and the two shots she had missed in the final minutes that had cost her team the game. She never saw the black plastic cord stretched across the sidewalk. Suddenly she was sprawled on the cement and in pain. She started to get up when she saw the snarling faces of two wolves looking down at her. 
When one of them grabbed her by the hair she screamed.
“Daddy, help me, help me” as she ripped of the mask, and raked her finger nails across the leering face leaving a red welt along his cheek-. 
Clarence Callahan was sitting at his desk in his bathrobe. He had just finished his shower, and his wife Cathleen had poured him a scotch and water, he started filling out his daily log. 
The snow, stormy weather, and the idiots that did not know how to drive on slippery roads caused him to return home late. It had been a long day. He took a long drink of Scotch, and then he heard his daughter’s terrified voice.
Without hesitating, he took his service pistol out of its holster and raced to the front door. As soon as he saw her on the ground and the two figures over her, he pulled back the pistols slide and loaded a round into its chamber. The twins froze at the sound, and then they heard a cold angry voice say. 
“If you bastards move I will kill both of you. Now put your hands in the air and turn around and face me so I can see who I am dealing with.” By now his daughter was up off the cement and he told her to come and stand by his side. He asked.” Marsha are you hurt, do you know who these two are?”
“I am ok Daddy, but I hurt my wrist and knees. I do know them. Their names are Karl and Kevin, but I can never tell them apart. They are the twin sons of Rosalie and Bud Gustavo, the people who own Rosebuds restaurant. What are you going to do to them Dad?”
“First, I am going to find out who is who, now that your fingernails have made that possible. He pointed his pistol directly at them and said.”
“Ok let´s start with you Scarface. Now l want you to tell me what is your name, and then you can tell me wolf heads, after he takes off that stupid mask. “
After Kevin and Karl had identified themselves, Clarence Callahan said”Now let me tell you who I am.
I am Detective Sergeant Clarence Callahan, of the New Hampshire State Police. And you two idiots are up to your eyeballs in serious trouble.” Callahan took his daughters hand, then put his over her shoulder and said “Marsha, Now that you and I can tell one from the other. Please go inside and calm your mother. Then call the police department and tell them to send a squad car here, and tell them it is a silent run. I don´t want sirens and flashing lights disturbing our neighbors.”
It took the squad car six minutes to arrive, and one minute for two very large cops to put the twins in handcuffs. While Sergeant Callahan filled out the complaint, he said, “Before you lock them up for the night. I want fingerprints, mug shots, photos of the scars on that one’s face, and photos of the two of them with the masks on, and off their faces.” 
I was precisely one A.M when Rosalie and Bud received the call from the Manchester Police Department. In panic, anxiously Rosalie wanted to know if their sons were hurt or involved in an accident.
When she asked the desk officer, he put the frantic woman on hold. Then he forwarded his call to the booking desk, where she was informed that Karl and Kevin has been arrested for assault and would be spending the night in jail until they were interviewed by a juvenile officer in the morning. 
After a sleepless night Bud and Rosalie were at the police station trying to find out what was going on, and why their two wonderful boys were locked up like common criminals, and they demanded their immediate release.
New Hampshire Law Enforcement does not accommodate demands from distraught parents quickly. 
It took four days before the twins went before the juvenile court judge who issued a restraining order in favor of Marsha and Clarence Callahan against them, and then he fined them five hundred dollars each on the misdemeanor charge of harassment, as he released them from jail into their parent’s custody. The judge said. “You two will find out that your actions will have serious consequences if you ever appear in this courtroom again.”
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 7 
Serious Consequences
The serious consequences were quick and final in coming. They came that evening with the appearance of Miss Lewis and the school’s director Bob Daily knocking at the Gustavo´s front door. They handed Bud the notice that the school board had voted that Kevin and Karl were permanently suspended from attending school.
Rosalie was shocked, but Bud said as he read the notice. “ Thank you, my sons have wasted enough time there. Now they can get a good paying job working with the Highway Department.” He tore the notice in half, gave part to Bob Daily and the other half to Miss Lewis, and slammed the door in their faces.
It took Bud one day to convince his supervisor that his boys were good responsible workers. February tenth they went on the State of New Hampshire’s pay roll, repairing pot holes, clearing fallen limbs and trees, cleaning drainage ditches, plowing snow, and spreading rock salt on ice covered roads. 
The winter winds were still drifting the fallen snow when I sat down at my desk. The weather forecast was predicting another twenty inches to fall over the weekend. Ralph Shoemaker walked in with doughnuts and two mugs of hot coffee. Then he said, “Bill, my friend you know what all this snow means? It means that the ski lodges will have a great year and the tourists will be spending money. There are ten ski lodges and God knows how many hotels. Restaurants, bed and breakfast accommodations are going to spend money with this paper on advertisements, which means that you will be writing glamorous reviews about them for the next two months.” Then he handed the mornings paper. “Here is a story that I am sure you will find very interesting.”
I could not believe my eyes when I read the byline.
STATE POLICE CAPTURE A PÁIR OF WOLVES IN MANCHESTER.
There below the story was a color photograph of two boys handcuffed together. They were dressed in black and wearing lifelike and frightening masks of snarling wolves with bloody fangs bared. 
Then Ralph said.” Well Bill, I was wrong there seems to be still wolves in New Hampshire, even if they are a couple of teenagers who wanted to frighten a classmate that they feel humiliated them in front of their mother.
Naturally their names are not mentioned, as they are juveniles here in Manchester. Now go to work and happy writing.”


The most famous ski lodge in the state is Cannon Mountain; where on a clear day one can see four states and Canada. It was the one I picked to begin my glowing and boring review. I had written this same article every winter for the last six years and my mind and heart was not in it. Nor was I enthusiastic when I finished articles on Mountain Club of the Loon, Breton Woods or Tuckerman’s Ravine. It took me twelve hours to write basically the same uninspired drivel about all ten lodges that I had written last year, but they paid the paper and it paid my salary.
My moral improved as I put the first draft into a folder, then I put the newspaper in my briefcase, and thought of all the fine Hotels, and restaurants that I would enjoy on the Manchester Union Leader´s expense account, while I was photographing the lodges, lifts, ski and gift shops, and interviewing the tourists with broken legs and arms during the next week.
When I got home and opened the door the bouquet of cinnamon, brown sugar, toasted hazel nuts coming from the kitchen made my mouth water. I knew instantly that Sylvia and her mother were baking Smile Cookies. I stopped in the hall, took off my mackinaw, boots and scarf and. put my briefcase down. Then I clapped my hand in anticipation and announced.”I am home ladies.
I hope you girls are baking those for me to take to the mountains tonight.”
Sylvia ran up to me and gave me a warm welcome home hug.
“No daddy. These are the samples that I am taking to Rosebuds tomorrow. Mom has fixed a nice stew for tonight and I will let you have one cookie for dessert.” 
After supper and a cookie, I said, “Bev I have a story to tell you while our daughter package´s her cookies. Will you come into the den; I have something I want you to read. And then I want your opinion.”
When we were settled on the sofa I said. “You remember when you ask me what Scott meant when he asked me about wolves. Well I think now it the time to tell you. I told her about my conversation with Scott on the lake and how he was going to commit suicide. And that he believes his daughter’s spirit intervened, and that she was murdered by human wolves that prey on humans and deer. Then I gave her the newspaper and waited for her comment.” And I was not surprised when she said.
“Well Bill, this is all very interesting. But I don’t think it proves anything, two teenage boys frightening a girl is not unusual. I do think that they were wearing wolf like masks is a strange coincidence .but is not enough to call for their indictment in the case of a school girl that has vanished and not been seen since she left her school to go to a tennis match. Besides there are no deer involved. I do think that you should send a copy of this to Scott as you promised him you would keep him informed. 
Now you need to pack for your trip to ski country. And I need to help Sylvia make Smile coolies. Tomorrow is her big day and she is so excited, we are taking the first two dozen over to Rosebuds. Wish her luck before you leave, Drive carefully, stay away from all those snow bunnies and don’t eat too much gourmet food or drink too much wine.”
It was 10mpm when I checked into The Mountain Club on the Loon Resort Hotel.
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 8
Killers on the Loose

With their father’s advice, his twin boys were soon driving a two ton dump truck, salting and plowing New Hampshire’s narrow back roads. It did not take them long to notice how many deer came out of the woods to lick salt and eat the uncovered grass and willow twigs.
They took Karl’s rifle, hid it behind the trucks seat and put the hunting knife in the glove box. By the end of their first month’s employment they had shot eight deer, cut off the tails, left the carcass to rot and hung the tails in their trophy cabinet. 
Chris Callahan decided that he wanted to join law enforcement a year after his cousin joined the State Police.
He was a devoted husband, father to two beautiful girls that he adored, and he loved the outdoor life. He decided to study for a position with the New Hampshire Fish and Game. He excelled in biological science and game management and after his training he became a game warden who did not tolerate law breakers and he despised poachers. In the ten years he has dedicated to enforcing the game laws he has caught hundreds of violators, most of them minor infractions, Fishing or hunting without a license the most common. Many deer poachers were out of work men who were in need of meat to feed their families, and there had been a few cases he had failed to report them. Now he was determined to find the one who had been killing for no other reason, but to cut off the tails. All the deer had been killed by an expert marksman, and a 22 caliber bullet fired into their brain. 
He had been on look out near Lake Massabesic from three A.M till sunrise for two weeks. From his vantage point he had a good view of both Loon Island and the roads that encircled the entire lake. When he saw headlights across the lake, he examined the slow moving vehicle with his binoculars, and recognized it was a State Highway truck. What he found unusual was that it had its spotlight on and seemed to be examining the nearby woods. He decided to investigate, 
In the truck the twins had made plans to kill the first deer they saw that morning .Karl sat next to the open window with the rifle, as Kevin drove and searched with the spotlight. When they reached the intersection of route four and the highway back to Manchester, they had not found a victim and gave up the hunt.
They turned around, shut off the spot light and were heading home when Chris Callahan fell in behind them and turned on his blue lights. Karl told his brother to slow down as he put the rifle behind the seat. Once it was out of sight they pulled over, and stopped, rolled down the window and turned on the dome light and waited.
Callahan got out of a new Jeep Cherokee and walked up to the truck where he was greeted by a smiling teenager.
The reason I stopped you is your spotlighting. May I see your driving license, and can you explain why you were using a spotlight?” 
Kevin coolly answered.” Not a problem sir and he handed him his license. It is part of our job. We were looking for pot holes and fallen trees to take care of...”
Still suspicious, Callahan asked if he could look in the back of the truck. Kevin laughed as he said, “Help yourself officer; there is nothing to see but tools and a pile of roadside trash.” 
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he returned to the truck’s cab to return the drivers license. When he handed it to Kevin, he realized the passenger was his exact double. He could not keep the surprise out of his voice when he said. “Are you two twins?” 
Both Karl and Kevin spoke in unison. “Yes sir. We are the only identical twins working for the State of New Hampshire Highway Department.” 
When they drove away they howled with insane laughter and glee, and talked about how lucky they were to be brothers, and decided that it was too risky to kill another deer for a while. 
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 9
A working vacation
After five days of taking photos, and conducting interviews, I returned from the White Mountain lodges. I found my daughter and wife in a state of delirious enthusiasm. The kitchen counters were covered with Smile Cookies, mixing bowls, baking sheets, and the Kitchen Aid mixer was whipping out another batch of dough. My return was definitely of secondary importance. Hoping to gain attention I went over and kissed my wife and daughter, and announced.
“I am home girls, and boy did I have a great time. I met the most interesting and sexy snow bunny.
We spent hours getting to know each other, while we dined on Maine lobster and drank pink champagne.” They both stopped for a brief moment to finally look at me. 
Then Beverly said.”That’s nice dear, would you please give me the vanilla extract and then stay out of our way. Misses Gustavo has just ordered eight dozen cookies for this Saturday and as we have finished our supper, you will have to fix something for yourself. I think there may be some bread, bologna, cheese, and beer in the fridge, and stay away from these cookies.”


I scraped to morning frost from the windshield as I waited for my car to warm up. Then I drove to MacDonald’s and ordered two egg Mac muffins and coffee to go. 
As soon as I sat down to my desk, Ralph Shoemaker walked in. He looked at my Mac muffins, picked one up and took a bite, and then he said. “Thanks Bill, this is very good. How was your trip, did you meet any interesting people, and did you get some interesting photos?” I picked up my remaining breakfast and placed it out of Ralph´s reach before I answered him.
“Hi boss, the trip was cold, II am coming down with the flue, but I have taken some excellent photos.” I handed him one of a group of skiers suspended on a chair lift that had broken down.
“Here´s some more I am sure you will like, how about this one of a young man with a broken collar bone on a stretcher? If these are not what you are looking for, then I have ones of pink faced children tobogganing, a couple of excellent figure skaters on Lake Winnipesaukee. Here is a bunch I took of the lodges interiors and a hundred or so of the snow covered mountains some with bright cobalt blue skies and others barely visible in a blizzard like snow storm. I think that is when I caught the flue. 
And I think these might be my masterpieces. They are of me, sitting next to a roaring fire, wrapped in beautifully Pendleton wool blanket, woven with a snowflake and ski design. And, isn’t that a large, magnificent granite fireplace with the stuffed moose heads on each side for decoration? Notice the double shot of single malt whiskey in my shivering, frost bitten hands. I will leave you to decide which one is the most artistic. If you decide to publish one, I think it should be captioned.”
To tell you the truth, Ralph´s answer took me by surprise when he said. “Bill you need a well deserved break. I think that it is time that I found younger blood to take you place on winter expeditions to snow country next year. You take two weeks off with pay, and then when you return, you can begin writing a series on New Hampshire´s stone walls.” 
The only answer I could come up with was.” Have another egg and bacon sandwich boss.”
I was home relaxing and watching the Boston Patriots on TV, Beverly and Sylvia were busy in the kitchen baking more cookies for Rosebuds, and it was still snowing. I was pleased to see that my daughter’s cookie idea had become a great success for her.
When my review and photos appeared in the Sunday edition, I was even more surprised to see that the first one featured was captioned. After a day of fun at the lodges. 
I took the article into to show them and I said.” Look at these girls, you are now in the company of a very famous person, they stopped for a minute to look,” and then Sylvia said.
“But daddy, I can’t tell if that´s you. Your face is covered up by the blanket.”

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 10
Chris and Clarence Callahan


Chris and Clarence Callahan were two cousins who enjoyed each another’s company. Twice a month on Sunday after mass with their wives and children at Saint Anthony Catholic Church, the two families would get together for a late lunch. Then in the afternoon they would put a six pack of beer in the refrigerator, clear the dining room table. Covered it with a blanket, and the whole family would spend the afternoon playing penny anti poker as they told jokes and stories.
Naturally a major part of the conversation concerned the harassment that Marsha had experienced.
When she told her uncle Chris what had happened. How the Gustavo twins had followed her in the park and then frightened her with their grotesque wolf masks.
That was the second; the alarm bell went off in his mind. He said to Clarence.
“ I stopped the same pair early one morning on the suspicion that they were spotlighting deer; someone in my district has been killing deer with one shot into the brain with a 22 caliber rifle, then cutting off the tail, slicing them open and leaving the intestines and carcass. 
They work for the highway department and had a valid excuse for using a spotlight but there was something that did not ring true in their answers. I even checked in the truck´s bed, I was so sure they were lying, but it was clean so I let them go on their way.
Clarence, I know in my gut that this pair is the deer killers I have been trying for weeks to catch. But I have absolutely no proof, only my instincts.”
After hearing this, Clarence Callahan sat in silence, while he thought of what could have happened to his daughter if he had not been home that night.
Then he replied, “I think that you and I need to do some serious police work and find a way to put some pressure on these creeps before they kill another deer, or worse yet hurt my daughter. Let’s first find out if they own a twenty two rifle, then we can proceed from there. “
It took one call from Chris to the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms office in Concord to find out that two Mossberg twenty two caliber single shot rifles had been purchased on December seventh by Bud Gustavo from Reilly’s Sporting Goods in Hudson New Hampshire five years earlier. Chris wrote down the make, model, and serial numbers and handed them to his cousin and said. “They must have gotten them as birthday presents from their father, but this doesn’t prove anything, we still need more information.”
From the kitchen they heard Cathleen say. “OK guys, time to clear the table and help set it for supper. We women have fixed Roasted chicken with leeks, baked yams, green beans, and baking powder biscuits, and it will be ready in ten minutes.”
After the meal was over Chris, his wife Julia and their two children said goodnight as they left to return home. Clarence took the information and wrote into his notebook and said, “Let me work on this for a few days and see what I can do. I will stay in touch and keep you informed.”
The weather over the Easter holidays was beautiful. The sun shone, the snow began to melt, and the frozen body of Eliza Sanchez was found and devoured by the ravens, magpies and crows, foxes and coyotes.
A young couple hiking around Lake Massabesic in September found what little of her remained. The police were called in to investigate. 
The twins had been right. So little remained that after two weeks of trying to determine who she had been, and how she died, the case was filed as an open investigation, and she was interned as Jane Doe at the State of New Hampshire´s expense.
Clarence Callahan wanted to know if the twins were expert enough with a rifle to be able to kill a deer with a single round from twenty two caliber rifle. He decided that someone had to have trained them. And logic told him that it must be their father. When he was off duty he began visiting the entire local gun clubs and talking to the members. But no one could remember the Gustavo twins, or their father. Frustrated, but determined, he expanded his search to Merrimac County.
At the Chester Rod and Gun club he found Kenny Nelson. He was someone who vaguely remembered the Gustavo´s and he told Callahan that he had not seen them in several years.
“Sergeant, I keep the records and targets for the shooting events. Let me see if I can find theirs.”
They went into the clubhouse where after a long search through piles of targets he found Kevin and Karl’s for the fifty yard running deer event. When he handed them to Sergeant Callahan he said.” Now I remember them. They both won a trophy with these. They had single shot twenty two rifles and they put a bullet in the same spot, right into where the brain would be. If they are important to you, keep them, just remember not to give me a ticket if you ever stop me for speeding.” 
As he took the targets he shook Kenny´s hand and said. “We have a deal Kenny.”

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 11
Sylvia Pinkerton

When Sylvie Pinkerton left The Auburn School for girls, she decided to walk to her tennis match. The sun was out and the hope of early spring filled the air. She was confident and full of life, and wanted to use the walk to strengthen her legs for the match. 
As she was walking a breeze across her young cheeks caused strands of her long hair to fall across her face. She pushed them back into place and worried that her hair would not look perfect when she arrived at the tennis court. 
Then she felt the first drops of rain, and she regretted not taking her umbrella. Panic set in as more raindrops began to fall while she hurried along. In front of her she saw a white State of New Hampshire department of highway truck. Then two men wearing construction helmets and yellow work coats got into the truck.
The rain started to come down in big cold drops as she reached the truck. One of them opened the cab´s door and said. “Get in before you are soaking wet.” Sylvia hesitated, until she realized she had seen him before, when her dad had taken her mother and her to Rosebuds on her tenth birthday for Ice cream Sundays and chocolate cake.
He got out of the truck and offered her his hand to help her up into the cab.
“You get in here where in is warm, before you catch pneumonia and die of cold.”
She thanked him, and got into the truck’s cab where the heater was blasting out warm air.” Now tell us where you are going, and we will take you there” the man said with a broad smile. 
Sylvia thanked the twins for their kindness and explained that she was going to a tennis match at the Chester Middle School and she did not want to be late, and she was so happy that they had saved her from the pouring rain.
Kevin said to his brother, “Do you think we have time to drive her there?” Karl grinned and nodded his head.
“If we take the short cut around the lake we can be there in ten minutes...” He put the truck in gear saying as they drove off. “Don’t you worry sweet thing. We are on the way. We don’t want you to be late.”
When the truck stopped, Sylvia realized that they were on a deserted forest road and nowhere near the school. She panicked and tried to crawl over Karl and out of the truck. Karl took the knife out of the glove box put it to her throat. He was about to use it, when Kevin stopped him.
“Not in the truck, we can’t have her blood in the truck!” 
Karl hit her hard with his fist i n the face, and then pushed her out of the truck. He took the hunting knife, and jumped down next to her. As the terrified girl started to scream, he again put the knife to her throat. And then he drove it in. Her silenced cry was turned into a gusher of blood. 
The Gustavo twins stripped her naked as they tore away her school uniform. After they had taken turns violating the warm body of the twelve year old girl, they ripped her open smeared her hot blood on their faces and howled:
They removed the stones from the ancient stonewall, dug a trench and dumped her abused body, blood soaked clothes and the tennis racket into it. As Kevin tossed the first shovel of dirt on her body he saw the silver and turquoise barrette and said to his brother. “Look at that, help me down so I can get our newest souvenir.” 
He tore it away from her hair, showed to his brother to admire, “And now we have another trophy, and then put in his shirt pocket.”
Two hours later, Sylvia Pinkerton had vanished from the face of the earth. Buried in dirt and covered with stones, not more than one hundred feet from where Eliza Sanchez’s had been found.
The twins went down to the lake stripped and washed of the blood, and then they returned to the highway project they had been working on.
When the twins walked into their home, Rosalie was in a state of panic. 
“Thank God, you are here. You are going to be late for your last meeting with the juvenile probation officer, please change those muddy clothes and put on something nice. Then I want you to go and see him right away.” 
While they drove to the meeting, Rosalie picked up their work cloths and began to put them in the washing machine.
That is when she found the silver and jade barrette. She admired it, then put it away and went back to work in the kitchen, and forgot about it.


Clarence Callahan now was sure that the Gustavo twins were the ones that had slaughtered the deer.
He called his cousin and they decided to meet on Sunday after church, to try and find a way to prove it. When they were seated in Clarence´s office he unfolded the targets, pointed to the bullet holes and said.” There is no doubt these two can kill a deer with one shot to the head. Is there any chance that the bullets can be recovered and analyzed Chris?”
Chris slowly shook his head as he said. “Not a chance, the bodies were cremated months ago; however let´s look at the bright side. At least I now know who I am looking for. What they look like, where they live, work, and what they drive. And we have their finger prints on file. 
They will want to kill again, and when they do I will be able nail them. The only thing we can do now is be patient and wait.” To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 12 
The heart attack

Bud Gustavo lay in the intensive care unit.
He had an oxygen mask on and was breathing much better. The pain and shortness of breath he was feeling had subsided. As the nurse took his blood pressure she spoke in a calming voice, and told him that he was going to be fine. That he would recover with time and rest. 
When the twins arrived, they were told that they could see their father after his doctor consulted with them.
Doctor Janus Redding entered the waiting room, and she could not keep the surprised look from showing. Never had she seen two humans that looked exactly alike. And when they said hello, even their voices were the same.
She explained that their father had suffered coronary blockage from the plaque that had built up the artery that allows blood to flow to his heart. Suddenly the twins began to cry.
Doctor Redding waited until they regained their composure .Then she explained that their father was asleep and going into surgery where she would perform a bypass operation to repair the blocked artery. Then he will need time for his heart muscles to recover. He will have to be cared for when he goes home. But in four months he will be fine.” Is there anything else that I can do for you?”She wanted to know.
Karl asked if she would call their mother and explain to her their father’s condition, and reassure her that their father would be fine. And that they would soon be home, after getting a leave of absence from work. Then they looked in on their sleeping father. As they were about to leave, Doctor Redding said. “You two are wonderful kind caring sons and your Dad is so lucky to have you.”
I was writing a story about the horse races at Rockingham Park, when Scott Pinkerton called to thank me for sending him the article about Wolves in Manchester. I told him that Beverly did not think it had anything to do with his daughter´s disappearance as it had nothing to do with deer. Still, I wanted him to know that we thought about him, that my daughter´s Smile cookies were a success, and she prayed every day for her name sister.
I asked him how he was doing. He told me that he had stopped drinking, and had met someone he was seeing on a regular basis and when he returned to New Hampshire she would be accompanying him.
I congratulated him, and then hung up the phone and went back to writing.
Rosalie thought she was going to have a nervous breakdown while she waited for her boys to come home. The call from the hospital and Doctor Redding did little to calm her. The only thing that would do that was to have her beautiful children home with her .She was sitting in her kitchen weeping when they finally walked in.
They went to her and put their arms around her, and kissed her as they both said. “Don’t cry mama. Dad is going to be fine .We are taking a leave of absence and we will stay home and help you take care of him, and help you run the restaurant for as long as you need us.” 
After Rosalie calmed down and her tears stopped, she remembered the barrette and showed to her sons. “This is so beautiful. Where did you get it?”
Karl took it from her; he looked at it as if he had never seen it before. Then Kevin said.” I completely forgot about that. I found it by a ditch we were cleaning and I thought you would like to have it Mom...”
A smile appeared on Rosalie´s broad face as she hugged Kevin and told him how wonderful and thoughtful he was. 
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 13
An invitation to the lake
I was home editing the photos of the many unusual stone structures that I had taken. Beverly and Sylvia were out delivering another order of Smile Cookies to Rosebuds, when Scott Pinkerton called to tell me that he was back in New Hampshire with Pamela his lady friend.
He invited us to come out to the lake Saturday afternoon for lunch and a swim.
Then I remembered that Sylvia´s thirteenth birthday was this Friday, and I mentioned it to him.
He was silent for a moment, then he said, “That’s great Bill, when you come out Saturday we can have a surprise birthday party for her. I am sure that Pamela knows how to bake and decorate a birthday cake.
She is from Biloxi Mississippi with a distinct accent. A very southern woman, and her heart is made of pure gold, Sylvia will love her.”
I had just thanked Scott and said. We will see you on Saturday.
When my wife and daughter entered the house, Sylvia gave me a huge smile as she showed me the check Misses Gustavo had written in payment for the cookies they had delivered and then she showed me the barrette that she also gave her as a special gift. “Daddy look what Misses gave me, just because it is the first day of summer and I reminded her of a beautiful flower, Isn’t it beautiful?
Isn’t she such a nice lady dad? She told me that her son Kevin had found it in a ditch, and she wanted me to have it because she never would wear it.
Oh daddy! Today I feel so very rich. Look at the amount I was paid for my Smile Cookies. And it is all because Mr. Scott said that they were so good, I hope that I can thank him one day.”
I could only wonder how the Fates conspire, as I said.”We are going to see him this Saturday, daughter dearest, you can thank him then.” 
When we arrived at Scott´s home, we found him sitting on the dock holding hands with a slender fair skinned blonde, dressed in blue jeans and a bright blue pullover sweater and with her bare feet dangling in the water. Jokingly I said, “Well Scott, it looks like you finally put a hook on your line and have caught a beauty.”
As they got up I held out my hand and shook hers. “I am Bill Joyce, and this is my wife Beverly and my daughter Sylvia. Welcome to New Hampshire. She smiled and with a soft southern drawl said. “ I am Pamela Claudel, thank you for coming out to visit.”
It only took a minute before the women were chatting as if they had known each other for years. Sylvia gave Scott a box of her cookies, thanked him for his inspiration and then told him how big a success they were. It was when she turned to follow her mother that he saw the barrette, and his heart skipped a beat. He calmly asked. Sylvia,” may I see your barrette, and where did you get it?”
Sylvia said, “Isn´t it beautiful? Misses Gustavo gave it to me for a present…” She put her hand up to the hair and touched the Silver and turquoise barrette then removed it, and gave it to Scott.
Scott looked carefully at it. He turned it over, and when he saw the maker’s name
J. Cortez, Taxco MX. He felt a pain deep in his soul.
He was positive that it was the one he had given his daughter the Christmas before she vanished.
He pressed it to his lips, sat down and felt the tears form in his sad eyes.
Sylvia immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong. She asked, “Mr. Scott what is the matter?” But he could not answer her, so strong was the grief he felt that he was mute. 
Alarmed and frightened “She cried, Mom Please come here, something is wrong with Mr. Scott!!”
Pamela came to his side and sat next to him. She put her arms around his shaking body and whispered to him.” Scott what is wrong? Can you please tell me why you are crying darling?”
Finally, he took a deep ragged breath, handed her the barrette and said.” This was my daughters. I had it made for her when I went to Taxco with a friend. I gave it to her the Christmas before she disappeared. Now I am going to Manchester and confront this woman, and demand she explain how she got it.”Then he got up and started to leave the dock.
Sylvia took his hand, as she told him that Misses Gustavo had explained to her that her son found if by a roadside ditch he was cleaning, and had given it to her.
That is when I said. “Scott, that is one of the boys I sent you the article about Wolves in Manchester. I think we need to talk to Detective Sergeant Callahan of the State police before you do anything. Let me call him first and tell him about the barrette and see what he has to say.”
Clarence Callahan was at his usual place, filling out accident reports and cursing the stupidity of intoxicated drivers when I called him. 
He listened with interest when I told him that my call was about Sylvia Pinkerton and the barrette that one of the Gustavo twins had found, and that her father was positive that it was hers. He asked me to put Scott Pinkerton on the line.
When Scott was on the line, he questioned him .He wanted to know how he could be sure that the barrette was his daughters. Scott explained that he had had it made in Taxco and it was a one of a kind handmade piece, and it has the makers name stamped on it.
Then the Sergeant Callahan warned him.”You must not get involved. We have been investigating these twins for months. I personally want to find a way to put them away for a very long time and I want to do it by the book. I understand how frustrated you must feel. But if you become involved you will jeopardize our investigation. Please have confidence in me. It will take time, but they will be caught and punished to the full extent of the law. This I can promise you.
Now you try to relax and get on with your life, and leave this to me and the police. Remember that these SOB´s tried to hurt my daughter also, and I want to see them caught as badly as you do.” 
Suddenly Scott decided to tell him about his attempt to commit suicide and the appearance of the doe next to him. And how he felt that it was his daughter telling him to look for the ones who were slaughtering deer and he would find the ones who murdered her.
“Sergeant, I know this is most likely my imagination and caused by stress. But have there been deer killed for no reason?” 
Although Callahan knew the answer he said.” I have no idea, but I will find out.”
After he hung up the phone he called Chris.
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 14
The Birthday Party
The day was turning out to be perfect for a lunch out outdoors. I lit the charcoal in the grill. 
Beverly and Pamela were in the kitchen fixing the potato salad, preparing the hotdogs and the hamburger patties, lemonade and put the candles on the cake. When Beverly asked how she and Scott met. 
She put the last candle on the cake and then said.
“I was leaving the Biloxi General Hospital where I work as one of the dietitians
I started to make my way past the crowd to the bus stop when i was violently pushed from behind, I lost my balance, and then my purse was torn from my grip 
I was confused at first, and then I realized that the man running away had stolen it. I senselessly yelled at him to stop, but I knew he was going to get away. 
Scott was sitting outside a café when he saw this happen. He waited until the thief was almost in front of him then he tipped over his table, the thief stumbled over it and fell headfirst to the sidewalk, Scott then calmly walked over and picked up my purse, and the purse snatcher ran off.
He was waiting for me when I arrived. He handed it to me and before I could say thank you, he said. You are welcome. And you owe me a cup of coffee.”
Well, that was the beginning. He invited me to share coffee. While we sat and I regained my breath, we introduced each other. 
When I looked at him I could see the sadness in his eyes, and I wanted to know more about him. 
So I invited him to have dinner at the cafe as a reward for rescuing my purse. He accepted and we have been seeing each other since that day.
It was when he told me that he lived in New Hampshire, and he needed to return to close his house and put it on the real estate market next year .
I knew that I wanted to be with him. I told him that I was born in Biloxi, graduated from Mississippi University., and had never in my life seen real snow. He asked me to take time off and come up here and spend some time with him.
He is a very caring and painfully honest man, and has had more than his share of sorrow. To tell you the truth, Beverly I am in love with him. I wish there was something I could do to help him find peace. But I don’t think that is possible until he finds a way to put his daughter to rest. And I think that will take a miracle...”
Chris Callahan was outside washing the mud off the Jeep when his cell phone rang. As soon as he answered his cousin said. “Chris, Do not, I repeat do not allow the twins to know you are observing them, There is more to this than just poaching deer. I will see you after church tomorrow, and explain everything then. Have a nice day.” And then he disconnected. Leaving his cousin wondering what in the hell was going on. 
Scott said. “Sylvia, let me put on some bathing trunks, and then we should go swimming while your mom and Pamela fix our lunch. I will teach you how to do the Cannon Ball, Jackknife, and a Swan dive. I will meet you on the dock in two minutes.”
I was next to the grill toasting buns and roasting hot dogs and hamburgers while I photographed my daughter cannon ball Scott. She hit the water sending a shower of water into the air and over Scott. When she surfaced, Scott ran the length of the dock and launch into the air, and then hit the water with a perfect swan dive over her. 
At that moment, I could think of nothing more beautiful than watching the two of them playing, and hoped my photos were able to record them laughing and splashing each other. Behind me the two women were also laughing. 
Then I heard Beverly say.” Don’t give up. There is still hope Pamela, miracles do happen.”
Having no idea what they were talking about. I said, "The only miracle I want to see is the table set and food on my plate, I am starving.”
It was after we brought out the birthday cake and sang Happy Birthday, that Scott told us that he was thinking of selling his home. 
“When I built this place it was my intention to give it to my daughter as a wedding gift. Now I know that will never happen. I see no reason to keep it.
Pamela wants to see snow, and I want to take her skiing and ice skating, and then after she knows what winters in New Hampshire are like I will decide.” 
He took Pamela´s hand and said to me. “Bill, if you want you can take all the photos of this place you care to and I give you permission to do an article on it for The Manchester Leader, but don’t mention where it is located, just in case I find a good reason not to put it on the market.” 
Sylvia took this news badly. She blurted out, “You cannot sell this house. If you do my Name Sister won’t have a place to visit. She loves this home, I love this house too. And so do you Mr. Scott. I can tell by the way you take care of the flowers and fill the bird feeder, I can tell by the way you played with me on the dock. The only reason you want to go away from here is you miss her.
I am positive that she will be found. I know this, because I pray every day that it will happen, and when she is found you will be happy again. “
Pamela could not hide her emotion when she said.” Well Scott, if those are not a good enough reasons. I will give you one more. I love you, and I want to be with you always, and I love this home also.”
Scott got up from the table, went to Pamela put his arms around her waist, and then he kissed her with passion. 
He looked at Sylvia and said to her. “Those are very wise and good reasons. Thank you. And now I think we all need to have one more of you delicious Smile Cookies to celebrate your thirteenth birthday.” Scott handed the barrette to my daughter and said. “I am sure that your Name Sister wants you to have this. “
Later that evening as we were leaving, Scott invited us to come to the lake at the end of the month...
He said.” If you take me upon the offer, Sylvia can take her last swim for the year, while we cut, spilt, and stack fire wood. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is predicting an early winter and I want Pamela to have the experience of preparing for the snow and cold here. Just in case she changes her mind and wants to go back to Biloxi.”
Then I heard Pamela say.” I know how to split wood.” Not wanting to miss out on Scott´s offer, I took my camera and went out the door..

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## joseph engraver

.Chapter 15
Questions without Answers
Sunday, after church services the two Callahan men went into the den, closed the door behind them to discuss the Gustavo twins, and the unusual conversation with Scott Pinkerton.
“Chris, I don’t have much faith in dead spirits, but I do believe in too many circumstances pointing in the same direction. That is why I am sure that the Gustavo twins are responsible for the disappearance of Pinkerton´s daughter. If you catch them poaching, most likely the charges will only result in a fine and loss of their hunting licenses...If I question them about the Barrette they will lie, and nothing will come of it. Then I am sure they will be put on alert and we will never be able to prove a damned thing. What I intend to do is have their movements watched as soon as their father has recovered .They are not the brightest individuals, eventually they will make a mistake that will give us the right opportunity to question them. Then we can to put enough pressure on them to cause them to panic. That is when they will make mistakes and give us the leverage we need to separate and question them. Individually they will fall apart. Then I am sure that what circumstantial proof we have is enough to convince my chief to at least give me a man to follow their movements. Do you agree Chris?”
“I agree with you, but there is no need for a tail at this time. Their father is not well after his heart attack and they are sticking close to him and their mother’s side. They are not going anywhere until he has recovered, and I don’t think that will be until late fall. So for now we wait, have a nice poker game and an excellent supper with our family.” 
The matter settled they opened the door and got out the cards and pennies. It was while Chris was raking in a pile of pennies he had won playing deuces wild, when he was struck with an Idea.

“Clarence!!! We know that the twins will lie and most probably the father will back them up. But their mother believes her sons walk on water. We need find a way to talk to her alone, she we will know the day they gave the barrette to her. If we can tie them to the time Pinkerton´s daughter’s disappearance we will have enough proof to get a search warrant.”
While Chris was stacking his winnings, Clarence picked up the phone and called me. When he asked if my daughter was still seeing Rosalie Gustavo, I told him that she saw her twice a month to deliver cookies to Rosebuds.
He said, “Do a favor Bill. When she sees Misses Gustavo again, have her ask about the barrette and if she can remember what day it was when her son gave it to her.”
I told him that I would, but I wanted to know why, and is my daughter in danger?
“It is just a hunch Bill, just a hunch. You can be sure there is no danger for your daughter. When will she deliver her cookies? “
“I don’t know Clarence, but she is in the kitchen with her mother baking. Give me a minute and I will find out for you.”
As I am not allowed to enter when they are baking, I went to the kitchen door and asked. 
Sylvia said. “Daddy, we always deliver my cookies on Tuesday and tomorrow is Tuesday. Now please do not interfere, your two master bakers, we are making money.”
I could not resist the chance to say. “I hope that you two will be able to reimburse me the money I am owed for the ingredients and electricity that I pay for.” Then I ducked before they could throw something at me. 
When I returned to tell Clarence, he was laughing. “I overheard the entire conversation. Bill, I will call you at your office on Tuesday, tomorrow is Tuesday isn’t it?” Then he disconnected. 
Tuesday morning, Beverly and my daughter arrived at Rosebuds to deliver her cookies, where they found the twins minding the shop. When Karl took the box of cookies from Sylvia, He explained that she would not need to deliver more cookies until October after school started again. “My father has been released by his doctor, and mom has gone to bring him home. Then we are closing Rosebuds until our father had time to completely recover.”
Sylvia gave him the bill for her cookies and even though she was disappointed she said. “I understand, and your daddy is so lucky to have you to take care of him. When he comes home please tell him that I will pray he gets well soon.”
As Karl handed her the check he said. “Thank you, and that is a beautiful barrette my mom gave you, be very careful you don’t lose it.”

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## joseph engraver

Shopping expeditions
I was going over the photos I had taken of Scott´s home and was more than pleased to see the ones of him playing with my daughter had turned out so well. I was trying to decide which one was the best when my editor came in with coffee. He looked at the pile of photos and picked one of them up and said.” Bill these are exceptional, where did you take them?”
It is not often that Ralph gives me compliments and brings me coffee at the same time, but it is nice when he does.
When I told him that I took them at Little Lake Sunapee and they were of the Scott Pinkerton home to be possibly used for a real-estate ads. He picked up the whole pile and went through it one by one, when he finished he said. “This is exactly the kind of a place I want to live in when I retire, when you know for sure he is going to put it on the market let me know. By the way how is he doing?” I said he was better and was not sure if he would sell, but I would let him know.
Sergeant Callahan called me at three P.M. When I answered his call the first thing he said was. “Today is Tuesday and I always deliver on Tuesday. How did thing go With Rosalie Gustavo?”
I explained that she was not there, and that her husband was now recovering at home and the twins had told my daughter Rosebuds was closing until October.
“Well, Bill as I said it was just a hunch. Thanks, and tell Scott to be patience and not to lose faith.”
Later that week when we arrived at Scott´s home, he and Pamela were in the front yard stacking fire wood. Sylvia ran to him and said.” I have another reason for you to stay here. Last night I had a dream, and my Name Sister told me that she was now an angel and she needs you to have this home so she can visit you always.” 
Then she began picking up wood and putting on the neatly stacked pile. He took off his gloves, picked her up, kissed her on both cheeks and said. “And anytime you come here to visit there will be two angels in my house. The next time you dream of her, tell her that I love her, and I am never going to sell this house. Why don’t you go inside now and leave us men do the hard work, then if the sunshine warms the water we will practice more diving.” 
He handed me a pair of gloves, returned to the wood pile and picked up the axe as he said,” I split and you stack. Pamela is going to fix lunch Biloxi style, you better be hungry when it is ready.”
I am not a very physically active man and was sweating and out of energy, when Sylvia finally came to tell us that lunch was ready to eat.
As Pamela set the plates on the table she said there is a saying in Mississippi. 
“Every good wife knows that a well fed dog never strays far from his kennel, and always returns home when it is time to eat.”
I believe it to be true, as proof, I have fixed a lunch of fried Maine oysters with melted Brie, Corn bread biscuits, Spinach greens with carrots, and for dessert Mississippi mud pie with chicory coffee.”
As we ate Scott told us that he was taking Pamela on a two weeks tour of northern New England.
“I want her to see how beautiful the fall colors are. Walk in snow, feel cold, go snowmobiling, ice skating and skiing and hike in the mountains. Then I will ask her to marry me.”
I wish I had a photo of the shocked look on Scotts face when Pamela said. “But I can’t Scott; I don’t have any warm clothing to wear.”
Beverly and Sylvia in unison laughed and declared. “We need to go Kittery; it is only forty mile away, and they have over thirty clothing outlets. We women will go shopping while the men stack fire wood and wash dishes.”
It took fifteen minutes before they were on the way. Scott shrugged his shoulders and said. “Do want to do dishes or split wood?”
By the time I had washed, dried and put them away the air was colder, and the sun was gone, hidden in a mass of grey arctic clouds. When I started stacking wood I said to Scott. “The Old Farmer’s Almanac was right, winter is on the way.” He looked up and said.” Perfect timing, in ten days the lake will be frozen over and ready for me to teach Pamela how to ice-skate.”
It was late; Scott and I had finished the wood pile, when the women returned from Kittery with high spirits and the trunk full of bags and boxes of winter wear, soaps, candles and perfume that had no doubt been debited to our credit cards. As we said goodnight, I had never seen Scott as pleased when he said; “Thank you Bill, you, your wife and daughter have saved my life. I will see you in a couple of weeks.”
The women were not the only ones who had been shopping. So were the Gustavo twins and their father; 
When Clarence Callahan answered the phone, Kenny Nelson introduced himself and asked if he remembered him... “Of course I do Kenny, don’t tell me you need a speeding ticket fixed?” 
“No sir, I am calling about the twins. I thought you would like to know that they were here this morning target practicing with their father, and they weren’t shooting 22 rifles. They said that they were going out to Massabesic and look for a deer. They bought two boxes of ammo, some targets, and they had two brand new stainless steel 357 magnum Blackhawk revolvers in shoulder holsters. I tell you sir, those twins are spooky, but they know how to shoot; i never seen anything like it. I saved the targets for you, if you want them you need to come out here today. This weather is getting too damned nasty and I am closing the club tonight.”
Callahan said, “Thank you Kenny, I will be out to see you as soon as I can get there.” Then he called his cousin Chris.
When he answered he said. “Chris, Bud Gustavo has recovered, and the twins are now armed with 357 magnum revolvers. Something is about to happen. I want you to be very careful if you should stop them. I am going out to the Chester Rod and Gun Club, meet me there at noon.” 
Chris was already in the clubhouse looking at the targets and talking to Kenny Nelson when Clarence stepped out of his car. The targets he was looking at were of two human silhouette figures with the word Marsha written in pencil across them.
There were six holes in each. Five placed where the heart would be, and one in the center of the forehead. 
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 17
Question and Answers

I was watching the local weather report when my phone rang. Expecting it was Ralph Shoemaker, I said. Sorry Ralph the weather is too cold and I feel terrible; I am not coming to the office today. Then a woman laughed and said. “At least it is sunny and not snowing.”
It was one of those rare embarrassing moment when I make a fool of myself, and to make matters worse I had no idea who I was talking to. Then Rosalie Gustavo introduced herself and asked to speak with Sylvia. I told her that she was in the kitchen trying out a new recipe and asked her to please wait and I will tell her you want to speak with her.
Sylvia had the Kitchen Aid on, busily whipping egg whites. I had to shout for her to hear me. 
“Rosalie Gustavo is on the phone and wants to talk to you; do you want to call her back?” 
“No Daddy, you talk to her and I will be finished soon.”
Making small talk to women I hardly know is not my favorite thing to do. I returned to the phone and said that the master pastry chef would be with her as soon as she was done whipping up eggs. 
I asked how her husband was feeling. It must have been the right question. She proceeded to tell me about the heart attack, the operation, Bud´s convalescence and how wonderful her boys had been in taking care of their father. By the time Sylvia came to the phone I knew that Bud was going back to work at the Highway Department, he was taking a desk job. Rosebuds were going to open in a week, and her boys had gone target shooting and hunting with their father to Massabesic Lake.
I said, Goodbye, it was nice talking to you misses Gustavo,” and gave the phone to my daughter.
Misses Gustavo and my daughter had been talking for several minutes. Sylvia promised to deliver three dozen cookies to her just before Rosebuds opened, and she would bring her a sample of Rye Happy cookies to try.
I was very surprised to hear her say.
“Misses Gustavo, I have sad news. There is a girl at school who wants me to give her the barrette because it belongs to her. When she asked me about it, I told her that your son found it, and you had given it to me as a present for the first day of summer. She and her friend say that they were playing together when she lost it earlier that week. They want me to give it back .I do not want to keep something that belongs to her. What do you think i should I do?”
Not knowing what her answer was, I waited until Sylvia said, “Thank you Misses Gustavo, I will tell them exactly that”, and then she hung up the phone. As soon as she did, I said. “Sylvia, please tell me what was her answer?”
“Daddy, she told me that the girls were lying. That her son Kevin found the barrette on the fourth of April and I should tell them they could go to hell for trying to cheat me.” 
“Daughter dearest, you just confirmed what I have known all along, my genius has been passed on to you
Detective Callahan was saying goodbye to Kenny and Chris was still looking at the targets when I called. I could hardly contain my excitement as I told him that Rosalie Gustavo had just told my daughter that her son gave her the barrette on May 4th.
To be continued

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## joseph engraver

Chapter 18 
The Final Hunt
Bud parked his Buick under the oaks; his two sons jumped out and began looking for places to put up their targets, while he took the time to enjoy the freezing Canadian air that had engulfed the New England states. Feeling better than he had in over a year, he walked down to the snow covered ice on the lake shore; he loved being in the woods with his boys again. He raised his arms high and inhaled the scent of the forest deep into his lungs and exhaled his frosted breath into the afternoon air. 
As he stood there, his sons came to stand beside him. He put his arms around their shoulders and told them he loved them, and was pleased to have bought them each a new revolver as a present for their help at Rosebuds, and loving care during his convalescence.
It was at that moment he saw a magnificent buck walk out of the willows on Loon Island.
He whispered to his sons. “Look at the rack of horns on that buck .I have never seen one with so many points, I will bet you it might be a New Hampshire Boone and Crocket record. It is trapped on that small island and with this new snow it will be easy to track and find. 
What a trophy those horns would make mounted on the wall in your room boys.”
Karl looked at his brother and said, “Let’s kill him.”
Kevin embraced his brother, laughed and said.” Let´s kill it and cut of its head.” They raised their heads towards the sky and Bud saw for the first time his sons howl like wolves.
When they started across the ice, the buck disappeared into the willows along the shore. They howled again, the eerie sound echoed across the frozen water sent a shiver of foreboding down their father’s spine. Then he saw how thin the ice was when he stepped onto it. In panic he yelled. ” Come back, come back, the ice is too thin.”
But the Brothers of the Wolf did not listen. For that was the moment the buck stepped out of the willow branches to stare at them again. As they stood there transfixed at the sight of the buck they heard the crystal eggshell of ice around them begin to crack and when it began to shatter the buck simply vanished. 
The Gustavo twins fell together into the water. They clawed at the edge of the ice in hopeless desperation as the weight of their new revolvers pulled them under the ice. As they were sinking into the lake, they howled and screamed for God to save them.
But, God did not hear them, for he was listening to the prayers of a thirteen year old girl asking that her Name Sister be found.

When both Callahan´s arrived at the lake the first thing they saw was Bud Gustavo slumped on the ground next to his Buick.
Tears were streaming down his pale grey face and his features were contorted in agonizing pain. Clarence knelt down next to him and felt his pulse.
His heart was beating wildly, and it looked like he was going into shock.
He said Chris. “Call for paramedics and get a blanket out of my car.” And then he asked Bud. “Where are you sons, I need to speak to them.” 
His answer was. “You can’t, they are at the bottom of the lake. They are dead now. If I had not seen that damned deer they would have never gotten out on the lake. It is my fault, they were everything to me, and now they are gone, all gone.” 
“What deer are you talking about Bud?” Chris wanted to know. “The huge buck we saw on Loon Island he gasped in torment and pain.” Then his body went into convulsions and his heart stopped beating.
When the medics were loading Bud’s body into the ambulance; Chris noticed how the stones in part of the wall had been moved and poorly replaced. 
He said; “Clarence these stones have been recently been moved, some don’t have moss on them and the ones that do are upside down. This has to be where they buried Sylvia Pinkerton; she must be here under the stones.”
It was when the grave site was being examined by a team of forensic experts that the vodka bottle was found with bloody finger prints etched on it in the blood of Eliza Sanchez. 
While the search and rescue team were recovering the twins bodies, Chris and Clarence searched Loon Island. They never found hair or a hoof print.
The snow has gone; spring finally arrived and the tulips in front of the home on Little Sunapee Lake are blooming, it is the perfect setting for Pamela and Scotts wedding. 
Rosalie has sold Rosebuds and retired to West Palm Beach. . Sylvia and her mother Beverly are in the kitchen getting ready to deliver the wedding cake and Smile cookies. I am finishing the final editing of my new book, “The Mysteries under New Hampshire’s Stone Walls”.
THE END
Thank you for reading; I do hope you liked this story and will comment.
Joseph Engraver

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