The commotion had begun by the time the trio returned to Brody's Cross. It started as talk of the missing preacher and grew into a pandemonium as the posse returned with gristly news. There were bodies in the church well and not an insignificant number. Cherry was relieved he didn't gain any new undead companions following the revelation and that no one bothered him to help. He was content to leave the retrieval and identification up to those who wanted a part in it.

The next morning, however, after a night of challenging sleep, Cherry was confronted by Hank Forge, the mayor of Brody's Cross. Cherry would have liked some level of rest before dealing with the mayor but Levi Asper chose to scream obscenities until the early morning hours when he finally wandered away. Mayor Forge was an odd duck. In many ways, he paid little mind to the sheriff. He needed someone in the role and there weren't any other takers. Cherry could be uninvolved and ineffective and Forge wouldn't bat an eye. Then, at inopportune moments, he'd demand that Cherry get his paperwork in order or that the sheriff was required to apologize for misconduct. Inevitably, he'd return to his sphere and leave Cherry to his.

"Sheriff," harrumphed the mayor through his thick moustache as Cherry entered his office. Forge had been waiting but it was unclear for how long. The sheriff noted the dark circles under his eyes and the exhaustion in his voice. They both had suffered a long night. "I trust you're aware of the situation at hand?"

"Marginally," deflected Cherry.

"About the church? Our missin' folk accounted for?"

Cherry whistled. "Who would have thought it ran that deep?" Forge cocked his head in confusion. "The well."

"Oh, yes," he agreed. "Terrible. And the preacher's nowhere to be found on top of it! Where's he got to?"

"He among the dead?"

"No," said the mayor.

"Seems to me," suggested Cherry, "that he's the one to blame for this." That was that and the case was closed.

"That's not possible!" sputtered Forge. "He's a man of God. They don't do things like this! And he's been preachin' love and forgiveness for... oh, I don't know how long!"

"He's gettin' older," said Cherry. "I hear some folks, their brains go a bit cockeyed when they've been around too long. There's no tellin' what they'll get into."

"Father Spiegelman doesn't seem like that," said the mayor.

"It seems pretty simple to me," said Cherry. "The preacher lost it out there in that lonely open country and had himself a spree killin'."

"No!" gasped Forge, fanning himself with his hat.

"He must have figured we were gettin' close to catchin' on and cut out." Cherry let out a theatrical sigh. "No tellin' when. He could be lost in Mexico by now. There's nothin' we can do 'bout it, 'cept thank our lucky stars he hoofed it out of Brody's Cross."

"I am grateful for that," said Forge. He breathed a sigh. "Mighty grateful."

"You need anythin' else from me?" asked Cherry as he sat at the desk.

"Yes, actually," said Forge. "The boys pulled Herman Tate out of the well but Willie Pyrk says he gave you folks a ride to the Tate place yesterday."

Shit. "Herman Tate? You sure?"

"Yessir, the man himself!"

"Huh. Ain't that somethin'." Then, "You sure?"

Forge stamped his foot. "Damn it, man! I said I'm sure!"

"Even though he's been down that well? Nothin' got distorted in the rot or the bloat? You sure it wasn't a doppelgänger?" Cherry leaned forward. "I don't know what to tell you, Mayor. I had Herman Tate with me clear as day yesterday." His eyes went wide as he feigned shock. "You don't suppose he was a ghost?"

Forge frowned. "I don't believe in ghosts, Sheriff. I didn't take you for that sort either."

"Well," said Cherry, scratching his chin. "As I recall, Herman said he was expectin' a word with Levi Asper. He said it was a private chat and sent me on my way not more than ten minutes after we got to his house." Fighting off a smirk, he added, "Seems to me if anyone knows what's goin' on, it'd be Asper."

"What do you mean?" posed the mayor.

"Just that he's been mighty vocal about tryin' to find Herman Tate. Even offered that reward in the newspaper. When Tate shows back up, he can't wait to see Asper?" Cherfy shook his head disapprovingly. "If you found Herman Tate down in that well, it stands to reason this other feller, the one keen on seein' Asper, must have some sort of agreement with him."

"But what?"

Cherry shrugged. "I suspect we'd have to ask Mr. Asper that."

"Then let's go do just that," said Forge, heading for the door. "Come on, Sheriff!"

Cherry clicked his tongue. "I think I'll sit this one out."

"What!" exclaimed Forge. "But you're the sheriff!"

"Asper and me, we're oil and water. If I go with you, we'll end up hollerin' at each other. You go ahead."

Quizzically, the mayor assented but said as he departed, "Go have a look. See if you don't think it's Herman."

"Will do," said Cherry and remained parked at his desk until Jeff Schim arrived.

"No one's asked you to do your job?" the deputy asked. "Thirteen bodies out and no calls for action?"

"I already solved it," said Cherry. "The preacher did it."

"Yes," said Schim. "A preacher. We knew that. But what is your resolution?

"The preacher is gone, Jeff. I can't do anythin' more."

Schim's eyes fell on Cherry's bandaged hands. "Anyone comment on those?"

"I haven't seen anyone 'sides you and Forge." The sheriff chuckled, reminded of his handiwork. "Levi Asper'll think twice 'bout screechin' all night."

"What does that have to do with your injuries?"

Cherry beamed smugly. "Nothin'."

The door flew open. Cherry half expected Gordon Whitefeather and half expected the wolfman with the different eyes. Instead he got Lindsey Pieth. "Oh, Sheriff!"

"She's in Texas," said Cherry in anticipation for what was to come.

"I'm not here about Miss Lacey," said Pieth. Cherry took stock of his black outfit as he continued, "My grandfather sent me. No one has seen Uncle Levi since yesterday!"

"How mysterious," said Cherry.

Schim rolled his eyes.

"Mayor Forge is lookin' for him if you locate him," said Cherry, kicking up his feet.

"Why is Mayor Forge lookin' for him?" asked the youth and deputy together.

"Search me," said Cherry. "I'd say he went out that way an hour or so ag--"

"Sheriff Cherry!" cried the mayor, bursting in. "I've just come from the Asper manor! Levi Asper has vanished!"

"I was sayin' as much to Sheriff Cherry this very moment!" remarked Pieth.

"Whaaaaat?" emoted Cherry unconvincingly. "You don't reckon...?"

"What?" inquired Pieth and Forge.

"Since he was workin' with that huckster, you don't think they skipped town?"

"Huckster?" repeated Pieth with confusion.

The mayor frowned. "You agree, then? We pulled Herman from the preacher's well?"

"I don't see who else it could be," said Cherry. "It looked just like him."

"But then why send an impostor your way?"

Cherry looked between the two. "It's no secret Asper didn't like the Tate ranch. He must have figured, with Miss Lacey and the domestics down in Texas and Mr. Herman missin', that he could use this feller to trick folks into believin' Herman came back and wanted to make a deal."

"It worked," said Forge. "You believed it."

"Mighty convincin', that feller."

Schim glared.

"Where have they gone?" wondered Forge.

"They must have been found out. I reckon whatever con they tried to pull, somethin' spooked 'em and they high tailed it out."

"I...see."

"Think I ought to whip up a wanted poster or two?" needled Cherry, relishing the embellishment. "Just in case?"

"I don't think we're at that point yet," dissuaded Forge, raising a hand. "I mean, we don't really know what's happened or who this other Mr. Herman is..."

"Also," said Pieth matter-of-fact, "Miss Lacey's dead. She's not in Texas."

Schim arched an eyebrow as Cherry's features darkened. He would have sworn Cherry's teeth grew sharper for an instant. Forge missed the sheriff's expression as he whipped his head around to regard the youth. "What did you say?"

"Why do you think I'm in mournin'?" Pieth sniffled.

"Are you?" blinked Forge. "It's always somethin' with you, Lindsey Pieth."

"Miss Lacey is gone, Mayor Forge," insisted Pieth. "Sheriff Cherry said as much! Isn't that right, sheriff?"

Cherry frowned. "Not that I recall."

"You did!" insisted Pieth. "When you were lyin' in my uncle's bed, recouperatin' from that wolfman!"

"Wolfman!" gasped Forge. "There's a wolfman about?"

"No," said Cherry.

"Yes," said Pieth. "Apparently he went after Sheriff Cherry!"

"I wondered about his hands," said Forge.

"The bandages ain't from a wolfman," snapped Cherry. "I never said nothin' about a wolfman!"

"Yes, you did," said Pieth. "And Mr. Gordon, Ms. Martine, and Miss Rosa said the same thing!"

"Miss Rosa didn't go to Texas with her mistress?" asked Forge. "Oh, wait. You said Miss Lacey is dead, didn't you, Sheriff..."

"I never said that," asserted Cherry. "If she's dead, I never saw the body."

"Perhaps we should ask the servants," suggested Forge. "Should we head over to the Tate place?"

"No," said Cherry.

"They're not there," explained Pieth helpfully. "They're hidin' out on account of the wolfman."

"The wolfman!" gasped Forge anew as if it were the first mention. "Those things are nothin' but trouble!"

Cherry frowned at Forge. "I thought you didn't believe in the supernatural."

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"I don't believe in ghosts. Wolfmen are a different matter!"

"Jesus Christ," muttered Cherry. The mayor looked to him with a sense of urgency.

"Sheriff, if there are wolfmen about, we must do something quickly. We don't want the wolf plague to spread amongst the townsfolk."

Cherry stared at the mayor as Schim remarked, "Wait, a plague? That mean it's a contagious condition?"

"A plague!" shrieked Pieth. He bit his nails. "Mayor! Please don't say that! I don't want to turn into a wolfman!"

"It spreads like wildfire. Once one gets the bite, no way of stoppin' it short of puttin' a bullet in his brain! But not just any bullet, mind you." The mayor narrowed his eyes. "A silver bullet!"

"Silver?" queried Pieth.

"Wolfmen can't handle silver. Burns 'em through and through."

"Ewald," said Schim, looking directly at the sheriff's hands.

"What makes you such an expert on wolfmen, Hank?" asked Cherry, refusing to acknowledge Schim.

"I have read several dime novels," said Forge proudly. "They delve tangentially into the subject."

"Ask him what else he knows," urged Schim. "What else can he tell us about wolfmen?"

"Where are we gonna get silver bullets?" asked Pieth.

"Hold on," growled Cherry. "No one's actually seen any wolfmen. Why the hell do we need silver bullets?"

"To kill the wolfman who got you," jeered Schim. "Wolfman."

If you weren't already dead, thought Cherry, bitterly glaring at his ghostly companion, I'd do it myself.

"You saw one," said Pieth. "You said he attacked you--"

"What!" cried the mayor.

"I never said that."

"You did!" declared the youth. "You said the same wolfman who attacked you killed Miss Lacey!"

"He didn't bite you, did he?" asked Forge with an intensity Cherry did not appreciate.

"No," lied the sheriff. "Of course not."

"Thank god for that," sighed the mayor. "That's how they getcha. That's how they make more of their awful kind."

"A bite, huh?" said Schim.

Pieth ruminated. "If Sheriff Cherry doesn't remember what he told me on account of his condition, we can always ask the Tate domestics. They saw the whole thing."

"We haven't a moment to spare," said Forge. "I won't let no wolf plague take hold in Brody's Cross."

"If I show you where they are," said Pieth, "You can't tell no one."

"You have my word," said Forge earnestly.

Cherry sneered. "I'm gonna hang back here. I don't reckon there's any point to this."

"Is that so?" remarked Schim.

"Me and Gordon Whitefeather aren't seein' eye to eye these days." Cherry elaborated. It wasn't untrue. "Besides, if Levi Asper's up to no good, someone ought to be around to grab him." One couldn't forget about the scapegoat.

"If I'm up to no good?!" bellowed Asper, phasing through the wall at either the best or worst time, depending on interpretation. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Sheriff Cherry has been tellin' tales," said Schim. He saw no reason to tell the rancher anything else. While he didn't suffer insomnia, Asper's antics over the night had annoyed the deputy plenty.

"They'd probably be mighty sore to see you," said Pieth. "They left you for dead and were none too pleased my uncle rescued you."

"I should have left you bleedin'," said Asper, spitting other worldly ectoplasm onto the floor that no one could see. "Would have saved me from this fate."

"That's not very nice of 'em!" said Forge. "Not very Christian!"

Pieth shook his head. "No, see, they had their reasons. They were tryin' to keep the wolfman from goin' after them next."

"Yeah, real nice," grumbled Cherry. "That excuses it."

"I think," said Forge, addressing Pieth sternly, "you best take me to see the domestics."

"Don't take anythin' they say to heart," advised the sheriff as the men departed. He wished the spirits would depart with them. The door shut and Cherry said, "Shut your goddamn mouth, Jeff. I'm not a wolfman."

"You're a wolfman," said Schim bluntly. "I'm convinced."

"What?" barked Asper, examining the sheriff. "He's a wolfman now? I knew you two were workin' together. You arranged everythin' to murder me!"

"You shut up too, Levi," threatened Cherry. "I'm not sayin' it again! I didn't have anythin' to do with that! That was your doin'!"

"The candlestick isn't poisoned, it's silver," stated Schim, shifting back to the topic at hand.

"It's coated in some sort of poison," argued Cherry. "That's the explanation, Jeff. Stop puttin' other meanin's into this!"

Schim squared up with the seated sheriff. "Use your brain, Ewald. Who the hell poisons a candlestick?"

"Old man Tate, apparently," countered Cherry. "He names his kids after sheep, so why not?"

"He's been dead for five months!" insisted Schim. "Do you think he's rubbin' poison on the candlesticks?"

Levi Asper cut in, "And I've been dead for all of one night. Will someone please enlighten me as to what's been goin' on around here?!"