Dena and Jeffrey Slaight accompany Reverend Allgood and Earl Wood down Main Street to the doctor’s office and residence. When they enter the examining room, the group finds that Michael Kibbee has pulled himself up into a sitting position, fresh spots of blood staining his shirt. He blinks as they enter, his features pinched with concern.

”What...what happened?” he asks, his voice hoarse. ”I heard more gunfire. Was someone...killed?”

In reply to Michael Kibbee (msg # 1):

"A young man named Tom O'Folliard was shot and killed in the saloon. There are deputies in pursuit of his assailant.

"I wonder why the killer bothered to carry his body over to the courthouse?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:14, Thu 20 Sept 2018.

”I had wondered the very same thing, Reverend,” Doctor Wood says, ”Could it have been an attempt to taunt the Sheriff perhaps? To mock him for being unable to put a halt to the killings here?”

Kibbee leans back heavily on the physician’s couch. ”Or...perhaps it was a statement. A way of telling the town that what had been done had been done at Sheriff Brady’s behest. Or, if not at his order, committed with his approval.”

In reply to Michael Kibbee (msg # 4):

"It's difficult for me to reason out why the assassin would want to send that message, betraying her employer."

” A fair point, Reverend,” Kibbee says with a nod. ”Perhaps it is as Dr. Wood suggests, then. The law here certainly hasn’t been able to protect many of the people here in Lincoln. Not John Tunstall. Not me. Not the farmers whose equipment was taken.” He exchanges a look with Wood. ”Not our children.”

"Was O'Folliard a Christian man?"

”Catholic, I believe,” Wood answers, ”I saw him leaving the iglesia on several Sunday mornings, around the time services ended at the Methodist church, where my family attends.”

"I think I'll go over to the Catholic Church and apprise the priest of what's become of one of his flock, in case he hasn't heard.

"What's the priest's name?"

Having gotten the name, Allgood walks across to Iglesia de San Juan Bautista.

Allgood ventures down the street to La Iglesia de San Juan Bautista. Approaching the entrance, he can hear the sound of children's voices from within. Stepping inside, he finds that the pews on the right side of the simple, but well maintained sanctuary, are occupied by young ones, who are giving their attention to a woman with long, dark hair. Their schoolmistress, Allgood presumes.

The woman pauses the lesson and approaches Allgood, introducing herself as Valentina Perez. She confirms that Father Emiliano Narvaez is present, but outside, tending to the churchyard.

Stepping around to the back of the iglesia, Allgood finds a tall, dark haired man in a wool coat, standing over a pair of open graves, his expression serious. His collar identifies him as a member of the priesthood.

He looks up as Allgood enters the cemetery. "Good afternoon," he says in greeting.

"Father Narvaez, I presume. I'm Earnest Allgood." He removes his hat and extends his hand.

"I wasn't sure if you had heard about Tom O'Foliard's murder. I understand he was a member of your congregation."

Narvaez nods solemnly, shaking Allgood’s hand. ”I had. A senseless tragedy. Thomas was a young man with enormous potential. I was going to speak with Señor Elllis in a short while, to see if he would have everything ready for me to conduct Thomas’ service tomorrow.’

He glances back uneasily at the two open graves. Allgood notices that dirt has been scattered haphazardly around both holes, as though the digging was conducted hastily. Returning his attention to Allgood, Narvaez asks, ”If I might ask, are you the new Methodist minister here? Come to fill the vacancy left by Pastor Benton?”

"In fact, I came here because Pastor Benton wrote and asked for my help. When I arrived, he was gone. I've asked the church elders to let me serve as an interim pastor, but they haven't yet made a decision.

"Do you have any idea what was troubling him? Why he left?"

"I don't know why Pastor Benton left. It was unlike him. He loved God and he loved his people. He had expressed to me more than once how important he viewed his calling to this area."

The priest gestured to the open graves. "But I know that he was troubled by the same problem that I have contended with. Someone defiling the graves at the church. Digging up the bones of those laid to rest. Stealing their remains. For what reason, I cannot guess."

Earnest peers into the graves.

"Did they take coffins and all?"

The pieces of broken lumber at the bottom of each grave answer Allgood's question before the priest can respond. "No," Narvaez says with a shake of his head, "Only the remains."

"If they were mere grave robbers, the bones would be of no use to them. That they took the bodies...whoever is responsible can be up to nothing good."

"No indeed," Earnest replies. He describes for the padre what happened on the stage ride with the ghost pack.

”I have heard several stories of these wolves. They have killed some travelers here and been the cause of much trouble for Señor Murdock and the stagecoach.”

Narvaez looks back at the defiled graves. ”I have wondered if the one responsible for the wolves was also behind the grave robberies. If we might see the human dead walking the valley in days ahead. It is something I pray against every day.”

“Reverend Benton shared that fear. It was why he tried to learn the identity of the one opening the graves.”

In reply to Emiliano Narvaez (msg # 18):

"I will also pray that God forfend such an atrocity," He thinks for a moment, "How long ago did these two die?"

"Years ago. Before I was called to Lincoln," Narvaez replies. "My understanding is that both were men of poor character. Thought to be involved in robberies, thefts of property. But, in the hope of forgiveness, they were offered burial here."

"Hmmmm. Seems like there wouldn't have been much taken up from these graves except bones."

Narvaez nods in agreement. Si. That is all that would have remained of either of them."

He glances back at Allgood. "I never had the opportunity to ask Pastor Benton, but here...in our cemetery, the only ones that were taken were those that had...poor reputations. Persons known to be criminals."

"Thank you, padre, this has been most thought-provoking," Earnest says with a hearty handshake, "I'll visit you again sometime, if I might. And, please, drop in on me anytime. I'm at the boarding house for now."

He leaves the church grounds and, seeing his companions entering the saloon, goes along the street to the same establishment.