On Christmas day, Travis calls from the rig. Miranda hears the phone ring and runs in the house to answer it. glad for an excuse to leave the parry in the yard.

Homicide. Suicide by hanging. A great deal of drinking, mainly of whiskey, mainly by men. Blood pooled on the floor. Chairs overturned. Many weapons: guns and knives and ropes. Burned Cabin, where a burned skeleton is barely visible, Dark Bathroom, w…