Free The Body of Martin Aguilera by Percival Everett Page B

all he had really managed to do was spend precious time away from his granddaughter. All of this settled on him and he knew he couldn’t stop. There was something to be found out. Something bad had happened and something bad was going on. Everything smelled sour and he felt something evil lurking about.
    He considered the next day. He would put a horse in a trailer, drive it to Garapata Ridge and follow the trail down to Plata Creek and into the back end of the canyon. He recalled the absence of animals in the canyon and a chill traveled over him. Suddenly, he was afraid of going alone. He couldn’t and wouldn’t ask Maggie. Besides, someone had to stay with Laura. Then he remembered Peabody. Maybe the vet would go and he was a perfect choice, a scientist, a man who knew animals. He looked at his watch. It was only ten-twenty. He was glad. Maggie could stop worrying. He would call Cyril when he got home.
    He could still hear the chanting of the rezador .

Chapter Sixteen
    Lewis managed to get dressed and out of the house without waking Maggie or Laura. Only some of the light of the day to come helped him as he took the battery from his car and put it into his truck. He backed the truck to the horse trailer. It was a two-horse, front-unloading trailer that he had bought after watching a man get stepped on trying to back a horse out of a tight place. He closed the horses off in the corral and went to get the tack from the shed. The saddles were in good shape. He grabbed a couple of curb bits; the horses hadn’t been ridden much lately and he’d need leverage on some of the slopes. Cyril Peabody had said he’d take the morning and ride with him. Lewis breathed easier knowing he wasn’t going alone. He went to the corral and saddled the mare without much trouble. The gelding was a little stubborn. The horse blew up his belly when Lewis went to tighten the front cinch. He didn’t want the cinches tight now, but he knew he’d have to poke the horse in the ribs when he cinched him. He loaded the animals into the trailer and left.
    Lewis had gone through the business with the horses without realizing how tired he was. He found during the drive down the mountain that his eyes wanted to close. He rubbed his eyes and the back of his neck, shook his head. Finally he just stopped and napped for about five minutes. When he awoke, he found that just those few minutes had allowed morning to come on fully. He enjoyed the rest of the drive to Cyril’s office on the outer-bounds of town. He stopped once to check the horses.
    Cyril was sitting in his Jeep in front of his office. He waved when he saw Lewis and got out. He carried a bag. He climbed into Lewis’ truck.
    â€œI brought us some food,” Cyril said.
    â€œI forgot all about food. Thanks.”
    â€œI guessed you were inviting me for a reason.”
    Lewis pulled back onto the highway. “Thanks for coming out with me.”
    â€œNo sweat. Want to fill me in?”
    â€œLike I told you, we’re going to drive up to Garapata Ridge and take the trail down to Plata Creek and into the canyon.” He looked at Cyril and saw he was waiting for more. “A lot has happened and I just don’t feel like going into detail.” He took a deep breath. “I saw Martin Aguilera’s body last night.”
    â€œWhere?”
    â€œI can’t say.”
    â€œI heard it was stolen. How’d you see it?”
    â€œReally, I can’t talk about that. I saw him and that’s what matters. Cyril, he had wounds on his legs like the squirrel had.”
    Cyril just looked at him.
    â€œBurns, well, like burns. I think they were the same. I have a really bad feeling.”
    â€œThat’s why we’re headed out to the canyon.”
    Lewis nodded. “Something’s going on. Remember when I told you there were no animals up there.”
    â€œYeah, that sounds pretty weird, all right.”
    Lewis watched the