As it all turned out, it was Sam who solved the Case.

That Winter storm brought unusually high winds to Cottonpaugh. In the middle of that night people near City Park were awakened by several falling trees, large trees top-heavy way overdue for trimming. The base of the trunks were held off the ground by large circular root systems that radiated out, near a twenty foot diameter. As the foggy morning broke locals went over to the park to see the downed trees. Near the middle of the park above the ground was a small high visibility light blinking on and off. As the daylight increased they could see the light was near the top of a now vertical root system.

Embedded in the root system they could see something else gradually appear, taking shape. It is a human skeleton seen from behind, spread eagle in the root system. The blinking light is a large watch on one extended wrist. The skeleton is partially dressed in decomposing clothing. The clothing appears to be the familiar sport coat uniform of The Keepers. The locals immediately reported the find to the Police. Though not informed, officially anyway, several Keepers arrived to take control of the scene. Deputy Frank arrived just before them. The Keepers reluctantly turned and left. The City Police Forensics Team arrived and started the investigation. 

Frank’s dog Sam was as curious as the Locals at the scene. He sniffed around the root system and reacted especially to one smell, only he knew what. He barked and jumped towards the skeleton. Frank took Sam back out of the way. There was no obvious abnormality that would suggest it was what Sam barked at. The gathering crowd was amused.

Sam is of no ‘registered breed’ you might say.  He  is a long 15 pounds, white underneath and chest and around the lower part of his face and nose. Gray on top side of his face, back, sides, and tail, brown trim at the edges. He has large pointed ears that stuck out straight to the side. He had a sad vulnerable look to  his brown eyes that makes him a ‘chick magnet.’ Frank likes that about Sam.

The tree was planted when mature, but still growing. It already had a large diameter root system. The hole needed to accept the tree was wide circular with a flat bottom maybe two feet deep. It rained heavily for two days just before tree was set into the hole. A body could be sunk into the mud covered with several inches of water. It was quite possible this would not be noticed by a crew focused on placing a very large tree into the ground. This was three years before the storm toppled the tree. Since the Park trees are surrounded by grass that is watered regularly the roots stay mostly shallow and reach out sideways.

As more roots each out they could ensnare a decomposing body underneath the tree. Roots certainly do capture some rather large stones that stay in after the tree is overturned. Watch batteries last between two to five years, depending upon size and power demand. This was a larger battery and there was no demand on its power until the tree fell and jarred the light on. This is likely what happened. The watch is of a police/military style, but popular with civilians. The light so that the wearer could signal to aircraft or ground support to be extracted from a compromised situation.

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Several days later The Baugh Police Chief asked the Sheriff in Cottonpaugh if Frank could come up again and bring a Forensics Team this time. A large hovercraft was found crashed in an inaccessible canyon below a mountain road up from Baugh. It is below a road used by ‘visitors’ from The Basin for illegal racing of off-road vehicles. Local rappelers who found the wreckage thought it to be a off-road car that went off the road while racing above, not an unusual event. The Baugh Police Chief was able to get a better look through binoculars and thought the wreckage to be of a hovercraft, but a much larger one that commonly seen.

Hovercraft typically do not have much range because they are used for transportation between close destinations, maybe the most of five miles. If used for supervision or patrol within an area of ten square miles they use less power and so can stay in flight for as much as three hours. Such hovercraft are not within the means of the large part of the population so developing craft with increased capability is not commercially feasible. It is thought the Government could develop advanced hovercraft for ‘defense’ (war). But analysts contend these would not be much use against a militarily sophisticate enemy, but perhaps for use against a fraudulent government’s own people.

Deputy Frank is one of the few law enforcement people capable enough to reach the wreckage site and to safely bring along a Forensic Investigative Team. The Sheriff waits for such assignments to keep Frank busy and away. Otherwise he would be everywhere looking for problems to solve and nobody could relax. Sam jumped about happily as Frank got the Team and equipment together and drove up to Baugh. Soon there Frank and Forensic Team (Team being Lonestar – Frank got him a white lab coat) and equipment and Sam were rappelling down from helicopters to the bottom of the canyon. Frank held Sam as they lowered down. Lonestar in white lab coat held on. They would take photos and bring back samples of the wreckage in small containers.  And note anything unusual.

When they were on the bottom of the canyon they could see the wreckage had hit the wall and fallen to the top of a knoll about a third of the depth from the bottom. The first thing they did was search the canyon for human remains, none found. Since the ‘pilot’ would be on top of the craft he might have fallen miles away. They had to clear some brush away to reach the top of the knoll. The craft had been there for some time. It was covered with dust and spider webs and plants had grown over it. All had to be cleared before they could begin the examination. They first took measurements, then removed the maintenance cover plate and noted the Giro and power supply inside.

 The hovercraft is of a much more developed technology and design than those popularly used for transportation and recreation. This craft was also much larger in diameter. The craft is of a design not commercially available, or familiar. There are no identifying marking, suggesting it could be a prototype. There were handles for the pilot to hold while seated on a cushion with a seat belt. This suggests the craft would go too fast to stand on. Ther was a small plate with a handle at the edge. When opened it covered a storage box. There were several empty water bottles and remains of decomposed foodstuff. There was also a small bar wrapped in its cover. It looked like half had been cut away.

When Lonestar took the bar out of the box Sam started barking fiercely, just like he did at the fallen tree earlier. Frank calmed Sam down and asked if it was a candy bar. Lonestar pulled the folded over wrapper straight and said no, it was ‘chewing weed.’ Chewing weed was known to be both a stimulant and a pain masking agent that keeps the user calmed down and numb to his task.  It is used by workers in the oil fields or by agricultural workers who chop cotton, deal fruit, and similar tasks. They can think less about their painful repetitious work. Chewing weed is certainly not to be used by anyone who has to operate complicated machinery. 

Frank and Lonestar spent the rest of their time applying the light but strong harness to the hovercraft. These were three metal cables joined together at their half way point that went under the disk. The ends then joined together at the top of the disk, secured by a hook that a heavier helicopter could attach a line to. They had to work to position the cables under the disk, the most difficult part of the day. The helicopter came back and took Frank, Lonestar, and Sam out of the canyon. Later another would come for the disk. As they left Frank thought about the question he would ask City Forensics about what the body the fallen tree brought up.

And that was the first place Frank went the next day. The Examining Officer said they did not find much on the body. The clothes were mostly decomposed. They was a wallet with an identity card but all the card had was a number, no photo or name. There was a lump in one of the front pants pocket that looked like the remains of a candy bar. “ Do you still have it?” Frank asked. “Yes it should still be in the pocket. We keep everything.” The clothes were in the evidence box. Frank suggested they examine the lump to see if it might be chewing weed.

It is chewing weed. Sam solved the case by making the connection. Now what? The Keepers were not amused.

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Quite the opposite of amused. The story of the dog that solved a mystery and connected the Keepers with secret hovercraft development made the newspapers, the national newspapers, and several television reports. Talk Show hosts made jokes. Late night comedians made jokes. Sam was made an honorary Deputy. Sam appeared on the cover of national magazines. Frank was generous in making Sam available for photo opts with fans, and lending his experience and special knowledge of the case as an advisor to the writers of the upcoming made for television movie. Sam is evaluating offers for dogfood endorsements.

Keepers operate on fear. Fear by those they are employed to ‘protect.’ Fear by anyone who wants to interfere in that arrangement. Ridicule is the worst that can happen to Fear. Now Keepers have to reassure their customers and financiers.

Have you ever tried to kidnap a dog? Even a small one? We haven’t either. How difficult could it be? From the experience of the Keepers it is much easier to plan in a meeting than to accomplish out in ‘real life.’ The Keepers knew they could bring no harm to Sam. None at all. First a plan, next to test it on other dogs they could find. They noticed that dogs liked to ride in small trucks. So get a small truck and practice by finding dogs stopping and enticing them to get in the truck by offering them bones or similar dog treats.

Well, that was the plan anyway.

[This is an excerpt from Bar Maids Revisited by Thomas McDonald, available on Amazon.]