The Madman Theory Read Online Free PDF Page A

been buckshot.”
    Vega said in a hurried voice, “We’re none of us safe. We’d better get the hell out of here.”
    â€œWhat about poor Earl?” demanded Kershaw. “We can’t leave him lying here in the trail!”
    â€œWe can’t carry him out,” argued Buck.
    â€œHere’s what we can do,” said Retwig. “We can wrap Earl in one of the tube-tents and hang him under a tree. He’ll be—at least he’ll be off the ground.”
    â€œBut why? I can’t understand why ,” protested Kershaw. “It’s got to be a madman.”
    â€œSomebody who followed us in,” said Vega in a hiss so sibilant as to be almost feminine.
    â€œLet’s get to work,” said Retwig shortly. “The police can figure out who did it and why. That’s what they’re paid for.”
    Gingerly the pack was removed from Genneman’s body. Retwig and Buck did most of the work. From the pack they took the tube-tent and a spare shirt with which they covered the shattered head. Now came the stomach-turning job of pulling Genneman’s bulk into the tube. This was accomplished by lifting his legs, slipping the plastic under his hips, then tugging and sliding him back into the tube. Tied at both ends, the tube was dragged underneath a stout fir, and after much effort suspended from a branch ten feet from the ground.
    Then the four men started south along the trail, the way they had come.
    Back along the mountainside, up over the saddle, and down into Persimmon Flat, with Persimmon Lake gleaming in the center. Buck James, who was in the lead, turned to Retwig. “Do you think we’d better look over that camp across the lake? Maybe we might learn something.”
    â€œLeave it for the police,” advised Retwig. “They won’t want us tracking all over the place.”
    So they continued, past their own campsite of the night before, up over Dutchman’s Pass. Now the trail led downhill. With no need for rest-halts they went down at least twice as fast as they had come up. Still, it seemed an interminable trek to Suggs Meadow, the first night’s camp. They reached it at dusk.
    At the stream they paused to rest and to take stock. Retwig said, “It took us about three hours to make it up from the car—” He stopped short. “The car! Damn it, it’s Earl’s car and he’s got the keys in his pocket.”
    Red Kershaw said wearily, “He put the keys in the bumper-guard. I saw him do it.”
    â€œIt might be dangerous traveling the trail by night,” Vega said dubiously.
    â€œNot that dangerous,” said Buck. “There’s starlight. I’ll lead the way, if you like. I’m for going in.”
    â€œThat’s my feeling,” said Retwig. “Everybody feel up to it?” He glanced at Kershaw and Vega.
    â€œI’m game,” mumbled Kershaw. “I don’t want any part of these mountains.”
    Vega nodded dumbly.
    â€œI didn’t think of it till now,” said Kershaw in a sick voice. “Somebody will have to call Opal and break the news.”
    â€œLet’s get going,” said Retwig brusquely. “The longer we wait the darker it gets.”
    Once more they set out, aching with fatigue, back and forth down the switchback. In daylight they might have negotiated the distance in an hour; in the dark, it took them two.
    Finally the trail made its last turn and swung out on the flat. Stumbling, the four men covered the last two hundred yards. Genneman’s big white Buick glinted ahead in the parking area; it grew large and substantial: a mocking symbol.
    The four men dropped their packs with groans of relief. Kershaw found the key and unlocked the car.
    Twenty minutes later they swung into the Cedar Grove compound, dark except for a single light on a pole and a few glimmers from tents among the trees.
    The headlights illuminated a redwood sign: CEDAR