Chapter 9 Summary

Tuesday, December 2, 10:15 p.m. Leaphorn leaves Cecil with a Franciscan brother at Saint Anthony's school. He broke the news to Cecil as kindly as possible and then radioed the New Mexico State Police. He left Cecil in the truck with the heater running while he gathered Cecil's things so the boy would not be confronted with the body of his dead father. The boy asked him to go back in for George's things and Cecil's lunchbox. George had already taken his few earthly possessions. Leaphorn realizes that the boy must have come back for his things and the horse shortly after Leaphorn interviewed Shorty Bowlegs the day before. Shorty has no relatives nearby, and Leaphorn wonders who will punch a hole in the hogan wall to release Shorty's ghost and arrange for a Singer to cure the negativity surrounding the murder. Leaphorn realizes...