Part 1, Chapter 2 Summary

Rhoda Kassellaw was a young widow who had been left with two young children. She lived in a town just north of Clanton in Ford County. She kept mostly to herself, but after three years as a widow, Rhoda became lonely. She began hanging out at clubs near the Tennessee state line, an hour's drive from her home. Her killer had followed her home twice before actually making contact with her.

The night of her death, Rhoda put her children to bed as usual and went to her bedroom an hour later, where her killer was waiting for her. He raped her at knifepoint. The noise awoke her children, who walked down the hall to her bedroom. They startled Rhoda and her attacker. She screamed instructions, and they ran to the neighbor's house for help. Their neighbor, Mr. Deece, ran outside...