Excerpt Chapter One

      Mr. Simpletripp grabbed the lumpy bag and turned to leave. When Molly saw the bulge in the burlap sack and the seeping spread of crimson, she gasped. Simpletripp stopped. For a moment he didn’t move—as if a tumble of thoughts provoked by Molly’s small cry caused his gears to momentarily disengage. Slowly his head rotated, scanning the creek. He stopped at the sight of the girls. Without the slightest movement, the parties contemplated one another. Then, with ominous gravity, Mr. Simpletripp turned his body and started upstream toward the girls.