FOLLOW THE LEADER Chapter 15
Chapter 15 In Petaluma Sheriff Calder was answering a call early the next morning from a farmer who had heard a woman scream for help. He had not been sure of the time. “So this morning I went out to investigate,” the farmer continued. “There’s this redwood tree in the middle of my cornfields…” “I know exactly where it is,” Sheriff Calder said. “Go on.” “That’s where she is. What’s left of her.” “What do you mean?” asked the sheriff. He flashed on a mountain lion tearing into a corpse. Silence. “You’ll have to see it for yourself.” “I’m on my way.” Minutes later the sheriff saw buzzards flocking below the redwood tree. Not circling, he noted. He saw a road leading off Highway 101 that headed in that direction. It was seven in the morning when Calder drove up and saw the farmer oiling his tractor. The farmer set the oilcan down and quickly wiped his hands with a rag. The two men i