Page 44 of Lucie
“Because burning means smoke and ash, and that would attract attention. Burying them would require time and effort, which whoever did this wasn’t willing to do.”
“This was aMutaheffort,”Attyremarked. “Let the animals andwolfenfeed on the rotting flesh. Not only would nature get rid of the evidence in time, but the proliferation of dangerous creatures would become an additionaldeterrent to passers-by.”
Yulenwalked to the other side of the human gate. “I think they were placed here to plug up the hole.”
“Hole?”Mastinrepeated. “Are you thinking these people tried to attack the compound by tearing down the barricade?”
“Attack or escape,” Lucien corrected.
“Either way, they all met their deaths on the other side,”Johnainformed them. She pointed to a spot severalyards inside. “The ground over there is saturated with blood.”
“You can see that?” Lucien murmured to her. He squinted to confirm it for himself, without success.
Johnapressed her lips together, as if to suppress her sorrow at what they were seeing. “I can see more. Too much more,” she whispered, then turned to walk back to where the horses were waiting.
