“What are we supposed to be looking for?” A.J. asked.

“A dead body,” Tatum said solemnly, as she peered over the bushes.

“What did you say?” A.J. stared at Tatum.

“I said, a dead body. There’s a dead body in there.” Tatum grimaced and backed away.

“What are we supposed to do?” Rose asked.

“Call 911,” Tatum said. “Get the police out here.”

“Police?” A.J. asked.

“Yeah. They’ll take care of it.”

Shelley rubbed a hand over her hair, grasped a curl and twisted it around her finger. Why didn’t I listen to Lanette and work overtime?

A.J. pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and tried to make a call but her phone went dead. “Uh oh. I forgot to charge the battery. What about yours?”

“It’s in the car. I’ll go get it.” Shelley hurried up the path, away from the gruesome sight she’d seen behind the bushes, her stomach churning, nausea threatening to empty it of the hot dogs she’d eaten.

“I’m coming, too,” Rose said.

All of them hustled along behind Shelley, heedless of the need to watch for snakes.

* * *