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fire occurred。 She saw it twice。 Once on Saturday night； then about twenty…four hours later around the time of the fire。
Her statement was taken by Grimshaw at her home in rural Harrison County； seven weeks after Patrick's funeral。 By then； the death was shrouded in suspicion because the money had disappeared。
Sixteen
THE DOCTOR was a young Pakistani resident named Hayani； who by nature was a caring and passionate soul。 His English was heavily accented； and he seemed content to simply sit and chat with Patrick for as long as the patient wanted。 The wounds were healing fine。
But the patient was deeply troubled。 〃The torture was something I could never accurately describe；〃 Patrick said； after they had been talking for almost an hour。 Hayani had brought the conversation around to this topic。 It was all over the papers； since the filing of the lawsuit against the FBI； and from a medical standpoint it was a rare opportunity to examine and treat one injured in such an awful manner。 Any young doc would enjoy being this close to the center of the storm。
Hayani nodded gravely。 Just keep talking； he pleaded with his eyes。
Today； Patrick was certainly willing to do so。 〃Sleep is impossible；〃 he said。 〃Maybe an hour at the most before I hear voices； then I smell my flesh burning； then I wake up in a pool of sweat。 And it's not getting better。 I'm here now； home and safe； I guess； but they're still out there； still after me。 I can't sleep。 I don't want to sleep； Doc。〃
〃I can give you some pills。〃
〃No。 Not yet； anyway。 I've had too many chemicals。〃
〃Your blood looks fine。 Some residue； but nothing significant。〃
〃No more drugs； Doc。 Not now。〃
〃You need some sleep； Patrick。〃
〃I know； but I don't want to sleep。 I'll get tortured again。〃
Hayani wrote something on the chart he was holding。 A long silence followed in which both men occupied themselves with thoughts about what to say next。 Hayani found it difficult to believe that this kind man was capable of killing another； and especially in such a ghastly way。
The room was lit only by a narrow ray of sunshine along the edge of the window。 〃Can I be honest with you about something； Doc？〃 Patrick asked； his voice even lower。
〃Of course；〃
〃I need to stay here as long as I can。 Here； in this room。 In a few days； they'll start making noises about moving me to the Harrison County Jail where I'll get a bunk in a small cell with two or three street punks； and there's no way I can survive。〃
〃But why do they want to move you？〃
〃It's pressure； Doc。 They have to slowly increase the pressure on me until I tell them what they want。 They put me in a bad cell with rapists and drug dealers； and the message will be conveyed that I'd better start talking because that is what I'm faced with for the rest of my life。 Prison； at Parchman； the worst place in the world。 You ever been to Parchman； Doc？〃
〃No。〃
〃I have。 I had a client there once。 It's hell； literally。 And the county jail isn't much better。 But you can keep me here； Doc。 All you have to do is keep telling the Judge that I need to remain under your care； and I stay here。 Please； Doc。〃
〃Of course； Patrick；〃 he said； then made one more entry on his chart。 Another long pause as Patrick closed his eyes and breathed rapidly。 Just the thought of jail and prison had upset him mightily。
〃I'm going to remend a psychiatric evaluation；〃 Hayani said； and Patrick bit his lower lip to suppress a smile。
〃Why？〃 he asked； feigning alarm。
〃Because I'm curious。 Do you object？〃
〃I guess not。 When？〃
〃Perhaps in a couple of days。〃
〃I'm not sure if I can do it so soon。〃
〃There's no hurry。〃
〃That's more like it。 We shouldn't hurry anything around here； Doc。〃
〃I see。 Of course。 Perhaps next week。〃
〃Maybe。 Or the week after。〃
THE BOY'S MOTHER was Neldene Crouch。 She now lived in a trailer park outside Hattiesburg； but at the time of her son's disappearance she lived； with him； in a trailer park outside Lucedale； a small town thirty miles from Leaf。 According to her recollection； her son had been missing since Sunday； February 9； 1992； precisely the same day Patrick Lanigan died on Highway 15。
But according to Sheriff Sweeney's records； Neldene Prewitt （her married name then） had first called his office on February 13； 1992； with the news that her son was missing。 She was calling all the surrounding sheriffs； as well as the FBI and the CIA。 She was quite disturbed and at times near hysterics。
Her son's name was Pepper Scarboro…Scarboro being the name of her first husband； Pepper's alleged father； though she'd never been certain precisely who the father was。 As for his first name； no one could remember exactly where Pepper came from。 She had named him LaVelle at the hospital； a name he'd always hated。 He'd picked up Pepper at a young age； and had vigorously asserted it as his legal name。 Anything but LaVelle。
Pepper Scarboro was seventeen at the time of his disappearance。 After successfully pleting the fifth grade； after three attempts； he dropped out of school and pumped gas at a local station in Lucedale。 An odd child who stuttered badly； Pepper discovered the great outdoors as a young teenager； and loved nothing better than to camp and hunt for days； usually alone。
Pepper had few friends； and his mother rode him constantly for an assortment of shortings。 She had two smaller children and various men friends； and she lived with the rest of her family in a dirty trailer with no air conditioning。 Pepper preferred to sleep in a pup tent deep in the woods。 He saved his money and bought his own shotgun and camping gear。 So Pepper spent as much time as possible in the De Soto National Forest； twenty minutes but a thousand miles away from his mother。
There was no clear evidence that Pepper and Patrick had ever met。 Coincidentally； Patrick's cabin was situated in the general vicinity of the forest where Pepper liked to hunt。 Patrick and Pepper were both white males； roughly the same height； though Patrick was much heavier。 Of much greater interest was the fact that Pepper's shotgun； tent； and sleeping bag were found in Patrick's cabin in late February of 1992。
The two disappeared at approximately the same time； from about the same area。 In the months after their joint disappearances； Sweeney and Cutter had determined that no other person in the state of Mississippi had turned up missing around February 9 and remained so for more than ten weeks。 Several； most of them troubled teens； had been reported missing in February of 1992； but by late spring all had been accounted for。 In March； a housewife up in Corinth evidently fled a violent marriage and had yet to be seen。
Working with FBI puters in Washington； Cutter had determined that the nearest person reported missing shortly before Patrick's fire was a shiftless truck driver from Dothan； Alabama； seven hours away。 He had simply vanished on Saturday； February 8； leaving behind a miserable marriage and lots of bills。 After investigating this case for three months；
Cutter was certain there was no connection between the truck driver and Patrick。
Statistically； there was strong evidence that the disappearances of Pepper and Patri