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By the time he gets to his truck, his head is a little clearer and he has an idea of how he should go.

He starts the engine and backs around to head south, once more being careful not to roll over any of the broken glass.

A farm truck goes by headed north.

It’s hauling a small open trailer filled with lumber.

The driver, gimme cap yanked down to the tops of his ears, stares grimly ahead, taking no notice of Danny.

Which is good.

When the farm truck is over the rise, Danny pulls out and heads back the way he came.

On the outskirts of Thompson he stops in at a Dollar General and asks if they sell prepaid cell phones—what are called burners in some of the TV programs he watches.

He’s never bought such an item, and thinks the clerk will probably direct him elsewhere, maybe to the Walmart in Belleville, but the clerk points him to aisle five.

There are lots of them, but the Tracfone seems to be the cheapest, there’s no activation fee, and it comes with instructions.

Danny takes his wallet out of his hip pocket, ready to pay with his Visa, and then asks himself if he was born dumb or just grew that way.

He puts it back and takes his folding money out of his left front pocket instead.

He pays with that.

The clerk is a young guy with acne and a scruffy soul patch.

He gives Danny a grin and asks him if he’s going to kick some dickens on Tinder.

He calls Danny “bro.”

Danny has no idea what he’s talking about, so just tells the clerk he doesn’t need a bag.

The young guy says no more, only rings Danny up and gives him his receipt.

Outside the door, Danny drops the receipt in a handy trashcan.

He wants no record of this transaction.

All he wants is to report the body.

The rest is up to people who investigate things for a living.

The sooner he can get this business behind him, the better.

The idea of letting it go entirely never crosses his mind.

Sooner or later that dog—maybe with others—will tip the barrel over to get at the meat beneath.

He can’t let that happen.

Someone’s wife or daughter is buried behind that abandoned station.