A Lurker Among The Dead: The Callahan Files, #1

By Kevin Hurtack

Missing Corpses.  A stranger lurking outside the morgue.  Bizarre symbols scrawled in blood.

The remote mining town of Silvervalle has seen its share of trouble, but no one ever imagined a body snatcher would come to the Colorado territory. It's up to the hard-nosed Civil War veteran Sheriff Sean Callahan and the steadfast Deputy Washington to sort through the macabre clues.

Who is the body snatcher? What is his motive for these ghastly crimes? Through the dusty streets and frigid Rocky mountains, Sheriff Callahan and Deputy Washington will stop at nothing to find their man.  But will the trail of clues lead them to the body snatcher or will he slip away like a fleeting shadow?

A Lurker Among The Dead is the first story in a planned series of tales featuring Sean Callahan, the sheriff of  Raven County, Colorado.  32 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gunsmoke & Ghouls
• Release date: Sep 5, 2015
• ISBN: 9781524255275

Kevin Hurtack

Kevin Hurtack studied antedulivian myths and religions at Miskatonic University. During a trip to research a  'lost' chapter of the Necronomicon, he supposedly disappeared. Witnesses claim to have seen him recently in the Rocky Mountain region.

Book preview

Sean Callahan shoveled a forkful of huevos rancheros into his mouth just as his office door swung open. He groaned like a grizzly bear awoken too soon from its winter slumber and shot a glance across the room. Joseph Washington, a lean black man with a boyish appearance, despite his patchy beard, stood in the doorway. Before he could shut the door a stiff breeze blew into the Spartan log cabin, blowing dust in from Main Street along with the stench of fresh horse manure. The rumble of buckboard wagons and the murmur of conversations could be heard from the neighboring streets before Joseph shut the door.

This better be important, Sean said between mouthfuls of fried egg and toasted corn tortillas, for you to be disturbing my breakfast, Deputy.

Sorry, Sheriff, Joseph said, removing his weathered Bowler hat as he shut the door. But this can’t wait.

I'll determine what can and can't.

If you say so.

Sean raked his calloused fingers through his thinning black hair. Go on then, I thought you said this couldn't wait...

Joseph sat down in the wooden chair on the other side of Sean's cluttered desk. Well, I was out on patrol this morning and when I rode by the cemetery ole Rufus was madder than a scalded cat. I asked him what the matter was, and he says somebody snatched two corpses out of their graves last night.

Sean scratched his salt-and-pepper beard. Did you bother to check them yourself?

I wanted to get a look-see, but that fool wouldn't show me nothing! Joseph said, pounding his fist on the desk. Told me it weren't no job for a boy like me.

Mind your temper, deputy.

Joseph grunted.

Sean leaned back in his chair, which groaned underneath his brawny build.  Anyone else know about this?

I doubt it, nobody goes out there less they got dead folk and Rufus only heads into town a few times a year.

Good, the last thing we need is Mayor Little or that busy body Ms. Tilly over at the Silvervalle Gazette getting in our way.

I thought you was sweet on her, especially after she wrote about you whooping them Confederate bushwhackers a few years back. Joseph batted his eyelashes and pressed his hands to his heart.  Hero of the Colorado territory is what she called you, ain't it?

Sean's pale blue eyes narrowed. Come on, we got work to do.

Joseph smirked and buttoned up his threadbare frock coat. I'll get the horses.

Sean brushed the crumbs from his grey bib shirt before grabbing his fringed buckskin coat and grey slouch hat from the wall hooks behind his desk. Be quick about it, I prefer to talk to him before he has his first bottle of whiskey.

***

Rufus' dilapidated log cabin sat in the middle of the rock-strewn field that served as the town of Silvervalle's cemetery.  Among the pear cactus and yucca that grew outside his home were an assortment of dirt-covered shovels and pick axes.

The door rattled on its rusty hinges when Sean knocked