Chapter Four
The old rural route highway was a museum of small businesses from the past. There was an ancient motel that still had a sign out front advertising color TVs in the rooms. There was a diner that never seemed to have any customers. There were church billboards scattered along the way that started with the affirming “Jesus Loves You” before becoming rapidly more dire (culminating with “Choose the Bread of Life or You Are Toast!”) And then, finally, there was the hubcap-covered shack where Wanda resided with her brother Crazy Dan. They had a sign, as well: it advertised live bait, boiled peanuts, and fortunes from Wanda.
Miles parked the car in the middle of the red clay, grassless yard. The borders of the property were marked by wheel-less cars atop cement blocks. The curtains
