Crew's hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my deer in the headlights state. I immediately refocused on Dr. Aberstock, ready to demand more answers, only to find him retreating, waving at Barry who backed off the body while the doc examined his handiwork.

"Nicely stitched," he said with his jovial good humor returned, like he hadn't just told me a fraction of what I needed to know and way more than anyone else in my life had about this particular mystery. I wanted to ...